No new group buys

[SwedeNelson]

NO NEW GROUP BUYS

We are putting a moratorium on any new group buys.

We have a backlog of 48 group buys at this time that has totally consumed all our resources. And we have started to cancel buys due to discontented members.

We would like to thank the members that have stayed with us through our past buys
and are hanging in there with us through the buys we have going.

This is not a moratorium on ordering from existing buys; we still need to run as many orders per buy as we can. If for any reason you feel that you can’t tolerate our schedule, please post on the buy that you would like to be removed.

We will do our best to keep an updated schedule of buys posted HERE (http://noebulletmolds.com/orders/catalog/schedule.php) for your convenience. Please
reference this page before sending email or PMs as my inbox is constantly flooded and hopefully this
will make it easier for all of us to stay current.

If a buy doesn't have 15 or more orders it may be canceled, regardless of it being a Small Group Buy (SGB). With the increases in material cost our break even point has increased from 15 orders to more like 18 to 20. We have maintained our price structure for 3 years and we hope to be able to finish out the buys we have at the same rate.

At this time we have three shops working on Tooling, Parts and/or Manufacturing.
And we are aggressively looking for more qualified help to add to our team.

My first anniversary for taking on this project full time will be here very soon and we have made some very good growth in the past year but will still have a very long way to go.

I would also like to thank the Honchos that are running buys and offer an apology for any hardship our schedule has imposed on you. You guys do a great job!

Regards
NOE Bullet Moulds
www.noebulletmoulds.com
Al Nelson
aka: Swede Nelson

[Stick_man]

NOE has provided a great product. This is clearly illustrated by the backlog they have. I certainly hope this moratorium doesn't last very long (although my pocketbook may say otherwise). There are still plenty of great boolits out there that are just itchin' to be designed and made.

[357maximum]

Ahhh I see that the hungry pack of rabid jackals finally caught their prey, it is still moving thankfully. :bigsmyl2:

Just think of when there was no good options.:sad: The custom mold makers and other vendors here have to deal with alot and I for one am glad they are here...I would not want to be in their shoes however. I truly appreciate their hard work as I remember all too well when they were not here and the options were not good.


THANK YOU ALL




Al I wish you the best and hope you can catch up. Good luck

[btroj]

We are truly blessed to have such fine custom mold makers.

We seem to be our own worst enemy at times. Too many group buys, so few makers.

I wish you well. I would far prefer to wait a ear for a well made mold than buy one now that wasn't what I wanted or needed.

Please don't let the few disgruntled buyers get you down. You make a great product and had even a huge boon to the world of cast Boolits shooters.

Thanks again for a job well done.

[Spartacus]

Good call Al.

I wish Miha would do the same thing until he gets caught up.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I am standing firm on ALL of the moulds I have ordered from NOE. Quality cannot be hurried.

I just wish Swede could find two or three more shops to produce high quality moulds for him/us.

Rich
Sua Sponte

[ddixie884]

A man's gotta know his limitations.

[nanuk]

I have always wondered how a shop can make as many moulds as they do, and still make money on them, considering the TIME involved, not to mention the machinery...

[gundownunder]

Sounds like a good idea to me.
I put my hand up for a group buy back in Oct last year. Original place on the production schedule was April this year, and that has now stretched to Sept this year. Waiting times like these are bound to turn buyers off.

[shdwlkr]

Well as the Honcho that stood with Swede on his first ever mold production all I can say is that I am still standing with Swede and his dedicated crew. So I have to wait for a mold from Swede, it is nothing like dealing with LEE molds and most of us can remember those days all too well.
If it is those few who think you can make a good mold in an hour and a group buy of xx molds in the same time all I can say try it and lets see how fast you can make a quality mold at a fair price and even stand behind your product.
Swede all I can say is best of luck finding more help and keep up the excellent work and those of us who know a good mold maker will still be here and still put our hard earned money down for one of your molds.

[Ramslammer]

Swede's molds are worth the wait and if you order knowing that it'll be a certain time you should be as good as your word and follow through with your order.
Don't ever forget how we felt when BRP disappeared!!!!
Juddy

[scb]

Please understand that I can see your reason for doing this. You've made the better mouse trap and it has in a way trapped you.
But, are we to no longer include NOE when we discuss group buys? When your moratorium ends who will be first in line? Are you done with custom designs and satisfied with what you have as YOUR product line? I'm guessing if you did that you would probably stay busy. A little more detail on what you see in the future would be helpful. Should we be looking elsewhere for custom moulds? Thanks.

