CLOSED! Now Distributing ROUND 2!: THE "Skylaser" (laserBtB) groupbuy!

offroadfreak8582 said:

@brucemir that is sweet :beer:

@ Smeerworst, awillis 2589 i just posted your envelope with HL, PL stickers

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Thank you Offroad for the stickers :topic:

I'm very satisfied with this GB, it was my first one ever

I also ended up with a very special returned favour from Offroadfreak!

He made this LPM for me! ( Thank you so much! :beer: )


I'm measuring the PL520-50mW on my New LPM.




Also the PL650 1W from last GB.




And a free gift from Kevin, LP532-50mW




Cheers, Sm.

Should I start out with once upon a time or a long time ago in a galaxy far far away?

Pman said:

Should I start out with once upon a time or a long time ago in a galaxy far far away?

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Yes please. Bonus points for putting everything onto a scrolling starfield in a gif

DHL is better than Fed Ex, no doubt, at least for international. There was so much BS and bad tracking info from Fed Ex.! Someone posted on this thread that when a DHL package hit the US it would be delivered quickly: mine hit Cincinnati Ohio at 1:41AM and is out for delivery in NJ today as of 10:55AM . Pretty good stuff!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Location Time
12 With delivery courier EAST WINDSOR, NJ - USA 10:55

11 Arrived at Delivery Facility in EAST WINDSOR - USA EAST WINDSOR, NJ - USA 09:08

10 Departed Facility in CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 04:51

9 Clearance processing complete at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 03:55

8 Processed at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 03:55

7 Arrived at Sort Facility CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 01:41

Monday, February 11, 2013 Location Time
6 Departed Facility in HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 14:27

5 Processed at HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 13:50

Sunday, February 10, 2013 Location Time
4 Processed at HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 13:52

3 Arrived at Sort Facility HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 05:34

2 Departed Facility in HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 04:17

Saturday, February 09, 2013 Location Time
1 Shipment picked up HONG KONG - HONG KONG 22:17

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Thanks for testing the lasers. You have now two Ophir LPM ? You can't get enough of them. All hell breaks loose if the batteries runs out and you don't have time to replace the batteries. Then it is good to have two Ophir LPM.

Blord said:

Thanks for testing the lasers. You have now two Ophir LPM ? You can't get enough of them. All hell breaks loose if the batteries runs out and you don't have time to replace the batteries. Then it is good to have two Ophir LPM.

Click to expand...

Yes two yes

But it wouldn't had happen if you didn't suply Offroad with a Ophir power connector :thanks: for that

Wish I knew how to do that Infin
And to all you guys with the ophirs, I've decided we can't be friends anymore. Please stop posting pics of them. Envy doesn't look good on me:crackup:
Actually since green is my favorite color I suppose I'm green with it

Well its sitting in my front porch, they accepted my "leave it at the door" note
Getting home in ~40 minutes, will let everyone know how they work!

Edit: The PL host is much lighter than I was expecting... I can't help but feel like a LOT of power is lost in their setup.

The second half of my order arrived today - 808nm laser, safety glasses, tripod, and LP-450 gift laser. Everything looks to be in order. The pen laser emits a faint high-pitched whine when turned on, I guess because it's using a boost driver. Do boost drivers make noise sometimes?

