All of Your Glowforge Questions Answered

by Tamara Bennett | Apr 15, 2021

I recently added the Glowforge Pro laser cutting machine to my craft room and have been able to cut all of my wood blanks and attachments that I’ve been painting. It’s so convenient to have this machine right in my craft room and ready to use. Since I’ve been using my machine I have had many questions from people wanting to purchase the Glowforge. So let’s jump right in so I can answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. Which Glowforge machine did you get?

2. Is it easy to use?

3. Where do you keep your Glowforge and how do you vent it?

4. Can you use the template files from shopdoorhangers.com on the Glowforge?

5. What’s the largest door hanger you can make with the Glowforge?

6. What type of wood do you use in your Glowforge?

7. Are there payment plans available when you purchase the Glowforge?

8. Who should not purchase the Glowforge?

9. Where can you purchase the Glowforge?

Note: Affiliate links included within this post for your convenience.

Which Glowforge machine did you get?

I got the Glowforge Pro machine because it has a passthrough feature which allows you to cut wooden blanks up to 19 inches. The Glowforge Pro is the only machine that allows you to cut blank door hangers that large, as other Glowforge machines limit you to 12 inches. If you’re wanting to purchase the Glowforge to cut door hangers, you must get the Glowforge Pro.

Is it easy to use?

Of course I am still learning, but so far I can say that the Glowforge is very user friendly. The software that the Glowforge uses, while not very intricate, is extremely easy to use. It also doesn’t take up as much space as other laser cutting machines making it easy to store.

Where do you keep your Glowforge and how do you vent it?

Speaking of storing your Glowforge, I keep mine right in my craft room. This is so convenient because I can cut my door hangers out right before I hop on Facebook live to paint every Tuesday.

I shared a video of how I vent my Glowforge on my Facebook page. When it comes to venting my machine, I vent my Glowforge with a hose that runs down into an air filter. You can also vent the hose out a window. This is a great feature that allows you to keep your Glowforge in your craft room or house, instead of requiring a shop or garage to store your laser cutting machine.

Can you use the template files from shopdoorhangers.com on the Glowforge?

If you are planning to purchase the Glowforge you will be happy to know that all of the templates available in my shop are able to be used on the Glowforge. That means every template you’ve already purchased from me can be used on your new machine. The Glowforge uses SVG files to cut out the wood blanks and the SVG files are included in our template files. You can watch an entire video tutorial on my Facebook of how to use template files on the Glowforge.

What’s the largest door hanger you can make with the Glowforge?

If you’re going to be cutting door hangers, the Glowforge Pro is the only Glowforge machine that will allow you to cut a big enough base. The Glowforge Pro allows you to cut up to 19 inches. The others cap the cutting at 12 inches. This is why it is so important that you purchase the Glowforge Pro to cut door hangers.

What type of wood do you use in your Glowforge?

When I use my Glowforge, I use the RevolutionPly from Lowe’s. I like the 1/4 inch, but the Glowforge can cut up to 1/2 inch thickness. I have been using RevolutionPly for a while now so it’s what I feel comfortable sticking with. If you’d like to learn more about why I use this specific wood, you can read about it in one of my blog posts.

Are there payment plans available when you purchase the Glowforge?

I know that taking the plunge to purchase a Glowforge is a big decision. Glowforge does however offer payment plans to help their customers. They have partnered with Affirm so that their customers can breakdown the cost into smaller monthly payments. I encourage you to consider how many of an item you will have to sell before your machine pays for itself, then break that down into how many you’d have to sell for the monthly payments. Before you know it your machine will be paying for itself!

Who should not purchase the Glowforge?

If you’re thinking you want to purchase the Glowforge it’s important to evaluate what for and how you plan to use the machine. The Glowforge may not be the best option for tech savvy people who need a robust software that can do a lot of things. It’s also not for people who need a machine that can produce lots of blank pieces quickly.

Where can you purchase the Glowforge?

If you’re in the market to purchase the Glowforge then I have some great news for you. By shopping with my link you can get $500 off of the Glowforge Pro or $250 off the Glowforge Plus. Just a reminder that the Pro is what you need to cut our door hangers. I have really come to love how user friendly and convenient my Glowforge Pro is and I hope that you will too if you choose to take the plunge.