Monday, July 26, 2010

BUYING A HONDA CM125 CUSTOM - REVIEW AND VIDEO ROAD TES


HONDA CM125 Custom 2003 (Stills taken from the video road test)
VIEW THE FREE TRAILER FROM OUR EBAY SHOP
MY VERDICT:

For:



Good build quality
Impossibly simple to ride
Comfy
Looks larger than it is
Good tank range
Economical and cheap to run
Low seat height

Against:



Slow
Custom styling won't appeal to some
Slow
Chinese copies not far behind but much cheaper
Slow
INTRODUCTION:

The CM125 Custom was launched in the early 80's and ran for a few years along side the sportier CB125TD Superdream. Those versions had drum front brakes and spoked wheels no rev counter. The new ones have cast wheels and a disk brake at the front. Essentially the same machine. They also have cooler and deeper paint schemes.


WHICH ONE TO GO FOR:

Old, newer or Chinese copy, those are your three options. The old ones had drum brakes but were faster. Most will be knackered by now. The new ones will all be much nicer (they attract a higher quality of learner) condition wise. The Chinese copies are plentiful and cheap. You get one for 599 on the road which is a bargain. But you have to take into account spares availability and the fact there will be no real warranty. They certainly make a compelling case though.


RELIABILITY AND COMMON FAULTS:

Reliability is excellent. The ancient twin cylinder engine was designed to put out 18 bhp so it's totally underwhelmed in the new restricted form. Very little goes wrong, just service it properly and it will keep going and going.


Tyres and chain/sprockets and other consumable last forever too, it's a very cheap bike to run.


CB125TD Superdreams, which share the engine, can suffer from engine wear (bores and valve guides) later in life, but only when they're abused.


The chrome work isn't the best I've seen, protecting the underneath of the mudguards is time well spent.


MODEL HISTORY:

Launched in the early 80's to form an entry point for Honda's range of CM Customs. They were dropped from the range after a few years but somehow reappeared in 2002 in a slightly revised form, new wheels, clocks and disk front brake. The new model was dropped from the range in 2004. The later models are all grey imports, but spares are available as many parts are from other Hondas.


HOW TO AVOID BUYING A LEMON BY USINGMY BUYERGUIDE BELOW
Before seeing the bike:

If it is a private sale make sure you view thebike at the sellers premises - this will help determine if the seller is genuine
Always ask the seller to make sure thebike is cold when you come to view it - warm engines can hide a multitude of sins

Find out whether the bike:



Has got an MOT certificate, is it taxed and for how long?
Has got a race can fitted and if so is the original included?
Has it ever been crashed?
Has got a current V5 and is registered in the sellers name?
Is there any outstanding finance, if you're in doubt buy a HPI report or similar?
Does the bike still have both original keys and the toolkit?
Does the bike have a service history, and if so is it a main dealer one?
How to check the bike:

On liquid cooledengines check for a film of oil in the radiator header tank before warming the bike up- the presence of oil would signify internal engine leaks or a blown head gasket.
Make sure the oil on the dipstick or in the sight glass is smooth and has no bits in it or milky scum - again this could mean internal engine leaks.
On starting from cold make sure the engine does not turn over sluggishly - this could mean a worn starter motorand/or a defective battery.
Check for oil leaks around the engine and on the ground where thebike has been stood - any leaks could indicate expensive oil seal replacement or crash damage.
Check all the lights work and that both levers activate the rear brake light.
Run a finger up the fork stanchions and check for oil and rust - leaking fork seals are fixable, but it will cost youif the forks need re-chroming, also sometimes dismantling forks will damage the fork bushes and they'll need replacing.
Check to make sure the rear shock isn't leaking oil and that any shock linkage is moving smoothly.
Find out how old the tyres are regardless of their apparent wear - some old tyres can appear fine until the conditions get slippy. If in doubt, factor in replacement.
If the bike is a European or American import check to see if the headlight has been altered for UK use.
Check the brake disks for obvious signs of wear, hairline cracks between the vent holes can indicate critically thin disks. Check the brake pads to make sure they still have plenty of material left.
If possible spin each wheel off the ground and check for damaged rims and worn wheel bearings.
With the front wheel off the ground carefully move the steering left and right of centre and feel for any notches in the head stock bearings
Check the Engine and Chassis numbers match the V5, sometimes, especially on imports there will be no engine number on the V5 but this does not necessarily mean a problem, it's optional when you are registering the bike in the UK.
Check the sprockets to make sure they're not 'hooked' and check the chain is not at the end of it's adjustment.
Check behind as many panels as possible for signs of repair. They may point to more serious accident damage, the quality of bodywork repair should indicate the quality of any other repairs. There's no substitute for orginal panels.
Check for bent levers, scuffed mirrors/bar ends/indicators for signs of a drop.
Road testing the bike:

Make sure the bike starts and idles easily, the tick over may have been set high to cover up idling problems or a rattly clutch basket.
Check for smoke on start up, a bike in good condition that has been run regularly should be smoke free, unless it's a 2 stroke of course.
Make sure the brakes do not bind and feel for pulsing through the brake levers, this indicates a warped disk.
Make sure you can select all the gears easily and that you can find neutral when you come to a stop.
Check for a slipping clutch by accelerating hard in top gear from a lowish speed.

Finally, trust your instincts about the car and the seller and do not let your heart rule your head - if you are not happy just walk away!!


Is the CM125 Custom Exclusive the perfect learner bike? Will you be ashamed to be seen on it?Howslow does it go and how far on one tank of fuel? What it's really like toride and live with in the real world? You cansee theCM125in action (warts and all) in our comprehensive and fully independent video road test - simply click on the link below:


Download the video here

Safe guide to buying tickets on ebay

Most of the tickets on ebay are for sold out events and care should be taken when buying tickets. Always read the whole auction, some of them are very long, take care with these auctions as they may have hidden clauses in e.g. face value refunded in event of cancellation when you paid a lot more than face value.


Always check face value, the section of the tickets and check that if the tickets are not in hand confirmation email will be forwarded. Sellers WILL NOT provide this information beforehand as someone has suggested, they normally provide it on receipt of cleared payment.


Types of auction: Buy it now are often the best as you get tickets right away and usually pay less than auctions. Auctions are good as may get for less than face value esp if concert is very near.


Methods of payment. Obviously paypal is fastest and best if tickets are in hand. However, paying via paypal for an event 6 months down the line e.g. Robbie Williams went on sale 10 months before concert and are not expected in hand until 4 weeks before concert. By that time the seller may have been suspended and you cannot claim a refund on paypal after 90 days. I find chq is always best - that way you know where the person lives and are sure it is there name, as someone will have to bank it.


Feedback is a very good indicator, check what they have sold in the last month and how many negatives from buyers they have. Powerseller status is good, but not imperative.


If any doubts ask questions, if no response is recieved then do not bid as if they do not want your business take it elsewhere. Hope you get the tickets you want and it's a smooth transaction whoever you buy off.

acer n35 pda gps

I bought one of these last year, did previously have a 'medion pda/gps' previous to this but had a refund from the retailerwhen it developed a fault, prior to the medion developing a fault, it worked brilliantly, very quick to'warm up'

Wawel Walbryzch History

While surfing ebay for china I found three companies that had the same design of porcelain. The Pattern was white, scalloped, embossed with gold trim. The name of the pattern was not always the same but these three manufactures had the same design. The logos were Wawel, Walbrzych and Royal Kent Collection Poland. I knew they somehow had to be connected.


In my research Idiscovered that in 1831 the founder, Carl Franz Krister, bought two small stoneware plants in Waldenburg, Silesia Germany (this area is now part of Poland) and started producing porcelain tableware. Initially, Krister imitated the Royal Porcelain Factory KPM mark on his Porcelain. However, his plant soon became a leader for the area in production and employment. His products were sold in Europe and North America. This company won industry exhibitions in Wroclaw in 1852 and again in 1857. They alsowon an exhibition in Paris in 1861. Carl Krister died in1869. The company remained a family business until 1920 when it was changed to a limited corporation.


World War I caused many difficulties for the company and in 1921 the company became a part of the Rosenthal Porcelain Group. During this time the factory name was Krister Porzellan Manufakur AG.


After World War II Russian troups occupied Waldenburg. All German Citizens were ordered to leave except the skilled workers from the porcelain factory. They were forced to stay until they trained thePolish imigrants. The Factory became the property of the Polish government. The government changed the name of Waldenburg to Walbrzych and changed the name of the porcelain factory to Porcelain Factory "Kister" and today the nameis Fabryka Porcelany "Krysztof" S.A. They acquired another factory started by Carl Tielsch and that factory was renamed Fabryka Porcelany "Walbrzych". Since 1953 the "Krysztof" factory uses "W-Wawell" as their logo. The "Walbryzch" factory uses a logo that has a modified crown with fine china written above it, a curvy W in the circle of the crownand Walbryzch poland A. D. 1845 under the crown.. (1845 was when Carl Tielsch startedhis factory)


The company is still in existance and since 1993 they havebeen privatized. As a result, the company is now a joint stock company and the workersown shares. Both of these companies have web sites. Today they are one of the largest companies in that area of Poland.


Another factory started by Carl Tielch was in Altwasser a town 6 kilometers from Waldenburg. Altwasser had its name changed to "Stary Mlyn" about the same time Waldenburg was changed to Walbrzych. The current name of this company is Zaklady Porcelany Stolowej Walbrzych S.A. This company has two families that are the main shareholders. 15% still belongs to the state. They do not have a web page.


In 1952/53 the Rosenthal Group built a replacement factory in Landstuhl, Western Germany. They named that plant Krister Porsellan Manufaktor A.G. Rosenthal discontinued this name in 1971. In 2004 Rosenthal had the trademark registration for the Krister marks erased.


As yet, I still don't know exactly how Royal Kent Poland fits into all this. However, on ebay from time to time the ads say "hand crafted by experts in Walbrzych Poland"or occassionally the ads say Wawel poland.I am sure that this company made the Royal Kent Collection Poland porcelain. I know for a fact that at least one design has been used by all three companies.