Allright, here it goes. The saga of Pete and Sky. No scrolling star field:na:
I must preface this by saying this is about Sky and has nothing to do with Offroad other than he is the middle man and he knows pretty much everything I'm about to say. There's one other member that knows the basic story also. They are free to post about anything I've said in Pms to them. All I can promise is to be as accurate and truthful as I can. As you will likely realize when I write this out I could have handled it completely different with deceipt. I value my word and I would not do that.
Some of you won't like the way I handled this but it was my decision and mine alone. I've put off posting this stuff multiple times so as not to cause issues for anyone else but at the same time, not posting it didn't seem fair. I was torn between what the right thing to do was so I waited until now.
When I received my first batch, everything seemed to check out ok except for a couple issues such as a missing non-keyed end cap on one HL and a really damaged HL box. Not that big a deal but reports were coming in of others having many of the same and different issues (Infin actually had 3 boxes messed up I believe).
Now I could list every issue that I've noticed others post but frankly it's just depressing.
Jumped into this GB as I was under the impression that Sky was a professional company and most of the problems last time were shipping in nature.
Now I really don't like to use the word "fair" because it is overused and abused. However, in this instance I will use it. To me, it's completely unfair for Sky to seemingly take the stance that all the issues were due to rushing the orders. Sorry, I don't buy it. WAY too many differing problems with orders. It's one thing to claim a few mistakes here and there but the actual amount of discrepancies is inexcusable.
It was very troubling to see order after order with problems.
Anyways, I believe it was the next day after the first batch came that I went to use the hl450 and it had hardly any output. When I measured it, it got up to 25mw once and then it basically dropped to below measurable on my meter.
I tried with different batteries and checked voltage etc and still the same. Very little output. I didn't do a thing to cause the issue. Please don't bother asking whether I did this that or the other thing that may have caused it to fail. It would just feel insulting at this point.
Now here's where things get a bit sticky. I consciously made the decision to try a very simple slight pot adjustment knowing full well that if I did so I would likely void the warranty. Pot adjustment had basically no effect.
You're probably asking yourself why did you do this.
My wife is having medical problems, I have kidney problems which cause me plenty of pain issues and my son had just backed one of my cars into another of my cars pulling out of the driveway. In other owrds, I was stressed out and was just hoping for a quick fix without all the potential headaches that some of you are going thru with getting replacement units.
Because adjusting the pot did not work, I talked to Offroad about how I could get a replacement unit ASAP. At no point did I EVER request that Sky send me a new unit for free. I told Offroad exactly what I had done and he suggested taht the fastest way would be for me to purchase a new one thru Sky and then give him the order # and then he would pass it onto Kevin to get it out the door. This is what I/we did.
Now I had no intentions of spending another dime since the alotted money for the GB was gone but because I just couldn't stand having to deal with another issue, I paid full price for one to end it.
Full price means I paid $83.21 plus 32.97 DHL shipping for a total of 116.18. I did not ask for a price break or anything so I'm the one who has completely carried the loss on this. I don't see how I haven't been way more than fair on this issue. Obviously I had allready paid $65 plus shipping for the first one so lets say there's 5 in shipping for that one. $70 + 116.18 = 186.18.
True cost of a hopefully working in spec hl450 $186.18 on my end.
The order went in on
Feb 1, 2013 07:36:00 PST
Off road passed on the order # and I was told that he got it.
Received a message from Sky on Sun 2/3/2013 4:23 AM
Dear buyer,
the products that you bought from laserbtb.com,have been in process of production,that needs 3-4 days normally,if you need more information,please contact laserbtb team:laser@laserbtb.com.
Thanks,
laserbtb team

Got a message from Offroad on the 6th

Here is your new tracking number 55317161####

Also your order voa the site is shipped!!

Greetings,,

Order he's taking about is the HL unit.

That same day an email from Sky
Wed 2/6/2013 7:05 PM
Dear buyer,the products that you bought from laserbtb.com,now is delivered,tracking number,FedEx (www.fedex.com)or DHL Dhl 943944####

Thanks,
laserbtb team


The kast entry on the Sky site that day was
HL 405,445,450nm 100-1000
450nm 100mW single mode (FDA)
$ 83.21 $32.97 Shipped

FedEx (www.fedex.com)or DHL

Numberhl 943944####

Tracking number

Checking the number on DHL shows this
Wednesday, February 06, 2013 Location Time
1 Shipment information received HONG KONG - HONG KONG 10:47

Nothing has changed since the 6th on any site.

