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By GaudinosWheels
#4971040
UPDATE:

I’ve had a response and Dave apologised for not getting back to me sooner and has assured me my pack will be finished and out to me. A little later than I initially hoped for but I’m glad to have an update.

Only fair to show both sides of the story.
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By StarkMarkV
#4971387
GaudinosWheels wrote: June 29th, 2022, 11:49 am UPDATE:

I’ve had a response and Dave apologised for not getting back to me sooner and has assured me my pack will be finished and out to me. A little later than I initially hoped for but I’m glad to have an update.

Only fair to show both sides of the story.
Any updates since then?

I've messaged him twice over on insta, usually it takes him a while but this time it's taking a bit longer to hear back from him. Not concerned to the point of a refund at all. Just want to get my hands on my pack already lol. It's going to be a year next month since I've been waiting.
By kernuyckdave
#4971400
Hey all, Dave from Proton Props here.

Apologies to anyone that’s not heard from me directly for a while, and if you’ve reached out and I’ve managed to miss your communication I do apologise. Unfortunately I have nothing but trouble with Etsy comms these days since they restricted my store, I do try my best to respond to
Emails and messages, unfortunately I do sometimes miss them due to them pinging across on several platforms and it’s hard to keep track of what I’ve already replied to, especially as I’m one person running the show.

The delays have been horrendous, and unfortunately this has been well beyond my control. In the interest of being transparent this is the full disclosure: I started the business using BenOfKent products for my builds, and as many people have probably discovered he hasn’t been the most forthcoming with orders, I also had this issue so I changed suppliers early on to Karnivorous Creations. Mike initially was helpful and quick with some bits, however he then slowed down massively and I was in a very similar situation to the BOK issue. I raised this and Mike then he offered to sell me the molds and rights to produce it myself, reducing production times massively as it got to one point I was waiting on 8 months for 4 shells. So I bought mikes molds for all of the stuff so I could then start to produce it and we both agreed on a deadline for him to ship it. However, I’m now past 12 months paying for molds and I still don’t even have a quarter of what I’ve paid for, I’ve made a lot of my own molds to be able to produce as much as I can but a lot of orders are awaiting guns as the stock I had I’ve used up and Mike has been ‘sending’ the mold now for months and months. I received half of the mold last week, and at this point I’m still unable to complete it which in turn makes me look like the incompetent one to my customers. Im pushing nearly every day to get these to me, but it’s not just that that’s given me delays. Sound and light kits are sparse currently due to microchip shortages from my supplier and we’re all aware of the wait times from GBFans, which I use a lot of parts from as they are the only ones that supply a lot of items and often there are large delays on parts, and as for my shells I have to import a particular resin from America to the UK, which after brexit hasn’t helped and neither has the resin shortages in the states.

Amongst this I’ve had covid twice, both times have been very bad as I’m a diabetic, I’ve been made homeless, and changed premises three times. It’s not been the easiest of rides, and unfortunately it’s not very time effective to send everyone a message when I drill a hole in their shells, there’s only me doing every single aspect of this, and it’s very hard to do that all whilst spending time with my family, trying my best to look after my health and maintain the work / life balance. It’s not easy honestly (and this isn’t a woe is me comment). I’m so grateful for peoples custom and that they trust in my to deliver something special, and I have been. I quote a lead time to what I’m hoping / expecting it to be, however due to the nature of what these things are it’s not like I can just get all the bits I need from Amazon Prime or from my local hardware store. If you want to the best product available on the market it may take a little longer than expected sometimes. Could I push these things out at a lesser quality but quicker? Yes. Am I going to? Absolutely not. I take pride in my work and I believe I make one of, if not the best commission packs on the market. Im not going to cheapen it to bring the lead time down because these packs are works of art, and you can’t rush art. If anyone has any questions please email me on protonpropsuk@gmail.com

Hopefully that’ll give some insight. I’ll scan back through my messages as much as I can tomorrow to see if I’ve missed people or anyone in this thread. Again, apologies to anyone - I am about, I’m not going to take your money and vanish overnight.
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By Nighty80
#4971410
Hi Dave,
Just wanted to say thanks for the frank and detailed explanation - it’s much appreciated.

Best wishes,
Dave N
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By GaudinosWheels
#4971412
Thanks for the update and honest insight Dave.

Just can’t wait for there to be enough of your packs out there to generate a real buzz and help lift your business to the next level.

James
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By StarkMarkV
#4971421
I appreciate the honest and upfront reply, Dave.