Porcelain/China

Hydroponics Nutrients

By studying plants growth and development we can now pin point the plants needs during each stage of its life. By using a hydroponics method you can control when the plant is growing leaf, and when it is going to flower. This means the gardener is able to produce plants show ready or on the table when needed.Further studies have shown a plant will grow quicker and stronger when enzymes are introduced to the feeding tanks. These agents can unlock the potential for performance within the plant and allow it to maximize its production of flowers or fruit. Highly recommended for the production of extra special plants for shows and competition but also useful to bring the best out of all garden plants.You can break down a plants diet down to 3 elements Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium (NPK) along with trace elements of Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Boron, Molybdenum. These are needed in small quantities, but even a small deficiency of any element will kill a plant.Nitrogen (N)Nitrogen is a Group 15 element. Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the atmosphere by volume but the atmosphere of Mars contains less than 3% nitrogen. The element seemed so inert that Lavoisier named it azote, meaning "without life". However, its compounds are vital components of foods, fertilizers, and explosives. Nitrogen gas is colourless, odourless, and generally inert. It is needed most when plants are forming leafy growth.Phosphorus (P)Phosphorus is commonly misspelled "phosphorous". It is an essential component of living systems and is found in nervous tissue, bones and cell protoplasm. It will ensure a healthily root system.Potassium (K)This is used in the plants flowering and fruit formation. The metal is the seventh most abundant and makes up about 1.5 % by weight of the earth's crust. Potassium is an essential constituent for plant growth and it is found in most soils. It is also a vital element in the human diet. However it is an extremely active metal, and will react in air, and on contact with water.In the Hydroponicum we separate our plants into vegetive and flowering. Plants in the vegetate state are feed on Ionic Hydro Grow, and flowing plants are fed on Ionic Bloom. You can see more information on these products from us!The hydroponics gardener has to measure and adjust the nurtients availible to the plant. Each plant has an ideal strength of nutrient and water. We follow the manufactures recomendations to the letter. The amount of nutrients we add to a clean water tank can be measured by an electronic meter. It mesures salts in water, we check that the strength of water everyday.Thanks for reading

Selecting Antique Silver for Collecting

Introduction


There is a big difference in the selection of antique silver for use on your table compared to buying for building an enthusiast's collection. Silver for domestic dining first must fulfil its function, and other characteristics are really secondary. However for building an antique collection the criteria of style, age, hallmarks, maker, age, conditon and rarity all come equally into the buyer's evaluation.


Collecting


Antique silver is one of the areas of collecting where we can findmany hundreds of yearsold, beautiful and durable objects, often for an affordable outlay.


So how to start out? All good collections have a Theme running through them - in antique silver this could be concentrating on a particular period such as the 18th century; oron a style such as Adam, Regencyor Gothic; or onone type of object - teapots, cream jugs, bowls, spoons, marrow scoops, picture back teaspoons, candlesticks, minatures, vesta match cases, boxes, buttons, broaches, or even tongue scrapers or nipple protectors- the choice is nearly endless. Some collectors follow famous makers - de Lamerie (if you can find orafford him), the great Paul Storr, or the leading lady maker Hester Bateman; others collect only from one assay office or region - say Chester, Cork, Channel Islands, Colonial territoriesor Newcastle, and there are many others.So to give focus to your searching, try and start out with a Theme - or two!


It also needs some essential knowledge to pick your winners, and there is no way to get this except by study - specialist books, museums, trade shows, magazines- all good.


Having decided the theme, in additon to collecting as many different examples within your overall theme, what criteria should be used to add items to your collection? The following list and comments may prove helpful:


1. Condition. Finding something 150 to 300 years old in literally 'As New' condition is extremely rare, but it does happen and when it does, go for it, but expect to paya big premium over the same item in ordinary condition - it will be worth it. There will be thousands of ordinary items, but judge carefully whether the vendors claims for 'Mint Condition' (not quite New)are justified; generally they are shall we say 'optimistic'. Whilst on Condition, let's deal with repairs and alterations. All damage and repairs to antique silver reduce its value and desireability to collectors; avoid repaired pieces;avoid mechanically polished pieces which may have had repairs; avoid altered pieces. Bright new looking gilding can conceal repairs and alterations. Alterations are illegal with hallmarked silver, unless rehallmarked with today's date, which destroys their collecting merits. Fine engraving and armorials or crests will enhance the value of many pieces, but the condition of the engraving should match that of the piece, lines that are too bright on a rubbed piece may have been sharpened up, or even recently applied. More on armorials below.


For spoons collectors amongst readers, I have seen quite a number of 18th C 'Apostle' or 'Seal top' spoons being offered; do not be taken in - there is no evidence that any Apostle spoons were made in the 18th C; they went out of style in the 17th C. Those I have seen on offer with 18th C hallmarks were all alterations of table spoons, often done in the first half of the 19th C to dupe beginners in the new vogue then for antique collecting. Don't be taken in again - in the 21st C by the same objects, but you could specialise in collecting 'fakes'!


2. Rarity. Not as common by far as the use of the word 'Rare' by vendorsabout common pieces such as late Georgian Fiddle Pattern flatware. Recognising Rarity does need experience and some depth of knowledge - so aquire these and ignore the numerous daily rarity claimsuntil you can make up yourmind based on your own judgement.


3. Age. This seems obvious; the older an item is the more likely that there are not too many around, but sometimes Age means more than the obvious. For instance, a piece that is the earliest of its particular style, will be much more collectible than one ten years later in the same style. Likewise, Age coupled with great condition is a much sought after combination, and again couple these with Rarity and you are onto a must haveaddition for the collection.


4. Hallmarks. Antique silver hallmarks are the best quide to authenticity, date and origin. They do affect the collecting value by their condition, completeness, legibility and also rarity. Some marks were only used for very short periods, or in small provincial locations, and identifying these can raise the value and attractiveness of the piece to specialist collectors of pieces from such places as Cork, Perth, Channel Islands, colonial Australia or India. Faked hallmarks are a collectors subject on their own, but not for here. Unmarked pieces are not necessarily fakes, however wariness and knowledge are needed to avoid errors. Famous makers marks (Paul de Lamerie, Hester Bateman, Paul Storr for instance) will command prices up to double that of most other makers, and more for the early super quality of Paulde Lamerie.


5.Armorials and Crests. A nice sharp set of engraved Arms or a Crest can enhance the attractiveness and value of any piece of silver. If the engraving is identifiable as a particular noble or is of royal connectionsit can considerably increase the collectability and value of the piece. It is necessary to be aware of later additions of arms or crests, which however attractive can decrease the value, particularly if there have been erasures. The style of the engraving is generally distinctive to the different ages and this should help in deciding whether the engraving is contemporary with the piece. Notice I said 'sharp' engravings - rubbed engravings, or any other decoration as well, will reduce the value to the collecter.


There is no top or bottom price range in antique silver; one can buy very desirable small 18th century pieces for well under 50, or pay a fortune for monumental 19th century works by the leading makers. Seek out the excellent and unusual that fit your theme(s), and a very satisfying collection can be yours. Trade up as you gather experience, as it is better to have fewer super items than many of ordinary qualities.


6. Presentation. On eBay, be very wary of poor photography (not necessary even with a cheap camera), and also vague descriptions and dating; they may cover up something that is not all it should be for the collector.


Todate(2008) this guide has had over a 1000 viewings, and I hope it has started some readers on the path to addictive silver collecting; it is a wonderful desease! Happy hunting.


(The writer has been collecting antique silver for over 45 years, and specialises in the 18th century,as well asspoons of all ages and rare styles in particular).


Updated June 2008


Faking it

Now, fakes are so good (and expensive) that you simply can't tell the difference.


So how do you know what's real and what's not?


Some clues:



The price. A new Louis Vuitton handbag for 100 isnot authentic. The real thingoften sells for 700 to well over 1000.Same thing for Prada and Gucci.
Where it's being sold. Authorized dealers for Chanel, LV, etc. do not sell handbags out of the trunk of a car. Nor do they sell themat online auctionsor at home parties.
Point of origin tag. Designer apparel or leather goods with a "Made in Taiwan" tag are not authentic.

Buying online


So what if you are shopping online and come across a great deal on designer apparel or accessories? How do you know you're getting the real thing?


Read the fine print.


Some Retailers or items for sale in an auction will lure you in with words that you're likely to search for like Chanel or Gucci. Many sites also use overkill -- "authentic," "genuine" and other enticing adjectives -- to describe their fashion items.


It's only by reading carefully through the descriptions will you see comments like "Inspired by..." to let you know that the merchandise isn't an exact copy (whichtheRetailersclaimgives them immunityfrom trademark infringement.)



Only buy the goods from an authorized dealer (a department store or a company outlet). Many labels sell directly to the public on company-owned sites such as Gucci.com, eLuxury.com (Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, etc.) and Coach.com.


If in doubt about an outlet, contact the designer directly and ask if you're buying from an authorized dealer.

How to workaround the ebay/paypal checkout problem

The Problem

Recently some of my buyers from overseas have been having problems paying for items via paypal. When they click on the "Pay Now" button in the ebay checkout process an error message is returned saying "Transaction cancelled please try again later".However the problem keeps persisting. I am aware this is a problem throughout ebay/paypal and is not just associated with one or two accounts. So below is the official "workaround" directly from paypal.


The Solution

Note: If the item is eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection, you must use the Pay Now button to pay for the item when the listing closes on eBay. If you pay through the Send Money tab on your PayPal account, you will not be eligible.


To send money for an eBay item from your PayPal account, please complete the following steps:


1. Log in to your account at paypal.com by entering your email address and password into the Member Log In box.


2. Click the "Send Money" tab.


3. Click "Pay for eBay items" subtab.


4. Click the "Pay" button in the "Action" column.


5. Review the payment details and click "Continue".


6. Review the details of the payment including the "Source of Funds". If the payment that you are sending exceeds the amount of funds in your PayPal account, you can click the "More Funding Options" link to change the source of funds for the payment.


7. Click "Send Money" to complete the payment. To change any information, click "Edit". Please note: If you edit your payment details, the funding source will return to the default method of payment.


If you do not have a PayPal account, simply enter your credit card information during your purchase payment flow.


******************


If it has been more than 7 days since the auction closed, please follow the below steps.


1. Log in to your account at paypal.com by entering your email address and password into the Member Log In box.


2. Click the "Send Money" tab.


3. Fill out the form.


4. Select "Goods Other".


5. Click "Continue".


6. Review the details of the payment, including the "Source of Funds". If the payment that you are sending exceeds the amount of funds in your PayPal account, you can click the "More Funding Options" link to change the source of funds for the payment.


