You’ve recently bought your
Electrical Safety
Your power cord is the disconnect device – make sure your outlet is close to the machine and accessible. In the event of any emergency or malfunction, unplug the power cord on the back of the unit. Use only a grounded outlet on an electrical circuit rated 15amps max.
Do not use the
If you are concerned with power surges, there is a specialty direct plug-in wall surge protector that is available. I have each of my lasers plugged into their own. The device includes a 15A circuit breaker with automatic shutoff if the protection circuit is incapacitated. Essentially this device will sacrifice itself instead of passing that surge on to your machine and frying it leaving you with a $$$$ paperweight. Sad but true, I’ve had it happen with a desktop computer.
Fire Safety
Use only Laser-Compatible Materials – “Laser-compatible” refers to materials that can be safely processed with the CO2 laser in the
Glowforge solves this with their Proofgrade line of materials. You also can buy Laser-Compatible or Laser-Safe materials. Not certain if the material’s safe? Don’t use it.
Certain plywood glues, inks, adhesives, dyes, and paints may not be laser-compatible. Always ask manufactures if it’s laser-safe before use.
Good rule of thumb is to check the Formaldehyde Emissions rating. This applies to material and glue. Look for an E0 rating or Super E0.
Do not stack materials – attempting to cut two or more sheets of material at a time is more likely to burn.
Clean your crumb tray – Clean out leftover material bits inside the
Never leave the
Keep a Fire Extinguisher & Spray Bottle nearby – the spray bottle will help extinguish small flare-ups, cardboard can be especially finicky and prone to flare-ups, while the Fire Extinguisher can help protect your home from burning down if the machine catches fire.
Keep the Area around your
Smoke and Hazardous Fumes Safety
The chemical composition of the smoke and fumes depends on the material being lasered. Smoke and fumes from laser-compatible materials are controlled by venting or filtration.
Venting
Only operate your
Material Safety
Flat & Fit
Not only do they need to be Laser-compatible materials, but they need to be the correct size to fit the machine and need to lay down flat inside of it.
Material must be less than ½ in. tall if the crumb tray is in, or less than 2 in. tall if it is removed.
Personal Safety
Always wear protective Laser Safety Glasses if you own the
Glowforge Help
Check out more helpful Glowforge articles…
I’m Sarah!
Creator & Maker of all the fun projects!
I’m an ‘LOCD’ Laser Obsessed Craft Designer. My mission is to show you how fun & profitable owning a laser can be!
That beam of light changed my life! My products are carried in 300+ Stores, I sell at local craft shows, and more.
it was cool
Great info. Lucky me I discovered your blog by accident (stumbleupon). I’ve book-marked it for later!