Gweike Cloud 50W CO2 Laser - Unboxing and Initial Setup

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  • Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024

Комментарии • 91

  • @Basement_CNC
    @Basement_CNC Год назад +5

    finally a review of a tecnically quality video pf someone i trust ,
    also i love your m4 natural g10 940 🔥

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      good eye! bladeHQ exclusive osborne, love it.

  • @jostvig01
    @jostvig01 Год назад

    newbie to laser, after years of research finally purchased this, Wish me luck, Setting mine up today

  • @Samcraftcom
    @Samcraftcom Год назад

    Congrats on the new toy errr... tool, Robert! I've got one of these heading my way soon, so I'm pouring through the available videos on YT to ramp up my learning. :) Great video and great presentation!

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Congrats! I think you'll be happy. I feel like it's the best product in this category. The 'industrial' lasers are something different, but I think this fills a need for people.

  • @Eric_Wolfe-Schulte
    @Eric_Wolfe-Schulte Год назад +2

    Hah! Nice sneaking in the 'subscribe' at the end. I'm still a year and a half or so from having shop space but this (or maybe the next revision?) is on the short list for a CO2 laser. Seems like a good machine to learn on!

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Nice! It's got decent hardware, but it would be nice if it played better with Lightburn. More on that later.

  • @NewAgeDIY
    @NewAgeDIY Год назад +1

    Good honest review. Thanks Robert.

  • @judygreci4605
    @judygreci4605 6 месяцев назад

    So mine did with the air filter box. Do I actually need that or can I just stick it out the window?

  • @robertcloosterman9336
    @robertcloosterman9336 Год назад

    G'Day Rob. Great review. My first thought of the tube being on the move was the coolant supply hose being susceptible to breaking or deterioration over time. Interested to see how it performs in the future. 🙂 Rob

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      Oh, that's a good thought. I'll look at that, but it seems to be pretty properly secured with the cable carrier.

  • @petere7239
    @petere7239 Год назад +1

    Have you used the machine over the last couple weeks since posting this video? What are you updated thoughts on its performance? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger. Also, it looks like Gweike is having a black friday sale and your coupon code does not stack with those offers.

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      I played with it quite a bit before I even released this video. I usually do a full evaluation of a product before the video goes up and I actually end up sending quite a few things back because it doesn't meet my requirements (I have a couple 3d printers sitting in my shop that I never fully reviewed because they're just not good enough to recommend). I think for this segment of product (a consumer-friendly CO2 laser, not an industrial one), it's probably the best one out there. The hardware is great, but the software is a bit lacking. However, it does work with Lightburn, it's just some of the extra features maybe don't work exactly as expected. Like the autofocus. It's really just an offset, so you still have to measure the thickness of your material and just apply an offset in Lightburn. I wish it would just probe the material instead. Things like that are more gripes than anything. But it has solid hardware and the price makes it really hard to ignore, compared to anything else on the market, that's my take.

  • @porchehoward4035
    @porchehoward4035 Год назад

    Can’t wait until the software video! 😊

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Well, you're gonna have to! But give me a little bit of time, there's a decent amount to cover. In short, there are many options and none of them are 'perfect', but the machine is certainly usable, it just depends on your skill level and what you're after.

  • @chrismiksovsky5871
    @chrismiksovsky5871 Год назад

    Cool. Sadly can’t buy through you as I already pulled trigger on one a couple weeks ago. I paid 15k for a 30W Epilog some ten years ago, so nice to see this technology “democratized” for the masses. 3k for machine that can accurately cut thin parts seems like a no brainer for any serious maker. Would be happy to buy a longer cable through an affiliate link if you had one (still waiting on the machine).

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      Hey Chris! Congrats on the purchase, you should be pretty happy with it. It's certainly a LOT more fiddly than an epilog, but the price difference is dramatic and I don't feel the extra money is really worth the extra bit of workarounds. I couldn't really find any off-the-shelf cables, but I just found some 4-conductor cable I had in my parts bin and used the existing connectors (with the cable given). It's fairly straightforward in just swapping the physical cable with a new one and re-using the connectors.

  • @LaszloBagi
    @LaszloBagi Год назад

    I think the Xtool P2 will clean up

  • @W4TRI
    @W4TRI Год назад

    I'd love to buy one of these and meet someone just to say "You spent 7K for a Glowforge?! That's adorable!"

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Right?! I'm not really sure how GF figured out their pricing. It even has less power and you have to subscribe to their "pro" online service to make basic shapes in the software. The whole thing just seems like a cash grab.

