Glowforge laser cutter $500 off a Pro, $250 Plus, $100 Basic discount coupon

[wraper]

I took a gamble and preordered Glowforge laser cutter. They sent me a coupon with which up to 10 people can get $100 discount coupon (and I can get $100 back  , yeah multilevel marketing). So if you already considered to order this thingy, this might be useful for you: Coupon April 2019 UPDATE: it's now became $500 off a Pro, $250 off a Plus, or $100 off a Basic version.

Mine was finally delivered, yay.

[Macbeth]

This looks nice, but I can't find any shipping price. You say you ordered for the UK shipping as that is cheaper... Well someone in the FAQ states its $954 !!! 

Also, if it's true you can get a $100 discount each for up to 10 people (so $2000), then doesn't that look like a pyramid marketing scam? I bloody hope not...

[bingo600]

I was impressed also - UNTIL i saw that shipping cost FAQ 

No chance i'm committing to a buy with a "Unknown" $99..$1500 shipping tag.

/Bingo

[wraper]

Shipping (basic model) is $478 to UK and $968 to Latvia  + customs will charge VAT on the shipping, so even worse. You can see shipping cost right away when on preorder page select product quantity and country.

[wraper]

Fancy commercial:

[wraper]

I was impressed also - UNTIL i saw that shipping cost FAQ 

No chance i'm committing to a buy with a "Unknown" $99..$1500 shipping tag.

/Bingo

$560 to Denmark (basic model)

[bingo600]

That's a crazy cost, even though cheaper than $900.

I could prob get a returnticket to NY for that cost, like you i'l have to pay 25% VAT of the full price including the shippingcost.

I'm OUT 

/Bingo

[wraper]

That's a crazy cost, even though cheaper than $900.

Yes it is, Latvia wasn't on the list at all. Emailed them, and they added it after a few days, then I've seen a price and it was like WTF. I guess such price is because of the weight and size, and probably is considered dangerous goods too because of the CO₂ laser.

[PA0PBZ]

Fancy commercial:

Fancy indeed: MATERIAL DETECTED: MacBook Air 13"
(1:41)

[Macbeth]

They claim they are only charging at cost shipping? How much does this thing weigh? How big is it going to end up?

I think they are being extremely lazy and have chosen the most expensive carrier like FedEx at consumer rates rather than negotiated business rates... and then adding on all the overpriced insurance options and rapid express delivery+++

Why not just send them out using USPS standard airmail? I mean there is clearly going to be a hell of a lot longer than December to get these so the extra weeks wait of using normal post airmail vs months of wait for manufacture is no big issue.

I really would like one, but the other thing that rings alarm bells is this "it requires the cloud" to work.



Is that marketing bullshit bingo words or does it really need the fucking cloud to actually work? why? Obviously there is some subscription model being worked on...

I'm just cynical I guess.

Ok, basic model...

$2478 delivered to the UK
-$100 discount thanks to wraper 
converted into GBP circa

£1600
+ 2.7% - 4.5% duty (depending on classed as CNC router, or laser cutter respectively.)
+ 20% VAT (this is payable on duty too!)
£334 in taxes
£~30 for the courier to charge you for the complicated calculation I just did   
=======
£1964 delivered

I'll sleep on it... 

[wraper]

Is that marketing bullshit bingo words or does it really need the fucking cloud to actually work? why? Obviously there is some subscription model being worked on...

They promised to release some open source firmware, so it could be used without internet for those who want to tinker with it.

[Macbeth]

Now the most important thing - will it cut copper on FR4? I mean making fancy leather pieces and cutting through perspex is great, but I want some freakin' PCBs here!

[Bud]

I have not checked the specs or web site but in the video they mentioned the laser is 40 watt, so i guess you could work from there if it is possible to cut copper on a pcb.

[Richard Crowley]

I ordered one. They don't offer pickup instead of shipping. Else I would hop on the train up to Seattle and grab it.
@wraper and I each got a $100 discount.  Thanks!

[Richard Crowley]

All that glass and self-alignment and "custom extruded aluminum" rails and belts and likely glass laser tube probably make it too delicate to just throw in a box and hand to the post-office people.