7. Click "Send Money" to complete the payment. To change any information, click "Edit". Please note: If you edit your payment details, the funding source will return to the default method of payment.

Watch out for import PS2 / XBOX games DVD's !!

GAMES:

There are hundreds, even thousands if PS2 and Xbox games on ebay, but sometimes unless you look closely you may have bought the wrong item!!


Here in the UK our games consoles (PS2 / XBOX / XBOX 360) areREGION 2 (PAL).With PSP it doesent matter what region it is for games, only movies which have to be region 2 (uk).


Some sellers are selling Region 1 games for lower prices, but they are hard to spot because they sometimes dont say in the main description, only in the small area above next to the genre etc. or sometimes they write it in small print at the bottom.


So remember if you are buying a game for a UK games console (excluding PSP) try to buy from the UK and make sure it is REGION 2 (PAL) which is the UK Standard


DVD's:

Here in the UK most of our DVD players are REGION 2, but there are many sellers from America and other countries like China selling DVD's but they are not Region 2. America is REGION 1 and will not work on most DVD Players, and it plays in NTSC which will display in black on white on most UK televisions, although many TV's nowsupport NTSC (USA, Canada) and PAL (UK).


Check if you're DVD Playercan play DVD'sfrom different regions (is it region free) as many can, butif not or you do not know I advise you dontbuy the DVD unless it is REGION 2 (UK - STANDARD)



HOPE THIS HELPS ** KEEP EBAYING!! **

cyclone c-11 talking alarm

i bought one of these fantastic talking alarmsand fitted as per instructions.easy to fit great looking blue led.lasted less than 24 hours then the alarm decidedto ignore the remote fobstuck with an alarm that wouldnt disarmi contacted the company for help and recieved none at allfor me this alarm is a total waste of money,which i should have savedand put towards a decent system

abercrombie trousers

have bought plenty of items via the US website so can spot fakes. recently bid for some trousers from this country in a colour sold-out in US. obviously fake as soon as arrived but hard to spot online as often the photo is used from the website. if they post two photos compare as i spotted another dodgy pair this way. one was from abercrombie and another taken by the seller and there were subtle diffences.the originals come with heavy duty tags and feel really robust, even if "lightweight". inner labels are stitched on all sides not just two. ask them how they were sourced and any receipts as when i sold a pair i had all these. and the belts are all long, unlike on the fakes! also, abercrombie trousers always come up big (med =33-34") whereas the fakes are smaller. hope this helps?

Kawasaki ZX12R

The ZX12R was the joint fastest production bike along with the Hayabusa up until the ne ZZR1400 came out at the end of 2005. It puts out 160 odd horsepower at the wheel straight out of the box and has massive torque all through the rev range to match.


Although this is a portly looking bike the handling is surprisingly good once the suspension is sorted and set up. With a brave and skillful pilot it can keep up with the latest crop of 1000cc sportsbikes on all but the twistiest of roads. You have to be brave though, go into a corner fast on a closed throttle and that massive weight will push the front tyre quickly into the verge. Get on the gas with more than the merest whiff of throttle while banked over and the rear will instantly spin up. Picking exact lines and using perfect throttle control has never been so important.


On the track it's a different story, the 12 struggles to keep with 600's let alone 1000's.Spinning out of corners onto the straight hinders progress as the smaller bikes get the power down without having a bus like projectile to shove along. Coming up to corners at similar speeds to modern 1000's is even worst as the brakes overheat causing the lever to come back to the bar (and thats if your lucky enough not to lock the front) as the front tyre is overwhelmed by sheer force.


Sticky rubber may solve the problems a bit but with rears lasting 1500miles if your lucky and brake pads about 2 track days this bike is just to heavy for anything other than road use.


Stability is rock like though, even flat out over bumps the chasis never does enough to scare. Wheelies are awsome as in 100mph launch speeds but care is needed as it's easy to flip when approaching the balance point. Landings are often hard and as a result fork seals and headrace bearings don't last long.


To sum up the ZX12R is an ace bike, the type that everyone should own once, but only for a little while. Wear and tear is phenominal, it drinks as much fuel as a fast family car, and destroys consumables like their going out of fashion. It has an amazing motor that has to be abused to be believed and it makes a good tourer (take a jerry can and spare back tyre).


On the down side it is fat and ugly and no matter how good the ride is I like a nice fire place around my fire. Buy an early unrestricted one for 3 grand off a rich old guy, abuse the hell out of it for a couple of months and get rid before it costs you.

Pitfalls of a cautious novice selling a mobile phone

So mad after trying to sell a mobile phone this week, I would like to think that after selling for some months on E-Bay (and finding all I've dealt with honest and fair) I was doing OK. I had read some horror stories onthe community members notice board especially about phone scammers but conveniently forgot some of the advice thiswhen I came to sell my phone.


I purposely stated only Paypal or cheque and yes, I blocked buyers from outside the UK and with 2 unpaid strikes against them, and with less than 1 feedback, but lo and behold, the 2 bidders had no history and one had even joined the last day of my auction! Being concerned I sentboth a polite e-mail voicing these concerns and of coursethey never answered, I then sentone persistant biddera message saying even if he had won I would not post it..e-Bay now tell me if I refuse a winnning bidder, whoever he is, I can get negative feedback. Am I bovvered? I would rather get 1 negative (as if a scammer would do that, he would just move on to the next sucker) than be scammed. E-bay also saysI should have stated Paypal account holders only, but hey, there are also horror stories of people being paid through Paypal, sending off the item and then having Paypal freeze the funds because of a supected fraudulent account, i.e, someone's account being hijacked.


Like some other sellers I am curious to know what a similar item selling at the same time as mine will fetch, and so had a watch on several similar phones, afternoticing a phone sell to a bidder with no history, in the U.S. I contacted the seller to be cautious as it was also happening to me. Too late, and guess what, she had stated UK postage only but had not blocked the bid, She eventually sold to the underbidder, but this was the second time it had happened to her. There's one lady who will never sell another phone on e-Bay.


Anyway I have sold my phone (paying by cheque) and the buyer seems genuine, but I am totally exhausted and still furiousfrom last night. What a palaver, will stick to selling clothes and material, not many scammers out there for a yard of Laura Ashley, are there?


The other side of this bidding war,is yes, it can raise the bids, but the genuine bidder may end up paying more by these false bids and the seller can lose out, or like me spend 2 hours furiously sendng messages instead of enjoying the summer evening in the garden..


Just had to tell someone and I'm sure the Samaritans won't be too interested.


Am now thinking of changing my user name to Paranoid Pauline


Cross Stitch Charts

Following on from my guide about cross stitch charts on EBay, I have
been asked by quite a few how to find out prior to buying if the chart
is just a photo chart.

Ask the seller how many different colour of threads it uses. Any more that 25-30 on most charts it is a photo conversion.
Ask the seller if they can modify the chart, for motorcycle charts for
instance can they change the colour or add a windscreen? If the
answer is no then it is just a photo chart.
Ask the seller for the background to be changed. If they can't that is another clue.
Ask to see how the complete work looks, never buy from a listing with just a photo on and no completed work.

Allot of sellers are now selling charts don't waste your money ask
before you buy and remember if they are manufacturing charts to sell
they are a business and you are entitled to your money back if unhappy.

The bike
The chart measuring 198 stitches by 108 stitches in just 14 colours.

Our Shop

What is O.E.M. Misleading product information. NOKIA

OEMs are manufacturers who resell another company's product under their own name and branding. It refers specifically to the act of a company rebranding a product to its own name and offering its own warranty and licensing of the product. The term is really a misnomer because OEMs are not the original manufacturers; they are the customizers.


Originally OEM was an adjective used to describe a company that produced hardware to be marketed under another company's brand. Mitsumi, for example, produced CD-ROM drives that dozens of companies would label as their own. It's often now used as a verb, as in this sentence: "This CD-ROM drive is OEM'd by Mitsumi."


NOKIA covers are not components and it is therefore incorrect to describe them in this way. OEM relates to sub components of an end product.


NOKIA products are manufactured in the Far East. As with a multitude of other products, someone sells the mould or pattern, and another manufacturer copies it.They then manufacture theproductmore cheaplyand in larger quantities, using far inferior materials. They then sell the copy at a greatly reduced price.


The item may have NOKIA stamped on it, but that doesn't make it GENUINE. NOKIA products are high quality items, that cannot possibly be sold for the ridiculous prices coming out of the Far East and appearing on eBay.


All genuine Nokia parts have model numbers, so if in doubt, ask the seller. LCD screens are relatively easy to identify, as they have the codes on the reverse, and should be visible in the listing photo.Many of the accessories, such as keypads, have Nokia logo on the edge or reverse. Remember, covers etc are copied very well, and so is the packaging!! Look carefully and compare with those found on the Nokia web site, or in your localmobile shops. True quality is never cheap!


There are a lot of sellers who are listing their products as produced in "GENUINE OEM factories". What does this mean? Ask them! It certainly doesn't mean that the item is endorsed by, or has any connection with Nokia.


See our other guide on finding GENUINE NOKIA products.

PAYPALL MONEY PAYMENT FRAUD FAKE GENUINE AUTHENTIC

BE WARNED I RECIEVED THIS EMAIL IT IS A PYRAMID CON



Hi,Sorry if you have had this before, my apologies. Please read the following:I thought you might be interested in this opportunity to earn money throughyour Paypal account. It costs 3, takes around 15 minutes and has enormousearning potential. Please take a minute to read this e-mail, which is beingcirculated around all Paypal and eBay users and it seems to be working.Please note from my eBay feedback (user ID ricky3506 ) that I am agenuine seller and buyer on eBay and Paypal. with excellent feedback rating.Paypal have admitted that this is legal and Trading Standards are not awareof any problems with the plan.The person who sent me this email is someone that I value as an eBay seller,whom I trust to be reliable.Here are some responses from people who have so far benefited from takingpart."What an amazing plan. I followed the instructions just 3 weeks ago, andalthough I haven't made 10 grand yet, I am already up to 6,135.00 I amabsolutely gob smacked" - Alan Humphries, Leicester"Well what can I say? I sent out 40 e-mails like the plan said then justforgot about the whole thing. To be honest, I didn't really think anythingwould come of it, but I checked my Papal account a week `later and there wasover 3000.00 in it!!! After 30 days I now have over 11,000 to spend" -Lisa McDonald, Northampton"I was shocked when I saw how much money came flooding into my Papalaccount. Within 3 weeks my account balance has ballooned to 7,449. AtFirst I thought there had been some kind of error!" - Richard Barrie,Cirencester"I was very sceptical when I first read this e-mail, nearly deleted it butthen I thought about it

Butterfly Cigarette Card Guide (Collectables)

Butterflies On Cigarette Cards (Collectables) - Naturally Artistic

I've been collecting and selling trading cards, cigarette cards and related collectablesfor over twenty years. Before you read this guide please subscribe to my card collecting newsletters for updates on rare cards and tips on buying by Clicking Here, thank you.


