I'm on the same path as you thinking about getting the low end Solidoodle and adding my own heater bed and building my own "environment cover".

I am curious how many hours it took.

Mark

For instance in New Zealand we have the "consumer guarantees act" which basically means goods sold must be of an acceptable quality (vs price) and work as advertised for an acceptable period of time: e.g. If you buy a fridge and it dies before a year is out you can get the fridge replaced even if it is not covered by warranty as if you are buying a fridge you expect it to work for more then a year.

I've read on various posts reference to the solidoodle products not having a 12 month warranty? Is this true?

No warranty, per se, but they've been really good about doing right by their customers. I think it's considered an unstated warranty until they stop providing free replacement services.

Of course not, a vast majority of products have no sort of warranty at all, and many of those that do have a "defects" warranty, which they can hide behind and claim your issues are not their fault or problem.

Will ask the support guys here on the forum about the shipping. All going according to plan I will order it tonight.

First mod to do,  Glass bed. 1000% better stick and flatness when printing.  http://www.soliforum.com/topic/160/glass-bed/

Extra nut to help with Z-axis backlash, worth it and easy

And print a replacement extruder assembly ASAP because you dont want to have to wait on acrylic parts if yours breaks.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40711

Also, may want to chat with solidoodle support in IRC. Maybe they could give your machine some extra special QA because you are so freaking far away shipping wise?  Maybe some better packing too?

New here but I have been enjoying the forum and eying up a Solidoodle 2 for awhile now and the funds have finally come together.

I don't have anything to contribute as of yet... only questions. My apologizes if these are topics that get covered every other week but searches returned very little.

So... without further ado, the questions:

1) Is the Solidoodle 2 Pro worth the extra $100 over the base model?
I plan on using the printer for ABS parts (and Nylon if they can get that one figured out)... with as high a resolution as possible. If I don't get the pro model would it be difficult to add a heated bed later? A cardboard box will serve well enough for the enclosure.

2) Do Solidoodle offer cheaper shipping methods?
I'm in NZ, which happens to be about as far from anything as it is possible to be. Solidoodle quote $150 for priority shipping, seeing as I will have a few weeks to wait before the printer is sent anyway I thought I might as well try save $50-$100 and simply let it take a couple more weeks.

3) Are there any parts I should order extra of (e.g hot end)?
Being on the backside of the world its going to cost me a fair bit to have anything shipped here if the need arises.

4) What upgrade if any are recommended to get the best out of the printer with the least amount of effort?
E.g Zero backlash nut (no idea what it does but it sounds like a cheap improvement)

I swear there were a bunch more but I guess that about covers it for now.

Cheers!
Ben