HandsOnTools, Hitchhoist -- good, UPS -- bad

Bill Rubenstein · 01-14-2005, 07:19 PM

Thought I'd pass this adventure on.

I needed a hoist and toyed with the idea of buying one from Harbor Freight and welding up something to mount it to the hitch receiver. But, I need to lift 750 lb machines and the H/F hoist didn't look all that sturdy.

HandsOnTools.com had the HitchHoist at $930.00 delivered so I ordered it. It is shipped in two boxes to get under the UPS 75 lb limit and both boxes went out of their MD location at the same time -- the initial UPS scan was on Dec 21 at 9:04 pm.

The first one was routed from Baltimore MD to Laurel MD to the UPS facility near me (Earth City MO) and was delivered on Dec. 23. The box was beat up pretty badly but everything was there.

The second box was routed from Baltimore MD to Laurel MD to Roanoke VA to Knoxville TN to Nashville TN and finally to me and was delivered on Dec 28th.

Again, the box was beat up pretty badly but everything was there -- except the hydraulic cylinder which seemed to have fallen out of the box.

I emailed handsontools and they promptly sent out a replacement shipment via LTL truck which arrived undamaged and also all there. But, when I opened that second box I made a little discovery...

The hydraulic cylinder could not have FALLEN out of the box. It is shipped attached to the vertical post of the HitchHoist with a large hitch pin which is secured by a retainer clip. Someone had to pull the clip, remove the hitch pin and steal the hydraulic cylinder since the post was still in the box.

During this adventure I was emailing back and forth with Charlie who responded quickly and who also happens to be a happy Titan owner. I have returned the first shipment but banded it with metal instead of plastic to make it a little harder for UPS to take anything else.

Earlier in the week I drove two machines (1500 lbs) to Nashville TN to deliver them. The titan (cc, 4wd, big tow, off-road) ran as if there was no load at all and the hoist worked just fine unloading the machines. So HitchHoist great, handsontools great and UPS needs to screen their employees a little better.

If you are curious about my machines -- www.stubbylatheusa.com.

I hope that this was worth reading?

Bill

PS -- I feel a little silly using my real name while everybody else here uses handles. But I've had it for so long...

Bill_n · 01-14-2005, 08:42 PM

Hi Bill ....

Bill here ... lol

UPS has a lot of crooks ... that's why they can NO longer take cash for COD shipments ....

Here's a little something that I made with my stubby lathe ....

Bayou Titan · 01-15-2005, 06:46 AM

I wouldn't necessarily blame UPS for the theft. A lot of theft occurs at the shipping dock before the goods are shipped. Employees at a manufacturing facility can open boxes at lunch, on third shift, or whenever the area is clear of watchful eyes, take what they want then reseal the box. People who work at these facilities often times pilfer parts a few at a time and build a completed product at home. Employees know exactly how to build the thing since they work there and they know which people they can sell to without getting caught.Theft occurs at shipping docks so often that most large manufacturers have video cameras aimed right at the dock doors to try to prevent it. I've worked in the transportation dept. at a manufacturing plant for 20 years and have seen this happen many times. This is not to say that couriers, truck drivers, package sorters, etc. aren't responsible for a lot of theft, they are. It's just hard to pinpoint exactly where the theft is coming from unless you have absolute proof.

NorCal 4x4 · 01-15-2005, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Rubenstein

...

If you are curious about my machines -- www.stubbylatheusa.com.

I hope that this was worth reading?

Bill

PS -- I feel a little silly using my real name while everybody else here uses handles. But I've had it for so long...

Nice website!!!
Those look like great lathes. Must be nice having a business and hobby combined.

BTW, there is nothing wrong or silly about using your real name. Handles or aliases are just a privacy thing. Helps to prevent sicko stalkers, or even con artist or thieves from getting information about you.

As an example if you're on here saying you and your family were going to Mexico for a two week vacation, and were bummed-out because the wife was making you take the mini-van, and so the Titan had to stay in the driveway. It might not be there when you returned.

I think the other concern would be if you got into an argument on a forum with someone that was crazy. Your clever remarks that you are feeling so smug about, might have the person loading up hollow points.

