So, the other week, my new "flapper" (you put a dead bird on it, and it moves the wings up and down. 30-60 beats a minute for corvid, 200-300 beats a minute pigeon, controlled by a speed controller), blew the gearbox. Now they are motor/gearbox integrated units, and all seem to come from China, with vastly different degrees of quality.
This new flapper I had, had a motor that had a plastic shaft, and plastic gears in the gearbox :(
i mentioned it on FB, and another friend (who makes the finest flappers in the UK, offered to end me a couple of spare motor/gearbox units of his, as they were the same size. He supplied them FREE of CHARGE, and didn't even charge me the courier costs.
WHAT a difference in quality !!!! These are steel shafts, steel gears, and instead of the shaft running bare in the housing, has a bronze bushing bearing to support the shaft !
Fitted that, and its working better than the new flapper did, which is why I'm going to be buying an FF5 flapper from NIck Tait at "Flightline Decoys" ...... Superb quality products.
Then yesterday, my ICOTec GC500 electronic caller decided to pack up in the field. The main power switch on the speaker unit literally fell apart. I messaged the importer on FB and asked if he had a spare switch and the cost. He offered that I send it in and he would repair it, but I used to own a computer company so I am proficient at soldering.
He sent me a photo of the relevant part to ensure it was the correct part, and this morning in the post was the new switch board with switch.
Again NO CHARGE, even though it was out of guarantee.
So many thanks too to Rob Crampton of "UK Best Fox Call", importers of ICOTec electronic calls, and makers of the UK's best mouth calls for foxing.
-- Edited by Redditch on Friday 19th of June 2015 01:48:47 PM
__________________
If it moves and is legal but also moral, SHOOT IT !!