Possible Scam what do you think

[Bert Kemp]

I got this email :
Greetings,

Do you laser engrave sunglasses?

I would need 30 units engraved.

What would be an average cost per unit?


Thank you,

Al Guevara


P.s.

The engraving would simply be "A.G.G. Official (tm)" on one lense only.

after several back and forth emails I asked for some sample len's to test for him. Haven't heard back/ Also the amount from the original 30 kept going up to a possible 100,000 units. Has anyone else got this from this guy???

[Kev Williams]

Might be legit. The 100k units is a ploy to see how low you'll go. Because honestly, if anyone ever needs 100,000 lenses with words, 1 lens mold can be fabbed with the words in it, making the marking cost effectlively zero...

[Gary Hair]

I know you know this but I'll say it for the sake of others...

Base your pricing on what they are actually having you engrave, not some "pie in the sky" dream number. Chances are about .000001% that you will ever see the larger number, no matter what that number is. Along the same lines - if they ask for 100 piece pricing, I always give a 1-50 and 51-99 that is reasonable for those quantities, as well as their 100 piece price. Chances are about 99.999% that they will bring in 10 pieces and want the 100 piece price and if you don't have your bases covered then they will complain about the price... None of this has ever happened to me but I have heard of it happening to others.

[Bert Kemp]

Thanks guys Like I said I haven't heard back since I asked for test Pieces . To be honest I would only take on small 100 piece or less if this guy really wants more like 500 to a 1000 or more I'm not equipped to do that and not interested in working full time. But it would be nice to have a few small paying jobs since you all know what I do. But my laser is getting close to needing a tube and I really can't afford to buy one right now so if this guy is legit it would be nice.

[Bill George]

I would ask for his address and business name you need for pricing. I get those from time to time and when I ask those two questions you never usually here from them again. So is this off your website or how did they get your email address?

[Bert Kemp]

I asked him that and he said he was searching for engravers in AZ. He does have a website but I don't think its his. It a site for sunglasses. It sounds like he buys generic sunglasses then puts his logo on them and resells. He says he has permission to do this.

I would ask for his address and business name you need for pricing. I get those from time to time and when I ask those two questions you never usually here from them again. So is this off your website or how did they get your email address?

[John Lifer]

Might be legit. The 100k units is a ploy to see how low you'll go. Because honestly, if anyone ever needs 100,000 lenses with words, 1 lens mold can be fabbed with the words in it, making the marking cost effectlively zero...

+1K times! I'd give him the small pricing and forget about it until he walks or mails something in.

[Kev Williams]

"I have permission to do this"... uh huh...

I've went down the 'I need some Made In USA' labels road once.

Once.

[David Somers]

Bert,

No experience with this at all. But I have to admit, one of my eyebrows went up a serious distance when I read your description of what they wanted.

But...I noticed you said you are close to needing a new tube? Really? You haven't had that puppy that long? My EFR is rated for 10,000 hours if the gods shine down on me and the creek don't rise. That would give me roughly 3.5 years of 8 hr/day x 7 days a week use?

If you replace it can you go to an EFR tube? They are rated to have a longer life if you stick with their power ratings. Just at thought. You must be lasing like a mad fiend! Do the neighbors complain about the constant eerie glow from your garage? <grin>

[Bert Kemp]

Dave this is over 2 years all ready I know seems like I got it yesterday. I might be premature in thinking I need a tube but it is loosing some power. I was cutting 1/8 BB at 65 % pwer 10 spd now I need 70 to 75% power. But still working good.also could be other things like dirty mirrors or lens which I haven't cleaned in a while so will get to checking that soon. Don't think the neighbors can see my house so the glow should not bother them as much as their 6 dogs barking all day bothers me

Bert,

No experience with this at all. But I have to admit, one of my eyebrows went up a serious distance when I read your description of what they wanted.

But...I noticed you said you are close to needing a new tube? Really? You haven't had that puppy that long? My EFR is rated for 10,000 hours if the gods shine down on me and the creek don't rise. That would give me roughly 3.5 years of 8 hr/day x 7 days a week use?

If you replace it can you go to an EFR tube? They are rated to have a longer life if you stick with their power ratings. Just at thought. You must be lasing like a mad fiend! Do the neighbors complain about the constant eerie glow from your garage? <grin>

[David Somers]

Bert, did I ever mention I have no sense of time? BTW. Has anyone heard if Reagan is running for a second term? <grin>

[Bert Kemp]

YES I AM DAVE

[Bill Carruthers]

Quote David Somers - who said

"Bert,

No experience with this at all. But I have to admit, one of my eyebrows went up a serious distance when I read your description of what they wanted.

But...I noticed you said you are close to needing a new tube? Really? You haven't had that puppy that long? My EFR is rated for 10,000 hours if the gods shine down on me and the creek don't rise. That would give me roughly 3.5 years of 8 hr/day x 7 days a week use?

If you replace it can you go to an EFR tube? They are rated to have a longer life if you stick with their power ratings. Just at thought. You must be lasing like a mad fiend! Do the neighbors complain about the constant eerie glow from your garage? <grin>
Hi Dave
Just to throw something else into the perennial tube life conversational mix - I got my new machine with a 100 watt EFR ZN 1450 tube and after about a year of use noticed a definite decline in power, I run a chiller with water temps at a fairly constant 18- 21 C and have never had the milliamp meter over 28ma.
After another 3 months it was down so low that I could hardly even mark paper - let alone cut it. My software timer shows the tube had about 100 hours of light -on time.
Contacted EFR and explained all that and they came back and said "Sorry but you are out of warranty period (10 months)" - which I expected... What I did not expect is that when I asked how much a replacement would cost, I was told that they now only sell tubes 6 at a time of the same type, so I need to go through my laser supplier to get a replacement!
I had only last year ordered and received from EFR a 60 watt replacement tube and it is a disappointment that they have put in place this restrictive practice and it certainly poses a problem for any individual who needs a replacement- I have asked them why they have done this but gotten no reply?!? I know that RECI had a similar 5 tube policy some years ago but they still at least offered you the chance to buy a single tube at a (considerably) higher price.
For a point of reference my laser supplier has quoted me $670.00 for the EFR ZS 1450 plus about $400 Courier cost.
Just FWIW.

[Bert Kemp]

Bill I think your in the wrong Thread

Hi Dave
Just to throw something else into the perennial tube life conversational mix - I got my new machine with a 100 watt EFR ZN 1450 tube and after about a year of use noticed a definite decline in power, I run a chiller with water temps at a fairly constant 18- 21 C and have never had the milliamp meter over 28ma.
After another 3 months it was down so low that I could hardly even mark paper - let alone cut it. My software timer shows the tube had about 100 hours of light -on time.
Contacted EFR and explained all that and they came back and said "Sorry but you are out of warranty period (10 months)" - which I expected... What I did not expect is that when I asked how much a replacement would cost, I was told that they now only sell tubes 6 at a time of the same type, so I need to go through my laser supplier to get a replacement!
I had only last year ordered and received from EFR a 60 watt replacement tube and it is a disappointment that they have put in place this restrictive practice and it certainly poses a problem for any individual who needs a replacement- I have asked them why they have done this but gotten no reply?!? I know that RECI had a similar 5 tube policy some years ago but they still at least offered you the chance to buy a single tube at a (considerably) higher price.
For a point of reference my laser supplier has quoted me $670.00 for the EFR ZS 1450 plus about $400 Courier cost.
Just FWIW.

[Martin Boekers]

What portion are you engraving? I have seen wooden frame ones.