[GB] VE.A Wooden Wrist Wrests - Shipping Soon

[alienman82]

removed.

[tinlong117]

 

[JDragon]

I got mine but it has weird bubbling all over. Is it supposed to look like this?

https://imgur.com/a/gbjvf

[Data]

I got mine but it has weird bubbling all over. Is it supposed to look like this?

https://imgur.com/a/gbjvf

Almost looks like heat damage to the surface finish.

[bendrexl]

I got mine but it has weird bubbling all over. Is it supposed to look like this?

Nooooooo!!

   



Finish separation... I don't know what would cause that to happen during the course of shipping though. is it just the wenge, are there any bubbles the zebrawood? How about the underside?

Edit: I'm sending you return labels today, and I'm checking on the wenge sets I had ready to ship - I'm going to hold onto them until I know this isn't going to affect any others.

[JDragon]

I got mine but it has weird bubbling all over. Is it supposed to look like this?

(Attachment Link)

Nooooooo!!

   

(Attachment Link)

Finish separation... I don't know what would cause that to happen during the course of shipping though. is it just the wenge, are there any bubbles the zebrawood? How about the underside?

Edit: I'm sending you return labels today, and I'm checking on the wenge sets I had ready to ship - I'm going to hold onto them until I know this isn't going to affect any others.

Appreciate the prompt attention to this! There are spots all over, I can get some more pics later and double check on the wood. There was a heat wave in the area while this was in transit, could that have caused it?

[bendrexl]

Appreciate the prompt attention to this! There are spots all over, I can get some more pics later and double check on the wood. There was a heat wave in the area while this was in transit, could that have caused it?

It must have been heat. It was about 90ºF here when I finished them, and I pre-sealed the wood days before applying the catalyzed polyurethane top coats, hard to believe there were enough trapped solvents to do that kind of damage. But, wenge has some pretty serious pores... and even one would be enough to ruin it.

I'm asking around to see what I can do to mitigate this in the ones I have ready to ship right. Apologies to those expecting tracking numbers today, but I don't want to send out any timebombs. Expect an update tomorrow...

[FistfulOfPaintballs]

I just got my wenge set in and it looks fantastic! It managed to survive USPS and the Texas heat without any bubbling issues. Thanks again, bendrexyl!

[JDragon]

Appreciate the prompt attention to this! There are spots all over, I can get some more pics later and double check on the wood. There was a heat wave in the area while this was in transit, could that have caused it?

It must have been heat. It was about 90ºF here when I finished them, and I pre-sealed the wood days before applying the catalyzed polyurethane top coats, hard to believe there were enough trapped solvents to do that kind of damage. But, wenge has some pretty serious pores... and even one would be enough to ruin it.

I'm asking around to see what I can do to mitigate this in the ones I have ready to ship right. Apologies to those expecting tracking numbers today, but I don't want to send out any timebombs. Expect an update tomorrow...

Hoping that mine is just an isolated incident. It did get both woods unfortunately (https://imgur.com/a/Iyakw)

[roostrc0gburn]

Appreciate the prompt attention to this! There are spots all over, I can get some more pics later and double check on the wood. There was a heat wave in the area while this was in transit, could that have caused it?

It must have been heat. It was about 90ºF here when I finished them, and I pre-sealed the wood days before applying the catalyzed polyurethane top coats, hard to believe there were enough trapped solvents to do that kind of damage. But, wenge has some pretty serious pores... and even one would be enough to ruin it.

I'm asking around to see what I can do to mitigate this in the ones I have ready to ship right. Apologies to those expecting tracking numbers today, but I don't want to send out any timebombs. Expect an update tomorrow...

Hoping that mine is just an isolated incident. It did get both woods unfortunately (https://imgur.com/a/Iyakw)

bummer. that is the same one i ordered...

[bendrexl]

Hoping that mine is just an isolated incident. It did get both woods unfortunately (https://imgur.com/a/Iyakw)

Return label sent. Yeah, I hope so too - I really can't afford to redo/reship a bunch of these, especially since it seems shipping companies don't insure against any kind of temperature damage.

