Cool pics/vids, thanks for sharing UEF, and welcome to the club - you too CitizenBuster!
FWIW, commissioned my '84 on 30/06 with a similar timescale/experience so far as GaudinosWheels.
Just wondering if anyone has had any recent contact with Dave at Proton Props?
I’ve sent a few emails now without reply and this weekend will be a full year since I placed my order.
Would appreciate any reassurance really.
Thanks,
James
Hi James,
I’ve just sent my first anniversary email too, will let you know if/when I get a reply.
All the best mate,
Dave
That’s pretty disheartening. I ordered mine the first of February hoping I’d have it by at least July. I messaged him about a month ago because I never heard from him. Not even a “Thanks for your order” kinda thing. He’s got a great reputation. But for most people dropping close to 4,000 usd, and not having really any communication makes people sweat.
I ordered mine last July and he suggested early 22 which has now turned into late summer.
Not getting a reply breeds suspicion though, especially when, as you say, there’s a lot of money involved.
@ProtonProps if you are able to respond, please do so. It would put a few minds at rest.
I fully understand delays happen, and prop making isn’t run of the mill fabrication. But maybe he needs to update lead time to be more clear. The webstore says 18-20 weeks. Maybe should full disclosure and tell people more than a year out, so people won’t be expecting in 4 or months delivery.
For me, right now, it’s the lack of reply that is concerning. I have messaged him through several channels and sincerely hope he is well and there isn’t anything that has left him unable to respond but until I know otherwise, I am left feeling I’m being ignored.
Unfortunately, that’s how you’re gonna feel. After a while, you’re gonna start thinking the worst. Proton props isn’t the only one being radio silent with me. I’ve got outstanding orders with several builders worth thousands combined, going on 7 or 8 months. If I don’t contact them, I don’t ever hear nothing. I have patience, but it gets frustrating. All my money out there, not knowing what’s going on. Being up front goes a long way.
In his defence, initially communication was brilliant. And continued to be so for quite a while but I don’t know what’s happened in the last few months.
I’m not far off the point of asking for a refund. Really don’t want to because the product looks incredible but at some point, enough has to be enough unfortunately.
I really hope he responds as soon as possible.
I don’t blame you at all. Honestly, you’re patience has lasted way longer than mine probably will. I’m in the same boat. I really love his work, can’t wait to have my pack from him. But at the same time, I don’t wanna wait longer than it takes to build a house. Luckily, I bought a pack a few weeks before I ordered one from him. So, I’m not waiting on it per se. But his is a Ferrari compared to the Chevy pack I have now. It’s nice, but not luxurious nice.
UPDATE:
I’ve had a response and Dave apologised for not getting back to me sooner and has assured me my pack will be finished and out to me. A little later than I initially hoped for but I’m glad to have an update.
Only fair to show both sides of the story.
Any updates since then?
I’ve messaged him twice over on insta, usually it takes him a while but this time it’s taking a bit longer to hear back from him. Not concerned to the point of a refund at all. Just want to get my hands on my pack already lol. It’s going to be a year next month since I’ve been waiting.
Hey all, Dave from Proton Props here.
Apologies to anyone that’s not heard from me directly for a while, and if you’ve reached out and I’ve managed to miss your communication I do apologise. Unfortunately I have nothing but trouble with Etsy comms these days since they restricted my store, I do try my best to respond to
Emails and messages, unfortunately I do sometimes miss them due to them pinging across on several platforms and it’s hard to keep track of what I’ve already replied to, especially as I’m one person running the show.
The delays have been horrendous, and unfortunately this has been well beyond my control. In the interest of being transparent this is the full disclosure: I started the business using BenOfKent products for my builds, and as many people have probably discovered he hasn’t been the most forthcoming with orders, I also had this issue so I changed suppliers early on to Karnivorous Creations. Mike initially was helpful and quick with some bits, however he then slowed down massively and I was in a very similar situation to the BOK issue. I raised this and Mike then he offered to sell me the molds and rights to produce it myself, reducing production times massively as it got to one point I was waiting on 8 months for 4 shells. So I bought mikes molds for all of the stuff so I could then start to produce it and we both agreed on a deadline for him to ship it. However, I’m now past 12 months paying for molds and I still don’t even have a quarter of what I’ve paid for, I’ve made a lot of my own molds to be able to produce as much as I can but a lot of orders are awaiting guns as the stock I had I’ve used up and Mike has been ‘sending’ the mold now for months and months. I received half of the mold last week, and at this point I’m still unable to complete it which in turn makes me look like the incompetent one to my customers. Im pushing nearly every day to get these to me, but it’s not just that that’s given me delays. Sound and light kits are sparse currently due to microchip shortages from my supplier and we’re all aware of the wait times from GBFans, which I use a lot of parts from as they are the only ones that supply a lot of items and often there are large delays on parts, and as for my shells I have to import a particular resin from America to the UK, which after brexit hasn’t helped and neither has the resin shortages in the states.
