Has anyone heard from DPTWIZ?

Cossack, i appreciate the idea and thought, but i have no one local who can help, believe me, i've tried. I'll post this up, probably not the best idea, but if any of you know a back surgeon, print this out and show it to them. ask them what can be done to fix this. I've posted about my symptoms before... severe back pain, right leg burns horribly 24/7, feet feel like pins and needles 24/7, i can't bend over or bend down, and it's all because i have excessive scar tissue that has crushed off both nerves in my lower back, it's honestly a fate worse than death.
 

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i had a thought. I do have a local friend who prints arcade artwork, bezels, marquees, etc. he's not on here. He just sells local and on ebay. Maybe i could do some artwork projects to generate funds to start refunding those who don't want to wait. He does a ton of artwork, it's solvent printed and laminated, and he knows what he's doing. He occasionally brings over lexan to cut on my cnc. He loads it, unloads it, and i all i do is push buttons on the cnc. It's only a couple sheets every few months, it gives me a little money for groceries. I'm sure he'd sell to me at a reasonable price so i could sell stuff competitively. Maybe a custom art package for something that hasn't been done?
 
i am still alive.

I had my spinal cord stimulator implant removed (caught MRSA when i had it put in) as it no longer worked for me, and i couldn't get an MRI with it in place. I got that out, healed up, got new MRI's done, and have been trying my best to find a surgeon who can actually fix me. I have limited mobility, i can't lift anything over 25 pounds, (i can, but i pay dearly for it for days) and am really close to using a cane to get around.
If i owe you something, please write my number down. I still have the same number, still live at the same address, and i'm almost always home, it's 419 457 0100. To everyone else who has sent me messages asking about cabinets or wood parts, i'm currently not making anything obviously. again, sorry to everyone.. between the health problems, depression, financial woes etc, i just kind of shut down and didn't keep up with things. Yes, i've tried to get help over here, and no one lives close to me that's willing to help.
I'll post this up, probably not the best idea, but if any of you know a back surgeon, print this out and show it to them. ask them what can be done to fix this. I've posted about my symptoms before... severe back pain, right leg burns horribly 24/7, feet feel like pins and needles 24/7, i can't bend over or bend down, and it's all because i have excessive scar tissue that has crushed off both nerves in my lower back, it's honestly a fate worse than death.

Wow..... reading that MRI report should give anyone pause if they are thinking about back surgery. I can honestly relate to the pain you're in. The only question I have is why surgery was considered an option by the doctor(s) in the first place. My lumbar region is in a similar situation, and I was told that "at best" surgery would be a crap shoot.

I do walk with a cane, and believe me, it's no fun, but it beats risking a hard fall just trying to get around. My "weight limit" is less than yours, and being able to only use one hand is another thing that can throw your balance off.

I can send you the number of the surgeon I talked to, but given his recommendation, I won't be going to see him. I don't know if he can offer you any advice.
 
Please KLOV (and other) online sellers, do not take prepayments. It's really simple.. If you can't afford your materials you don't have a "business". If you have no money or credit, you do not have a business. If you are building custom parts, take nominal deposits just to weed out the tire kickers and don't spend the money until the item has shipped.

This idea of having your customers be your start-up financiers and inventory/material purchasers only seems possible in arcade and pinball. It's a terrible business practice because it removes the fire under your asses to get things done.

Buyers and Sellers: JUST DON'T DO IT!
 
Please KLOV (and other) online sellers, do not take prepayments. It's really simple.. If you can't afford your materials you don't have a "business". If you have no money or credit, you do not have a business. If you are building custom parts, take nominal deposits just to weed out the tire kickers and don't spend the money until the item has shipped.

This idea of having your customers be your start-up financiers and inventory/material purchasers only seems possible in arcade and pinball. It's a terrible business practice because it removes the fire under your asses to get things done.

Buyers and Sellers: JUST DON'T DO IT!

I usually don't get into these threads......