I just got my wenge set in and it looks fantastic! It managed to survive USPS and the Texas heat without any bubbling issues. Thanks again, bendrexyl!

That's a big relief - not many people have posted, so I assume those are all good. And your board looks great!

[bendrexl]

bummer. that is the same one i ordered...

I'm doing some stress testing - yours will arrive healthy & happy

[FoC_Tow]

Some happy lil trees

[roostrc0gburn]

bummer. that is the same one i ordered...

I'm doing some stress testing - yours will arrive healthy & happy

so.. hows that going

[Data]

Yeah...

At this point I'll just take my rests and if the finish gets ****ed up in transit I'll refinish them myself.  I'm done waiting.  Please ship or refund.  This is ****ing ridiculous.

[alienman82]

removed.

[roostrc0gburn]

thanks for the update, bendrexl. I'm still hoping to show these off at Seattle next weekend!

ok, so it's been a couple more weeks... what's up?

I'll be invoicing for the first 12 units (by order date) this week for shipment on Saturday; that wave will include yours roostrc0gburn

thanks, i guess i need an interpreter because i understood that sentence to mean "invoicing... this week" and "shipping on saturday"

so i guess i will see an invoice tomorrow for shipping... when?

That was confusing - my fault.  Either way I missed the date - why? Simple answer is that I don't want to over/undercharge on shipping, and I haven't had the time to nail down the exact amounts for each of the 12 orders on my bench at the moment.

"Wait, what do you mean you haven't had time, Ben?!? You've had dozens of days, DOZENS!"
True, and I am really feeling the pressure to deliver quality product to all you incredibly patient folks. The more involved answer is that my own personal/IRL issues affecting this project's delays are real, but they're my own responsibility and I don't want to use them as excuses. I also don't want to cut any corners at this stage, so I'll take the time required to get it right. Keep in mind that I'm not exactly getting paid hourly and I can't take on any other projects until this one is done, so I'm very motivated to get this done and out the door! 

What I really want to communicate is that there is *no* danger of not getting exactly what you already paid for - the only question is the exact date of delivery, which I am apparently incapable of estimating   I am still making steady progress, and it won't be much longer now.

dont worry guys. wont be much longer now /s

i'll be issuing a paypal dispute this week, as my paypal protection runs out by friday. still reluctantly hopeful that i will get my order, but i have decided it a better tactic to just issue the dispute at 180 days on any group buy from here on out (also in E8 gb, but that is a different matter)

if ben wants to explain himself or produce a product, i may be willing to accept a re-invoice. but, at this point i am pretty done with waiting or hearing any more excuses. i think i have been pretty patient so far, but i have reached my tolerance for flaky gb runners.

[Data]

Same here.  I'm gonna need a tracking number and some evidence in the tracking that shows the parcel has been received by the carrier by Wednesday or I'm starting the process with Paypal.

Edit: Start your communication through Paypal now so they have an official record of the dispute and you can show your good-faith attempt to reach some sort of amicable conclusion with the seller.  This will expedite your refund if it comes to that.

[zacheadams]

I'm past the 6-month period and already transferred my spot to KlarKuo :|

Didn't you already invoice him for shipping?  Did you ship yet?

[FoC_Tow]

I know it's been a while but give Ben a break guys, I have seen GBs going way worse then this honestly.

I understand people's frustration to a point, but I don't think there's anything that can't be handled in a decent way.

I am still stoked to receive my rest, didn't mind the delays much and still have faith Ben will deliver an awesome piece

[zacheadams]

I know it's been a while but give Ben a break guys, I have seen GBs going way worse then this honestly.

I understand people's frustration to a point, but I don't think there's anything that can't be handled in a decent way.

I am still stoked to receive my rest, didn't mind the delays much and still have faith Ben will deliver an awesome piece

:/

I fear we don't hold groupbuys to a high enough standard in this community and people take advantage (intentionally or otherwise) of our inability to hold them accountable.  Our only accountability is Paypal and now my dispute duration is burnt and someone else is on the hook for the order I made.  This is a pretty unfortunate position to be in.