  • @BestUnderPressure
    @BestUnderPressure Год назад

    Good video. Am I correct in thinking this will not etch or cut metal?

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Correct. It can somewhat etch some metal, but not without a lot of extra effort (coatings and such). Fiber lasers are designed for that purpose.

    • @tonyaredwood5435
      @tonyaredwood5435 Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY They advertise that it can engrave metal. Is that not the case?

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      @@tonyaredwood5435 Engraving metal is a tricky thing. It can lightly etch SOME metals, but I don't think it's a usable enough feature to really rely on. You can get light etching with stainless, but it's not really the best way to do it. I use mine all the time for etching off paint or anodizing from metal, and that works great. Just paint the metal (or use anodized material) and use the laser to remove the paint or coating. You're left with a really nice etched part.

  • @valerietakpor6595
    @valerietakpor6595 Год назад

    So my biggest question is? Would you recommend this product for a first timer? Or should I purchase the glowforge?

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +3

      For a first timer? Yes. I think the machine is more focused on the beginner rather than a veteran. I find it a bit more 'guided' than I would personally like. I would prefer my advanced options, but I'm most likely not their target audience. I would NEVER recommend anyone buy a Glowforge. The software is proprietary, you have to pay a subscription fee for what I see as basic features, it's slower, has less power and it costs nearly TWICE what the Gweike costs. Also, Gweike is actually a much more mature company with a history of selling industrial lasers, Glowforge just seems like a marketing company that tried to capitalize on the lack of consumer-friendly lasers. This is of course all my opinion, but put them side by side with specs, other than maybe cosmetics and some of the 'convenience' features, the Glowforge cannot justify charging nearly double.

    • @valerietakpor6595
      @valerietakpor6595 Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY thanks.. I used your link to purchase it

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      @@valerietakpor6595 Awesome!

  • @moebettter
    @moebettter Год назад

    Thinking of getting one of these...where did you get the power and air cables you used to extend

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      I admittedly had them in my parts bin. The cable is easy enough to extend, any 4 conductor wire works (just hit up your local hardware store and look for 4-conductor wire). The connector can just be de-soldered, so you're just adding in a longer wire, and re-using the connectors. For the air hose, it's just 6mm tubing, same as what's used in many applications, including ice-makers on fridges and such. A couple isles over from electrical is plumbing, after you pick up the wire, pick up a roll of 6mm tubing.

    • @moebettter
      @moebettter Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY Thank you for the reply. I think knowing that I will be buying one of these.

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      @@moebettter Great! I find lasers VERY useful in my shop. Even just to cut out test parts, jigs, overlays, etc. I also use them to etch off paint on metal parts for creating nice lettering. They are very useful. If my shop burned down to the ground and I had to rebuild it, a CO2 laser would be one of the first tools I'd rebuy. Once you get comfortable with it and start using it, you realize what all can be done with it.

  • @DevinNoel
    @DevinNoel Год назад

    The little Harbor Freight rolling stool you are sitting on at the start was subject to a recall a while back. May want to exchange it for one that isn't defective if you haven't already.

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      What's wrong with it?

    • @troy4393
      @troy4393 Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY images.harborfreight.com/hftweb/recalls/Roller-Seat-Recall-61896_46319_63456.pdf

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      @@troy4393 Interesting, thanks!

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +3

      @@DevinNoel You usually have to pay extra for that...

    • @DevinNoel
      @DevinNoel Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY as with most HF stuff they were good about returns. Just took my old one in with no receipt & they sent me off with a new presumably non-defective one. Store personnel were familiar with the recall apparently.

  • @BeefIngot
    @BeefIngot Год назад

    One thing that's made me hold off on buying one of these is I have never seen anyone test what happens if the laser bounces off a mirror like item back at a user. Is there anything to protect the user? That and the gaps in the frame of this are worrying. I suppose it might be unwarranted fear, but with no one covering that element I'm not sure what to think.

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      I would say your worries are unfounded. There is a safety interlock at the lid, so the lid needs to be closed for the laser to fire. Also, the laser isn't very dangerous before it's focused by the focusing lens at the head. Sure, it's still going to be somewhat dangerous up close, but bouncing around the inside of the cabinet and finding its way out? Nah, that's not going to have enough energy to do anything. It really needs to be focused, or YOU need to be in the focal point for anything really bad to happen. But it won't fire if the lid is up by 1/4". I haven't checked the wiring, but usually that switch is directly in line with the ground to the laser's PSU, so the machine doesn't really even need to be on or functioning (logic-wise) for that switch to work as intended. It just breaks the signal for the laser. It's about as safe as it can get.