I think for someone like you that has a business, it's fine to use your real name, as long as you're aware that you are in a world-wide public forum.

pagerdaddy · 01-15-2005, 11:13 AM

I think UPS has had some problems with worker theft. You can't even send a gun anymore with them unless you use next day air. The last handgun I sent off to be ported cost me about $30 each way to ship it.

They hire quite a few part time people to load trucks, so I imagine the turn over on people and lost goods is pretty high.

BTW: My real name is Daryl Weinstein, and I just moved into a doulblewide trailer on a big lot near Maryville.

tnbowhunter · 01-15-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagerdaddy

BTW: My real name is Daryl Weinstein, and I just moved into a doulblewide trailer on a big lot near Maryville.

I thought your name was Lon Moses,

pagerdaddy · 01-15-2005, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnbowhunter

I thought your name was Lon Moses,

I used to be known as L.D. Moses, but I though it kind of sounded, you know, too "old testament".

In some circles, I'm still referred to simply as "livercheese".

IMADOGMAN · 01-15-2005, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagerdaddy

I used to be known as L.D. Moses, but I though it kind of sounded, you know, too "old testament".

In some circles, I'm still referred to simply as "livercheese".

Livercheese??? Is that anything like Femunda cheese???

tnbowhunter · 01-15-2005, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMADOGMAN

Livercheese??? Is that anything like Femunda cheese???

Sheeew, I know what femunda cheese is. Livercheese is different but smells the same

Bill Rubenstein · 01-15-2005, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swarren1

Nice website!!!
Those look like great lathes. Must be nice having a business and hobby combined.

BTW, there is nothing wrong or silly about using your real name. Handles or aliases are just a privacy thing. Helps to prevent sicko stalkers, or even con artist or thieves from getting information about you.

As an example if you're on here saying you and your family were going to Mexico for a two week vacation, and were bummed-out because the wife was making you take the mini-van, and so the Titan had to stay in the driveway. It might not be there when you returned.

I think the other concern would be if you got into an argument on a forum with someone that was crazy. Your clever remarks that you are feeling so smug about, might have the person loading up hollow points.

I think for someone like you that has a business, it's fine to use your real name, as long as you're aware that you are in a world-wide public forum.

Thanks for the nice words -- they are GREAT lathes, but expensive. On the other hand, the Titan wasn't exactly cheap either.

Bill Rubenstein · 01-15-2005, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayou Titan

I wouldn't necessarily blame UPS for the theft. A lot of theft occurs at the shipping dock before the goods are shipped....

I'd agree except that the box arrived in pretty bad shape -- if it were that way when UPS first saw it I'd guess that they wouldn't even have taken it. So, we'd need employee theft at the manufacturer or the distributor AND UPS beat up the box and broke straps. It sounds pretty unlikely to me.

Bill

pagerdaddy · 01-15-2005, 10:16 PM

I think you've UP's number, Bill. That lathe looked like you could do some pretty heavy duty woodworking with it. I've turned wood and many types of plastics on a metal cutting lathe, but never the type where you had to hold the tool with your hand.

I bet you can mash the hell out of those fingers, right?

I want one of those table top mills like Jet makes. Of course, a small lathe with a lead screw to cut threads would be nice to have in the garage also.

smoothTitan · 01-15-2005, 11:08 PM

i worked at ups for a while as a loader, i dont see how you have time to open a box and get something out of it then tape it back up not to mention you would have know where to put it. it is a continous line of boxes if i quit for 20 sec. packages pile up and the belt stops which gets eveyone pissed. i would say a package is in my hands for maybe 2 to 3 sec tops. its also pretty hard for me to damage a package as badly as you stated. sounds more like what bayou titan was talking about but who knows just my 2 cents worth.

honeykeeper · 01-15-2005, 11:14 PM

Hey Bill.....can you send a pic of the hitch-hoist??.....I am trying to figure what it looks like and I plan on getting another trailer.8 x 10' with tilt bed and double axle and e-brakes .....I want a hoist on it also. Thanks-Tom

Bill_n · 01-16-2005, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Mincarelli

Hey Bill.....can you send a pic of the hitch-hoist??.....I am trying to figure what it looks like and I plan on getting another trailer.8 x 10' with tilt bed and double axle and e-brakes .....I want a hoist on it also. Thanks-Tom

http://www.hitchhoist.com/