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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Millmerran,QLD
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    Default Accurate Drill Locator - No

    I have to warn you that this is potentially a tale of woe. Recently I have seen a spate of advertisements come up on the internet, mostly linked to various woodworking sites I have perused. For all the world it looks like one of those "one time tools" Woodpeckers in the US make.

    I didn't trouble at the time to look up Woodpeckers, although subsequently I have done just that.

    These are some stills from the website:

    P1070738 (Medium).JPGP1070739 (Medium).JPGP1070741 (Medium).JPGP1070742 (Medium).JPGP1070740 (Medium).JPG

    It is interesting to note that the pix I downloaded from the website would not load onto the Forum. They came up as being "invalid." A harbinger of doom perhaps? I had to take camera shots of my computer screen and download those.

    This is the site I bought from...I think.

    THE BEST WOODWORKING DRILL LOCATOR IN 2021 (wellpob.com)

    I say "I think," because going back to my Paypal statement there seems to be no real indication as to who they were. Additionally there are several apparent sellers with the website seemingly the same except for the name. They include but may not be limited to:

    LEYACT
    WELLPOB
    MIXCUN
    HELKAY
    GENIWO

    In the link to the website above there are videos. When you look closely, which I didn't, the videos show the depicted tool bearing the name Woodpecker and the name Auto-Line, but the still shots do not show this. The videos, on reflection, are also very poor quality as if they have been pirated.

    This is the Woodpecker site for reference:

    Auto-Line Drill Guide ™ (woodpeck.com)

    You will also note that it sell for in excess of US$250.00 for the basic model!

    This is what I received. A cheap copy made of plastic. Nothing like the depictions in their thread.

    P1070720 (Medium).JPGP1070721 (Medium).JPGP1070722 (Medium).JPGP1070723 (Medium).JPGP1070724 (Medium).JPGP1070725 (Medium).JPGP1070726 (Medium).JPGP1070727 (Medium).JPG

    The fundamental issue is that it is not the product described. At this stage I have not contacted them with my complaint. Primarily because it is difficult to find out who I am dealing with. However, I paid through Paypal and I will be alerting them to what is possibly a scam, although I am not making that claim just yet as I do not wish to cast aspersions before I have contacted them.

    I am posting the thread so anybody contemplating this device, which looks good on the face of it, can check with the seller whether their product is made of aluminium or plastic.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    Darkest NSW
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    Default

    Wow - I see what you mean. That really is taking the pi$$.

    Almost looks like a 3D printed copy of the real thing.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2010
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    Not far enough away from Melbourne
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    Default

    I have seen this and a few others of a similar nature - that is being knockoffs of Woodpecker tools being sold at prices much lower than Woodpeckers do. I have been reporting them as possible scams when they are hosted on a platform that supports such a report being made. In Facebook marketplace they were coming up a lot and when you click on them you get taken to a third party website away from Facebook which should be seen as a red flag. Always remember - If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

    Paul, I hope you can get this resolved to your satisfaction, and thanks for warning everyone about it.
    I got sick of sitting around doing nothing - so I took up meditation.

  5. #4
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Brush View Post

    Almost looks like a 3D printed copy of the real thing.
    Mr.B

    That thought exactly occurred to me too. Having said that, there are nuts captured in the plastic and I am not sure how easily that is replicated in 3D printing.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  6. #5
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    Default

    There are another couple of issues I did not mention before:

    The base being quite thin plastic means that it is not stable and it does not sit flat on a surface: It rocks, but not in a good way. The fence is supposed to be able to be used on a large flat surface for extra stability. It is deeper than the main base so it cannot be used in this fashion as it lifts the main drilling guide up at an angle.

    This is the company name:



    Drill Pro co.png

    Also from the Paypal summary, the Seller's name, which appears the same.

    Seller information.png

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  7. #6
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by doug3030 View Post

    Paul, I hope you can get this resolved to your satisfaction, and thanks for warning everyone about it.
    Thanks Doug

    While the money is potentially an issue, I really don't like being conned, and in this instance it looks exactly like that. Also I don't wish anybody else to be hoodwinked in the same way.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  8. #7
    Join Date
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    Default

    I registered a complaint in the Resolutions Centre for Paypal. I fully described the issue including the, arguably, fraudulent use of another company's advertising material.

