I ... ahhhh ... What the heck?

[Winder]

So, I "buy" a Mastercraft 800 x-y table from eBay and anxiously await it's arrival ... and wait ... and wait. Enter a "hey, can you find my package" request through USPS.com and it finally shows up a few days later.

Now, this is a 15 pound piece of precision cast iron machinery - no longer manufactured. When it arrives, the box is beat up for sure. But, when I open it this piece of cast iron precision machinery is shown to have been packed in deflated "pillow packs" and some extraneous bits of bubble wrap, including a used padded mailer. Oh yea. It's also damaged an unusable. That said, I'm convinced it was shipped already damaged and packed in such a way as to make it impossible to determine on my end. I mean really? Pillow Packs?

Contact the seller ... "hey man, what's up with the packaging here?" He flys off, ranting about how it isn't his fault ... he built a wooden crate with what would have amounted to 36 separate pieces of wood and slid said crate into the cardboard box and finishes with "who knows what happened when it was "lost" ... they must have repacked it and sent it on it's way." "Maybe they were going to steal it and then decided to complete the shipment for some reason."

Wow. I call BS, and he insists I need to find out what the post office did with regard to his original packaging, etc., etc. Feeling sorry for himself. Guess he's going to have to take pictures before shipping ... can't believe he's being blamed ... yadda yadda.

I guess I'm a fairly gullible, trusting individual. Blatant dishonesty and theft always shocks me a bit. The identity theft thing I went through made me want to break someone's face. This is just laughable. He's like a kid with cupcake icing around his mouth saying he didn't eat the cupcake.

[pompeiisneaks]

That's ridiculous. Sounds clearly like a complete con.

Sorry it happened, make sure you report that to wherever you bought it (Ebay?) for a refund.

~Phil

[Tony Bones]

I totally get your frustration. My thought though, is that it'll be a lot easier for you to argue that the damage was due to poor packaging than nefarious acts by the seller. As difficult as it might be, I suggest that instead of taking an adversarial stance, you take the position that you're empathetic, but it's the seller's problem, not yours.

My point is that you won't get far accusing them of trying to con you, or even letting on that you think it might be true. If you want a refund, then don't lead with a punch.

[Winder]

I totally get your frustration. My thought though, is that it'll be a lot easier for you to argue that the damage was due to poor packaging than nefarious acts by the seller. As difficult as it might be, I suggest that instead of taking an adversarial stance, you take the position that you're empathetic, but it's the seller's problem, not yours.

My point is that you won't get far accusing them of trying to con you, or even letting on that you think it might be true. If you want a refund, then don't lead with a punch.

I hear you. In fact, I didn't just "come out swinging". I'd say it was the opposite. It was only after it was apparent that he was not going to own any piece of responsibility, and insisted he'd packed it in a wood crate that the Post Office must have removed from inside the box, that I finally told him I didn't believe it. I think I've been fairly diplomatic with him. It's just hard for me to wrap my head around dishonesty on this level. I forget that there are people that do these things, which I suppose is good in that the larger percentage don't.

[Reeltarded]

B F N S!!

That guy has done this more than once. I would contact the postmaster to report fraud. It's the lamest story I have ever heard.

Anyhow, it's fraudulent! That's a nice strike on your basic humanities score!

[Phil_S]

Too bad about this. There is a good chance that eBay will make you whole. No one will believe the USPS repacked it or that he built a crate. Give this process a chance. I know it is frustrating. Because it is likely he's done this before, eBay will know this and it will work in your favor. Unless the package was insured, USPS probably won't do anything. I wonder if USPS automatically provides $50 coverage. You might look into that.

I've never seen one of these up close so I'm not sure of it's construction. If you find you are stuck with it, maybe you can fix it? From what you posted, the bent shaft is the problem? I'd take it apart (carefully) and see if I could replace the shaft. It may turn out that you can have one made or make one yourself for not a whole lot of money. If my guess is right, once you extract the shaft it's a piece of cake. Extracting the shaft may prove challenging. You'll need a can of P Blaster. Even if it turns out you can't fix it, I don't think you have much to lose except your time by trying to take it apart. I wouldn't do anything until the claims process is exhausted.