[wired360]

Anyone thinking of purchasing can also use this link to take off $100, just to let you guys know!
http://glowforge.com/?kid=96RDhh

[Bud]

Fancy commercial:

Gosh, what a BS video, a laser cutter right in the middle of the house kitchen. Where is the damn vent pipe ?
On a side note, doing CADs stuff on a iPad would be my worst nightmare...

[wraper]

Gosh, what a BS video, a laser cutter right in the middle of the house kitchen. Where is the damn vent pipe ?
On a side note, doing CADs stuff on a iPad would be my worst nightmare...

There is an optional air filter, no vent pipe needed. You can see it attached on the bottom at 1:58.

[wraper]

@wraper and I each got a $100 discount.  Thanks!

Thanks, now for me it cost the same as for you (except the insane shipping cost and import duties). Didn't know about any coupons when ordered myself.

[Macbeth]

Anyone thinking of purchasing can also use this link to take off $100, just to let you guys know!
http://glowforge.com/?kid=YL1SQy

I've fixed that link, you cheeky fly-by spammer! 

[IconicPCB]

The laser can cut copper clad laminate.

With some provisos.

It will not ablate copper off the top surface. It will cut and char grill the laminate.

A laser capable of touching copper needs to be somewhere in the UV range.

I would order one if it were not a glass tube based CO2 laser but a fiber laser based machine.

[Richard Crowley]

The laser can cut copper clad laminate.

I don't really think this is going to be very practical.
However, I am interested in using it to expose photosensitive resist, or maybe even blast through ordinary spray paint "resist".

[IconicPCB]

No it will not be practical.
You will end up with charred pieces of laminate.

Paint might be an option  but i suspect not.

A lot will depend on laser driver's capability to modulate output.

Further any photo resist You use needs to be IR sensitive. Again most materials I am aware of are UV sensitive.CO2 tube output is at 1040nm typically. There may be some third order harmonics contributing to some UV .. but then how much etc.

You might get some JOY by researching non linear crystals used to frequency multiply IR to UV ( say 340nm) but then.. the optics post frequency conversion need to be able to handle UV.
A well known  laser copper ablating machine uses a solids state IR diode ( approx 10W in TO3 package ) and some of this IR to UV conversion magic to handle copper laminate.

[wraper]

2 people already used this coupon. Actually did not expect anyone would use it at all. -$200 for me 

[edavid]

So wraper, how did you decide to get the Glowforge?  What do you get for the extra money compared to a regular Chinese laser cutter?

[mikeselectricstuff]

So wraper, how did you decide to get the Glowforge?  What do you get for the extra money compared to a regular Chinese laser cutter?

Having had one of the latter, I'd think the main benefit is having something you can just plug in and use, without dicking about with crappy external water cooling, flaky motion controllers that crash randomy & set fire to the work, hard-to-align optics and appallingly awful Chinese software.

[wraper]

So wraper, how did you decide to get the Glowforge?  What do you get for the extra money compared to a regular Chinese laser cutter?

First of all precision as cheap Chinese ones seem to be making very crude cuts/engravings. Also ease of use, I don't want yet another tool another tool which needs a lot of fiddling. I'd better use my time for something else.

[Kjelt]

So only the cameras are new? What else differentiates this between the already available prooven laser cutters on the market?

[Ribster]

Now the most important thing - will it cut copper on FR4? I mean making fancy leather pieces and cutting through perspex is great, but I want some freakin' PCBs here!

Never.
It's a CO2 laser. Those work at 10600 nM.
You need a green laser for PCB's. There are some pcb lasers around, although expensive.
They use a fiber laser i think, or maybe an Nd:YAG laser..

[Ribster]

So wraper, how did you decide to get the Glowforge?  What do you get for the extra money compared to a regular Chinese laser cutter?

Having had one of the latter, I'd think the main benefit is having something you can just plug in and use, without dicking about with crappy external water cooling, flaky motion controllers that crash randomy & set fire to the work, hard-to-align optics and appallingly awful Chinese software.

Can second on that. It's the ease of use, interface and the camera system.
They do surface mapping, adjust the height of the laser, with presets for different materials...