In the attempt to be transparent, I do cut a few cabinets... and I am way behind on what I owe people at the moment. I have a registered business, and I do some CNC cutting in my very limited spare time Traditionally, I do not take any payments up front. I will occasionally take a small deposit when I am about to start to cut a cabinet or I have to special order material that is really non-standard.... but that is unusual. For myself, in the last 12-18 months, I have been stood up by people for 6 orders. Some are simple control panel cuts (but 5 panels), special order of materials, or people changing their mind. All of these have been financial hits to me.... and hours of work. This is to the level that I will probably be taking a loss this year. People stop responding to emails, PMs, or disappear off Facebook. Unfortunately, I do not own a warehouse and am working out of my garage. I can't afford to store this stuff long term. Some I have sold locally on CL at cost just to get rid of the cabinets. Even after cleanup of stuff going to the dump, I still have laminate for a Q-Bert and Reactor (rolled and boxed) taking up space, 3 sheets of MDO @~$95 a sheet, a nearly complete cut of a Nintendo cabaret in furniture grade plywood, and a few other pieces I kept to recycle the wood (CNC cut cabinet back doors) for other projects. All of these problems could have been avoided with pre-payment..... and I would be more motivated to get stuff turned around faster. Most of the arcade parts people are hobbyists...we aren't Jersey Jack producing new product. For a true business, I agree with you. But how can I "stock" 50+ cabinet designs pre-built? I have a pile invested in the CNC and about 2K in lumber at the moment....so it is not a matter of trying to raise capital to start a business.... just weeding out the flaky collectors that his hobby seems to have.

As for dptwiz, I feel really bad for the situation you are in. You were a great help to me when I started to build my CNC and when I got started cutting. As I have offered before, if you have anyone out my way that you owe a cabinet to, I am willing to cut a cabinet or two to get them off your "list" to try and help out a little.

Brian
 
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It's totally appropriate (in fact standard) to require at least some prepayment for special order items.
 
It's totally appropriate (in fact standard) to require at least some prepayment for special order items.

I agree, but if you demand the full amount before you start, this is completely unreasonable. Maybe a materials deposit or something like that, but there is absolutely no reason on God's green earth that ANYONE needs to pocket their profit weeks or months ahead of even starting the work. I understand specialty manufacturing and I also really, really, really understand flakey buyers. A situation like 1/2 down and the other half when production is complete seems pretty reasonable. I'm not suggesting to give customers credit accounts like some of the old timers do, but the idea of paying full price to get down to the bottom of a cue shows desperation by both the buyer and the seller.

bdn130, do you think it's reasonable to demand full payment before you have even thought about starting someone's work? I certainly don't and won't. Look at craftymech's signal generator sales. This is exactly how it should be done. Now when cabs are 1-offs, I think half down is reasonable and the remainder when the cab is ready to ship.

I'm really not an unreasonable person, but the idea of handing full price to someone you just met on the internet sounds about as smart as expecting some super cool, exotic invention off of a kickstarter campaign. Sometimes you are pleased, most times not so much.

Besides, wouldn't dpt be a lot better off at this very moment if he only took small deposits? Wouldn't his customers as well? Shit happens to the best of us. The idea of pocketing the profit off a sale months ahead of my expected delivery is completely foreign to me.

Specifically in this case I'm wishing the best for dptwiz, but the obvious solution is to give his business to someone for the price of completing the outstanding orders or sell his equipment and pay people back. I hope he doesn't think he's going to resume production with his failed body and no help. It could be done, but a person would need to build custom equipment to facilitate the most menial tasks of production. How many football players do you see on the field after a couple of ACL/MCL operations? Slinging sheets of MDF is a younger man's game.
 
We're the same age and both Pisces, Brett. :) My issues aren't as severe as yours, but I do understand that it sucks when our body starts to fail us. Just last October and for about 6 months, I had to take hydrocodone almost daily just to get by. Luckily things have improved for me. You are in my prayers and I hope things get better for you.
 
Pre-payment is perfectly acceptable.......IF....you take it right before you buy the supplies to actually make my item. And then you go out IMMEDIATELY and make my item.

Anything else and you're a horrible businessman.

And really if you have no way of floating your own money to make the item and then sell it, you probably need to not offer your services because you are a bad businessman or terrible with your finances.
 