Cigarette cards were issued on numerous topics and the butterfly is definitely one of the popular ones. These beautiful creatures reveal nature's artistic propensity to the full.Butterflies come in a myriad of colours and shapes that have inspired artists and designers for generations. Below I've listed a selection of some of the most attractive butterfly card sets that I've come across in my six years of trading on eBay.I've provided scans of a sample card from each set and I've tried to list as many card titles as possible. As with many butterflies, some of the cards are now quite rare.


Butterfly Card Sets


Name Of Set: British Butterflies (Large)
Manufacturer: John Player and Sons
Issue Year: 1934
Card Number: 25
Butterfly Names: Scotch Argus, Adonis Blue, Large Blue, Brimstone, Black-Veined Brown, Camberwell Beauty, Clouded Yellow, Comma,Small Copper, Marsh Fritillary, Silver-Washed Fritillary, Grayling, Marbled White, Orange Tip, Pained Lady, Peacock, Purple Emperor, Brown Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, Red Admiral, Grizzled Skipper, Large Skipper, Swallowtail, Small Tortoiseshell and Wall.



Name Of Set: Butterflies and Moths
Manufacturer: WM. Clarke

Friday, July 23, 2010

Fake Sennheiser CX300 (White) Headphones/Earphones

The Sennheiser CX300 headphones are a very good quality piece of equipment, characteristically described as having warm bass and excellent external noise reduction qualities. And they do. They retail at around 30. There will be genuine Sennheisers on eBay, however unfortunately most are fakes. *In order to keep high quality images I cannot link them, please copy and paste the imagevenue links into a new browser window*I recently bought a pair from eBay from a seller who also sellson the Amazon marketplace (which alsoapparently has the same problem with fakes) for 8andcosmeticallytheywereveryverysimilartotherealSennheiserCX300s.Comparingtoexistingguidesthepackagingseemedlegitimate,so much so theypassed90%oftheteststodeterminewhetherornottheywere genuine.Comparing them to a genuine pair bought from HMV, however, there are several clues to spot fakes.Ihaveincludedhighresphotostoillustrate. Starting from the jacks:1. Some fakes have straight jacks. This is an obvious clue as the real ones have "L" shaped jacks (see the photo for #2)2. Some fakes have gold plated jacks. Genuine Sennheisers are silver.Therubberwireprotectorsareveryslightlydifferent,asseeninthephotobelow;therealontherighthavegapswhere it is possible to see the wire inbetween, the fakes it is barely possible to see the wire, although this may not be the best test.http://img109.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61308_Jacks_122_658lo.jpg3. Lead lengths.MyrealSennheisersmeasure~85cmfromendofthejacktothesplitter,then~20cmfromsplitter to top of left headphone, and ~52cm from splitter to top of the right headphone.OtherguidessaythatrealSennheisershavea50cmlengthfromsplittertorightheadphone,Imeasuredtotheendoftherightheadphone,whichagreeswiththis. The fakes measured ~65cm, 25cm, 55cm respectively.Looking at the logo on the back of the headphones could tell, however decent fakes have copied the logo brilliantly.http://img140.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=61291_Fake2_122_673lo.jpghttp://img45.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61296_Real2_122_373lo.jpg4.Thebuds:thesilverringsaroundthebudsareagoodpointtostart.Fakebudswillhavequitecrudelymanufacturedrings;theseringsareturneddownonalatheandthefakeshavetelltalecuttingrings,whereasgenuinephonesseemverypolishedandsmart.Real Sennheisers are HIGH quality, and the edge of the ring will be rounded and quite smooth rather than quite sharply chamfered. http://img14.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=61274_Fake1_122_878lo.jpghttp://img206.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61281_Real1_122_336lo.jpg5. Remove the rubber noise excluder. Since fakes are manufactured cheaply, it could be possible to see a joining line in the plastic or extra "bobbles" of plastic due to quick production.(See pictures above) 6.Withtherubberexcluderstillremoved,lookatthegauzethatcoversthespeaker.Iwassurprisedtoseehowwellmanufacturedtherealoneswere compared to the fakes. The photos below show the comparison, with the fakes having cheap gauze stuck on top of the plastic, and the real oneshaving much better gauze stuck to the inner sides of the walls. Again note the cheap manufacture on the silver rings.http://img171.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=61301_Fake3_122_680lo.jpghttp://img7.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61302_Real3_122_617lo.jpg7. It was possible to look beyond the gauze at the speaker shield in the headphones without taking them apart if you know what to look for: fake headphones generally have 4 holes in the metal plater infront of the cone (top, bottom, left, right) whereas the real headphones have 8. This is probably the most telltale sign.Hopefully this will help anyone else tell whether they have bought a fake. A lot of these sellers offer "7 day money back guarantees" - probably in an attempt to mimic authenticity, if you find yours is a fake, call them on itandgetyourmoneyback.

FAKE JACOB

I am writing this guide because i always find more replica J

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Oldcourt Ware - Identification

Oldcourt ware is an attractive lustre type ceramic produced by J. Fryer of Tunstall, Staffordshire until quite recently. Note that although the Oldcourt name is mainly associated with lustre-ware many non-lustre items were produced including the pixie figures, a range of character jugs and other items such as table-ware, decorative items etc. Unfortunately a fire in 1986 destroyed a lot of the companies records and few details are available regarding the Oldcourt history. Using my wife's collection and the little information I have found the following has been produced.


1921 to 1931J, Fryer Senior (born 1899, Tunstall) originally worked in the mining/engineering business before lying about his age and enlisting in the army during World War One. On his return he again worked as a mining engineer and married Mercy Jones the daughter of a local pottery manufacturer. After marriage he borrowed money from his family and started as a market trader of pottery he bought wholesale from local factories. In 1921 he founded a small factory at Adams on Furlong Road, Tunstall buying whiteware and decorating it. I have not yet ascertained whether the Oldcourt range was produced during this period.


1931 to 1939The business at Adams Road had flourished so larger premises were sought and found at the Oldcourt Works, Roundwell Street, Tunstall, Again whiteware was shipped in and nothing was actually manufactured. As above I don't yet know about the Oldcourt range


1939 to 1945Ceased production whilst the factory was used for war storage


1945 to 1954Name changed to J. Fryer and Son in 1945 and examples of Oldcourt type items have been found bearing this stamp but not actually marked as Oldcourt. From 1945 ceramics were actually produced as well as decorated although some whiteware was still shipped in.



The following additional stamp has been noted combined with this stamp.



1955 to 1998Name changed to J. Fryer Ltd and the Oldcourt name came into use. From 1955 whiteware was no longer brought in and all items were manufactured on the premises. James Fryer senior died in 1970 and the business went to his sons James and John and in turn to there sons also James and John. J. Fryer Ltd was sold in 1998.


1998 OnwardsCortman Ltd purchased part of the business in 1998 and production continued at the Crownford Works, Tunstall using a stamp I have yet to see. LJB Ceramics also purchased part of J. Fryer Ltd in 1998 and production using the oldcourt name has continued using stamp five accompanied by a stamp of Lorna Baileys signature.


Stamp One; 1955 to ca1960



Stamp Two; 1955 to ca1960



Stamp Three; 1955 to ca1960



Stamp Four; ca1960 to ca1970



Stamp Five; ca1970 to 1998 under J.Fryer. 1998 onward under LJB Ceramics. (Large and small versions)



Stamp Six; ca1970 to 1998



Stamps four onwards are occasionally found in gold. This seems to indicate "overglaze" painting. Stamps one to three have an uncertain colour status. These stamps represent 200 or so pieces researched. Unfortunately for most I can only give a broad date range, if anyone has any further information or access to additional stamps please contact meSo far only a single additional mark has been noted with no indication as to date. The colour of this stamp seems to have no significance.



The following imprinted marks have been identified. The significance (other than a model name) and relation to the main stamps has yet to be defined.WYES TEESSHANNONSPEY 5"10 SPEYSPILLTEESEDENESKTHAMESTWEEDCLYDETYNEAVON5" GLOBEDEYERONDOVETAMECLASSIC

Dining Room Chandelier

Choosing achandelier will make or break a room.Taking the time to choose the right one for your taste, budget and size of room is important.....it may even add value to your home!So I thought I should share a few of the tips and ideas I've collected throuigh the years whilstbuying and selling vintage lighting.
When choosing a chandelier for your dining room, proportions are very important. You don't want the chandelier to dominate the table or look insignificant, soa few simple rulesapply.


Measure the width

EXCESSIVE POSTAGE AND PACKING RATES

THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT EXCESSIVE P P RATES. I FOR ONE COMPLAINED ABOUT A RECENT TRANSACTION AND RECIEVED A VERY RUDE REPLY PLUS A COPY OF 'GUIDE' WRITTEN BY AN EBAY MEMBER.


MY ITEM WAS DESCRIBED AS 'HEAVY' (a cardigan) THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WEIGHTS. CHARGE WAS 4.00 WHEN IT ARRIVED IT TURNED OUT THE POSTAGE WAS 1.26 (that wasn't so heavy!). IT TURNED OUT THE LADY IN QUESTION WAS CHARGING ME FOR PETROL! AND OF COURSE REFUSED A REFUND.


WHAT HAPPENED TO SELLING ON SECONDHAND GOODS, GETTING A LITTLE MONEY AND BUYING YOURSELF SOMETHING ELSE.............GREED SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN OVER EBAY. 50p IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO COVER PACKAGING, THE POST OFFICE GIVE OUT 'FREE' POSTAL CHARGE LEAFLETS AND A SIMPLE KITCHEN SCALES IS ACCURATE ENOUGH FOR WEIGHING.


SO BE FAIR - IF YOU WANT 10 POUNDS FOR AN ITEM ASK FOR THAT AND NOT 99p WITH 10 POUND POSTAGE. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY EBAY OR PAYPAL CHARGES - DON'T USE IT.