[Oreo]

You're doing the right thing Swede Nelson. Clearly you make a quality product that people want. That you also recognize the importance of a reasonable production time-line says that you're a good business man with integrity. Bravo.

[SwedeNelson]

scb and others

No - Group Buys are our life blood.
We have no plans of stopping "custom designs" at all.
But a 10 to 12 month delivery time is way out of line.

"When your moratorium ends who will be first in line?"
We are working on a solution to this but haven't got
a concrete plan yet. We will be posting more information
on this as we go. I have hope that the out come of this
will be a benefit to every one, Makers and Buyers.

Thanks
Swede Nelson

[GLL]

There is a VERY big difference in how NOE and MP handle orders for their Group Buy molds compared to LEE ! Although wait times have increased significantly neither asked for your money “up front”.

LEE required you send payment immediately just to get in line and then you waited a year for your molds. I ran six such Group Buys with LEE and once you sent your money you just had to wait and then had difficulty even getting information about the order status. An individual member of the group could not back out once the order was placed. Even getting molds to spec was a challenge !

I do not understand the recent complaints since nobody was out any cash ! As a honcho try sending LEE $2500 and then waiting a year ! Guess who catches the flak? :) It has been a pleasure dealing with NOE, MP, BRP, and Accurate Molds !

Jerry

[wiljen]

Amen Jerry. It's even better when Lee had money tied up for 18 months and then botched the mold and cast undersized so they took 3 more months correcting it.


We as patrons just have to understand that while we have lots of wants, we are outpacing the production capability of both NOE and Mihec based on current schedules and that it is ridiculous to keep adding to the pile.

If nothing else, estimating costs for materials and shipping a year in advance takes a crystal ball that most of us just dont have access to.

[GRid.1569]

As somebody who deals with demand scheduling I understand the issue(s) of supply & demand...

But the basic premis is this....

"a good thing is worth waiting for...."

The wait is this long for a reason.... if you see something in stock you like the sound of, buy it... NOW...

[jonk]

I have no problem waiting for good things, and am happy with all products I have gotten from NOE. However, it sounds to me like demand is such that you could expand your operation and increase production- and profit.

[quasi]

Quality Custom work takes time, period. NOE makes great moulds at a great price and it is well worth waiting for, this also goes for Miha.

[Fishman]

I appreciate Al's candor. As an aside, I sent back a mould with a minor issue I caused and another to be drilled for his fine temperature probe. Total turnaround time was six days! And needlessly to say the moulds were perfect! I was proud to show them off to my father, a long time caster, who was visiting this weekend.

[Frank46]

It is the members here that are driving the custom mold market. Thats a good thing. We have about 6-8 makers that a few years ago were just starting out and many of us were tired of the take or leave it attitude we sometimes faced. I'm one of the guilty parties. The 9.3 mold is one I will cherish. And have been guilty of going on other boards and seeing members trying to get 9.3 molds for their swedish mausers. So I tell them where to go. We are very lucky to have such talented people who can transform a hunk of metal into a bullet mold. And if it requires special dimensions they have come through time and time again. the .316 314299 if memory serves comes to mind. Frank

[nicholst55]

Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick two.

I have no problem waiting for a high-quality, American-made product that performs as advertised.

[skimmerhead]

i'm sticking to the buys i'm on tho i don't remember how many off hand. i know i paid one and i think it might be finished this month. i dropped out of a few buys recently, but not because of the wait time but because when i noticed i was in some buys for molds i allready had. i guess my remember don't work to good no more. i can understand the reason for stop, you have to catch up, catch your breath, regroup. i don't know how Al can keep track of everything thats going on. i think this is a good idea that will benefit us in the long run, with shorter waiting time on group buys. i'm with you Al keep up the good work, and + 1 for the honcho's hard work.

skimmerhead :arrow::cbpour:

[phaessler]

I good with it Al, I am in on one right now and looking at another. The honesty and integrity displayed goes along way in my book, I have a firm belief in "just say no, when you have to".
Sometimes you need to stop things first to make them go better.
Thank you.

Pete

[Blammer]

The scheduled buy's will continue, just no new ones.

[Moonman]

I'm good with it. My mold is paid for and he'll get it done sometime, I'm just content to continuing to wait, Great Things take time.

[slide]

I don't mind waiting. I am glad that Al has this much business. It is good for us too.