This thing is pretty damn cool, and is a first on the market. I can see use in both 3d fab and in fired arts, just off the top of my head. They support all the major plastics, and their temp control is what really sets them apart. If they can pull off what they have on their page, it’d be a game changer, because controlling the heat going to the plastic is the challenge in vacuum forming.
Traditionally no. It’s not useful for us to tie up our money in potential vaporware.
Search for the glowforge laser Kickstarter on the talk forum for more info identical to this.
5 Likes
Since the Talk search function is pretty bad, I usually use Google search as below:
site:talk.dallasmakerspace.org “glowforge laser”
3 Likes
I’m strongly opposed to using any DMS funds on Kickstarter and similar crowdfunding websites. People were pissed when I was chair of the laser committee and didn’t want to put down money on a Glowforge. Two years later here we are and they still aren’t in the wild. I’m glad we didn’t waste time or money on that.
6 Likes
Also search for vacuformer for our endeavors in trying to get one, fix the one we got, and then store the one that was partially completed.
Over all there wasn’t enough use for use to have one. That said, I would like one to use for stuff
This is a good cautionary tale.
There have been other high profile failures for less nefarious reasons too.
1 Like
…and another Kickstarter failure.
DMS is not a source of venture capital.
2 Likes
I have a friend who used to work for a firm that did nothing but make bogus Kickstarter projects. They would cobble together a prototype of whatever it was they wanted to “kickstart”, put together some graphics and a quick video in adobe suite, and wait for the money to roll in. After money started to slow down, they would pull the project page and run. Companies on Kickstarter have no obligation to deliver a finished product and supporters have no right to a refund.
What always boggled my mind is that they would use the same account to post projects multiple times over. People could see that they had several “failed” projects in the past and they would still support a new project.
1 Like
Yeah, but just think about how awesome it’ll be when it finally comes out!
I am reminded of a famous quote; “There’s a sucker born every minute.” or another “A fool and their money are soon parted.”
1 Like
You mean if it finally comes out.
1 Like
Even if a product successfully makes it to market, crowd-funded projects can have a significant lag. I’m peripherally acquainted with the creators of this:
It was promised for ‘holiday delivery’ in 2014 and just shipped last December. The guys did deliver a product, and more importantly patented what makes their project unique. But in the intervening two years the market has passed them by. The product, while well done, is way overpriced for its feature set in 2017’s market.
Since these kick starters almost always rely on Chinese manufacturing, if/when they are successful there will almost certainly be a Chinese clone of the product for less money, and possibly even in the market first…
7 Likes
Glad I remembered this thread. The current issue of Make mag (vol 56 april/may 2017) has some articles related to this thread:
Crowdfunding Cheatsheet
Laser Cutter Review: Glowforge
Devices and the Law (medical)
One of the more interesting issues of the mag.
1 Like