THERE SHOULD BE A NEW CATEGORY - HEADED 'GREEDY AND DISHONEST' FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO SPOIL EBAY.


Collecting autographed First Day, RAF,WW2,Flight covers

I was asked by one of the Stamp Collecting magazines to write an article about collecting signed First Day, WW2

New Royal mail postage charges.

Well the new rates are easier than i thought they would be although it is hit

DONT BUY AUTO GLYM LIFESHINE!!!!

Hello there, my name is adam i am a professional car valetor and i would like to warn all people out there looking at autoglym lifeshine kits. dont be fooled buy the auctions. Most kits are usualy refilled bottles from valetors left overs. Infact how can some one sell a kit on ebay for say 29.99 when infact the kit is around 80.00 to buy off autoglym. Yes your being conned. another note is that the boxes come sealed. And the full auto glym packages comes with a 40 aftercare valeting package, and a 10 year warranty!!! Now the warranty is only valid if stamped and signed by the AUTORISED autoglym life shine agent/valetor, Which then has to send auto glym a copy of this document!!. Please dont be fooled by the prices on here. you are not buying the full package and will be dissapoint. Check the autoglym website and see foryourselfs what comes with the kit. lifeshine is a fantasic product but only when you buy the full package, have it professonaly applied and not using some valetors fast buck making leftovers. if any of you out there would like help with this product please contact me. always happy to help


hope this helps you



I am now selling my own brand of car valeting chemicals, Same stuff as the trade would use, All concentrated and not ready to use like you would get from halfords. this will make your purchase last much much longer. Click on my shop link to check it out... MVS CHEMICAL SUPPLIES

FAKE GUITARS FROM CHINA! - eBay buyers beware!

Beware of the dozens of fake top brand guitars being sold on eBay from China. The photos may make the guitars look very tempting but these are fake Gibsons, Epiphones, Fenders and others. They are getting to look extremely close to the real brands and a few of my friends have beenalmost caught out but thankfully theydid their homework before falling for these fakes.


I have noticed that some fake guitars now include fake Gibson branded guitar cases and documentation and they even have triss rod covers that have the classic twin screws of genuine gibsons instead of the more common three screws. Some even have fake serial numbers and "Made in USA" stamped on the back.


You'd think that no-one would be fooled by a "Super exquisite electricity guitar" advertised on eBay at cheap prices but the photos show what appear to be genuine Gibson, Epiphone, Fender, PRS logos. One Chinese seller quoted on his eBay listingthat the guitar was "Made in the USA - by our own exquisite, friendly Chinese artisans!" It is unbelievable that some people are fooled by that.


These fakes are poor low quality imitations of the real brands. eBay has started to clamp down on this illegal activity and ban these illegal auctions. Top Tip - In the UK you can restrict items you are searching for by geography and so avoid even looking at cheap fakes from China.. This is doneby ticking the Distance tab in your search to 500 miles. That should take in most of the UK and omit the illegal Chinese garbage. Be careful out there!


Finally, did youfind this guide useful? If so, please vote "Yes" below. Thank you kindly.

Bought A Used Mobile Phone? Need Unlocking? Maybe Not!

Have you brought a used phone recently?, Put in a sim card only to find youcannot phone out on it.when you try to call any phone numbers a message appears "call diverted", then it cuts off the dialling and goes back to the main screen.it says "Limited Service"!.


So you need it may need unlocking yes? No you probably dont, Although "Limited Service" can mean there is no signal!There is more of a likely chance the phone is BLOCKED/BARRED (basically its been reported lost or stolen).


Rectifying this is a litte more complicated but not impossibleas you have to change the IMEI Number with a cable

Guitar Multi FX Friend or Foe?

Guitar Multi FX Friend or Foe?
by Tony Williams

Killer Guitar Sounds? Maybe...


Guitar multi FX units are undoubtedly one of the best value-for-money tools available to today's guitar player. Even a cheap multi FX unit found on eBay will house some great sounding effects to brighten up or add interest to even the most mediocre guitarist's playing.


With so many different guitar sound effects available in the typical multi FX unit it is a great temptation to try and use as many as possible. However, that temptation could also destroy your credibility as a player and leave your audience nonplussed. In fact, when it comes to guitar multi FX, that old clich less is more can very often be absolutely true!


The solution? You need to get your basic sounds right and stick with them before adding any extra sparkle.


So what is meant by 'basic sounds'? Well there are really only three and they are:


* Clean You know how this sounds; crisp chords and sparkling arpeggios.


* Mild Distortion / Overdrive This can vary from slight breaking up of a clean sound to a satisfying crunchy distortion.* Heavy Distortion / Fuzz The all-out blistering solo sound, think Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall stack turned all the way up to eleven!


(A little tip about distortion don't be tempted to use too much! What sounds great plugged into a small practice amp or headphones in your back bedroom will often sound like undefined mush when it is cranked up to gig volume.)


Anything on top of your basic sound, whether it be chorus, flange, delay, or whatever, should be considered as extra that is added to compliment and enhance. The basic sound should not be sacrificed or altered in any way.


Listen to some of your favourite guitar players and try to work out how many different combinations of sound effect they are using - I guarantee that however many there are (and its probably fewer than you think) they will be sitting on top of a great basic sound.


So in conclusion; enjoy your guitar multi FX and make the most of the variety of different sound effects available, but don't sacrifice your guitar sound for the sake of guitar sound effects.



************************************************


Tony Williams is a musician, writer, and self-confessed eBay fanatic. He is the editor and webmaster of MuZiCk! - the irreverent rock music lexicon.

Planning your wedding outfit - avoid disappointment!

There seems to be a lot of problems people are having with buying wedding/bridesmaid dresses on ebay. I would like to give my experience in the hope that it will help others.


Planning a wedding is a very expensive buisiness, and Ebay is a great place to find absolute bargains. Im getting married in summer 2008 and I want something completely different for my wedding, involving a red and black theme. Usually finding whati like involves having items custom made - at virtually unaffordable prices inbridal shops on the high street!


I have read several guides written by girls who have been dissapointed with their dresses - usually ordered from places in South East Asia, often China. It does pay to remember that China IS the cheap copy capital of the world, but not all Chinese companies are rip off merchants. Some of them do have their own factories in China but have set up legitimate companies here in order to trade in the UK. Look for ones who have a UK base and have been trading here for some time.


If you've really got your heart set on an expensive designer dress, then I would say, save your cash up, go to a bridal shop and get your hearts desire! But if, like me, your not too fussy and the last thing you want is the latsest designer fashion extreme, read on!


I already had my dress (purchased from an online gothic shop outside ebay) but I needed to find flowers,jewelry and my bridesmaid dresses. There are a lot of good uk sellers on ebay for flowers and decorations, many offering custom made at a fraction of the hight street prices. You just have to be careful and check the feedback with a fine tooth comb.


My bridesmaid dresses came from weddingtime2000, a uk based seller, who imports from their factory in China.They do state that they import their dresses and the postage price reflects this. They state that the charge for postage includes VAT duty and all import taxes from China, so you know there will not be any nasty surprises! Also, the dresses are hand finished and detailed. They answered all my queries immediately and offered me a deal on the purchase of two dresses, size 8 and 14. They came within a week and I was thrilled to bits. The dresses were just as in the picture, but the sizes came up a little big - but this was easily remedied. Instead of a zip, there is lacing at the back - this allows for easy adjustment, and the halterneck is also adjustable. My girls have to wear these dresses all day and I want them to be comfortable. The price for both dresses, postage and packing came to 76. Nowhere on the high street will you find that kind of a deal!


I can heartily recommend this seller - they answer all emails straight away, offer refunds if not happy and most of their dresses are lace-up adjustable to ensure a good fit. The detail on the dresses is painstakingly hand sewn and my girls can't wait for the wedding so they can wear them.


I have also purchased all my jewelry for the big day from Inspired-by-Izzy. Necklace, earrings, brooch - all for less that 10. This lovely shop delivered my goods in just 2 days!


If you want to make you own veil, go to Jask-Wear for the veil netting - cost 3 and arrived next day! However I then changed my mind and decided to buy a lovely ready made black one from bridal-bliss - just 4.99. So I will be using the netting I purchased to make favours!


Finally, the underwear - I am wearing a steel boned corset bought for 40 from Fallen-Angels - this seller is exceptional for value and again, fast delivery time.


If you are planning your wedding on a budget,ebay is a great place to start. Just check out the feedback VERY carefully, look for members who bought the same item as you and dont be afraid to contact them and ask them if they were happy with their purchase. Only go for UK based sellers who have been registered with ebay for at least a year or two, and dont part with your cash until you have contacted the seller.


There are many great bargains and sellers who offer fantastic deals on ebay -its worth doing if you are short on cash and definatley if you want to be different! Many sellers run successful online stores on the net, and use ebay to sell off their excess/end of linestock. This is great for us bargain hunters, as you can often find one-off, or unusual items at bargain prices!


Finally, thannk you for reading my article, andif you have found this guide helpful, please Vote Yes below.

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Fake sweetie bracelets and charms

After officially being stung i decided to write this guide:


1.DONT BUY IT you might not want to hear that, but after finding out how to spot a fake, i looked at the listing and the majority of them were fake! if you are going to spend 70 on a bracelet here, why not just cough up the other 30 and buy one from an official jewelers - you will then, and only then know it is real!


2.The BIGGEST give away is the charms, links of london charms should have anOVAL ring to which you would attach to the bracelet/split ring. Fake ones are ROUND. Real ones have the hallmark of links of london upon that oval ring.


3.IMPORTANT check if the seller has sold previous similar items. WHY you ask - well how many people do you know going to links of london, buying up a load of bracelets and then selling them for a fraction of the price on e bay - No you dont! real bracelets/charms are more likely to be sold by people who have had them as a present and they are now unwanted, so are unlikely to have sold similar items before CHECK THEIR PREVIOUS SALES.


4.Dont rely on their so called good ratings! people often recieve the item quickly and give good feedback. It is only when they take it to have a charms fitted that they are told its a fake!


5.I fell for this one - the item has links of london packaging, so it must be real.WRONG. This can be bought quite cheaply from god knows where, and my box was even made! it might look good on the screen, but its amazing what can be done with a good camera and an editing package!


