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Upgrading from a Glowforge

HOME > Upgrading from a glowforge

Why Upgrade from a Glowforge?

We have to admit, a Glowforge is an excellent plug-and-play laser machine for entry level users. The size of the machine is great for a small workspaces and in home use.

The Limitations of the Glowforge

The downside to a Glowforge is not only are you limited by the size of the work area, but you are also limited by the power of the laser tube itself.

A Glowforge can only be used for a small amount of production and business activities, like personal or studio use, but if you are thinking of levelling up your business or getting super  serious about your hobbies… seriously, get a Thunder Laser!

Best Thunder Laser Model To Upgrade To

The Bolt (aka the Thunder Bolt) is our newest laser model, most close in size to the Glowforge, but it is much faster, more precise, more stable with a much longer lifespan than the Glowforge.

Read Customer Reviews of the Bolt>>

V\a banner image split into 2 sections. On the left is a Thunder Bolt laser cutter. and on the right is a Glowforge desktop laser cutter. Text says Thunder Bolt vs Glowforge which at-home desktop laser cutter will win?

Top 7 Reasons to Upgrade from a Glowforge

Here is a short summary from our article comparing the Bolt vs the Glowforge written by our staff member Reade Richards who is a user of both Glowforge and Thunder machines.

1. Machine Size: The Thunder Laser Bolt is just 37″ x 28.5″ x 19.6″, still pretty compact, but won’t take up too much space in your workshop, home office or school.

2. Bed Size: More depth up to 4.3’’, compared to 2’’ of the glowforge. Adjustable z axis allows for rotary use.

3.Accuracy: The Bolt’s RF tube does 2000 DPI!

4. Speed: 8x faster at engraving than a Glowforge

5. Stability:A Glowforge is not ideal when your workspace starts to heat up. The Thunder Bolt solved this tube stability issue by using an RF laser tube. (more details in the full article)

6. Longer lifespan: The Bolt does a much better job than the Glowforge of removing any smoke and dust resulting in a longer lifespan for the machine.

7. No internet needed for interface connection: Connect via the standard USB or Ethernet cables.

What Do Customers Think of 'the Bolt'?

screenshot review of the thunder bolt from our facebook group "f you are thinking of getting into the industry by buying a Thunder Bolt, stop thinking and just do it, we owned one laser before this, and it sucked and everything about it was hard. We have had this plugged in exactly a week and here is some our best hats so far, we are getting backed up quick with requests and we couldn’t be happier with Thunder support!!!!"
a screenshot from a Thunder Laser owners forum on facebook. User of the Thunder Bolt laser cutter. Reads "Look at the awesome detail you can get with the Bolt!! That text on the right is only 2.2mm and completely legible!" Underneath it an image of a leather patch with a US flag and a veteran standing infront of it. along the edges says I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the the united states against all enemies foreign and domestic. ALong the bottom says Veteran of the united states armed forces

Customers Who Have Upgraded from Glowforge

brad review of upgrading from glowforge to the bolt: I wouldn't even have to think about it, most certainly go Thunder. The bolt doesn't even need a tube, so no chiller needed either.
review of the bolt by robert. I've had the Bolt for about a month. I was one of the first and its been an engraving best

Our Other Laser Models

Contact us and we can help you figure out which model is best for your budget and projects you have in mind. We don’t want you to buy a machine that you don’t need! We’ve working with hundreds(maybe even thousands!) of artists, tradespeople and makers to make all sort of projects come to life.

Thunder Bolt

thunder bolt laser cutter and engraver machine thunder laser canada
  • 30 w desktop model
  • 20″ x 12″ bed size 
  • 4.3″ adjustable Z height
  • C02 RF Tube
  • Air-cooled (no chiller required)

  • Read more>>

Nova 24

Nova 24 laser cutter and engraver machine product shot thunder laser canada
  • 60 w
  • 23.6″ x 15.7″” Bed Size  
  • 5.9 Adjustable Z height
  • Glass C02 Tube
  • Water-cooled

  • Read more>>

Nova 35

Nova 35 laser cutter and engraver machine product shot
  • 80 w or 100w
  • 35.4″ x 23.6″ Bed Size  
  • 9.1″ Adjustable Z height
  • Glass C02 Tube
  • Water-cooled

  • Read more>>

Nova 51

Nova 51 laser cutter and engraver machine Thunder Laser Canada
  • 100 w or 130w
  • 51.2″x35.4″ Bed Size  
  • 9.1″ Adjustable Z height
  • Glass C02 Tube
  • Water-cooled

  • Read more>>

Nova 63

Nova 63 laser cutter and engraver machine product shot thunder laser canada
  • 130w
  • 66.9″ x 44.5″ x9.0″ Bed Size  
  • 9.1″ Adjustable Z height
  • Water-cooled
  • Read more>>

Odin 22

Odin 22 laser cuter and engraver rf tube laser cutter thunder laser canada
  • 30w
  • 22″ x 15″ Bed Size  
  • 7.3″ Adjustable Z height
  • C02 RF Tube (No chiller)
  • Read more>>

Odin 32

Odin 32 laser cutter and engraver with RF tube product shot. blue and white metal machine with wheels
  • 55w
  • 32″ x 20″ Bed Size  
  • 7.3″ Adjustable Z height
  • C02 RF Tube (No chiller)
  • Read more>>

Aurora

Aurora marking machine laser engraver. Thunder laser product shot. tall blue and white metal laser machine with a green glass window
  •  20 w or 50 w
  • 4.3 x 4.3″| 5.9 x 5.9″ Marking Area  
  • Air Cooled
  • Read more>>

See What Our Clients Say

Thunder Laser is your source for amazing laser machines including laser engraving, laser cutting, and laser marking machines. We have been innovating and improving our laser machines since 2010 and we combine incredible value with amazing customer support.
josie Ladndon
josie Ladndon
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So far, Thunder has been great to work with. I set up a call to ask many questions, and Courtney was s0 helpful in choosing the machine that was right for me. Getting the quote and paying for my machin was easy. Now to wait until early August for the arrival of my Thunder Nova 51!
Erica h
Erica h
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I would give Rebecca 10 stars,ifl could. Her responses to inquires are always prompt and courteous. I know Thunder Support is swamped these days, but Rebecca always replies with a warm attitude and kind spirit. Thank you for your dedication to the Thunder Family.
Nathan Ehni
Nathan Ehni
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Thunder laser has been great to work with so far. Cheyenne answered all of my questions as they have come up before I put in my order. I am excited to receive my machine in the next couple of months!
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