Setting up a new Glowforge

One of the most intimidating parts of getting a new Glowforge is setting up the machine. For me, it was so overwhelming to get this huge box brought into my house with a warning to have two people lift the machine. I mean, the package was so important that I had to sign for it. You know that means business. I’m no novice to craft machines, and I consider myself PRETTY technologically savvy, but even I found myself standing in my living room thinking, “What did I get myself into?”

So here is my experience with unboxing and setting up my machine (twice, actually). Let my experience show you that it’s not difficult at all (besides one little qualm I have with setup instructions).

PS – If you don’t want to read this, I have the YouTube video linked at the end.

Package arrival

I ordered my first Glowforge unit at the end of the month. Granted, we were in holiday season, but I did find that the processing took longer than I would have liked. But nevertheless, I patiently waited (by patiently I mean checked my order status three times a day) and finally got a shipping notification about three weeks later. My Glowforge Pro had been shipped and I would get three packages: my machine, the crumbtray, and the free proofgrade materials.

Just a couple days later, a very large box arrived at my house, followed by two additional ones the next day. This was a bit of a bummer, I couldn’t use my machine the very first day I had it because I was still waiting on a power cord and materials.

Unboxing

Opening the box to my Glowforge was *moderately* difficult because the sides were taped shut and there are four small plastic handles that seal the box shut. I had no idea what they were for and found myself yanking on a few of them. (Make sure you keep these pieces and all of the packing pieces with this machine!) Finally, the box was opened and there was my Glowforge, perfectly packed in protective foam.

I removed the foam pieces, making sure to keep every part safe just in case I ever had to send the machine back. Spoiler alert – I did. Once the foam was removed, we slipped the machine out of the protective plastic it was in and lifted it onto my worktable.

Machine setup

Now was just a matter of removing a ton of tape, foam and plastic pieces. I will say, this thing was sturdy! Again – Make sure to save all of these pieces. You may need them to send the machine back if needed. Some of these pieces are necessary to transport it at all. Hint: If you go to the web address on the machine, the webpage explains this process too. That setup page also tells you how to take the materials out of the machine.

Once I opened the webpage, the rest of the instructions were super easy to follow. I found the print head and popped it right into place.

Venting your machine

One important thing that is oftentimes left out in promotional material for the Glowforge is the fact that is must have a hose to vent it outside. Even though its super obvious when you think about how you’re basically burning material with a laser, it was still a bit of a realization when I began my research before purchasing my machine.

The Glowforge will come with a dryer hose and clips to use for ventilation. You can find some awesome setups to reduce smell and noise (look out for a tutorial on this), but for the sake of getting started, I am just going to vent my machine out the window.

The hose attaches to the back of the machine. This part can be tricky. Place the clip at the end of the hose, then attach to the Glowforge. Make sure that the hose is attached well, you don’t want the exhaust to leak out!

Plug in and complete your online setup!

Once you visit setup.glowforge.com, the rest of the process is super simple. To see how I set up my machine, check out the video below.

You’re ready to get your glow on!

Once you complete your online setup, there’s nothing holding you back from creating. You will get a pack of Proofgrade (Glowforge-specific) materials with your order. I recommend following the beginner tutorials provided by Glowforge to get comfortable with your machine.

Ready to jump in?

Don’t forget that you can save up to $500 on a new Glowforge! Find out how you can get an awesome discount on your machine here.