    The Chinese company offered a refund of $5, because I was not happy: I declined. Then they offered a $10 refund, which I again declined. Finally, they offered a full refund providing I returned the goods (to China).

    At that point I contacted Paypal to discuss the problem and made it clear I did not intend to be out of pocket. They alerted me to a facility called "Return on Us." Through this I was able to obtain my return postage cost, providing it did not exceed $45. I managed to keep the weight of the parcel below 1Kg and it cost $33.60 which has subsequently been refunded by Paypal. A big tick for them in this regard.

    However, although I have returned the goods, I have let it be known to Paypal that I am not confident a company that has so blatantly mis-represented their product will honour the return. Paypal have advised they will monitor the situation. I fully expect that some fault will be found with the return. Consequently I took pix of the goods as returned and the level of packaging all of which were forwarded to Paypal.

    The parcel was dropped in at the PO on 7 September, has passed through customs and has been processed by the air carrier. Time will tell if my fears are grounded.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Jarrahdale WA
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    Default

    I have seen lots of this type of fake/copy advertised just about everywhere I regularly go...
    The funniest was the edge trimmer for round over or 45 degree edging which actually had three different images advertising the one unit. And some of the images had WP on them and some did not...

    Suffice to say I never buy from those adverts and while I do purchase cheap woodworking tools and the like it's always by me looking and finding the originator, and not from adverts.
    A couple of times I have jagged the original factory that makes the branded tools, ie: I bought corner clamps that are identical to the Kreg ones for $12.00 each.

  10. #9
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    Perth
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    Default

    Hope you can get some joy Paul.

    Although I've done it (and been caught out) I'm now usually wary of buying from lesser known websites that sell tools/cosmetics/petsupplies/housewares/clothes etc all from the same site.

    FWIW 3D panting can incorporate metal parts - just pause the print at appropriate points and insert the parts etc. Then more plastic can be printed over sections of the metal parts to hold them in Place. Ion looking at the pictures it does not look like they are 3D printed but injection moulded which if producing a zillion would be much cheaper.

  11. #10
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    Default

    Because of this reason, I'm not keen to buy on ebay anymore. I prefer amazon where a much stronger policy exists and to return things, all I have to do is to drop it off at a local depot (there are many), or aliexpress where I know its from china for sure and they never pretend to be otherwise. On ebay, there have been many advertisements that say they are based on shore somewhere in Australia, only to find out that they are drop shippers, and the products were sent from china.

  12. #11
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by justonething View Post
    On ebay, there have been many advertisements that say they are based on shore somewhere in Australia, only to find out that they are drop shippers, and the products were sent from china.
    That's relatively easy to work out.
    If the add says they can deliver in ~10 days to WA, then it's likely to be already on the east coast. When they say 21 or more days, then its not.

  13. #12
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    That's relatively easy to work out.
    If the add says they can deliver in ~10 days to WA, then it's likely to be already on the east coast. When they say 21 or more days, then its not.
    Not sure about that.

    I have gotten items delivered from China to Melbourne in 48 hours but anything I have ever ordered from WA takes over two weeks.

    Once I got a large package from Mainland USA to Melbourne in less than 36 hours.
    I got sick of sitting around doing nothing - so I took up meditation.

  14. #13
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    That's relatively easy to work out.
    If the add says they can deliver in ~10 days to WA, then it's likely to be already on the east coast. When they say 21 or more days, then its not.

    If they lie about their products, How can you trust them with delivery dates, and their locations?

  15. #14
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    Default

    Thank you everybody for your comments.

    Much of what transpired seems to be in the distant past (in my mind anyway) and I can't recall time lines. I don't think shipping time was long and I suspect that the request to return to China was another ploy to deter me from that path. Yes, there is nothing ethical about the way they advertised the product. so nothing is a done deal in terms of a refund. It was intended to deceive.

    Caveat Emptor.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    United States Of America
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    Default

    Interesting. Many search engines results included too good to be true prices for what appear to be cheaper counterfeit items.
    Total reality is a quality drill chuck all alone is almost the price of the fake counterfeit items.

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