Hopefully soon enough we'll get in touch one on one when it comes time for my pack. Even with the wait time, I still find you to be one of the more sincere vendors I've dealt with and your work is just incredible. Stay safe out there, brother.

Jesus
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By StarkMarkV
#4972556
So I've hit the 1 year mark and now heading into 1 year and 1 month and still nothing. I've reached out through Instagram and even email now and it's getting harder to get a response. I'm almost reaching that point, sadly, of just asking for a refund since things are getting rough in my personal life. In the 1 year I've been waiting I've only ever received one image of the shell. No new images since then. And yes I do understand everything that has been going on and I really don't like being THAT customer to be constantly on a seller. I just don't know what to do at this point. If I hear from him anytime soon and see that no new updates have been made then yeah, I may just do a refund. It sucks because I really do want this. The lack of communication and wait time however...
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By Venkman1984
#4972557
I personally think he bit off more than he can chew. he has all these customers waiting. his communication is HORRIBLE and now he's advertising this Venkman legacy pack which sold out almost instantly. If he was working on the Venkman pack and it's accuracy then who's working on all the commission packs people have been waiting over a year for??? He won't issue a refund at this point unless you've gone through etsy you are screwed. He probably already used your money to build someone else's pack.
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By StarkMarkV
#4972560
Then it is what it is. All I can do is wait. I'm still owed a pack. I have the receipts and convos and so on. Just sucks because I was given an estimated time on how long it could take and then everything just slowly became a waiting game. Just a bit disappointed at this point.
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By Venkman1984
#4972562
as you should be and you aren't alone. it seems he's been ghosting his clients and then coming back with the same excuse everytime. He was sick then his fiance was sick then some life stuff happened all the while he's turning off his messages and advertising his legacy pack. So obviously his life can't be that upside down if he's working on that pack which by the looks of it has all real vintage parts. meanwhile he has people waiting over a year. I have two friends waiting and I'm pretty sure the progress pics he sent them are of the same pack and just switched out the tape on the pack with the clients name on it. I wouldn't mind getting a head count on here of how many people he has waiting what they paid and for how long they've been waiting.
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By StarkMarkV
#4972563
Yeah, I would like to know as well. Like I said, I have all the receipts/images showing how much I've paid and the image of the shell to my pack.
By GaudinosWheels
#4972565
I’m in the same boat. On to 14 months since I ordered (July 2021).

Had communicated from him late August saying he was aiming for late September/early October for my pack. This is after several delays and I’m afraid to say it will be the last deadline I’m prepared to accept. Will certainly be actioning a refund request if there are any further delays.

I’m hoping it’s just a case of demand being overwhelming but at this stage it’s pack by mid October 2022 or money back. Which is a real shame, he looks like he makes quality products.
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By StarkMarkV
#4972566
Venkman1984 wrote: September 14th, 2022, 1:46 pm I'd love to see your image to see if it's the same one my buddy was sent
Image

Sorry for the rather large image. As you can see, I posted this in January, when I received the image. I had paid in full in August of 2021.
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By Venkman1984
#4972569
I just received two photos sent to two separate buyers saying its their progress pics. it's the Same packand wand. easily able to tell. idk why I can't post the photos but if you message me I'll send them to you.
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By StarkMarkV
#4972571
GaudinosWheels wrote: September 14th, 2022, 2:56 pm The photo I was sent looks like the same pack too. Although to be fair, won’t they all look the same at that stage?
You do have a point, I just don't get the constant ghosting. I've sent him 4 messages on instagram (since his last reply) and 2 emails, and nothing. I constantly see him online over on insta too. There is no way that a person can miss that message notification.
By kernuyckdave
#4972574
Hello every one,

Just to drop in as there seems to be growing concerns here with regards to orders and assumptions to wether packs will materialise.

Can I make it abundantly clear, ALL orders will be fulfilled and I’m working on them. For many people who have never actually made a pack you clearly don’t grasp how much work goes into it, especially to the level I put them out at. And for that matter, how difficult it can be sourcing parts for said orders, all whilst doing every other aspect to run I g a business single handed.

As for the comments regarding the venkman pack - that has been 2 years in the making. It’s marked up as sold out as currently I’ve hit a wall getting aluminium wands so it’s just listed but not available. So I’m not just selling them and dining out. This pack has been on the books for a customer for a long time - even before other people on this thread.