6.Always contact the seller well before the bidding has ended to ask if the item is real, by real you mean genuine! use the word genuine.Tell them that you will not be leaving good feedback until you have shown it to a jeweler, no reply?- well its a good indication if you know what i mean!


7.I am told that the real bracelets have a hallmark on the link next to the barrell where the 'links of london' is enscribed. The links should be smooth and no join should be seen in the circular rings. The silver should be bright.


8.There should be ribbon attached to the box. However ask yourself how difficult it would be for a faker to purchase a peice of ribbon!


9.People selling these items do not always know that they are fake, they may have sold it on, not knowing themselves (hense 1.)


Once again, dont buy, its such a dissappointment to receive somethings which you paid alot of money for, that is not what it pretends to be.


sarah


x

DeWalt Tools UK v. US

When searching for DeWalt Power Tools on Ebay, you will find a lot of machines imported from the US. Whilst these can sometimescost lessand therefore seem a bargain, there are a few things to consider before you purchase.



    They will not bear the CE mark, as shown below, and may not conform to our health and safety laws.
    Without the CE mark, they will not be guaranteed by DeWalt Europe, including the UK. DeWalt have instructed their authorised repair agents, including ourselves, not to repair any machine that does not have a CE mark or is accompanied by a purchase invoice, from an authorised DeWaltDealer. If you wish to verify this, please go to the DeWalt UK website where you will be able to contact them either by email or telephone the warranty department. You will also find a list of DeWalt Bona Fida Dealers. In an ideal world, machines don't fail, but as every tradesman knows, sometimes they do and then a quick and efficient repair service is needed. If you have a warranty and/or an invoice from a DeWalt Agent you will be able to take it to any DeWalt repair agent (there will normally be one local to you, just check on DeWalt's website). If you do not have a guarantee, even a small item like a switch can cost up to 20 to purchase and unless you can fit it yourself, labour charges on top of that. In the case of corded machines, these should be fitted by an authorised repair agent in order to meet health and safety regulations.
    Although they may seem a bargain, you may have to pay import duties or VAT when they are imported into this Country, and may in some cases get a bill after the item has been delivered.
    All power Tools including battery chargers with cordless tools will be 110v as this is the only voltage used in America.

So weigh these facts carefully before buying a US DeWalt Machine and also check out the reworked / reconditioned machines for sale see our Ebay Shop,DeWalt Reworked these are excellent value for money as they are mostly new and unused and are fully guaranteed as a new DeWalt machine. If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to talk to you and give you unbiased advice based on our 35 years experience in the Power Tools trade.




This is an example of a CE mark.


Check our Ebay Shop for DeWalt


fake callaway drivers,especially ft-1's

this is just a note to all you people out there looking to buy a new callaway ft-1 or ft-5 driver. i would say that at the moment and for the last 4 weeks about 90% of the callaway drivers for sale on here have been fakes. the easy way to spot them are as follows:- 1. the fakes are all are too cheap!!! these clubs still retail at about 250.00 upwardsfrom a decent golf supplier, not 49.99 or 69.99as seen on ebay. 2. all the sellers wont accept paypal for some reason. they will only accept postal orders/cheques etc but not paypal. 3. nearly all the sellers have a very small feedback and have only been ebay members a very short time. 4. most have a chinese type ebay id name or something very similar. 5. NONE CAN SUPPLY A SERIAL NUMBER.6.all the pictures are stock items from the net and not of the actual clubs. nice glossy pictures that help to con people. i hope report this helps someone out there and i hope ebay will look into all the fake golf stuff, especially callaway as its just horrendous the amount of people being conned out of their hard earned cash by a few bad selling ebay conmen. just take time to think to yourself how can they sell a callaway driver for a fifth of the price??? they cant unless they sell a fake. BE VERY CAREFUL---DONT BUY THESE CHEAP CHINESE FAKES.

New to using Unmounted Rubber Stamps? Here's how to!

Just how do you use unmounted rubber stamps?


Unmounted Rubber Stamps are just that, no wood, or cushion, just the rubber pattern/picture itself, and are so easy to use.


Why spend money each time on a block of wood you don't need, that then takes up so much space in your crafting area, making storage a problem?!


Unmounted rubber stamps just need a flat surface that is slightly larger than therubber stamp itself.


Anna Griffin do a good range of clear mounts so that you can see where the stamp is positioned.


Alternatively, the picture side of an existing wooden rubber stamp could be ideal. Again, make sure it is just larger than the unmounted stamp that you want to use.


Use a water soluable glue, such as Pritt Stick, to glue your unmounted stamp to the flat surface.


Then stamp your image, pressing firmly, but not hard, and don't "rock" the stamp! For larger stamps it is often useful to have a cutting mat or such like under the card you are stamping, so that there is a little bit of give, to give a clearer image.


Once you have finished, peel off the unmounted stamp from the surface you've used, and clean the glue off the stamp and the mount, with a wet wipe. Leave to dry, then store.


Why not visit my Ebay shop? There are 100's of unmounted stamps to chose from, and with prices from just 99p ( P

PerfumePoint.co.uk Fragrance Guide

PerfumePoint.co.uk Guide to Fragrance
Concentrations: Strengths and Value for Money

Fragrance products consist of a concentration of perfume oils in a solvent (usually alcohol).


The amount of perfume oil in a fragrance dictates whether it is an Eau de Parfum, an Eau de Toilette, an Eau de Cologne and so on. It also dictates how long a fragrance product will last on the skin and, of course, its price!


To help explain the difference in strength, we have listed below the types of fragrance products, their concentrations and the average time it takes for the scent to evaporate.


Perfume (15%-30% concentration of perfume oil) 6 - 8 hours


Eau de Parfum or EDP (8%-15% concentration of perfume oil) 5 - 7 hours


Eau de Toilette or EDT (4%-8% concentration of perfume oil) 4 6 hours


Eau de Cologne or EDC/Aftershave (3%-5% concentration of perfume oil) 2 3 hours


The price of a fragrance product will depend on its strength (% of perfume oil) as well as the bottle size. For example, a 30 ml Eau de Parfum bottle will usually cost more than a 30 ml Eau de Toilette as it is stronger.


The more alcohol a product contains, the quicker its scent will evaporate. Aftershave has the highest alcohol content.


Although an Eau de Toilette is cheaper, it is not necessarily more economical, as it will not last as long. EDT is the most popular and affordable concentration available.


Fragrances should be kept away from heat and light. Storing fragrance in the fluctuating temperatures and humidity of a bathroom will cause a scent to degrade rapidly.


Identical fragrances may smell differently and also last longer when applied to some peoples skin than others, this is because of the chemical make up and balance of our skin.


Fragrance Categories

The different types of fragrance are described by their scent and the ingredients that have been used to make up a particular scent.


CITRUS: The clean, tangy aroma of citrus fruits:lemons, mandarins, bergamot oranges and grapefruit. GREEN: The sharp green scent of crushed leaves and fresh-cut grass. WATER: Soft sea breezes. FLORAL: The fresh-cut fragrance of flowers from a single rose to a rich bouquet. SOFT FLORAL: These soft, powdery floral aldehydes blend nature's flowers with the perfumers aldehydes. FLORAL ORIENTAL: The soft, spicy notes of orange flowers, sparkling aldehydes and sweet flowers. SOFT ORIENTAL: Incense adds a sensual softness to heady flowers, spices and amber. ORIENTAL: The hypnotic fragrances of oriental resins, night-blooming flowers, vanilla, musk. WOODY ORIENTAL: Rich oriental notes blended with the potent wood scents of patchouli and sandalwood. MOSSY WOODS: Perfumers call these forest notes of oakmoss, woods and citrus chypre fragrances. DRY WOODS: Dry resins, cedar and tobacco make a mossy-woody fragrance drier, sometimes a little smokey.. AROMATIC FOUGERE: Sexy cool-warm notes of citrus and lavender, sweet spices and oriental woods.


The Stages of a Fragrance

You may wonder why Perfumes/Aftershaves always smell different after youve had them on a while. This is because the Fragrance develops in 3 stages.


Top note - The initial, lighter smell of the fragrance, which lasts for around 8-15 minutes.


Heart/Middle note This remains constant throughout use of the fragrance (hence the term heart note) and develops after the top note.


Base note This is the last to develop, and helps to fix the fragrance to the skin. This is where you will smell the woodier notes of the scent, which become more noticeable when the fragrance has been on the skin for a while.


19th

List of some 19th/20th century makers

This list has been produced to assist in the identification of possible makers. Once a name has been identified as a possibility then a search on the web may reveal a photograph of the marker's markto compare to.


Please ignore the case of lower case letters - the lower case I have used is to denote they are smaller but they may well be small upper case letters.


Photographs will be added to this guide in the longer termfrom my own collection. Additionally I know I have additions to maketo this "first cutlist" and this will be on a on-going basis.


Please ASQ me with any additions or corrections of typos or if you have any queries.


London
A

A

BUYING ANTIQUE GLASS DOOR KNOBS

A simple guide on, how to choose the type of glass door knob that best suits your door

The Ring Size Chart!

The Ring Size Chart below show you sizes in U.K., Metric and U.S. This is very useful if the items you want to buy are described in sizes you don't recognise (like buying them from a different country):


UK mmDia mm CircUS A 11,536,250.5 B12,338,641 C 12,739,91.5 D 13,141,152 E13,542,412.5 F13,943,673 G14,3 44,923.25 H 14,746,183.75 I15,147,44 4.25 J5,548,69 4.75 K 5,9 49,955.25 L16,351,24 5.75 M 16,752,46 6.25 N17,153,72 6.75 O17,5 54,98 7 P17,9 56,23 7.5 Q 18,357,498 R18,758,758.5 S19,160,0 9 T 19,561,26 9.5 U 19,962,5210 V 20,363,7710.5 W 20,7 65,0 11 X 21,1 66,29 11.5 Y 21,5 67,51 12 Z 21,9 68,77 12.5

A GUIDE TO BUYING A REAL COIN OR PENNY PUSHER

(Firstly I would like to apologise to people who send me messages through eBay's system - I am not being ignorant by not replying, but in most cases eBay will not allow me to respond. If you have not heard from me, I am sorry but this is the reason why).


Penny pushers - Coin pushers - Sliders - Penny falls - Slot machines - call them what you like! In the trade they are simply known as pushers. These machines have been of great interest to me from a very young age. Thanks to eBay I am now the proud owner ofeight machines. Five of them are single player pushers,twoare two player machines and the last is a 3-player machine.