Amongst this I’ve had covid twice, both times have been very bad as I’m a diabetic, I’ve been made homeless, and changed premises three times. It’s not been the easiest of rides, and unfortunately it’s not very time effective to send everyone a message when I drill a hole in their shells, there’s only me doing every single aspect of this, and it’s very hard to do that all whilst spending time with my family, trying my best to look after my health and maintain the work / life balance. It’s not easy honestly (and this isn’t a woe is me comment). I’m so grateful for peoples custom and that they trust in my to deliver something special, and I have been. I quote a lead time to what I’m hoping / expecting it to be, however due to the nature of what these things are it’s not like I can just get all the bits I need from Amazon Prime or from my local hardware store. If you want to the best product available on the market it may take a little longer than expected sometimes. Could I push these things out at a lesser quality but quicker? Yes. Am I going to? Absolutely not. I take pride in my work and I believe I make one of, if not the best commission packs on the market. Im not going to cheapen it to bring the lead time down because these packs are works of art, and you can’t rush art. If anyone has any questions please email me on [email protected]
Hopefully that’ll give some insight. I’ll scan back through my messages as much as I can tomorrow to see if I’ve missed people or anyone in this thread. Again, apologies to anyone - I am about, I’m not going to take your money and vanish overnight.
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Hi Dave,
Just wanted to say thanks for the frank and detailed explanation - it’s much appreciated.
Best wishes,
Dave N
Thanks for the update and honest insight Dave.
Just can’t wait for there to be enough of your packs out there to generate a real buzz and help lift your business to the next level.
James
I appreciate the honest and upfront reply, Dave.
Hopefully soon enough we’ll get in touch one on one when it comes time for my pack. Even with the wait time, I still find you to be one of the more sincere vendors I’ve dealt with and your work is just incredible. Stay safe out there, brother.
Jesus
So I’ve hit the 1 year mark and now heading into 1 year and 1 month and still nothing. I’ve reached out through Instagram and even email now and it’s getting harder to get a response. I’m almost reaching that point, sadly, of just asking for a refund since things are getting rough in my personal life. In the 1 year I’ve been waiting I’ve only ever received one image of the shell. No new images since then. And yes I do understand everything that has been going on and I really don’t like being THAT customer to be constantly on a seller. I just don’t know what to do at this point. If I hear from him anytime soon and see that no new updates have been made then yeah, I may just do a refund. It sucks because I really do want this. The lack of communication and wait time however…
I personally think he bit off more than he can chew. he has all these customers waiting. his communication is HORRIBLE and now he’s advertising this Venkman legacy pack which sold out almost instantly. If he was working on the Venkman pack and it’s accuracy then who’s working on all the commission packs people have been waiting over a year for??? He won’t issue a refund at this point unless you’ve gone through etsy you are screwed. He probably already used your money to build someone else’s pack.
Then it is what it is. All I can do is wait. I’m still owed a pack. I have the receipts and convos and so on. Just sucks because I was given an estimated time on how long it could take and then everything just slowly became a waiting game. Just a bit disappointed at this point.
as you should be and you aren’t alone. it seems he’s been ghosting his clients and then coming back with the same excuse everytime. He was sick then his fiance was sick then some life stuff happened all the while he’s turning off his messages and advertising his legacy pack. So obviously his life can’t be that upside down if he’s working on that pack which by the looks of it has all real vintage parts. meanwhile he has people waiting over a year. I have two friends waiting and I’m pretty sure the progress pics he sent them are of the same pack and just switched out the tape on the pack with the clients name on it. I wouldn’t mind getting a head count on here of how many people he has waiting what they paid and for how long they’ve been waiting.