Got my mini today...

[Kargonet]

I bought a mini off the classifieds on Friday. Looking at the pictures it was really shiny but looked like it had brush marks in the finish. I PM'd the seller and asked if this was a matte finish mini or if it had some kind of gloss finish on it. Seller said that she didn't know Rob made a matte finish mini and this was indeed polished.

Got it in today and unwrapped it slowly from the packaging, waiting to see that beautiful finish that is on my Grand. Sigh, it was not meant to be. This thing looks like it's been to hell and back. It's got something black all over the back and one side that seems to be imbedded and I don't know what it is or how to clean it. It's not polished, not even close and just having an anodized finish would be fine if it were in good shape but it's not. I don't know if this is something that can be fixed or if it is what it is but I'm bummed about it because I feel misled. Functionally it's great, hits like my Grand, just in a much smaller package. The feed tube that Rob supplies with his mods is missing as well but the seller supplied 3 - 3ml bottles that have the dropper portion attached to a much bigger piece of tubing. It works fine but I think I'd rather have the original feed system.

So, is this something I should talk with Rob about or is it going to be the ugly duckling to my beautiful Grand? I'm going to try to take some pictures of it tomorrow with my digital camera. The black doesn't show up with my iPhone camera.

 

[MXBNW]

I bought a mini off the classifieds on Friday. Looking at the pictures it was really shiny but looked like it had brush marks in the finish. I PM'd the seller and asked if this was a matte finish mini or if it had some kind of gloss finish on it. Seller said that she didn't know Rob made a matte finish mini and this was indeed polished.

Got it in today and unwrapped it slowly from the packaging, waiting to see that beautiful finish that is on my Grand. Sigh, it was not meant to be. This thing looks like it's been to hell and back. It's got something black all over the back and one side that seems to be imbedded and I don't know what it is or how to clean it. It's not polished, not even close and just having an anodized finish would be fine if it were in good shape but it's not. I don't know if this is something that can be fixed or if it is what it is but I'm bummed about it because I feel misled. Functionally it's great, hits like my Grand, just in a much smaller package. The feed tube that Rob supplies with his mods is missing as well but the seller supplied 3 - 3ml bottles that have the dropper portion attached to a much bigger piece of tubing. It works fine but I think I'd rather have the original feed system.

So, is this something I should talk with Rob about or is it going to be the ugly duckling to my beautiful Grand? I'm going to try to take some pictures of it tomorrow with my digital camera. The black doesn't show up with my iPhone camera.

I saw that one on the classofieds as well and was talking to Rob about it. Send him a PM and send it to him to have
him give it a complete check up. He will reinstall the feed tube and at that time see about the finish. I would PM the seller and let them know that the condition of the finish was not what you were expecting.

Take photos of the issues for your records. And send them to Rob so he knows what he is getting in to.

Hope that helps.

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

Oh that blows!!! I'm so sorry! I agree with MX....send Rob a PM and discuss it with him. ((((hugs))))

 

[mlinky]

Aw crap, I'm sorry. I agree with the previous comments and call Rob.

You may be able to "brush" the finish. The polished finish is difficult to maintain (and produce), that is why Rob doesn't do it anymore.

 

[Big Hitter]

That sucks. For the record I have two of the original matt black finish Grands.

I have gone over both of them with super fine steel wool, it smoothes them out and makes for a better look IMO.

You can steel wool them pretty hard with no ill effects ... at least on the matt black.

Good luck,
BH

 

[Kargonet]

The finish on my Grand is tough as nails and doesn't have any blemishes on it. I've had it since late November and it's been my primary PV since the day it arrived. That being said I'm fairly careful with it and clean it regularly but I don't treat it like it's a piece of expensive crystal either. It's a work horse, just a well cared for work horse.

I'm not disappointed that the mini is not polished I'm just disappointed that it's so beat up and I wasn't given a heads up on that when I purchased it. The pictures are totally misleading from the item I received.

I'm going to try and take some pictures today and send them to Rob and see what he thinks about it. If he thinks he can make it better then I'll send it to him. If he thinks it's it's not fixable then I'll just see if I can clean it up and rock along with it like it is. I didn't expect it to be pristine, but I sure didn't expect black gunk all over it.

Ok, off to see if I can take some pictures.

 

[Mudflap]

If the seller does regular trades using the classifieds and isn't willing to do anything to rectify the situation, there's a thread stickied there you need to post in.

 

[doots]

I agree. we do need to weed out bad sellers or traders on here. good luck on getting off the junk. steel wool would be a start.

 

[pianoguy]

If it was a natural finish, it can be re-polished or brushed. If not, I think it would need to be acid-dipped or something in order to be re-anodized. Powder coating might also be an option.

 

[Kargonet]

Talked to Rob today and I'm going to send it back to him to see if anything can be done on it. Did some research (isn't the search function an awesome thing?) and I'm the third person to have custody of this mini so it has some miles on it.

Kargonet pats her mini on it's drip tip...don't worry little REO, you're home now.

 

[MXBNW]

Talked to Rob today and I'm going to send it back to him to see if anything can be done on it. Did some research (isn't the search function an awesome thing?) and I'm the third person to have custody of this mini so it has some miles on it.

Kargonet pats her mini on it's drip tip...don't worry little REO, you're home now.

And another REO finds a good home Well done on the rescue.

 

[Kargonet]

Mini is Rob bound today!

 

[Mudflap]

Mini is Rob bound today!

Gentlemen, Rob can rebuild it. He has the technology. Rob has the capability to build the world's finest mod. Kargonet's rescued Mini will be that mod. Better than it was before. Better...shinier ...faster to produce delicious vapor.

 

[Kargonet]

Gentlemen, Rob can rebuild it. He has the technology. Rob has the capability to build the world's finest mod. Kargonet's rescued Mini will be that mod. Better than it was before. Better...shinier ...faster to produce delicious vapor.

LOL! Now I'm gonna have to name it Lee Majors.

 

[TennDave]

Do you think someone spray painted it to change its color- sounds like it was really abused anyway. Hate that- hope it gets restored back to good-as-new quality!!

 

[Kargonet]

No, it's not spray painted. When we tried to take pictures of it it looks like a polished mini and the gunk doesn't show up. It's hard to explain without seeing it or being able to show it in pictures.

Rob had a theory about it and I think he may be right about the actual finish on it. Then we'll see if he can do anything about the black gunk.

 

[Big Hitter]

LOL! Now I'm gonna have to name it Lee Majors.

Six Million Dollar REO .... I love it. Just don't be-jewel it trying to make it look like 6 million

I wonder how much the 6 mil man would cost in todays economy ?

 

[Kargonet]

Six Million Dollar REO .... I love it. Just don't be-jewel it trying to make it look like 6 million

I wonder how much the 6 mil man would cost in todays economy ?

Um no...they bling without any help from my non-artistic hands.

Probably just a couple hundred bucks now...all the parts are made in China.

 

[Kargonet]

I received my rescued mini back from Rob today and it looks a lot better. Juice, battery and it's vaping away just like the Grand. I found drip tips at ProVape that match my purple and my mom's mini almost perfectly.

I'll be setting up her mini for her this weekend and hopefully get some pics for the Family Photos thread.

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

Awesome...I can't wait to see the pictures!