If you are thinking about buying one of these machines, there are several factors to take into consideration. Is space a problem? Why are single player pushers more expensive than, say, a 6 player pusher?Is it going into a house? 2p or 10p play? Are you willing to travel hundreds of miles to find the right machine? Are you prepared to pay hefty Carrier charges? Is it going into the garage? Do you have a warehouse? Does it matter if it has some damage, etc.etc.etc.


Okay, let's try and answer some of these questions. If space is a problem and you intend putting the machine in a house then a single player pusher is what you're after. This is the very reason that single player pushers are more expensive, they are more sought after because they will fit in a house. A 6 player pusher would certainly be a great machine to have, but how would you get one of these through a standard door? Quite simply, it is not possible! The majority of pushers are either on 2p play or 10p play. This may not sound like a big issue - again it depends on the machine, but amachine on 2p playwhich takes 20 to fill the playdeck is going to cost you around 100 (if not, slightly more) for the same machine if it is on 10p play. There are a few exceptions of course as 1 or 2 machines operate on 1p play or 5p play. Even so, 5p play machines with a big playdeck could cost you a few pounds to fill too. Depending on the type of coin mech. fitted, some machines can be changed from 2p to 10p etc. with considerable ease.Some can't without expensive kits. Some can be programmed via coin recognition.If this is important to you, check with the seller whether or not this can be easily changed. If you are really desperate to find a single player pusher, then be prepared to travel or pay a Carrier in the region of 80 to get the machine delivered. If your luck is anything like mine, the machines I'm after are always hundreds of miles away!!! If the machine is going into a garage then you may be able to get something bigger, a 2, 3 or 4 player machine perhaps? Another thing to remember though is the more playdecks you have, then the more it is going to cost you to fill it - of course you don't have to fill all the playdecks either! If you are lucky enough that space is not an issue, or the machine is going into a warehouse or very large shed or something then you can have virtually any machine you want. Are you fussy about the machine? Does it matter if there are some scores or scrapes on it? Does it matter if the keys are lost etc. etc. Obviously a machine in perfect working order and with no damage (apart from maybe minor scrapes) is going to cost youmore money than a machine with some damage. If you are mechanically minded, a lot of these things can be easily fixed (or made better). For example:- if there are no keys and the machine is all locked then the locks can be drilled out and new locks fitted (an inexpensive item, readily available from ebay for a few pounds). Blown fluorescent tubes can be easily found at most good electrical shops and make the machine look a lot better. Does the machine look grubby after purchase? Don't despair -give it a good clean and if you feel competent, dismantle it a bit and clean it up - it will look a million times better when you are finished and you willappreciate it more and be proud of it!Does it really matter if there are a few chips out of the blackwood effecton a corner? Would a touch of black paint not make it look ten times better and cover the majority of it up? These and other little things are all worth thinking about, easy repairs that don't cost the earth to remedy.One thing to think of though - does the machine you're interested in have a feature? And more importantly, does it work? Is this important to you? The reason I say this is that some older machines with features that don't work can be just about impossible to fix. For example:- a feature that pays out a certain amount of coins when you get a coin through a bonus trap (usually set off by the coin triggering a micro switch) is normally linked to a small pcb with IC's (silicone chips). These IC's are more often than not pre-programmed and if something goes wrong with them and you need a replacement, on say a machine that is a few years old - FORGET IT! Unless you are VERY lucky then you will not be able tofind a replacement. Apart from this, pushers, on the whole will go on for years and years and years, as at the end of the day the main thing that makes them all work is a motor andin the worst case scenarioif it does go Kaput, a replacement motor can usually be found - a contrast to modernfruit machines which are all controlled by IC's and pcb's. Another point worth remembering:- CONDITION. Everybody's idea of condition is different! Someone that describes a machine in very good condition might not be your interpretation of very good condition! Study the pictures carefully.If there is something that takes your fancy on eBay and there is something that you are unsure about or want to ask about or important dimensions etc. then don't be shy touse the 'ask seller a question' button and ask away. The majority of sellers are honest andwill answer your questions - beware of the ones that don't - they probably have something to hide! Finally if you get one of these machines, don't send granny to pick it up in a Corsa with the back seats down!!! They are very heavy machines, if you are collecting make sure you have the correct dimensions, make sure it will fit in,a suitable vehicle and a strong mate or two to help you lift.


I have been collecting these machines for around 2 years now and the knowledge I have gained about them in that time is vast. I have written this guide for anyone new to pushers, interested in pushersor looking to make their first purchase. The opinions are all mine and I realise they might not be everyone's views. Remember these are all electrical items and electricity can be dangerous. If you are in any doubt at all or are not competent with DIY and electricity- DO NOT DISMANTLE or interfere withthese machines.


Please click 'YES' if you found this interesting, and be sure to check out my


NEW GUIDE ON THE SAME SUBJECT


FULL SIZED COIN OR PENNY PUSHERS


THANK YOU



LAY-Z-SPA - including guide to RUNNING COSTS


PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE FOR THIS GUIDE. It has been viewed over 3500 times but so few people have thanked me! - Where esle will you get a guide like this including running costs. PLEASE PLEASE vote. - Thanks Chris.............


Bought Lay Z Spa from Stack-m-High in June 2007. Easy to set up. Inflated and ready to fill in about 15 minutes. Takes 1 hour to fill using garden hose. and Overnight ( 14 hours) to heat to 40 degrees. After 2 weeks the Heater failed and would not heat the water. Bestway Uk help line sent replacement very swiftly. This second unit seems a lot better and so far has worked perfectly.I bought a chemical kit with Chlorine - PH PH- Test Strips and anti foam for 45 delivered. This is a large kit (CLEARWATER brand) - this lasted all last summer ( 2007) and still has half left.We used the spa most days and its really nice. The water is lovely and hot and the bubbles are very powerful and relaxing. The spa water quality needs some maintenance by using a test strip every few days or after every use and then adding the right amount of chemicals to keep the water in safe condition - but this is fairly easy to do as the instructions with the kit I bought are very easy to follow.After a month or so depending on use the water will need draining and replacing but you get an attachment to do this which again attaches to a gardens hose - it takes a little longer to drain though at about 2-3 hours. it is possible to use a pump - like a pond pump and a general water pump to empty it fasterWe have ours under a gazebo with side panels and low voltage lighting making it very private. Someone we know who also have one of these dug a hole in the garden and lowered into into the ground so you step down into it - Nice Idea - if you like digging holes!All in all - despite the stories you might hear of reliability issues - its well worth it and a nice purchase that brings a lot of fun for the money in our opinion.If you read about anyone having numerous pumps replaced it might suggest they ahvn't followed the operating instructions regarding bleeding the air valve each time BEFORE using the heater button - which according to another user I have spoken to resulted in 3 broken pumps - SO be carefull!!!!!!!!!!!UPDATE JUNE 2008.I packed the lay-z-spa away at the end of last summer , carefully drying it down and taking care to get all the "nooks and crannies" well dried out. I then wiped it over with an antibacterial spray. This is worth while as if you don't do this you are likely to get mildew that would need cleaning off after you unpack it from its winter storage ( or you may choose to keep it set up in the winter and not have this problem !).When packing mine up and deflating it I had been careless and managed to puncture the top sidewall on a small sharp stone. When I set it back up I used one of he clear repair patches supplied with the lay-z-spa - and it worked perfectly being air tight and still working perfectly well. Equally the Heater is still going strong 1 month after I set it back up from last year - not like all the other horror stories you will have read about! - either I'm just lucky or you only hear on Ebay if its gone wrong! Mine still works well........so it looks like another summer in the garden for me...... :)UPDATE Early October 2008After a faultless Summer with lots of days in the lazy SPA

FAKE NIKE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

FAKE GOODS LOOK OUT LIST



Fake goods are rife on ebay simple rules will keep you a head of the criminals.


Bid or buy only if when you request close up PICTURES of garment labels you get them.


Conversely DO NOT bid or buy if when you request close up PICTURES of garment labels and you receive NONE.



Nike tag details.


Nike have changed their internal labels to show the production run in a US DATE FORMAT mm/dd/yy.


For example the new Nike AIr Rift 10th anniversery are a limited run due to the dates 10/13/05 to 11/30/05.


Usually Nike produces a trainer over a 2- 3 month run. Specials, Limited numbers over 1-2 month Nike RIFT Brazils the original Green/Yellow version.


Old labels would appear as mm/mm/yy So a Nike Haven COJP would read 001101 2000/November/January.



FOR NIKES WITH the old label LOOK UNDER the BARCODE there is a specific birthday date for the particular trainer you are looking at these must match up by being within the ABOVE LABEL DATE will read as per US DATE FORMAT mm/dd/yy.


New Nikes do not have a specific sneaker birthday :-(.


The Letters next to it are the factory.... example LN4, ST-P


NIKE ARE PRODUCED IN the following countries exquisively


1. China


2. TAIWAN


3. KOREA


4. VIETNAM


5. THAILAND


6. INDONESIA


7. ITALY 1970-1980's Pre-1980's No factory codes


8. JAPAN 1970-1980's Pre 1980's No factory codes


9. UNITED STATES 1970-1980's Pre 1980's No factory codes



NIKE FACTORY CODES


LN2, LN3, LN4, Y2, Y3, Y2-3, QH, QS, QT CHINA


IB, ID, IN, IP, IW INDONESIA


ST, ST5, S7, T2-1, T2-A, T2-D, TY, TY1, ST-P, SH, BY KOREA


FT1, FT2, FT4, FT8, PC3, PC8 TIAWAN


PA4, (PA) THIALAND


VT VIETNAM


NIKE SAMPLE SHOES



ONLY IN A UK 8 and the label will read "SAMPLE".



TYPES OF SAMPLES



1 Player Samples - produced for Nike sponsored teams and players


2 Sales Samples - produced for Nike Sales Representatives (EKINs)


3 Wear Test Samples - produced for wear testers
(individuals providing performance feedback)


4 Look See Samples - produced for in-house distribution,
often with hand written tags. The stage of development prior to 'sales samples' production.


5 Factory Confirmations - produced in quantities of typically 1, 2 pairs as a confirmation of quality before the entire production (of the same shoe, but in tens of thousands) commences. If the factory management is satisfied with the sample, QC staff must sign (yes) their names on the shoe.