Excuses and sadness and tiptoeing around professionalism aren't what gets us solutions to the problem - people are taking money in return for promises to deliver products... and then failing to deliver those products in a reasonable time frame or to the standards/parameters promised at the outset.

Petition to change "Group Buys and Preorders" to "Group Buys and Stockholm Syndrome".

[redbanshee]

I fear we don't hold groupbuys to a high enough standard in this community and people take advantage (intentionally or otherwise) of our inability to hold them accountable.  Our only accountability is Paypal and now my dispute duration is burnt and someone else is on the hook for the order I made.  This is a pretty unfortunate position to be in.

Excuses and sadness and tiptoeing around professionalism aren't what gets us solutions to the problem - people are taking money in return for promises to deliver products... and then failing to deliver those products in a reasonable time frame or to the standards/parameters promised at the outset.

Petition to change "Group Buys and Preorders" to "Group Buys and Stockholm Syndrome".

Amen brother

[litster]

I think Ben is doing what he can given the circumstances.  It is hard for a small operation to account for everything, like the heat bubble thing.  He is standing behind his work and is fixing the issues we have run into.  Sometimes it takes a lot longer for perfectionists to finish something.  I am one of them.  Give him a break.  I am loving the pair I am using. 

[Data]

Nah.  You're welcome to wait forever if you want.  There's not nearly enough communication and/or progress to show that he has any intention of getting these done in an expedient manner, after asking us to wait over 6 months for 29 units.  I'm out.

[roostrc0gburn]

i dont mind the wait, but the repetitive breaking of promises and pushing back the timeline have worn me down. at the beginning i was pretty excited for this, even sold off my acrylic tenting kit. now, i dont care. send me a refund or the product

[bendrexl]

I am a partially-recovered perfectionist, still working on that (literally; with a paid counselor on a regular basis).  I know I can frustrating to work with - my wife and managers would agree with you 100% - but the flip side of that coin is that I do (eventually) get things done that others can't (or are smart enough to say "no" to).

/confession

You're all welcome to voice your frustrations - I have already refunded some, and I've honored every request for a refund-reup (if I somehow missed your request I'm sorry, hit me again). I can & will refund anyone who's can't wait any longer by this Friday, no questions asked.

Real-life dropped a couple bombs on me this last week, I took Monday off from my full-time job just to catch up. I'm taking extra curing time with controlled heat, and carefully applying sealant coats to minimize any trapped solvents in the deep pores of the exotic woods before applying the top poly coats.

All of the remaining rests are now machined; 10 sets are resealed and ready for final sanding & poly coats (3 hrs/set); 5 sets need final shaping of the inside rest edge before beginning the finishing process (1hr/set for shaping).

I am still stoked to receive my rest, didn't mind the delays much and still have faith Ben will deliver an awesome piece

FoC_Tow, yours was one of the remakes that was just machined last week, I've got it shaped and sanded. Since there's no finishing needed on my end, I'll have it ready to ship tonight (along with your walnut & maple scraps).

I gotta get back to work here, sorry if I missed

[litster]

For the bubbling problem, could it be a chemical reaction between the poly on the wood and the plastic bubble wrap?

[bendrexl]

Same here.  I'm gonna need a tracking number and some evidence in the tracking that shows the parcel has been received by the carrier by Wednesday or I'm starting the process with Paypal.

Edit: Start your communication through Paypal now so they have an official record of the dispute and you can show your good-faith attempt to reach some sort of amicable conclusion with the seller.  This will expedite your refund if it comes to that.

All good advice - just be aware that PayPal immediately places a hold for the full refund amount on the seller's account, which is an un-fun surprise when I'm invoicing others for their shipping and those funds disappear down a hole. Again, I completely understand protecting your investment, and if it's your last day of buyer protection then I'd probably do the same.

On the other hand, if you can wait until Thursday I'll have plenty of funds to cover everything I need to ship AND whoever wants refunded. (Or you can open a PayPal case if you prefer)

[bendrexl]

Temps have turned cold this week, so I've ordered an infrared curing lamp that should arrive this Saturday to make sure all finish coats are completely cured before I ship them.

