page idea

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Uncle Jesse
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page idea

Post by Uncle Jesse »

What do you folks think of adding a wiki page for equipment vendors?
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Yummyrum
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Re: page idea

Post by Yummyrum »

I think its a good idea uncle Jesse.
Perhaps keep it locked so Admin can update it by application from Vendors
Things like which country they supply to would be handy .

This certainly might help new members obtain better equipment than the present trend of purchasing substandard ebay junk as they know no better .

I guess the question is where do we draw the line between what is concidered value or junk :econfused:
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fizzix
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Re: page idea

Post by fizzix »

Country/ Products/ Vendors
may be a good format.
jb-texshine
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Re: page idea

Post by jb-texshine »

I think it would be a good idea.
I think a posted sticky of the bad vendors/bad stills would be just as useful though.
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Bushman
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Re: page idea

Post by Bushman »

Would it include links? On ADI's newsletter at the bottom of the page they list their vendor sponsors. I also agree with Yummy if we list vendors we are endorsing them to our members thus we need to make sure they are reliable and respond to users problems in a timely manner.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: page idea

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Yummyrum wrote:I guess the question is where do we draw the line between what is concidered value or junk :econfused:
jb-texshine wrote:I think a posted sticky of the bad vendors/bad stills would be just as useful though.
Bushman wrote:if we list vendors we are endorsing them to our members thus we need to make sure they are reliable and respond to users problems in a timely manner.
Great idea and something that would be of immense value to Newbies thinking of buying their first still. But as Yummy has said , who draws the line on what is acceptable value for money and where is that line drawn? The whole thing could potentially turn into a huge can of worms. The more I write and the more I think the more potential worms I see.
Having said that its still and excellent idea ..justgottagetitright.
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thecroweater
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Re: page idea

Post by thecroweater »

Not sure about locking it, I think unfetted feedback could be of great use in such a page. If. This was a poll I would have to give it more thought before voting. If it does go ahead I would suggest its is placed in its own Vendor sub-forum. One of the great things about HD is the non-commercial nature of it and to keep it that way would require a separate section, the sordid topic of coin has a way of biasly influencing information
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jog666
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Re: page idea

Post by jog666 »

I like the idea. Off & on for several weeks I searched for parts before thumbing through them. Jesse, if you want my list shoot me a PM.
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HDNB
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Re: page idea

Post by HDNB »

i dunno if i'd endorse anything. perhaps an information page with buyer beware as the headline.
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Pikey
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Re: page idea

Post by Pikey »

Dunno - yes it would help the established suppliers, but there would be an implicaion that anything NOT on there was substandard - and we saw a case a few months ago where an enterprising newbie found a small Polish supplier and got what seemed to be a very sound keg still at a sensible price from ebay.
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Single Malt Yinzer
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Re: page idea

Post by Single Malt Yinzer »

Wiki entry with a link to a new area for reviews?

Wiki page:
Manufacturer - Product types - General Consensus - Reviews link
Skinny's Stills - Stills and components - Very good - (Link to review thread)
Benny's Barrels - Barrels & wood adjuncts - Bad, not recommended! - (Link to review thread)
Terry's Tubes - Triclamps & Tubes - New, unknown - (Link to review thread)
Uncle Jesse
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Re: page idea

Post by Uncle Jesse »

1. We don't have sponsors or suppliers. All our efforts are funded by me and the folks who donate, so this page would be agnostic, just a reliable and modifiable list of suppliers. It could also contain input from our users who edit the wiki.

2. Only registered users can edit the wiki. I have to approve every user request. So, there's really little change of a vendor getting in and messing with the page or modifying it to favor one vendor over another, or spread false info about competitors.

3. If by chance someone does get malicious in the wiki, it is trivial to back out the changes and revert to a previous version of a page.
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Kareltje
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Re: page idea

Post by Kareltje »

Pro: prevention of serious or costly mistakes by newbies. On the other hand: I learned a lot from my mistakes.
Con: amateur builders or second hand stills get less chance.

I don't know about eBay, but on Marktplaats I see good secondhand stills and good amateur builders. They deserve a chance too.
RedwoodHillBilly

Re: page idea

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

FWIW, I think that you might be opening a can of worms here. We, unfortunately, live in a litigious society. I can see some less than honorable vendors living by the motto "better living through litigation".

While I think that an honest and open review page would be of great value, I would caution you about sanctioning an "official" review/qualified vendor page.

Just my $0.02
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HDNB
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Re: page idea

Post by HDNB »

RedwoodHillBilly wrote:We, unfortunately, live in a litigious society.
exactly my thought. someone lights up a "recommended piece" and doesn't have the courtesy to die in the fire and you get named as a co-defendant.

therefore...no recommendation. buyer beware for informational purposes only.
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Uncle Jesse
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Re: page idea

Post by Uncle Jesse »

HDNB wrote:
RedwoodHillBilly wrote:We, unfortunately, live in a litigious society.
exactly my thought. someone lights up a "recommended piece" and doesn't have the courtesy to die in the fire and you get named as a co-defendant.

therefore...no recommendation. buyer beware for informational purposes only.
People can't sue for an opinion. If they could, Consumer Reports would be in constant struggle against litigant action and associated legal costs.
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zed255
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Re: page idea

Post by zed255 »

I like the idea of a vendor repository. Would make finding things much easier, especially for the new distiller.

I'd suggest that non-affiliated members who have actually done business with a potential vendor act as a vetting process. If someone finds a vendor and has a good experience with them then the vendor could be considered for inclusion. It won't guarantee the vendor is 100% reliable or upstanding but at least gives something to go on. Obviously the merits need to be weighed. Vendors could potentially be ranked even, based on HD user feedback based on their experiences. I would even go so far as to suggest a list of vendors known to be problematic to help steer people away from potential issues. Nothing in the realm of slander or libel, just facts. A blacklist if you will.

Johnny finds thingamabobs4stills.com and orders thingamabob A. Johnny receives a great experience with his purchase of thingamabob A from thingamabobs4stills.com and is supported afterwards. Johnny tells HD that thingamabobs4stills.com should be considered as a vetted vendor, whitelisted so to speak. Should other users report a good experience with thingamabobs4stills.com so that vendors reputation strengthens.

Johnny want to buy widget X for his still. Johnny finds widget X at stillerswidgets.com and orders it. Johnny subsequently has issues with the vendor. Johnny then suggests to HD that stillerswidgets.com be considered for addition to the blacklist, with details of the issue perhaps, in camera. If there are other users with a similar pattern of complaints about stillerswidgets.com become apparent then stillerswidgets.com is blacklisted in the Wiki. One minor complaint doesn't immediately blacklist a vendor, but a pattern of issues will. Doesn't mean people do not have the free will to do business with a blacklisted vendor, just a little caveat emptor.

Relatively easy to get on the whitelist, hard to get on the blacklist. Once on the blacklist, your name is mud until a steady stream of rainbows, unicorns and fairy dust spill forth to prove otherwise. Maybe too much thinking. A list of known good vendors at minimum would be good.
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