For more insider knowledge see the following link
http://www.kicksonline.com/Magazine/nke_hack.html


THERE YOU GO LOOK AT FOR OTHER GUIDES FOR SPECIFIC TYPES OF NIKE (RIFTS etc) OR BRANDS.


DISCLAIMER I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISFORTUNE OR FORTUNE YOU
ENCOUNTER BY EITHER FOLLOWING OR NOT FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE RULES.


me.


Nike name and Swoosh are trademarked and copywritten by Nike and therefore should not be reproduced for profit.


kicksonline for the Types of Samples 1-5 section. (very interesting)

Memory Foam Type Mattresses

Hi, just to let people know about our experience with one of these type of mattresses. We bought one from a local retailer, after I had a problem with my back. We tried it out in the shop for a few minutes and agreed it was very comfortable, so we bought one. After it was delivered, we fitted it on to the bed and anticipated a good nights sleep. However, after five or ten minutes, we were feeling very hot and very uncomfortable. It seemed to be reflecting your body heat back at you, and quickly became very sweaty and unpleasant.We slept very fitfully all that night. We thought we might just need to get used to it, but it didnt get any better. We kept waking up feeling hotand sweaty and headachey from the constantwaking.We persevered with it for over a week, because it was so expensive. We felt foolish because we had tried it in the shop, and yes, it was comfortable, in the shop, while we were wearing several layers of clothes. Afterover aweek of not sleeping and feeling like we werebeing grilledon a hotplate, we returned it to the shop.It was a good quality mattress from a reputableshopand we didnt have any problems with chemical smells etc.but, despite offering good support, it just wasnt good for sleeping on! As soon as we replaced it with a more traditional type of mattress, we slept like babies again.


If you are thinking of buying something like this, please make sure that you have the option of returning it if you experience these type of problems.

N gauge Versus 1/144 Scale



All AFVs and aircraft models shown in my shop photographs are 1/144 scale andall figures are 12 mm. I also state that the 12 mm figures on sale aresuitable for N gauge and this can result in some confusion. I hope this mini-guide clarifies.


N 'scale' trains run on 9mm 'gauge' track, but the terms 'SCALE' and 'GAUGE are commonly mixed up.


SCALE: the size ratio of a model compared to the full size item.


GAUGE: the measurement between rails on track - full size or model.


Accurately speaking, N gauge when applied to a modelis a misnomer: it is N scale.


While N varies from 1/148 to 1:160across the world, the track gauge is 9 mm. [N stands for 'N'ine mm gauge.]


In the USA and Europe, models of standard gauge trains [4-8.5"] are built to 1:160 scale but designed to run on N gauge track. In the UK, 1:148 is used. In Japan, 1:150 is used for models of 3-6" gauge trains, while 1:160 is used for standard gauge Shinkansen [Bullet Train] models.


In the U.S. and Europe, a scale of 1:160 is used for train models, irrespective of the gauge of theactual trains they are scaled from. All of these scales run on the same 9mm track [N] gauge. This means the track is a little too narrow for 1:148 / 1:150 but the difference is considered too small to matter.


For deciding an appropriate height of scaled figure, consider how a mans height affects scale. See table below:


Man's heightFigure's Height Scale


ft Inches m mm inches


6'-'0" 721.83- 10.0 0.39- 1:183


5'-6" 68 1.7- 10.0 0.39 - 1:173


6'-'0" 721.83-12.0 0.47 - 1:152


5'-6" 68 1.7-12.00.47 - 1:144


6'-'0" 72 1.83- 12.20.5 -1:144


5'-6" 68 1.7- 12.2 0.5-1:136


6'-'0" 72 1.83- 15.00.59-1:122


5'-6" 68 1.7-15.0 0.59 -1:115


In summary, assuming an average W.W.II. warrior stood between 5-6" and 6-0" tall, then both traditional imperial height model figures of " [12.7 mm], and modern metric 12.0 mm can be considered ideal for representing 1/144 scale figures. At the same time it can be seen that 15 mm figures are too tall, and 10 mm figures too small.


A lot of the above information has beencollected from otherenthusiasts over time. My thanks and apologiesto all contributers who are not acknowledged here.


Hope this helps.


Mehusla of 1-144 Direct E-Bay Store

FAKE CALLAWAY DRIVERS (FT-I, FT5 FT3 ETC)

There is a seller who has been selling only fake drivers for the last year on Ebay UK (who briefly listened when i told them all his different IDs through which he sells fake Callaway drivers). He has sold thousands, which will be recirculated on ebay for years,sometimes by sellers who don't even know they are fake. There are similarities in his technique:


LOW START PRICE

Geniune Army Kit, SAS/PARA/RM

Just to share my thoughts with regards to items marked SAS, PARA'S RM etc or "issued to blah blah" and special forces. As an ex service member of recent times (80's through to 2000) a lot of kit marked with such tag words are nothing of the sort! As others have said, before you hit that"confirm bid" button, have a quick look down your local surplus stores for a comparison. Almost every British Army item should have an NSN (NATO Stock Number) on it, if it ain't then it probably is a copy. Also on hardware, (mess tins etc) look for the "Crowsfoot" mark, again a sign of a genuine article.


Some of the kit advertised is very decent and usuable, but just wonder if it is genuine before buying - there is a difference. In my experience the majority of a Regimentsoldier's kit is either "Proffed" (long term borrowed) particularly from theUSA SF or put together from a mixture of sources.


Another good place to look to compare is Silvermans.


Having said all of the above, there are genuine issue kit from e-bayers, you just got to know what to look for, perhaps ask a squaddie?

Gillette Mach3 Razor Blades

Please be careful if buying these type of blades. They are no where near the quality you get on the High Street. The ones I bought fit the razor handle but rattle as if loose

Print Your Own Vouchers/Coupons !

Lots of people sell genuine vouchers on ebay, but instead of buying vouchers, you could justprint your own vouchers!



Heres a few tips on how to save a bit of money, and print your own vouchers...



Manufacturers like Birdseye, Heinz, Cadburyallow you to PRINT VOUCHERS off their website. Just type in large brand names into google.co.uk and search their website for any vouchers that are availible!
Just SEARCH key words, things like 'vouchers' 'money off' 'coupons' on google.co.uk. Their are lots of websites that offer links to vouchers that companies offer, all you have to do is find them!
EMAIL the companies, and see if they will just POST some vouchers to you!
Ok, the downside remember how much ink you are using as it is expensive to print alot of vouchers (and you may need print them out in high quality so supermarkets likeTescodo accept them!)


Thanks xxx


If this guide helped you, remember to click the YES button

COMPLETE HOME HAIR REMOVAL GUIDE FOR MEN: HEAD TO TOE

Chest hair, body hairs, pubic / genital hair removal, nasal hairs, hairy back, underarm hair removal, back crack and sack, shaving gels, oils

Pt 5 More Old Country Roses Factory Seconds Backstamps

Part5 of a five part series


( As Ebay's limit is 10 pics per guide)


this guide should be read after Part 1. How to buy Old Country Roses - Royal Albert


A factory second is exactly that...


It is an item that was rejected by the factory's quality control staff as unsuitable for first quality specification and sale.


It could have been a glazing flaw, mis-alignment of one of the graphic transfers, a colour variation, a firing or gilding flaw, variation in size...the list could go on. Please note that gilders often put a test mark on the back/bottom....it does not indicate a flaw, it was simply used to test the gilding or sometimes to identify the production team.


Just remember, no matter what anyone claims, the second was rejected for a specific reason, if the seller can't tell you what it is, it just means that they can't find it....not that it's not there....








other guides to this series are:


#1 TOP EBAY FRAUD ON EBAY

Please vote yes for this guide sowe can help others!



SHILL BIDDING


This has got to by the #1 fraud by far on eBay.


If you ever wondered why your competition always seems to get that much more for their item than yours chances are its been shill bid.


The sad part about shill bidding you can't tell who's doing it since eBay has aided the shill bidding with thier privacy act of 2007 which does not allow you to see who's bidding on what.


As long as eBay continues to allow this shill bidders will get away with it causing price inflation.


This guide will be updated as the situation chances here on eBay.



Thanks for coming by and please vote yes so we can help others! = )



"International iPods"

"International iPods"Did you know that there is no difference between iPods from different regions? Apple packs the exact same iPod to sell in every area of the world. What's the difference then? None, except that you are paying a different price than other people. There are several things that people are concerned about that I will address here:The iPod comes prepackaged with several languages to choose from. You can select:EnglishJapaneseCestinaDanskDeutschEspanolFrancaisItalianNetherlandsPortuguesPyccknnSuomiSvenskaTurkceKoreanChinese (both types)In addition, the instruction manual comes with all these languages as well. Think about this for a moment. Why would Apple include all these languages in every iPod they sold? The answer is so they can produce one iPod that can be shipped ANYWHERE with ease. Imagine having to ensure that there was adaquete supply of iPods with the French language, and not too many with English on them. That would be a nightmare.

Timing The Start of Your Auctions For Maximum Profit

There are two important factors to concider when starting your auction to get maximum profits. The first is for how long should the auction run for? And the second is at what time should the auction start/end?


Youhave five options, 1 day, 3 day, 5 day, 7 dayand 10 day long auctions. You need to concider the day the auction is going to end, this is for posting your item, so ending the auction on a week day is a good idea. This attracts any buyers wanting next day delivery, or to receive the item within a few days. An auction ending saturday afternoon will mean the buyer will receive the item Tuesday at the earliest. This may not be the best time.


A 7 day auction may be the best optionas it covers all the days of the week. (including peak days like Friday night and Saturday) It is not too long for buyers wanting the auction to end so they can get the item. 10 Day auctions may be too long for some buyers to wait and they may loose interest. However, 10 days does allow time for more people to see the item you are selling.


Sunday is the best day for the auction to end as you can send the item the next day. It also means the auction will be viewed over the weekend, the peak time.


The worst time for the auction to end is between 10PM and 7AM, this is because buyers will be asleep, not on eBay to bid. The best time to end the auction is between 8PM and 9PM as people will be at home, and probably not asleep. They will not mind going onto eBay at these times.



To summariseI think the best day to start the auction would be a Sunday at 9PM for 7 days, or Thursday at 9PM for a 10 day auction.



I hope this helps. If you think I have missed something or you do not agree then e-mail me. You can contact me through my eBay shop:


The Skateboard Shop