Now just reading that email what would you conclude? I understand the language barrier thing can be an issue. However, their email says it was delivered and/or shipped.

Who exactly would consider shipped to not mean shipped. It is NOT shipped if it's sitting at Sky with a sticker they slapped on it. What would you say to me if you bought something from me and I told you I had shipped it. You would NOT consider it shipped if it was still sitting at my house just because I packaged it up.
You guys that sell things all the time wouldn't tell someone you shipped it when you actually didn't. How would you feel if you were on the other end thining it's on the way?
I can't believe I haven't been more than fair about all of this to Sky.
Was going to get on them sooner but a few of you were asking about making a pot adjustment to this exact unit so I held my tongue until you got an answer. My posts and Offroad or the other person will back me up on this and as I said, they can post whatever they want from my pm's to them to prove what I'm saying is true.
Once the answer came, I asked Offroad to send the following message to Kevin:


Good morning,

Unfortunately I need you to pass the following info. on to Kevin as I don't believe at this point that my DHL shipment is going to move. Yes, there's a possibility but I doubt it.
As always, thanks my friend for trying to handle all of the issues and everything else you've done (not just for me but all of us).
What personally bothers me with you is having to ask you to help me with the Sky issues many times. I can't help feeling really bad about it but what can I do.... I need some answers and you're the go between. Don't think you expected this many issues to crop up from so many different buyers and such a varied range of problems.
I don't usually use words like this but it SUCKS that you have to keep going back to Frank/Sky with complaints. I feel for you man and if I can help in any way let me know. I mean it.
I'm going to try anything I can to get my second batch today as it is at the "local fedex facility". Will thoroughly inspect things and hopefully have a good report. Hard to not think something isn't going to be correct at this point though.

Please send this:

I am a very honest person and because of how I handled the hl issue by trying a simple pot adjustment (due to a failed unit which had nothing to do with anything on my end), I paid full price for a new one including dhl shipping ($83.21 plus 32.97 shipping for a total of 116.18). I did not ask for a price break or anything so I'm the one who has completely carried the loss on this. I don't see how I haven't been way more than fair on this issue. Obviously I had allready paid $65 plus shipping for the first one so lets say there's 5 in shipping for that one. $70 + 116.18 = 186.18.
True cost of a hopefully working in spec hl450 $186.18 on my end.
Believe that only one person spent slightly more than I did in the whole group buy for a total of $837 before adding shipping. Had a couple other issues in my first batch that were supposed to be taken care of in my second batch which shows to be here locally (hopefully picked up/delivered today).
My second hl was supposed to be taken care of and shipped and I was informed that it was in multiple ways including the laserbtb website which shows:

HL 405,445,450nm 100-1000
450nm 100mW single mode (FDA)
$ 83.21 $32.97 Shipped
FedEx (www.fedex.com)or DHL
Numberhl 943944####
Tracking number

and this email message:

The products that you bought from laserbtb,Now shipping!
Dear buyer,the products that you bought from laserbtb.com,now is delivered,tracking number,FedEx (www.fedex.com)or DHL Dhl 943944####

Thanks,
laserbtb team

This is from the DHL site

Waybill: 943944####

Shipment information received
Sign up for shipment notifications Wednesday, February 06, 2013 at 10:47
Origin Service Area: HONG KONG - HONG KONG - HONG KONG
Destination Service Area: ROCHESTER - MONROE, NY - USA

Wednesday, February 06, 2013 Location Time
1 Shipment information received HONG KONG - HONG KONG 10:47

My first batch was sent DHL also and this is the complete DHL history:


Waybill: 947430####

Signed for by: ATL
Get Signature Proof of Delivery Monday, January 28, 2013 at 13:16
Origin Service Area: HONG KONG - HONG KONG - HONG KONG
Destination Service Area: ROCHESTER - MONROE, NY - USA

