Library Makerspace – Glowforge laser cutter & engraver
Glowforge
The Glowforge Pro laser cutter is a powerful and versatile tool that allows users to unleash their creativity and bring their ideas to life.
The Glowforge is a professional-grade laser cutter and engraver designed for both personal and business use. It utilizes a laser beam the width of a human hair to cut and engrave a wide variety of materials, including wood, acrylic, leather, fabric, cardboard, and even certain metals.
- Personalized Gifts and Accessories: The Glowforge Pro can help you create custom engraved and cut items like keychains, jewelry, phone cases, and more.
- Home Decor and Signage: From engraved wooden signs to intricately etched glassware, the Glowforge Pro allows for stunning home decor and personalized signage.
- Prototyping and Model Making: It is an excellent tool for creating prototypes, architectural models, miniature gaming accessories, and other three-dimensional objects.
- Artistic Ventures: Artists can utilize the Glowforge Pro for creating laser-cut artwork, intricate paper cutouts, sculptures, and more.
- Check out Instagram, #glowforge to see what amazing things other Glowforge owners are making.
- Use a design software of your choice to create the artwork or design you want to cut or engrave. Some popular design software options are Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, CorelDRAW, or even Glowforge’s own web-based app, Glowforge Design.
- Make sure the dimensions of your artwork match the size of the material you plan to use in the Glowforge Pro. You can choose the appropriate material size in the Glowforge software or manually adjust your artwork to fit the material.
- If your artwork is in a raster format (such as a JPEG or PNG), you’ll need to convert it to a vector format (such as SVG or PDF) for optimal results. Vector formats ensure that the lines and shapes in your design are defined by mathematical equations, allowing the Glowforge Pro to accurately cut or engrave them.
Materials available.
The library has cork trivets, plywood and acrylic available for purchase.
Any outside material would need to be approved by staff.
Cost:
There is a $5.00 charge for using the Glowforge for up to an hour.
Material |
Size |
Cost |
|
Baltic Birch Plywood |
12 inch x 12 inch |
$5.00 |
|
Baltic Birch Plywood |
12 inch x 20 inch |
$14.00 |
|
Trivet |
7 inch |
$5.00 |
|
Leather |
5 inch x 5 inch |
$1.00 |
|
Leather |
10 inch x 10 inch |
$4.00 |
|
Acrylic (⅛ inch) |
12 inch x 6 inch |
$8.50 |
To access the Glowforge you can book a time with a staff member:
Email: makerspace@quintewest.ca
Phone: 613-394-3381 x3325
The Glowforge comes equipped with safety features, including a closed casing and a built-in cooling system.
Guidelines and safety instructions provided by the manufacturer, must be followed to ensure safe and responsible usage.
The Glowforge can only be physically operated by library staff.
