There are multiple levels of drop test. We passed the basic one, which allows us to ship. We’re improving so we can pass higher levels, which will protect your Glowforge even better in shipping. So no, we’re still improving the packaging.
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I apologize for not being clear. $499 includes the cost of the tube.
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Uhm…you may want to re-read the quote you provided.
They replace it for free(tube/shipping) for free under warranty, $499 after. This includes round-trip shipping. What else is there to include or are you purposefully reading problems into it?
This time for the communities convenience:
I know that’s what you do, but this one is not necessary.
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If it’s not necessarly then what would I do? 
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As an engineer; I tend to carefully consider the words as they are written. Bullet 1 read to me like they did not know what the cost of the tube was.
@dan has cleared up my confusion. So now that he’s been clear; I think he was saying in bulled 1 that that don’t know what the DIY tube will cost.
Now that we have clear $499 includes the tube - it’s actually a good deal to have them re-do factory calibrations on the unit. Since he said the price includes shipping both ways… it’s really is a no-brainer.
My only remaining questions are :
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What at the turn around time for a tube swap is (I know he won’t know yet) and
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if the 2yrs is a nominal lifetime, min, or max. IE I’d hope that the machine would continue to operate with reduced lasing power and rather than just “stop” like an ink cart or “toner” with fake time limits.
Learn something new all the time.
If they every want to do an original design with the glowforge, particularly one beyond a flat object, they’ll find out how useful basic math is in real life. Glowforge as an educational expense.
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Remember that you will also have to keep the original shipping box to have this done, or your costs will increase from the $500.
But they should. At least be able to calculate the diameter to determine if it’s truly a Neapolitan pie or some wanna be knock-off 
(132 cm^2 and a 13 cm diameter - nice symmetry there eh?)
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Being raised in Costsl Central California I can say that there are some groups who consider humans a toxic waste. There are times when I tend to agree with that outlook, especially during tourist season, when the trash accumulates on the beaches and in the water as well as along streets nearby tourist destinations. Traveling across town becomes a burden, let alone getting anything done. But this topic really is for another forum on another website. Actually, many materials n Ed to be treated with care, because our bodies are good at absorbing the nastiness that can be released from those materials when working with them. A close friend of mine now has an issue with some chemicals, he worked with bondo (polyester filler) for decades, now he has an allergic reaction to the fumes/vapor that comes from off-gassing/hardening. Everyone is different, your mileage may vary, but just stay informed, wear the right kind of gloves and a dust or vapor mask as recommended and you should survive loner than without.
There’s a chance that you might not understand why the formula works, how or why it comes to its result, if you don’t go through the mechanics. Unfortunately, during my high school math classes the teacher never explained so much how it works but when to use it. Kind of a bummer. FYI, class of 88.
- I would be willing to be a local certified tech in my area.
- Related to the question of warranty in relation to the new tube, would there be any warranty implications for customers whose units were still under warranty if they chose the DIY replacement option? It seems to me that the DIY repair would be faster than sending the unit in and getting it back. I would be concerned that this option could somehow void the unit’s warranty, though.
I don’t have the answer for that yet.
Keep in mind that the life expectancy of the first original tube is *expected to last beyond the warranty of the unit itself.
(*) CO2 tubes will lose efficiency as they age and are consumed differently by different users, so nailing down the exact expiry date is about as reliable as predicting when an incandescent bulb will fail.
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Here’s to hoping we all get “bulbs” like this one.
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Quite the toss up. Super long-lasting, rather dim. Still, so long as it can cut/etch/engrave…
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I am keeping that in mind. I am hoping to use my GlowForge a LOT. It may turn out to be a nonissue, of course, with all the work the team is putting into it. I cannot wait for the finished units, and may the final tubes last far longer than any of us hope.
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Hey @dan, thanks for the updates!
just wondering if Glowforge considers shipping to Alaska international or domestic. I saw that there were differences in cost for domestic and international shipping and we have seen the full gamut of shipping policies for companies.
I don’t know offhand, but ask support! (Support@glowforge.com)