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Did you hear? Glowforge® recently announced the release of a new “craft” laser machine called Aura™. You can find the Glowforge® Aura™ at Michaels or Joann stores currently.
A “craft” laser sounds pretty cool and enticing. I think one thing that’s appealing to most is the price tag. While other models of Glowforge® have increased in price, the Glowforge® Aura™ is coming into the market at $1299 $1199. This is a lot less than a larger Glowforge® model, so I can see how it might be appealing.
But, I think there is more to it than just the price to consider.
Is the Glowforge® Aura™ right for you?
I cannot answer that, but I can give you some information about it and some things to think about in your decision making process.
I currently own a Glowforge® Pro and having a laser machine is pretty cool. I love using the Silhouette Studio Business Edition to create designs for use in the laser and I even have class on it too (more on that below).
While having a laser machine is cool, I think there are some things to note about it before diving in. And I would highly recommend doing your own research as well too! I’ll share some resources for more information at the end.
Things to Think About
“Craft” laser machine
What does that mean? Basically, it’s not as powerful as the other models of Glowforge® lasers. If you are looking for a laser machine to produce items to sell, this may not be the machine for you. The Aura™ is not going to be an efficient, high production machine. It is slower than other Glowforge® models, much slower.
The Glowforge® Aura™ is a 6 watt diode laser machine. This is what makes it slower than the other models of Glowforge® that are CO2 machines. To compare, the Glowforge® Pro, which is the model I have, is a 45 watt CO2 laser. From what I’ve seen in comparison watching it all unfold, it is about 4 times slower than the Glowforge® Pro.
Since it is a diode laser at 6 watts, it cannot cut all of the same materials that the CO2 lasers can. So make sure to research that as well to make sure it’s going to cut what you want.
The Glowforge® Aura™ has a bed that is 12″ x 12″. The smaller footprint is also what makes it a “craft” laser and more appealing for a crafter’s space.
Filter or Venting
Just like it’s bigger laser friends, the Glowforge® Aura™ has to be vented or used with a filter. This is something to consider before you purchase any laser.
I have my Glowforge® Pro vented out of a window in my space. I open the window and place the venting prop that my husband built in the window and close it down. It is constructed out of scrap plywood, nothing fancy.
We have pets, so leaving the window open while using the machine is not ideal.
He installed a dryer vent on the outside of the window prop, so it opens when the Glowforge® fan turns on.
If you live in an area that has fluctuating temperatures, I would recommend having a system that you can pull the venting back inside when not in use.
Glowforge® did release an air filter that can be used with the Glowforge® Aura™. It is $399 to purchase and is a replaceable filter. However, I have not been able to find any information on how much a replacement filter is. They do not seem to be available yet. The Glowforge website says the filter has a lifetime of 100 hours of printing.
On that note, I have followed several Glowforge® groups in the past 2 years and always see comments about users who cannot get replacement filters as they are always out of stock. It does not seem to be a matter that they sell out quickly, but they have been low inventory the last few years. If you are looking into a Glowforge®, I would highly recommend joining some Facebook groups and watch the posts and comments as part of your research.
Personally, I’d recommend venting it out a window if you are able to do that.
WIFI Connection
In order to use a Glowforge® laser machine, you have to be connected to WIFI at all times when using the software/app and machine. This means you need a good internet connection. And it requires a 2.4 GHz WIFI connection. It does not work off a 5 GHz connection.
The filter for the Glowforge® Aura™ connects by WIFI as well.
Materials
Another area you will want to research is materials. Materials used in the Glowforge® or any laser machine need to be laser safe. Not all materials are laser safe and some can be toxic when used with a laser.
I’d highly recommend starting with proof grade materials. This takes the guess work out of the settings and gives you a better chance of success quickly.
What are proof grade materials? These are Glowforge® materials that they know work in the machine. Materials by Glowforge® have a QR code on it and the camera reads it and recognizes the material. This makes getting started easier than a bunch of testing to find out what settings work.
Safety
A laser machine is fire. The machine should never be left unattended or running without supervision.
I’d recommend having a fire extinguisher or fire suppressant next to the laser machine just in case.
Another thing I’d highly recommend is laser safety glasses. While the Glowforge® Aura™ is a lower wattage laser, you only get one set of eyeballs. Please be safe in your use with lasers.
Maintenance
One of the biggest things I see that users run into problems with their machines is in the maintenance. Keeping the machine clean and following the cleaning instructions will help to increase the lifespan of your machine and decrease the likelihood of running into issues. A lot of issues can be prevented if the machine is cleaned regularly.
The materials that are used in the Glowforge® will make a difference in how often it needs cleaned. For instance, cutting or engraving wood produces different dust than cutting and engraving acrylic.
Location, Location, Location
Think about where you would put a laser machine. According to the Glowforge® website, the recommended operating temperature is 60 degrees F – 75 degrees F.
A location that is not temperature controlled can affect the lifespan of the equipment. Too hot or too cold of temperatures is not good for laser equipment.
The Glowforge® Aura™ has a 12 month warranty, however, if you are not following the guidelines recommended by Glowforge®, the warranty does not cover that. It is not their fault if you are operating outside of the recommendations.
Read more on the details HERE
Terminology
Glowforge® uses the term “printing” for everything. Even though it’s a laser that cuts and engraves, “print” is the terminology they use. So just keep that in mind when you are researching. It is not a printer like we think of that prints with ink on paper.
That is a lot of information, but I hope that it’s given you a few things to think about in your decision making process.
Resources
Silhouette and Glowforge®
If you do have a laser machine and it uses svg files, you can design in the Silhouette Studio Business Edition software and export it as a svg to use with the laser machine. I love the ability to customize and create my own designs to use with my Glowforge® Pro.
By request I designed a class called Creating SVG files in Silhouette Studio – Great for Laser machine owners or designers! The class shows you how to create a design for use in the laser machine and I show a demonstration with bringing it into the Glowforge® app/software to cut with your machine.
Glowforge® Aura Information
This was not written with the intention of detouring you from getting a Glowforge® Aura™, but to provide information for you to make the best decision for you.
As I mentioned above, I would highly recommend doing your own research to make sure that the machine you choose is going to be right for you. If you are an occasional user, it may not be worth the investment in a laser at this time or the Glowforge® Aura™ might be just right for you. If you are a business owner or looking to invest in a machine to get started with selling laser products, you might find that a bigger, faster machine is more efficient and will save you time and money for running a business.
If you are looking at a larger Glowforge model, click HERE to save a bit. With my referral link you could get the equivalent of $500 USD off a Pro, $250 USD off a Plus, and $125 USD off a Basic.
Here are a few additional resources for Glowforge® and the Glowforge® Aura™:
Glowforge website
Country Chic Cottage
Hey Let’s Make Stuff
Jennifer Maker
I hope that has helped to give you some thinking points on if a laser is the right equipment to add to your space!
Enjoy !
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