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OK.
A bit of confusion surrounding this one. Here's the way the exchange panned out:
Hi Lee.
I’ve just been taking a look at your website and I see you’re expecting a shipment of 12” SkyWatcher newtonians in September?
I see you refer to a OTA/EQ6 package, but was wondering whether you’ll also be making 12” OTAs available to those of us who already own EQ6 mounts?
If so, what price do you envisage? I assume these will come with rings etc?
To which Lee replied:
Firstly - I just checked stocks earlier today and also checked my website. I saw the following re the 12" Skywatcher (SW) Dobs...
DOB 12" 300mm x 1500mm
$999.00 AUD
Now in stock!
Yes, I do actually have them in stock! You may be confusing my website with some competitor who is still awaiting delivery of SW 12" Dobs.
Next - yes, I am prepared to sell Skywatcher (SW) and Guan Sheng Optical (GSO) 12" OTAs. I would simply supply those 12" Dobs. without their accompanying Dob. bases. However, Dob. bases are worth only a maximum of $50 to me. Therefore, the pricing of 12" Dobs. without their bases would be reduced by only $50 each from their normal/complete pricing.
The new model adjustable tension and stronger GSO Dobs. will be sold at higher pricing due to their greater material (mostly due to increased use of aluminium) and labour content.
Please note that I can't supply 12" tube rings for 12" SW Dobs. This is because their new EQ mounted (12") 300 x 1500 EQ6 PRO package is not yet available.
Also, no-one can supply GSO-produced 12" tube rings for GSO 12" Dobs. This is because Jim Sheng of GSO told me a few years ago during one of my visits to his factory that he's not prepared to spend the required minimum of US$12,000 to engineer and produce the minimum economical quantity of 12" rings, as they would take far too long to sell.
I have asked several customers, whom I know are mechanical engineers, to make some 12" rings for use with GSO 12" Dobs. One of them produced a strong, but half-finished version. Since then over six months have passed...with nothing further seen from him (or of him).
Due mainly to material costs continually (and recently significantly) increasing in Asia, there won't be any further reductions in the pricing of new Dobs. and many other products, as far as I can see. These material cost increases are also applying to general electronics accessories (which I also import from Taiwan and China).
In fact, four (4) of my Taiwanese suppliers have increased most of their products' prices by between 9% to 15% over the past 2-3 months. Those ex-factory cost price increases are just starting to filter through onto our market with the latest arrivals of Asian seafreight shipments.
My reply:
Hi Lee.
I believe you are referring to the Dob section of your SkyWatcher listings.
I’ve attached a screen shot showing the section to which I refer…with the details of the new scope amongst the EQ6 mounted reflecting telescopes listings and not the Dob section.
And just looking at your website again…but doesn’t $999 buy either a 10” OTA (tube) or a 12” collapsible truss-style dob????
I’m not interested in either of those.
I’m after a 12” OTA tube. A solid metal tube. I don’t want to buy a dob and mount it in rings.
I’m interested in the new EQ mounted 12” package….but just the tube. Not the mount.
Thanks for the reply.
I sent a few more emails by way of explanation...he wrote back saying he didn't have time to answer my questions and told me to call Luke in the shop.
Guess I'll be making a phone call.
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