[wraper]

They raised the price but coupon still seem to be working. Got 7 referrals so far  , 3 short to the maximum.

[veatei]

As the other links have been posted over two years ago, it's important to note there's a limit on the how many refferals a person can give, so in case the others are used up, mine is still available. I would appreicate it and I'm sure if you're purchasing one, you would too.

$100 off refferal link 

If you want $100 off, please use my link and you will get $100 of the total amount.

Link:
https://glowforge.us/OFRNXLRX

[aargee]

I'd love one of these but don't have the real estate or executive permissions.
Has anyone actually got one? Just curious.

[wraper]

I'd love one of these but don't have the real estate or executive permissions.
Has anyone actually got one? Just curious.

They started shipping only recently after big delays. According to emails from glowforge 1 referral of mine certainly got it and 2 another just received it or will receive very soon. I'm supposed to receive it a bit later as US orders are shipped first. As I posted referral link in this tread only, quiet likely they are forum users.

[mairo]

Will this be useful for depanelization of PCBs - ~1.6mm FR4 with no copper?

[wraper]

Will this be useful for depanelization of PCBs - ~1.6mm FR4 with no copper?

It should be able to cut FR4. But I guess edges will be burned and will smell awful. Also without using protective tape, smoke products will likely deposit around the cut. Once I get it, I could try cutting FR4.

[mikeselectricstuff]

This technology is called Q-switched laser, or more commonly improperly called fiber laser.

Fibre/fiber lasers are a specific type of architecture that use an optical fibre as the lasing cavity, and are replacing many older types in high power applications.
Q-switching is a technique applicable to most types of lasers to increase peak pulse power.

[taydin]

Even if you manage to configure the laser so that it doesn't char the FR4 substrate, how is this going to give the 0.1mm precision that many modern high density PCB's would require? What is the beam diameter?

[mikeselectricstuff]

Even if you manage to configure the laser so that it doesn't char the FR4 substrate, how is this going to give the 0.1mm precision that many modern high density PCB's would require? What is the beam diameter?

You can't use CO2 lasers for PCBs directly.
ISTR a few people have managed low-res work using a CO2 to burn paint resist off, but it's way cheaper, easier and more reliable to use toner transfer or UV and traditional etching

[trevwhite]

This fella seems to have had some success with lasers and PCBs.

[wraper]

Has anyone actually got one? Just curious.

I finally sort of got mine a few days ago. Sort of because it was delivered to UK address of my sister as shipping to Latvia was exorbitant $1k which was twice as much as to UK. Will get my hands on it in around 2 months once she drives to Latvia by car during her vacation. Not that I currently have a space to place it anyway. If anyone needs a discount coupon, seems one in the starting post should still work. Although now it says -$1500 on pro version and nothing about basic  .

[tpowell1830]

Has anyone actually got one? Just curious.

I finally sort of got mine a few days ago. Sort of because it was delivered to UK address of my sister as shipping to Latvia was exorbitant $1k which was twice as much as to UK. Will get my hands on it in around 2 months once she drives to Latvia by car during her vacation. Not that I currently have a space to place it anyway. If anyone needs a discount coupon, seems one in the starting post should still work. Although now it says -$1500 on pro version and nothing about basic  .

When I click on the 'Coupon' link on your first post, it just takes me to the Glowforge website, no coupon.

[wraper]

When I click on the 'Coupon' link on your first post, it just takes me to the Glowforge website, no coupon.

Fixed that, ref ID in the link remained the same but link itself changed a bit. As I clicked on similar looking link in recent email before, it appeared as if this was working.

[tpowell1830]

When I click on the 'Coupon' link on your first post, it just takes me to the Glowforge website, no coupon.

Fixed that, ref ID in the link remained the same but link itself changed a bit. As I clicked on similar looking link in recent email before, it appeared as if this was working.

Okay, the link works now, but it says Regina gets $500 now.

[wraper]

Okay, the link works now, but it says Regina gets $500 now.

It was $100 both ways back then and worked for any model, and those were much cheaper than now. Although it was sort of gambling and in the end I waited for 2.5 years. Now it's 1500/500 for pro model.