The new Deardorff a letter to Barry Cochan

[goamules]

I just looked to see how many Deardorff parts are being sold on Ebay, and by who. It's http://myworld.ebay.com/attrevida with a picture of someone and link to the main company. I am surprised at how many parts are being sold, hundreds of sales over the past couple years that I looked at. Anyone with the time and organization to sell that much, ship on time, and get 100 percent positive feedback is dedicating a lot into this effort. Answering questions from bidders, following up, and again, shipping on time.

So that looks like the primary role right now of the company; selling off all their spare NOS and new parts. I would ask, are these the parts that are supposed to be going into my camera? Are you selling off everything so that you can then close? How many cameras have you actually built and delivered? How many are on order? These are questions for an arbitrator or class action lawyer to ask. If it's just 2-3 cameras pending that's one thing, if it's 100, there are probably some laws being broken.

The "venture capitalists" that paid up front for cameras, and are getting ignored, and have no cameras months after they were promised are getting screwed, in favor of some anonymous ebay bidder that buys a $20 leather strap, or $30 rear frame braces.

[Daniel Stone]

what about just buying all the necessary "parts", and having a cabinet maker make the frames ?

might be faster that way

-Dan

[Jody_S]

I just looked to see how many Deardorff parts are being sold on Ebay, and by who. It's http://myworld.ebay.com/attrevida with a picture of someone and link to the main company. I am surprised at how many parts are being sold, hundreds of sales over the past couple years that I looked at. Anyone with the time and organization to sell that much, ship on time, and get 100 percent positive feedback is dedicating a lot into this effort. Answering questions from bidders, following up, and again, shipping on time.

I bought several parts myself, to complete my project cam. I had no complaints except for the high cost of shipping, but things were very professionally boxed and arrived in perfect condition. I expect he's using a shipping service, or has contracted out this part of the business.

[DennisD]

Note that mr. Cochran is selling plenty of parts, but certainly not soliciting camera orders on eBay.
That would work wonders on his feedback !

[Dustyman]

Hello. Long time reader, new member.
Just thought I would share my experience with Barry Cochran. I had an 11x14 V11 recently restored. It was, as you will see, in pretty awful shape. I am completely sympathetic for those of you still waiting for your cameras, but I do not feel, in any way, that Barry is interested in ripping anyone off. Further, I found him to be knowledgeable and, in some ways, very generous. Not that I didn't experience some of the same communication issues as some of you, ...I did. There was also a bit of delay in completion, but not horrible by any stretch. As I mention in my blog piece I do think he is kind of quirky, but he did ultimately come through for me.
Of course, my writing expresses solely my experience. I understand that in no way does it lesson any difficulties anyone else might be experiencing. Nonetheless, I was sort of hoping that my experience might offer some insight, and might be helpful to some.

Best to all LF readers and practitioners.

http://dustyman.com/post/47999051601...after-pictures

Follow the above link to read the piece and see the images. There are a *lot* : )

[Harold_4074]

I spoke with Barry Cochran this morning regarding various ways of getting my restored SC11 from Tennessee to California. The work took about as long as he said it would, and he has been gracious enough to store it for me while I pondered the transportation options. Based on the pictures that he sent me and the conclusion of the restoration, the camera is now every bit as nice as Dustyman's V11.

For what it is worth, I endorse Dustyman's well-stated characterization of Barry.

(Barry is in Tennessee and I am from Georgia, in both cases by way of Texas, so perhaps he and I get along better than some others might )