Model Forum / General / Models / March 2006

Well, I doubt that at this point - this WAS an Ebay sale, and any Ebay
vendor should know the implications of scathing feedback and a buyer
pursuing Buyer Protection options. The seller also has a good feedback
record, and does not strike me as a one-off out to rip someone off.

I haven't seen the parts you speak of, but there will be thick resin on
one area of all of the parts  to deal with.  This is what we call the
"gate".  The larger the part, the larger and thicker the gate.  The
gate is where the resin is poured into the mold.  Being the entry point
for all the resin, there has to be a sufficiently large opening for the
resin to be poured.  The thick part at the top is necessary to overfill
with some extra resin in the event there is some shrinkage.  The size
of the gate depends on several factors I won't into, but sometimes the
gate can be quite large and long.  I use a jig saw with a fine blade to
remove large gates.  Take care to stay away from the part and remove as
much of the gate as possible.

Now thick flash is not acceptable because that's just a sign of a
poorly cast part or molds that have reached the end of thier useful
life.  RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) rubber for molds is
EXPENSIVE.  Especially for large parts.  RTV rubber is what we use to
make the molds.  Some guys are just cheap bast*rds and won't replace
the molds when they should so the result is heavy flass and poor cast
detail and some angry customers.  One guy already mentioned the
importance of reading a review before buying a kit.  That's good advice
and could warn you of unscrupulous manufacturers who provide poor
customer service.

Even obvious parts can be easily left out of kits.  When I assemble the
parts for my kits to be bagged, if the phone rings, or someone asks me
a question, you would be suprised how easy it is to "lose your place"
in the order of things.  I have a "parts sheet" I use for each model
that has a picture of each part and the number needed for each.  I lay
the parts on each picture so I always know everything is ready for
bagging.  It may sound simplistic, but it works.  Unfortunately,
everyone has thier own system.  Some work well, some don't.

Just because you didn't buy the kit direct from the manufacturer
doesn't mean you aren't entitled to a complete kit.  That is unless you
purchased it "as is" from an individual.  That happens a LOT on eBay.
However, the manufacturer wouldn't know that, so he is still obligated
(IMHO) to replace the missing or broken parts.  If the seller promised
the kit to be complete and delivers less, then burn him with negative
feedback.  Can't blame the manufacturer because that idiot lost the
parts and screwed you.  On eBay the responsibility falls to the seller.
BUYER BEWARE.

Like you say, give the guy a chance and I'll bet he'll suprise you.
It's in his best interest to have his stuff out in the public and
satisfied customers, so word of mouth sells more kits.  I hope all
works out for you.

Rusty White
Flagship Models Inc.
flagshipmodels.com

Grr...
Now you've got me started. What's with the shipping so many ebay
sellers do? I've had one where they just slapped an address label on a
kit box sealed with a couple of pieces of scotch tape and mailed it!
Aside from such cases (actually, it stood up amazingly well, hats off
the PO for that one) is it that hard for folks to
1) if the box is open either stick the loose parts inside into a
baggie, stick the whole box into a baggie, or tape or saran wrap the
thing so that the tiny parts and wire axles and such don't climb
through the little cracks like they like to do and hide in the
styrofoam peanuts.
2) put some sort of wrapping around a built kit sitting in styrofoam
peanuts. Or else just beadblast the built kit before they ship it to
eliminate the uncertainty.
3) realize that one layer of newspaper does not constitute padding.
4) maybe put a bag around a built kit sitting in shredded paper, so I
don't have to go fishing for mirrors?

I realize that everybody puts some disclaimer in their ad to the tune
of damage may occur in shipping, but they all seem to claim that they
do their best to pack. If that were the case, I'd understand, but half
of the sellers seem to be doing their best to break and/or lose parts,
and I don't see why. Yeah, I suppose I should either demand a refund or
slam them in the feedback, but that's sort of locking the barn door
after the barn burned down as far as getting that nice looking item
advertised; it's gone forever now, even if I do get the satisfaction of
nasty feedback. And of course then there's the issue of getting nasty
feedback in revenge for that, but that's another story.

Anyway, that's why i buy on ebay less these days.

PS a hint: when I'm moved to provide good feedback, if your name is
John Smith and your email is Frosty@aol.com and your ebay name is lunie
and your listing is titled "Chevy Model" and you haven't put any
indication of what the listing number is or your ebay name is or your
email is anywhere in or on the box and you never sent me an email with
information in it that I can use to connect the dots and I happen to be
buying a bunch of Chevies that week, don't be too surprised if my
detective work fails to figure out who I should be giving the feedback
to for this particular chevy when I open the box. I'm just saying.