Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter • Hacker News Board

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#121

Post by theatrus2 » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 8:46 PM UTC

paulmd wrote: post #116

This is a pretty neat product. I especially like the continuous-feed idea. I'd really like to do stuff that involves stainless. What would be the cheapest option capable of doing some reasonable sheet stainess? My wallet is cringing at the mere concept, but maybe I could talk a local hackerspace into doing it or something. I've been meaning to build a CNC mini-mill for a while. I think that seems like a more practica…

A CO2 laser will not cut stainless - it won't even mark steel unless you coat it with a special ceramic.

You're looking at a very very large fiber / YAG laser to cut it. A low power YAG laser can engrave steel - commercially these start at about $30k

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#122

Post by thrownaway2424 » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 8:46 PM UTC

mchannon wrote: post #112

thrownaway2424 wrote: post #109

Can this device cut metals and if so which ones and of what thickness?

A 40W CO2 laser will not cut metals, period. Save yourself the wait and spend $395 on eBay to get a much more sturdy version shipped to your door. It's not perfect but at that price, imperfection is forgivable.

OK. We have a laser cutter at work that will cut very thin metal stock but I don't know what its power is or anything else about it.

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#123

Post by smackfu » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 8:48 PM UTC

uptown wrote: post #36

One of their sample images appears to be of the "Below the Boat" series. http://www.belowtheboat.com/ I've given those maps as gifts, and they're very nice quality. Is there any relationship between your companies? Are they using your laser cutter?

The problem with making something out of public domain maps using technology is that it's very easy for someone else to copy it pretty effortlessly.

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#124

Post by IshKebab » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 8:55 PM UTC

paulmd wrote: post #116

This is a pretty neat product. I especially like the continuous-feed idea. I'd really like to do stuff that involves stainless. What would be the cheapest option capable of doing some reasonable sheet stainess? My wallet is cringing at the mere concept, but maybe I could talk a local hackerspace into doing it or something. I've been meaning to build a CNC mini-mill for a while. I think that seems like a more practica…

For sheet stainless you're probably best paying someone to water-jet cut it. Laser cutters that can cut metal are way way way out of the price range of normal people. Also you can't really mill sheet metal.

If you want to do something cool and home-made you could probably hook up an electric nibbler to an X-Y stage.

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#125

Post by Jonovono » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 8:55 PM UTC

icelancer wrote: post #118

cptskippy wrote: post #49

It's not just cloud connected, it's cloud dependent. It requires internet access and their cloud services to function at all. That's kind of disappointing.

This is completely ridiculous. What possible justification could they have for this?

Maybe like DRM?

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#126

Post by Drdrdrq » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 8:59 PM UTC

danshapiro wrote: post #86

chromaton wrote: post #37

This looks like a decent laser but I thought I'd post a few thoughts about this package which might give a potential buyer pause. First, the main unique feature I see is the built in camera which apparently gives you a preview of cut/engraved finished part on your computer screen with the material as it's positioned inside the machine. This also (apparently, it's not clear), allows you to correct for misaligned mater…

(founder/CEO here) I vented a 60W chinese laser out my window for a year in the suburbs, but I've learned never to underestimate what neighbors may complain complain about. The air filter is definitely a good idea. If you do the math on the volume, and compare it to the actual volume of the filter of e.g. a Purex, you'll find it's similar. Almost half of the volume of the Purex is in the fans or open airspace; we hav…

Curious: why not mitigate fire danger by measuring temperature in beam vicinity using thermal camera?

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#127

Post by jkaunisv1 » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 9:05 PM UTC

danshapiro wrote: post #86

chromaton wrote: post #37

This looks like a decent laser but I thought I'd post a few thoughts about this package which might give a potential buyer pause. First, the main unique feature I see is the built in camera which apparently gives you a preview of cut/engraved finished part on your computer screen with the material as it's positioned inside the machine. This also (apparently, it's not clear), allows you to correct for misaligned mater…

(founder/CEO here) I vented a 60W chinese laser out my window for a year in the suburbs, but I've learned never to underestimate what neighbors may complain complain about. The air filter is definitely a good idea. If you do the math on the volume, and compare it to the actual volume of the filter of e.g. a Purex, you'll find it's similar. Almost half of the volume of the Purex is in the fans or open airspace; we hav…

So is there a built-in exhaust fan?

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#128

Post by arama471 » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 9:09 PM UTC

Drdrdrq wrote: post #126

danshapiro wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(founder/CEO here) I vented a 60W chinese laser out my window for a year in the suburbs, but I've learned never to underestimate what neighbors may complain complain about. The air filter is definitely a good idea. If you do the math on the volume, and compare it to the actual volume of the filter of e.g. a Purex, you'll find it's similar. Almost half of the volume of the Purex is in the fans or open airspace; we hav…

Curious: why not mitigate fire danger by measuring temperature in beam vicinity using thermal camera?

Wouldn't that be too slow? By the time you see the temp spike on the cam you may have already started the fire

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#129

Post by beefman » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 9:09 PM UTC

Implicated wrote: post #40

mlmilleratmit wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good question, I _think_ the ideas is the exact opposite -- you're not depending on Glowforge UI to be backed by a startups servers, the software runs on google cloud instead. Pros and cons, obviously, but I think the main pro is (like a Tesla) the machine's performance and usability can be improved without you installing any new software. As far as dependencies go, google's probably the best possible choice.

> you're not depending on Glowforge UI to be backed by a startups servers, the software runs on google cloud instead. What? Who is going to pay that bill? For example, Glowforge goes out of business... Google isn't going to continue to host and maintain that software out of the kindness of their hearts. > but I think the main pro is (like a Tesla) the machine's performance and usability can be improved without you in…

A bit off-topic, but you gave me an idea: What if Google did guarantee to host stuff forever when startups go out of business? It would eliminate customers' reservations in cases like this, and hence eliminate business reservations about going all-in on cloud services. The increased business could potentially more than cover Google's cost.

The trick would be the care and feeding of the software. But as the industry moves to more immutable infrastructure -- especially stuff like AWS lambda and JAWS -- this will become less of an issue.

Re: Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

#130

Post by danshapiro » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 9:09 PM UTC

jkaunisv1 wrote: post #127

danshapiro wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(founder/CEO here) I vented a 60W chinese laser out my window for a year in the suburbs, but I've learned never to underestimate what neighbors may complain complain about. The air filter is definitely a good idea. If you do the math on the volume, and compare it to the actual volume of the filter of e.g. a Purex, you'll find it's similar. Almost half of the volume of the Purex is in the fans or open airspace; we hav…

So is there a built-in exhaust fan?

Yes. Actually both intake and exhaust fans. Both of those are under software control, so they only run at the speed required for the job. Then the $500 air filter option has its own internal fans to assist with air, also under software control.

If you use the filter, there's nothing else hanging off the back of the device except a power cord. (My old laser had a squirrel cage fan, an aquarium pump, and a chiller tethered to it at all times!)