    • @BeefIngot
      @BeefIngot Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY Really my biggest worry is about errant rays hitting my eyes. I know the lack of focus can't start a fire at range, but eyes are much easier to damage, and can go in an instance. I wish there was a way to know if say at x cm even your eyes would be safe, but you are probably right that I am worrying too much as I havent really seen any cases of people losing their eyes with these.

  • @zenvent
    @zenvent Год назад +1

    Seems like how the glowforge should have been. I hate using their software. I also hate "print" XD

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      It's half the price of the glowforge with half of the BS. It's still more fiddly than it needs to be, but I can't imagine being happy with a glowforge at the price they're charging.

  • @carloscarbajal1399
    @carloscarbajal1399 Год назад

    Where can I get the same table?

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      It's a rockler stand, visit rockler.com and look for their stands. They make them in many different sizes, I have a few of them around the shop. They're a bit pricey for what they are, but they are VERY well made and since they have many sizes, it makes it a good option for stuff like this.

  • @MishaM73
    @MishaM73 Год назад

    Solid review, but the constant use of "um" was driving me crazy. Good thing I wasn't playing a drinking game. 🙃

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      Hah, my bad. There was a lot of information to cover, so going off-script causes that for me.

  • @Duraltia
    @Duraltia Год назад

    Apparently, the current state of affair is them no longer including the Air Filter Unit anymore because they found it not performing to their satisfaction - Resulting in the Air Assist Pump now also being situated IN the Laser itself - Not that I personally mind as I'll hardly be feeling any guilt in directly exhausting the soot out of a window but yea... Kinda confusing when I asked about the Diameter of the of the Windpipe to order a longer one and they replied to me I wouldn't be needing it as my Kit wouldn't be including the Air Filter ( freaking me out for the Air Assist ) 🤔

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Oh, that's really strange. I'll check with them about that. The air filter box isn't my favorite (it does just an "ok" job of filtering), but it's nice that it's included at least.

    • @Duraltia
      @Duraltia Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY Yea... Received mine this week... Took them like 2 weeks to even handing it over for shipping with DHL at least just taking a mere 3 days to get it sent over from China. Getting my Tracking Number from them took way too much effort than it should have... First surprise was a puddle of blue Cooling Fluid in the Crate ( great start ) which I'll have to keep an eye on. 😑
      Obviously, everyone usually around me that could have helped with relocating it suddenly either disappeared entirely or became unavailable due to sickness / injury so "Real Men do it alone" it was... Made a carrying harness out of tie down strap like belts attached to the already present belts and carried it half a floor down the stairs into the closet while clinging for my life to the stair's handrail - Not gonna do that again.
      And yea... Like previously hinted at mine indeed came with a giant Fan instead of the Air Filter Box - Will have to cut a piece of wood the right size on my CNC to place the Fan into which can then be placed into the Coset Window.
      Something of an odd question to ask at this point but... Does Glass ( like the top Door Panel ) block the CO² Laser Light? I read that Plexi does as it is opaque to the CO² Laser but is this also true for what appears to be plain Glas without any coating? 🤔

  • @AndrewMurphy8383
    @AndrewMurphy8383 Год назад

    that funny coming from a guy that is runing this lazer in the grage that attach to the house hope it never catch on fire

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Yep, I generally hope nothing I own catches on fire.

  • @ONYXRCR73
    @ONYXRCR73 Год назад

    Your code does not work

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      I actually just tried it and it did work. If you're trying to combine it with some of the black friday deals, it might not. But if you could still use it, it still does help my channel though. Let me know if it just doesn't work at all. It's COWAN200.

  • @RBHockeyDevelopment
    @RBHockeyDevelopment Год назад

    I cant connect to the gweike cloud software. Anyone else having the same issue? Got any tips?

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      Did you go through the whole wifi setup process? (holding down the start button for a few seconds, etc)

    • @RBHockeyDevelopment
      @RBHockeyDevelopment Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY yes I tried several times. Did the WiFi configuration page and pressed connect but it never connected. Should I just use light burn instead

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      @@RBHockeyDevelopment Yeah, not sure how to help you. I did have to reboot the machine, but it eventually connected. I would just use their offline software or lightburn, I don't see ANY benefit to the cloud software honestly. It's much slower and doesn't do as much as the offline software. Here's a tutorial for the offline software: ruclips.net/video/FwUBY8fa-VI/видео.html

    • @RBHockeyDevelopment
      @RBHockeyDevelopment Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY Thanks! Have switched to using lightburn. Is there a "cheat sheet" for what parameters to use (speed/power) depending on the material?

