Author Topic: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!  (Read 8421 times)

Offline awemawson

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Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« on: August 12, 2015, 12:53:30 PM »
Been trying to properly install my eBay special Chinese laser engraver / cutter today.

One of the jobs needed was to replace the power output sockets it has for the water pump, air assist compressor, and extractor fan. The ones fitted are 'universal' and although all the bits are 220v they use US style 110v plugs that fit the sockets so badly that the weight of the cable tends to pull them out. I wanted to remove  the 'snap in' inserts to measure up to make a small panel to take decent quality IEC power outlets.

Eventually getting two out, I found that they both had slivers of wood jammed behind the snap in lugs - presumably they were a very loose fit and this was the 'change order' to rectify the problem  :lol:

Don't get me wrong, you get a lot for your money in these things, just not quite put together as one might hope  :bugeye:

Still, I managed to drill a 154mm hole though the workshop wall and mount the extractor fan 'up high' so I no longer need to open the roller shutter door when I use the machine  :thumbup:

Waiting for the IEC inserts and wireable plugs so the originals are currently held in with hot melt glue!. Still need to sort out a proper water cooling arrangement - currently using a milking pail with a pond pump in it and it's just asking to be knocked over  :loco:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2015, 02:25:52 PM »
The ones fitted are 'universal' and although all the bits are 220v they use US style 110v plugs that fit the sockets so badly that the weight of the cable tends to pull them out.



I'm certain that the film " Capricorn One " was real if the Yanks can't make a plug that doesn't fall out or get three wires across America.

Only reason I stared collecting engineering books was every trip I made to the States I had to call in Barnes and Noble first, buy a big stack of books to support the mains adaptor or they just fell out.

 :poke:
John Stevenson

Offline trapper

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2015, 03:47:28 PM »
It seems to me there is a fair percentage of people say the same thing about some of this imported stuff.A lot say the same as you are reporting that for the price its not too bad but dont expect it to come out the box without having to be rectified in some way as normally its not finished to a decent standard,I doubt if they have inspection to a standard like we do,and its very difficult with the distance and waiting time that its often kept and repaired by the buyer to save any hassle-They say with some of the "cheaper" imported machines they can be made into decent machine with various modifications by the new owner-So dont buy a new one buy a machine a couple years old and ask if there has any mods been done on the machine,you will often find the owner from new has ironed the problems out for you, and your more likely not to be as disapointed as you would do if you had high expectations when you unpacked a new one,so more often than not you pay a bit less for a machine that has been improved from "new".I dont know the procedure over there but l could see a lot of subcontracting going on and machines being made in various locations being shipped over under one badge,so that would explain the different standards and reports of same machine as some will be made by good subbies and some by not so good ones.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2015, 04:14:58 PM »
Mine theoretically was available on a 3 day delivery from Portsmouth, where the Chinese have some sort of bonded warehouse. In practice it took three weeks and was delivered from Germany :bugeye: There was transit damage (if you look you'll see the lid is bent forwards, and various bits inside were disconnected)

The vendor spent ages trying to hide the truth from me citing 'DHL strikes' that DHL knew nothing about  :scratch: before I backed them into a corner and demanded the truth. Amazingly when I located all the loose wires and put it back together it did actually work. Now I'm embarking on a few 're-engineering' mods to make it a bit safer to use. One of the power supplies is still hanging on by only one screw, but it is mounted from within a blind panel that's a b@@@@r to get off and at.

I did negotiate a minor discount but nothing too excessive.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline trapper

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2015, 05:09:36 PM »
Andrew,think you missed a trick there,a few photos of the damaged item and the damaged box,you could have got all your money back or a replacement,Then no doubt they would have asked you to return the item-which you would refuse,as they can blame you for the damage,insist on them picking it up from your home.Normally they dont want to do this and can either say just keep it,or at worste they will pick it up/in the meantime you could contact them with a cheeky offer for the useless damaged item,And a lot of the time they accept as they will claim off their insurance as damaged beyond repair in transit.They save the cost of paying for it to be picked up,which you can mess them about to suit a time/day to suit you-in revenge for them messing you about,phone them say look this is getting in my way will you accept £5 for it as l could scrap it for the spare parts,if they say not enough increase your offer to £6 LOL but believe me they do accept offers

Offline awemawson

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2015, 05:31:17 PM »
No I didn't  :thumbup:

I needed the machine ASAP as I'd ordered it to make up numerous decorations, signs, and other paraphernalia for my daughter's wedding. Time was more important than price - in the event I got it with about three days to spare  :bugeye:

I was well aware that I could have made them take it back and replace, but there wasn't time

Here are some pictures sent to the vendor
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline trapper

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2015, 08:00:21 PM »
Thats different if you need it for your daughters wedding but they have been lucky to get away with it as your photos show plenty of reasons for you to have complaint buts needs must and with your talents for repair no doubt it will end up fit for purpose-enjoy the wedding

Offline awemawson

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2015, 02:56:20 AM »
Wedding all over and finished a couple of weeks ago thank goodness, now we can get back to normality. Amazing how disruptive to normal life having a reception for 243 guests can be, even if you do try to confine them to a couple of fields  :lol:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline DMIOM

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2015, 03:04:12 AM »
...... Amazing how disruptive to normal life having a reception for 243 guests can be, even if you do try to confine them to a couple of fields....
Hasn't electric fencing technology reached Sussex yet?    :zap:

and based on this principle
......you could contact them with a cheeky offer for the useless damaged item......
I'd be quite prepared to give you £25 for the machine in its current state  ("T-cut" is jolly expensive these days you know....)

Dave

Offline awemawson

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2015, 04:01:13 AM »
I wasn't too wound up about the damage - these things happen, and are sort of expected when stuff travels half way around the world.

What really got my goat was them lying through their teeth, quoting fictitious tracking numbers, and assuming that I was as dim as they were  :bang:

Oh, and Dave thanks for the offer, I'll give it due consideration for a few milliseconds  :lol:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline kayzed1

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Offline Pete W.

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Re: Don't you just LOVE Chinese Engineering!
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2015, 02:49:19 PM »
Andrew,

Your 'screw loose' photo appears to show screws with Pozidriv® heads.  Or am I looking through the wrong half of my bifocals again?!?! 
Best regards,

Pete W.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you haven't seen the latest design change-note!