Monday, January 28, 2013 Location Time
14 Delivered - Signed for by : ATL ############ 13:16
13 With delivery courier ROCHESTER - MONROE, NY - USA 08:52
12 Arrived at Delivery Facility in ROCHESTER - MONROE - USA ROCHESTER - MONROE, NY - USA 08:16
11 Arrived at Sort Facility ROCHESTER - MONROE - USA ROCHESTER - MONROE, NY - USA 06:46

Sunday, January 27, 2013 Location Time
10 Departed Facility in CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 18:14
9 Processed at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 17:36
8 Clearance processing complete at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 15:53
7 Arrived at Sort Facility CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 14:46

Saturday, January 26, 2013 Location Time
6 Departed Facility in HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 20:37
5 Processed at HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 19:13
4 Processed at HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 06:49
3 Arrived at Sort Facility HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 05:54
2 Departed Facility in HONG KONG - HONG KONG HONG KONG - HONG KONG 05:29
1 Shipment picked up HONG KONG - HONG KONG 00:38
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I've been told multiple times that the hl450 was being taken care of and in multiple ways that it had been shipped.
From what I can see it looks like a shipping label was slapped on it but it was never picked up/sent out or delivered to DHL to ship.
Shipped means shipped. In fact, if you read the email message it makes it sound like it was allready delivered. Creating a tracking number is not "shipped". Can't claim you shipped something if it never leaves your posession.

Certainly I would rather be proven wrong at this point and the package suddenly moves or shows up at my door but I doubt it and there's no evidence to the contrary.

Also, why are all the lps missing the keyed locks? There have been numerous complaints about this as there was no indication that they wouldn't come with them and it is repeatedly touted on the site.

Would like some answers please. Don't see how I haven't been more than reasonable concerning my hl issue. The point of paying for a new one with expensive shipping was to get it ASAP with the least amount of grief at my end before the Chinese holiday started and to not cause a big stink in the open forums about the failed unit (have enough issues to deal with that have nothing to with lasers).

Pete

I then sent this to go with the first message

I'm going to be posting my second batch results very shortly and literally thank God they are good.
Main issues I've allready stated are I would still want that unpinned tailcap and my hl450.
I despise using the word fair but at this point I'm not sure how else to put this. On the way home from fedex what I was thinking was the MINIMUM that Kevin could do to make this right for me is to refund me the cost of the second hl but not the DHL shipping which wasn't cheap and by all accounts at this point I believe hasn't actually "shipped" if you follow me. I just checked the dhl site and once again, only shipment info. received. I am absolutely adamant that you cannot consider that to be "shipped". You wouldn't tell someone that bought something from you that you shipped it and then let it sit for days at your house without some kind of explanation. Having it actually leave on the 18th and claiming it has been shipped is ludicrous. No member would back that up.
The laserbtb site says it was shipped and the email says it was shipped.
Shipped is shipped. Had enough of that word yet?LOL

So, I would still want the missing cap (he can snail mail it) but my hl as soon as possible.
He refunds what I paid for the hl (83.21). Not asking for the 65 plus shipping for the original failed hl.

I consider this to be at the very least totally fair as I spent somewhere aroung 186.18 for this single unit. Betting he still makes a profit or breaks even on it.

Everything else looks good at this point.
Thanks my friend for doing all this. I won't stop thanking you so don't try and stop me
Pete

So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it

Realize this is a long post but I've been holding back til now. Kevin/Skys move at this point.
Pete

You can use this lol ^^



All jokes aside, hope all ends up well for those that encountered problems.

I'm at work right now, and only skimmed through, but everything in Pman's post is exactly as he is saying. We've been chatting a lot.

To clarify one thing, when he says First Batch, he is talking about the original group buy.

I'm also the one who is/was asking about adjust the HL450, and I do also have three broken HL boxes from an order that had a total of eight lasers.

For what it's worth I have no serious issues with this second groupbuy. My order was :

PL650- 1000mW, after a minor mod output is 1.2W
PL520- 50mW , output is 55-57mW
HL460- 100mW, self assembly output is 250mW
The gift LP460-80 and the extra caps are flawlessly.

