Buyer Beware - Imported Extractors

[2Sox]

Just a head's up.

These extractors imported from China, are appearing all over eBay and seem to be a good value. BUT from my personal experience with purchasing one of these units, the quality control is really bad.  Nevertheless, there have also been some satisfactory reviews. In my opinion, the bottom line is that it's a toss up. You just won't know what you will be getting until you open the carton and start putting it together. Below is the link to the identical product I purchased and the review I am submitting to eBay.  Caveat Emptor.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-8-Frame-Beekeeping-Equipment-Large-Stainless-Steel-Electric-Honey-Extractor/372166032016?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

First the Pros:
Packaging was excellent. The carton was extra heavy duty and each corner was reinforced with 1/4 inch thick cardboard ribs. The contents were delivered completely intact and undamaged.

Good quality stainless steel construction.

The Cons:
Totally UNACCEPTABLE quality control.

1) Welds on side of main drum/container were sloppy.
2) Interior threads for mounting the legs on main unit were made of soft metal.  Turn the bolt too much and the threads stripped.
3) Brackets attaching the basket shaft to the motor shaft were not tightened and adjusted to align tightly. Result: Shaft slipped and squealed during operation.  I had to disassemble unit to tighten all fasteners and bolts. 
4) Black motor grease was used in bottom of unit where shaft was inserted into to drum to spin. Unacceptable on product that handles food.  Must be cleaned out and food grade lubricant must be applied in its place. 
5. Motor shaft is not lubricated.  Must be done before operation.
6, Plexiglass covers/windows on top of unit were milled incorrectly. Drilled holes do not align with hinges on the unit.  Impossible to mount unless you are prepared to do some drilling yourself in order to mount them correctly.  Unit WILL NOT OPERATE if these windows are not mounted and aligned correctly as there are brackets on these which operate the safety ON/OFF switch-which operate when windows are opened and closed.
7. NO INSTRUCTIONS ARE INCLUDED.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Sox, thanks for the info.  This will help folks looking for an extractor.  Sorry your purchased was not prime quality, but sounds like you will make use of the equipment with you mechanical skills to make adjustments.
Blessings

[Acebird]

7. NO INSTRUCTIONS ARE INCLUDED.

If they were included you wouldn't be able to make sense of them even if they were translated.

[2Sox]

Sox, thanks for the info.  This will help folks looking for an extractor.  Sorry your purchased was not prime quality, but sounds like you will make use of the equipment with you mechanical skills to make adjustments.
Blessings

Thanks.  That was the purpose of my post.  Didn't want anyone to regret their purchase.  I monkeyed around with this unit and it actually operates rather well. Waiting for food grade lube to arrive. Haven't done any extracting yet but I anticipate it will be okay. 

I REALLY wanted to like this thing because the materials seem to be first rate!  It would have been so simple for them to do it right.  But you could see that the operation putting this thing together were thinking of knocking these things out as fast as they could. It's really not terrible but quality was an afterthought. An example (besides what I indicated in my previous post): The screws attaching the plexiglass had no lock washers or lock nuts - only regular nuts like a kid's Erector Set.  Vibration would loosen these in no time and end up in your honey.

Like I said, if anyone wants to give any one of these sellers a chance, it would be a little bit of a gamble.  If you're willing to tweak things on your own, if you have to, go for it.

[2Sox]

7. NO INSTRUCTIONS ARE INCLUDED.

If they were included you wouldn't be able to make sense of them even if they were translated.

Very often true, unfortunately.  But for those of us old enough to remember, "Made in Japan" was once a joke too.  Look at them now.

[Acebird]

Much of China's imports are good product but they know they can secure a market by starting cheap.  Take a plastic injection mold.  They can produce a finished mold almost for the price of steel for one here.  Obviously they are not making profit but they steal the market then make the profit.  Like Japanese cars.

[2Sox]

Much of China's imports are good product but they know they can secure a market by starting cheap.  Take a plastic injection mold.  They can produce a finished mold almost for the price of steel for one here.  Obviously they are not making profit but they steal the market then make the profit.  Like Japanese cars.

To state the obvious, Chinese are people just like us all.  But workers there are held hostage by pitifully low wages.  Like any worker pushed to work to their limits, there are resentment, anger, and mistakes.  Not a surprise that very often quality control is questionable.

In twentieth century America, unions turned this around and made American products the best in the world - and workers the best paid. We who remember this need to teach this lesson to the younger ones.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Sox, considering the economic shape of the US, mainly our debt,  I don?t think we should teach our mistakes to the kids.  The dollar, well Buddy, I have lost track,,,,,, what is the dollar worth now a days, last I heard it was 2 cents compared to the (union days) you speak of.

In 1965 my first beehive cost me $35.  In 1968 I can remember a 3 bedroom, 2 car garage, brick home could be purchased for 25K $25,000.   In 1978, I purchased a top of the line pick up for $7,800.

Multiply above items by 10 times and fast forward to 2018, oh, er uh don?t multiply the pay scale 10X, just the items.  Pay scales are up,,,  but by a considerable much lower pace..
Blessings

[Acebird]

Pay scales are up,,,  but by a considerable much lower pace..
Blessings

Well sure ... minimum wage does go up but it is the good paying jobs that are lost.  There was a time when experience counted.  A little computer work, some ingenuity, knowing what you are doing, interfacing with people, getting the job done.  That all mattered.  Now it is a thing of the past.  Those jobs are farmed out.  Lower risk I am told.  It is not important to make things last you just got to make it look good.  It is not buyer beware its sell to the suckers.  Lie like heck if you have to.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Yes Sir, Ace, as usual I agree with every word, every single word.
Blessings

[cao]

It is not buyer beware its sell to the suckers.  Lie like heck if you have to.

It is the business mentallity of selling a product at the highest price possible.  Not at what it is actually worth.  That's why you have to do your research when buying anything now-a-days.  There's fifty different prices for the exact same product.

[Acebird]

There's fifty different prices for the exact same product.

I don't see that much choice.  What I see for the exact same product is pennies difference, gasolene, telephone, internet, cars, food, housing, insurance, ect.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

CAO , May have been thinking drugs, pharmaceuticals.  In which case he defined very well the mechanism of pricing,,,,,,  Literally pricing folks to death.
Blessings

[Acebird]

In the case of pharmaceuticals you are paying for government regulation and patents, or not.  The price of the product is about the same.

[cao]

I know I'm getting a little off topic.  I was actually talking about just about everything you buy now-a-days.  As far as the drug industry overcharging, just look at the epi pen price as an example.  The price of gas is controlled by a "monopoly" of four or five companies that raise the price everytime a hurricane is in the area or when a refinery has trouble.  Any excuse to raise the price(whether valid or not).  They would charge $5 a gallon all the time if they thought they could get away with it.  As far as telephone, internet, insurance, garbage pickup, cable or other similar product or service, call and complain about the price that you are paying and threaten to cancel and see how many will offer you a reduction in your bill.  As far as food related products,  why does a bottle of water cost as much as a soft drink? 

Since this is a bee keeping web site, look at the differences in prices between Kelleys, Mann lake, Brushy mountain, dadant and the other supply companies.  All good companies that offer good products but at different prices.  I was wanting to but a plastic queen clip.  The price ranges from $4.95-$6.00 each from the major suppliers.  A quick look at Amazon and you can get 5 for $5.99 and Ebay you can get 5 for under $3.  That may not be a big price difference to some but I don't like to pay any more than I have to.

[BeeMaster2]

Good write up 2Sox. Thanks.
If you were coming to BeeFest, I could give you some grease. Had to buy a grease gun tube of the stuff. It only takes a little bit to lube up the baring.