[roostrc0gburn]

Temps have turned cold this week, so I've ordered an infrared curing lamp that should arrive this Saturday to make sure all finish coats are completely cured before I ship them.

another excuse, another delay. ben, please send me a refund

[Data]

Temps have turned cold this week, so I've ordered an infrared curing lamp that should arrive this Saturday to make sure all finish coats are completely cured before I ship them.

Three days ago you said you'd be shipping on Thursday.  It's Friday and I still don't have a tracking number.  Now you're waiting for something that may arrive on Saturday?  Dude, this is not OK.  If my order is otherwise ready to ship, ship it.  Like, today would be good.  Otherwise I'll take my refund.  Thanks.

These finishes should have been cured months ago... 

[rmendis]

Temps have turned cold this week, so I've ordered an infrared curing lamp that should arrive this Saturday to make sure all finish coats are completely cured before I ship them.

Hey bro,

I have several PMs to you that have gone un-replied. Just wanted to check on my order, since I am now probably past the paypal protection window. Any update?

Thanks!

[bendrexl]

Updates on open orders & recent changes

1 coat of poly remaining, shipping *soon*:

• Asbrodeus
• bchng
• zacheadams - transferred to KlarKuo
• Litster - repaired, shipping damage
• JDragon - refinished, shipping damage
• WODAN
• rmendis
• KetchyKech
• MandrewDavis
• FoC_Tow - packed for shipping
• (two reddit orders)

Next (and final) wave; shaping and raw sanding:

• ---Xerothermic---, wenge/padauk in next wave
• Slash Emperor, wenge/padauk in next wave
• nickheller, the walnut/maple is ready now, wenge/padauk in next wave
• (two more reddit orders)

Other notes:

• RoostrC0gburn - refunded
• Data - refunded
• (sorry I let you guys down)

That list should cover all the geekhack users I have open orders for - I have some orders that didn't submit GH user names, so if you don't see yours here feel free to message me with your username and I'll let you know where yours is at.

Thanks everyone for hanging in there - I know what it's like:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wazoosurvivalgear/the-ultimate-everyday-and-travel-accessory-cache-b/posts/2006047
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/getpebble/pebble-2-time-2-and-core-an-entirely-new-3g-ultra/posts/1765213

[litster]

Thanks for the update, Ben.  When you are ready, can you list out what other wrist rests you have in stock due to refunds and such?  I might want to get one more set.  Thanks.

[TerryMathews]

Ironic you chose Pebble as an example given how it turned out.

[bendrexl]

Thanks for the update, Ben.  When you are ready, can you list out what other wrist rests you have in stock due to refunds and such?  I might want to get one more set.  Thanks.

Given the time I have tied up each of these rests, I'd love a chance to resell the extras at a premium to try and bump my hourly rate to at least minimum wage   That said, I do want to take care of everyone who has stuck it out so far - I'll see what I can work out, after all the dust has settled and all the buyers are happy with their rests.

Ironic you chose Pebble as an example given how it turned out.

I'm missing the irony, I guess - just pointing out that I have more that a couple GBs with outstanding $$$ / product that are more than a year old.

Pebble's a great example of how *not* to run an honest crowdfunding campaign. The PT2 and Core never had a chance of actually being manufactured. They were trading on Pebble's reputation to pump up their valuation, knowing they still needed a metric crapton of funding to just stay afloat, much less get the campaign rewards delivered.

[wodan]

Thanks again for the re-invoice Ben. It's the final result that counts for me - and with the very swift and uncomplicated re-invoicing I now have even an extended production period covered

[bendrexl]

I spent a few hours after the fam was asleep last evening, and got 6 of the 11 sanded + prepped for final coat. that leaves ~2.5 more hours of hand-sanding this evening, not sure if that will leave time to apply the final coat but I'm going to try.

[bendrexl]

10 sets are cured and ready for shipment! I cut all the custom rubber feet, and got 3 packed up for shipping late last night.

I'll be sending out the remaining invoices for shipping on these 10 orders (really just a few as most of these were invoiced already), and printing labels tonight. So watch for an invoice if you haven't got one yet, and please remind me of any address changes!