I’m not going to vanish over night with peoples funds, I’m in the business for the long term and I appreciate the patience from everyone but I also know patience wears thin. I’m not always the best or quickest at replying to correspondence as I get about 5 - 10 messages an hour with various enquires. If I sat and replied to everyone there and then I’d never get anything done. But I am going back over messages and working my way through the back log, but also I don’t reply to messages all day and all night as like everyone else - I need some time off too guys.

To summarise, all orders are safe and being worked on. If your picture looks like another pack - they all look the same as they are batch made using all the same parts for consistency so yeah - they will look similar.
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By Venkman1984
#4972575
Can you explain why you sent two separate people the same pack and told them it was there progress photos? I've been building props since 2008. I know exactly how much work goes into them. I also have seen this a million times. you've taken on the business and overwhelmed yourself. The photos I'm seeing are 100% identical packs being sent to two different clients. They aren't photos at a stage that they may look the same, they are EXACTLY the same pack. can post photos and highlight the proof they are all the same? or you can head to your shop and start sending people who are waiting individual photos of packs I'm thinking side by side would make everyone here feel much better.
By kernuyckdave
#4972577
Id be more than happy for customers to have any side by side pictures of anything they would do desire, and as per our instagram conversation (where you lied about being you and being nice to me wanting to buy some straps but then running me down here) I’ve said my piece to you and to everyone here is that all orders are secure, and being worked on.

Everyone is welcome to contact me via email, or via Facebook & Instagram to discuss outstanding orders. All I ask is please be respectful of times, after working 12 hour days it’s not always fun having to come home whilst spending time with my family replying to messages all night in my spare time.
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By Venkman1984
#4972578
I understand. per our Instagram conversation it's terrible when people are misleading or filled with excuses just to get a response. I can't wait to see all the side by side photos on the thread tomorrow. After all you do great work, no denying that. Everyone here, myself included can't wait to see it!
By tobycj
#4972602
I'll chime in here, and for transparency I'm a good friend of Dave's. I've been to his workshop and seen how many packs he has in progress, and it's a lot. He's not going to rip anyone off, you'll all 100% get the amazing pack you've paid for, and it'll be worth the wait. He's had, and still having, issues way outside of his control that have caused delays and he bloody hates how long they're taking to resolve, so all just chill and be patient.
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By Venkman1984
#4972603
Thanks for chiming in. So what I just read was hey I'm Dave's friend I know he has your money and you've been waiting over a year but he will build it and you'll get it when you get it? that message definitely should put everyone at ease. or post a pic of all these in progress packs and really put everyone at ease.
By tobycj
#4972605
My understanding is you've not ordered anything from him, so not really sure why it's OK for you to spout off here but not OK for me to respond? Back in your box sunshine.
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By Kingpin
#4972610
I want to make it very clear that the particular remark that led to a few posts being removed from this topic is not welcome on this forum.

If anyone uses it again, they'll be getting a 24-hour suspension.
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By FelixPack_GB
#4972612
I have contacted Proton Props several times trying to get a picture or two but nothing and I just figured that he is very busy and looking at the older update pictures posted on this thread I figured its just packs being worked on at the same time but I do have to agree with them to just be patient

But it would be cool to get new update photos at least :)
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By CitizenBuster
#4972623
So, basically I think the biggest
issue for most is communication. Not so much the idea of Proton Props taking the money and running. It's not easy having money just floating out there with only a persons word and maybe a pic or 2 of possible progress.
And after months and months of waiting, to keep sending message after message with no answer, really gets people nervous.

And then the idea of maybe that's not mine starts to get in the head. So where do I stand in the wait list feelings grow? And how much longer? And I totally get being busy and finding time for life, and work is very hard. And most people couldn't juggle being a one man show.

But it's says on the website that they will be in constant contact throughout the build. People see that. Stand by it. Maybe it's not efficient to report every nut and bolt screwed in. But I think it would really put people at ease more to be able to message and have it returned in a somewhat quicker time frame.

And yes pics go a long way to reassure in knowing their packs or other items are being worked on. Maybe not as fast as anyone likes, but it is being moved forward none the less. Patience is a lot easier to have when after months and months, or for some a year or more, to have something to show for it except frustration in thinking they're being ignored.
Last edited by Kingpin on September 17th, 2022, 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.Reason: Added paragraph breaks
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By FelixPack_GB
#4972642
Is proton props supposed to post pictures of pack updates or was that just one person saying it but if so that would be great and it would most likely loosen peoples nerves a bit but I’m still exited to see the pack in person :D
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