Do Walthers employees Love Scenic Express products enough to steal?

[bradb]

Hey All-

On a recent trip to my non-local LHS I finally broke down and picked up a Scenic Express "SuperTrees Starter Kit" figuring I'd save myself the shipping cost, and it's a huge box too.

When I got home I noticed that everything seemed complete except for the tweezers - only one was included, not the 4 listed in the instructions.

Since it was going to be two weeks before I got back to the big city to talk to my LHS, I figured I'd send off a mail to Scenic Express and see what they'd say.  A long shot admitedly, but I figured electrons were cheap, so why not?

I got a nice (fast) mail from Sandy who explained first that it was customary to go back to the place of purchase for this sort of thing, especially since they don't sell to hobby shops directly, but the likely source was Walthers. 

She went on to note that Scenic Express had gotten a number of complaints from customers who'd also got starter kits from their LHSes, who, in turn got them from Walthers. 

She also offered to send me a single replacement tweezer if I send $5.00 to help defray the shipping costs.  While I appreciate the thought, that's pretty much retail price plus parcel post for a 6oz tweezer. 

I'm going to stop by my LHS tomorrow after I take my kids home (since I'm within 10 miles of the shop) just to see what happens.

I just thought I'd see of anybody here has had similar experiences.

Brad.

[Chris333]

I duno, but I ordered direct from Scenic Express. Since they are in PA and I live in OH the package was at my door 2 days later with all 4 tweezers. 

Funny about 1/2 hour ago I was soldering a small part and was using 3 of these tweezers (with wood on the handles) to hold the part square.

I have another box of super trees somewhere that I haven't even opened yet.

[davefoxx]

Brad,

I bought a starter kit at the Timonium show about a year to year-and-a-half ago, and my kit did not have any of the tweezers.  Since it wasn't from the LHS or ordered online, I couldn't go back to the vendor.  I didn't feel like going on a wild goose chase over four tweezers, so I never tried to contact the manufacturer.  Since the display at the show was huge, could it have been Scenic Express themselves selling the product direct?  If so, they would not have gone through Walthers.  So, I don't know what happened to three of your tweezers, but all four of mine went there, too!   

Dave Foxx
Rising Sun, Maryland

[TrainCat2]

Scenic Express is a regular at Timonium. They are almost always in the center section against the north wall between BAN-Trak and the door.

[davefoxx]

Scenic Express is a regular at Timonium. They are almost always in the center section against the north wall between BAN-Trak and the door.

Bob,

Yeah that was Scenic Express that I bought my kit from.  I guess that means that Walthers is off the hook, huh?

Dave

[DKS]

I duno, but I ordered direct from Scenic Express. Since they are in PA and I live in OH the package was at my door 2 days later with all 4 tweezers. 

Funny about 1/2 hour ago I was soldering a small part and was using 3 of these tweezers (with wood on the handles) to hold the part square.

Ditto (except I'm in NJ and not Ohio) and ditto (except it wasn't a half-hour ago). Those tweezers are great for soldering, aren't they?

[bradb]

I'd personally think it's more likely a problem in production and less a Walthers employee is opening packages to steal what amounts to $10.00 or less ($10.00 American no less. Now if that was $10.00 Canadian, it might be a different story...)

Those tweezers are great for soldering, aren't they?

It's interesting you should say that... When I first saw the tweezers in the Senic Express kit I thought I'd seen them before, long ago.  I was digging thru an old box of junk and I found a pair of my old ones.  The handgrips on my old one are a brighter red, and while not marked "stainless" they are proudly marked "Pakistan".  I'm pretty sure I got them from Radio Shack as a teen, along with those cheezy yellow soldering tools.

Of course it seems one of the tweezers survived because as a college student I found an another use for them. 

Brad.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Of course it seems one of the tweezers survived because as a college student I found an another use for them. 
Brad .

Lol!

[Chris333]

Yeah those tweezers.

When I first opened the box I mumbled "Why do I need 4 stupid tweezers" and tossed them somewhere.  Now I use them all the time.

Also all 4 of mine seem to have a different pressure at random.

[up1950s]

Geez , with all the praise about those tweezers , I just ordered a set from Scenic Express on the web .