[litster]

Thanks for the update, Ben.  I hope people will realize that it is worth the wait when they see the end product.  I have been using my at work for the last few weeks.  It has been rock solid.  It is much more stabler than the acrylic pair that I have, and that acrylic pair was fairly stable. 

How is the repair with mine?  Thanks.

[bendrexl]

Thanks for the update, Ben.  I hope people will realize that it is worth the wait when they see the end product.  I have been using my at work for the last few weeks.  It has been rock solid.  It is much more stabler than the acrylic pair that I have, and that acrylic pair was fairly stable. 

So glad to hear it! All of these rests will be heavier than plastic, and I hope the custom feet work well in smoothing out any natural movement by the wood itself over time.

How is the repair with mine?  Thanks.

It looks flawless - even knowing exactly where the cracks were, I can barely see any trace. I'll be refinishing the underside of it tonight (top is done).

[bendrexl]

Update: These are in the mail as of this morning; I'll send tracking numbers individually

• Asbrodeus
• bchng
• zacheadams - transferred to KlarKuo
• JDragon
• WODAN
• rmendis
• KetchyKech
• MandrewDavis
• FoC_Tow

Sorry litster - didn't get the underside of yours recoated in time to get it out this morning 

[litster]

Thanks for the update, Ben. 

[KetchyKech]

V excited     

dat zebrawood good'ness 

[JDragon]

Thank you for the update!

[taobaofocus]

There are a few English Taobao proxies who are happy to take your money and even (partially) translate the site for you.  I've used Taobao Focus before without any problems.  Expect the usual 30 days shipping from China.

Take the item number from the Taobao URL (556970472669 in this case) and plug it into your English proxy's web site.

"Tea" is brown, by the way.   

don't use taobaofocus.  Use taobaoring.com  Taobao focus doesn't even let you combine orders which is so ****ty

combining orders was/is/will be always available at Taobao FOCUS. We usually do not combine orders which have been already packed for shipping at our warehouse, but you still can ask customer support to help. Otherwise, you can combine paid orders without any issue. Otherwise, please let me know your story.

[alienman82]

removed.

[Puddsy]

There are a few English Taobao proxies who are happy to take your money and even (partially) translate the site for you.  I've used Taobao Focus before without any problems.  Expect the usual 30 days shipping from China.

Take the item number from the Taobao URL (556970472669 in this case) and plug it into your English proxy's web site.

"Tea" is brown, by the way.   

don't use taobaofocus.  Use taobaoring.com  Taobao focus doesn't even let you combine orders which is so ****ty

combining orders was/is/will be always available at Taobao FOCUS. We usually do not combine orders which have been already packed for shipping at our warehouse, but you still can ask customer support to help. Otherwise, you can combine paid orders without any issue. Otherwise, please let me know your story.

don't pack stuff as soon as it comes in again, I will never use your services again or recommend them over taobaoring or superbuy.  you also make people pay for stuff upfront even if out of stock.

^^^

taobaoring and superbuy are monumentally better

[TerryMathews]

There are a few English Taobao proxies who are happy to take your money and even (partially) translate the site for you.  I've used Taobao Focus before without any problems.  Expect the usual 30 days shipping from China.

Take the item number from the Taobao URL (556970472669 in this case) and plug it into your English proxy's web site.

"Tea" is brown, by the way.   

don't use taobaofocus.  Use taobaoring.com  Taobao focus doesn't even let you combine orders which is so ****ty

combining orders was/is/will be always available at Taobao FOCUS. We usually do not combine orders which have been already packed for shipping at our warehouse, but you still can ask customer support to help. Otherwise, you can combine paid orders without any issue. Otherwise, please let me know your story.

don't pack stuff as soon as it comes in again, I will never use your services again or recommend them over taobaoring or superbuy.  you also make people pay for stuff upfront even if out of stock.

^^^

taobaoring and superbuy are monumentally better

Who needs any of that? Just use Chrome, set it up to translate Chinese, and order direct from TaoBao. They have their own freight forwarding to US.

[JDragon]

Mine came in with no bubbling!

Still getting used to the angle but very comfortable so far, and looks great of course.