It was not my intention to have people bash Brett's Cabinets. What would it matter anyway? It's like saying you paid for it but it's crap so get over it? All I wanted was some type of update. I looked into my private messages it actually has been 4 years 2013 was my original order. I do agree that you should have not taken the order if you couldn't fulfill it. It's hard having a hobby that I have gotten screwed over more than a couple times. Brett I do believe in the bottom of my heart that if you were not sick and on hard times you would have made this right a long time ago. I know your original intentions was not to deceive any one. But, Lack of communication bothers me. Ignoring problems doesn't make them go away. I have never bothered - stalked you, one PM 3 - 6 months. At the same token not being a wealthy person. I can't afford to pay for services not rendered. Thanks Jennie
 
So, the cabinet you've been waiting 4 years for is cut and sitting on a shelf 3.5 hours away? I get that it's a bit of a drive, but why not find a weekend to take a nice drive and pick it up?

As an arcade collector, surely you've driven longer distances to pick up less worthwhile games (I once drove 8 hours each way to pick up a Dynamo P.O.W. cabinet with a Tekken 2 board in it). ;)

DogP
 
So, the cabinet you've been waiting 4 years for is cut and sitting on a shelf 3.5 hours away? I get that it's a bit of a drive, but why not find a weekend to take a nice drive and pick it up?

As an arcade collector, surely you've driven longer distances to pick up less worthwhile games (I once drove 8 hours each way to pick up a Dynamo P.O.W. cabinet with a Tekken 2 board in it). ;)

DogP


i have driven 1900 miles one way to pick up games. a few hour drive should be a cake walk to pick up a game...;)
 
We're the same age and both Pisces, Brett. :) My issues aren't as severe as yours, but I do understand that it sucks when our body starts to fail us. Just last October and for about 6 months, I had to take hydrocodone almost daily just to get by. Luckily things have improved for me. You are in my prayers and I hope things get better for you.

Hopefully you're off the hydrocodone now. Getting addicted to that stuff is really bad news.
 
My thoughts and prayers go out to you Brett. I have a few of your cabs and they are works of art. It is a real shame that you aren't healthy and cranking these things out for the masses.

Best,

Chris
 
If you are building custom parts, take nominal deposits just to weed out the tire kickers and don't spend the money until the item has shipped.

Yep. A 50% deposit on custom work is pretty standard in most business cases. If my company is looking to do new projects that require custom tooling, dies, etc.- even the big companies that we work with require 50% deposits. They don't want anyone flaking out on them either... and we've been in business for 35 years. It's just the way most (if not all) custom business is done.
 
Yep. A 50% deposit on custom work is pretty standard in most business cases. If my company is looking to do new projects that require custom tooling, dies, etc.- even the big companies that we work with require 50% deposits. They don't want anyone flaking out on them either... and we've been in business for 35 years. It's just the way most (if not all) custom business is done.

Totally agree....I just can't get myself in a situation where I have upset customers...so I haven't been doing this. I may have to revisit the idea. Most of the cabinets I have listed on the website, profits are still significantly less then 50%, so it still is a loss if the customer backs out.

Brian
 
Totally agree....I just can't get myself in a situation where I have upset customers...so I haven't been doing this. I may have to revisit the idea. Most of the cabinets I have listed on the website, profits are still significantly less then 50%, so it still is a loss if the customer backs out.

Brian


I'm still a little confused by the math here. If you take a 50% deposit, and the customer flakes...you STILL have the product. If you then offer it up for sale at cost (or even below), you'd still have the initial (non-refundable) deposit as your margin. Sure you have the additional annoyance of finding another buyer, but you shouldn't have a monetary loss.
 
i will add i have no intentions of taking orders for cabinets, ever. I will never be physically able to do it no matter the outcome of any surgery i have. I'm just trying to get good enough to function daily. I just want the back orders done, so i can be done.
 
i will add i have no intentions of taking orders for cabinets, ever. I will never be physically able to do it no matter the outcome of any surgery i have. I'm just trying to get good enough to function daily. I just want the back orders done, so i can be done.


If that is the case, perhaps there someone in the community that has been considering starting up CNC work. You could give them a great deal on your equipment, with the condition that they also take on and complete your back orders? Everybody wins.
 
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