    • @RBHockeyDevelopment
      @RBHockeyDevelopment Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY also, how do i get the machone to scan the QR code on the gweike material?

  • @AndrewMurphy8383
    @AndrewMurphy8383 Год назад

    i have a co2 laser in m living room but i have the laser vented out my living room window i rig attachment were the hose is connected to @robert cowan i guess the way you make it sound i am stupid for running it in my living room btw the only space i have to use my laser lol

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      You maybe misinterpreted my comment? You aren't stupid, running a laser in a living room is just fine. I'm just saying that not everyone has the ability to vent out a window. I'm not sure why you thought I was calling you stupid?

  • @wishusknight3009
    @wishusknight3009 Год назад

    50 watts would be awfully nice, but will have to stay content with my home made light saber being able to pop balloons at 15 feet.

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад

      haha

    • @wishusknight3009
      @wishusknight3009 Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY with 50 watts i could sit on my porch and pop all the balloons in the annual carnival that i look down on. Of course that would lead to a bunch of upset kids....

  • @Slikx666
    @Slikx666 Год назад

    5 month old video? Times flies when you're sorting out someone's estate. 😐

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      What?

    • @Slikx666
      @Slikx666 Год назад

      @@RobertCowanDIY
      Boyfriend passed away, catching up with everything. 😐
      Getting used to life without him.

  • @SuicideNeil
    @SuicideNeil Год назад +2

    It's a 'Laser printer'...
    I'll see myself out.

    • @spreadItWide
      @spreadItWide Год назад

      right??

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      You are making that joke, but that's exactly what Glowforge calls their product, a laser printer. You can't make this stuff up.

  • @chisivantasivantinelsignor3189
    @chisivantasivantinelsignor3189 11 месяцев назад

    ATTENTION! to buy this machine if you plan to use it with Lightburn. Configuring the camera with lightburn is practically impossible, not to mention the alignment. NO ONE tells you all this, but as a victim tomorrow I will make a video and let everyone know about the camera alignment problem. DO NOT BUY, just waste your money. the assistance only knows how to repeat the same phrase: Redo the alignment procedure...And this would be a "professional" laser company????!!!! God bless you.

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  11 месяцев назад

      What issues are you having? And what does god have to do with anything? They have several tutorials on how to get the camera setup. That being said, the camera is far less useful on this machine than with the xtool.

  • @ke6gwf
    @ke6gwf Год назад

    STOP TWISTING MY ARM TO BUY THIS MACHINE!!!
    That was This Old Tony levels of Subscribe creativity lol
    And for someone NOT you, the short cable could be a serious issue, because not everyone has a solder station and cable hanging around, and the knowledge of how to use it...

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      I'm nowhere near the level of ToT, but thanks for the compliment! Regarding the cable, my assumption was if you're buying a ~$3k laser, you might already have a soldering iron ;-) Hierarchy of tools right?

    • @ke6gwf
      @ke6gwf Год назад +1

      @@RobertCowanDIY since Tot generally adds Subscribe in via CG, and you actually laser cut it out, I think you deserve extra points lol
      And a lot of people who would get a printer like this, at least among the folks I know, are on the artistic side, not the technical side, and so making a cable is not in their vocabulary...

  • @koolkiwikat
    @koolkiwikat 10 месяцев назад

    I stopped at cloud software

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  10 месяцев назад

      You should have kept watching. It uses cloud software, but it's not very good and the machine works with Lightburn, offline, no cloud connection needed. That's one of its selling points. The cloud software is just so it can compete with others that offer it.

  • @JonathanRansom
    @JonathanRansom Год назад

    I'm so glad you also hate "print". Ugh.

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      I was amazed when I saw glowforge using "laser printer" in their marketing materials.

    • @JonathanRansom
      @JonathanRansom Год назад

      To me it makes it sound less useful. A $5000+ laser printer that can't even do color??? 😂

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      @@JonathanRansom if you subscribe to their upgraded cloud software, it can unlock the color option!

    • @JonathanRansom
      @JonathanRansom Год назад

      😂😂😂

  • @eprohoda
    @eprohoda Год назад

    Like it-god . 😈

  • @robinbiggs3577
    @robinbiggs3577 Год назад

    Very Dangerous Machine stay away for your families safety

  • @GeorgeGraves
    @GeorgeGraves Год назад

    50 watt? LOL!

    • @RobertCowanDIY
      @RobertCowanDIY  Год назад +1

      Do you doubt it's a full 50W? I was going to test the output in the next video. Gweike has been making lasers a LONG time and so far I trust that it will be actually 50W.