GhostLighter
Member
I'm posting this PSA with the express hope that someone else does not make the same mistake that I made (and also because I don't think my negative reviews on the vendors' sites will make it past their moderation).
I recently purchased some of the new Spot Dot 3.0 with both upgrade kits (the magnet upgrade and the standoff upgrade). I bought the items from Norcostco, but obviously the primary vendor is Tools for Stagecraft.
The Spot Dot 3.0: $230. Definitely an upgrade from the old version. Seems well-made. My only complaint is that the base is raw material (i.e. bright silver). Some paint will fix that problem easily enough.
The Magnet Upgrade Kit: $28. Literally just a second set of the stock magnets so you can double the magnetic hold of the base. Nothing really to complain about here.
And now we get to the reason for this post....
The Standoff Upgrade: $30. Gives you to option to increase the distance between the Spot Dot head and its base by 1", 2", or 3". And what do you get for $30 to achieve this? Well, check out the pic. Three generic 1/4" bolts, two fender washers, and two small-gauge metal spacers in a zip-lock bag. You also get a brand-new food container to house your taller Spot Dot, one that replaces the original food container that came with the unit, though you don't get bigger pieces of foam. All of that for the tidy sum of $30. $2 worth of hardware, a snack-sized zip-lock bag, and an off-brand Tupperware container for $30....
Now, I understand that our industry is small-market, with products being made in limited quantities, which means costs are higher and that the markups are going to be higher. But there has to be limit. Putting together an "upgrade kit" from parts and pieces that any one of us could find laying around on our workbenches, throwing them in a baggie from the kitchen, tossing that into a container for leftovers, then slapping a price of $30 on it is just ridiculous.
PLEASE do not buy the Spot Dot 3.0 Standoff Upgrade Kit. Go to your local hardware store and spend a few bucks instead.
Thank you.
[Strike soap box]
I recently purchased some of the new Spot Dot 3.0 with both upgrade kits (the magnet upgrade and the standoff upgrade). I bought the items from Norcostco, but obviously the primary vendor is Tools for Stagecraft.
The Spot Dot 3.0: $230. Definitely an upgrade from the old version. Seems well-made. My only complaint is that the base is raw material (i.e. bright silver). Some paint will fix that problem easily enough.
The Magnet Upgrade Kit: $28. Literally just a second set of the stock magnets so you can double the magnetic hold of the base. Nothing really to complain about here.
And now we get to the reason for this post....
The Standoff Upgrade: $30. Gives you to option to increase the distance between the Spot Dot head and its base by 1", 2", or 3". And what do you get for $30 to achieve this? Well, check out the pic. Three generic 1/4" bolts, two fender washers, and two small-gauge metal spacers in a zip-lock bag. You also get a brand-new food container to house your taller Spot Dot, one that replaces the original food container that came with the unit, though you don't get bigger pieces of foam. All of that for the tidy sum of $30. $2 worth of hardware, a snack-sized zip-lock bag, and an off-brand Tupperware container for $30....
Now, I understand that our industry is small-market, with products being made in limited quantities, which means costs are higher and that the markups are going to be higher. But there has to be limit. Putting together an "upgrade kit" from parts and pieces that any one of us could find laying around on our workbenches, throwing them in a baggie from the kitchen, tossing that into a container for leftovers, then slapping a price of $30 on it is just ridiculous.
PLEASE do not buy the Spot Dot 3.0 Standoff Upgrade Kit. Go to your local hardware store and spend a few bucks instead.
Thank you.
[Strike soap box]