No damage on the all cases.
I was one of the first person who has received the order so Skylasers took care of the early packages that went out. I believe with the Chinese newyear coming the remaining orders was a so-so job because of the time restrain.

Wow, nice post, PMan. It takes courage to admit you hastily pot-modded something, and had to eat the cost of a new one.

It is pretty common for users of an order processing system in any kind of manufacturing to state an order is what it says in the order processing system. "Shipped" is often the order status once the shipping label has been printed, the shipping fees paid (to the carrier) and the label placed on the box. But it's not actually "shipping" until the carrier takes possession of the package.

I recall seeing a photo of many of our orders sitting in a pile, unsealed, but bearing shipping labels. Oh, I wonder if YOUR package is still sitting in a pile, somewhere.

PMan, you seem to have exercised restraint and been very patient. I think I would have a difficult time being so patient as you.

Best of luck to you. Best of luck to us all, with underspec or damaged goods. I am among the group hoping for replacements.

To put this into perspective a bit more, if I hadn't mentioned before, I am a Refrigeration Technician and have been with the company the second longest. I'm the guy the company sends to find/fix/repair things others can't figure out and therefor also the guy that takes care of most cutomer/company issues. Trying to make things "fair" between company and customer can be VERY difficult at times and of course stressful. I problem solve all day long both mechanically and personally. I know all about customer service. I live it.
Understand that I ONLY tried an adjustment AFTER there was an issue. My very first post about what happened and what I did was to Offroad and I NEVER tried to hide a thing or say that I was owed anything. The opposite was true. However, because of how this has enfolded I am at the point where enough is enough.
Want answers for some other issues such as where are the locking caps for the lps? Exactly who thought they weren't getting them?
Just way too many discrepancies and no real answers.

I couldn't be happier for those who received what they were supposed too!!!
In fact, if you look back thru my posts, I am certainly satisfied with most of what I received. You guys know what I mean when I say I was relieved that my second batch was good with only one small goof (if you don't include the non-keyed lps). Can't tell me that those of you who were waiting for their stuff or in some cases still waiting aren't just a little edgy about possible issues.
I don't want anyone to have issues just because I have. Would prefer it was only me.
I mean that.
Really great that your stuff turned out ok Blord:wave: Will say that you did initially have the 650 issue though. Get to tease you for not noticing the problem with the sticker (not that I would have noticed it either):crackup: Too bad all the issues weren't as simple to fix as that. Was really pleasently surprised when mine came with the correct sticker hole and it was perfectly aligned. Quite happy about that unit. Really nice.
Offroad has been more that great about all of this and I really really apreciate it. Everytime I felt I had to send him a message about something I couldn't help feeling really bad about it.
Speaking specifically about the HL450 issue, my patience has run out concerning how it has been handled/not handled. Again, balls in their court, I'll post what their next move is openly now. Awaiting some kind of answer back thru Offroad. He can post whatever the answers are right here now. Done with trying to deal with it privately.

Well pete all questions are sent about all your issues and and issues of the rest. Now we wait untill an answer which i will post on here. You are the kind of guy that when something goes wrong you want to fix it immediatly at all costs i know the feeling, so i advised you to order a new one through their site as it normally is way quicker then me trying to explain to kevin what happened. At the time money was not the issue you just wanted to get it fixed asap. I must admit is was not the best action to immediatly potmod it whilst the diode either zombied or led'd. But i understand why you did that.

It is dissapointing that although i notified kevin about your new order it did not ship fast enough to get it out of the holiday zone before the holiday began. I also expected thatyou would have it right now.

Now i dont know if this is kevins fault. I mean he did proces and shipped the order. Before hos workers went on holiday. It lookes like the postal service is to blame as the package is received. Waiting on kevin his reply to get it clearer

Greetings :beer: