Temu - Off Topic and off the wall

rsv1cox Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:01 pm

About a month ago this (Temu) showed up on my morning news/gossip/unsolisitated and unwanted news feed. And kept it up, offering all sorts of stuff at really cheap prices. Never heard of them. They must monitor my interests and searches and tailored their ads accordingly.

So for pennies on the dollar I bit on three items, one I really need, the nylon strap ($9.48) the step drill bit set (4.98) and a bench vice on special for $1.18. What's to lose. The ads picture for the vise shows it to be about 6-8" high, it's more like 3-4".

They shipped it prompty via UPS whose driver dropped it off at my neighbors house yesterday and she brought it over this morning. I openerd the package and found:

Temu - Off Topic and off the wall P1016895

The pen is for perspective. I got a chuckle. You get what you pay for. A buck eighteen.......not bad but useless. The strap and step drill bits make up for it.

Thought I would look up Temu. All items made in China and sent direct to Temu. Saves money which I would guess is partly passed on the the customer.

Not a condemnation of Temu, but I will not being doing business with them again despite heroic measures on their part to get me to do so.

GallopingGhostler Wed Dec 27, 2023 8:13 pm

Thanks Bob, for giving us a heads up on Temu. I was kind of wondering about them too. Seems like you say, you get what you paid for.

I learned a hard lesson on instruments I was using for the Salvation Army to teach a class with. Cheap stuff off some unfamiliar vendor on the bay is just that when it came to guitars. The slots cut in the head for the tuning keys was not even sanded, painted over, very rough finish. Yeah, they played, but not worth the $50 I spent. That's why now I buy on places like Musicians Friend. At least they pre-screen what they sell. For about $20 more, I could have gotten a decent guitar for student learning. Just wait for the Stupid Deal of the Day or one of their sales, and one can get a decent guitar for a reasonable price.

rsv1cox Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:18 am

My one concession to music George. I have no talent but wanted to learn the piano. Went no-where.

Temu - Off Topic and off the wall P1016899

I still get a chuckle out of that vice.

Temu - Off Topic and off the wall P1016898

gkamysz Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:39 am

There has been some controversy about Temu using slave labor. Google will tell you more. I haven't bought anything from the direct china sellers in a very long time, since back when dealextreme was the go to. Maybe a times off feeebay or scamAmazon, where the 30-50% defect rate gets taken care of....

GallopingGhostler Thu Dec 28, 2023 10:58 am

rsv1cox wrote:My one concession to music George. I have no talent but wanted to learn the piano. Went no-where.

Bob, everyone has a special gift from God. Thus, some play the radio and make better use of their time in other areas they excell in.

I started on clarinet in the 6th grade, continued music through high school. Dad being a teacher, had to stay an hour before class, an hour after, so I used the time in the bandroom.

1972 rolls around, all my buddies in the rural high school I graduated from was joining the military. I was interested, decided to check them out.

Air Force. Promised me a dream sheet for jobs after signing a 4 year contract. (I put down a: Jet engine mechanic; b: Telecommunications electronics technician. According to their needs, I am now a spoon (cook).
Navy. 4 years and promised me band if I passed audition with their Pearl Harbor band, but not location.
Army. 3 years and promised me band if I passed audition with their Band of the Pacific at Fort Shafter, Honolulu and unit of assigment.

So, I opted for Option 3. Tough job, but someone has to do. Band's idea of bivouac is the Fairfield Inn lol!

gkamysz wrote:There has been some controversy about Temu using slave labor. Google will tell you more. I haven't bought anything from the direct china sellers in a very long time, since back when dealextreme was the go to. Maybe a times off feeebay or scamAmazon, where the 30-50% defect rate gets taken care of....

I haven't bought anything from Temu yet. Prices seemed too good to be true, and I am leery of their ads, etc. I have bought simple things like model aircraft wheels off the bay from mainland China. A friend bought 9 gram servos off the bay really cheap from CN, they had defective electronics, would not center properly.

At least if ordered from Hobby King, they prescreen what they sell, so I've had better luck with them. I bought Spectra fishing line from a CN seller on the bay. It was counterfeit, stretchy, almost lost my Ringmaster flying on those lines.

KariFS Fri Dec 29, 2023 7:53 am

I would like to have a miniature precision vise. I have a couple of cheap ones, both have a noticeable slop on the moving jaw. Not bad, but not as nice I’d like.

I use them for holding connectors or cables while soldering, or generally just keeping small items put when working on them. They won’t handle any force well, but for delicate stuff they are very useful.

Yours looks like it’s one of those sloppy ones too, no milling on the guide part, just paint Smile

KariFS Fri Dec 29, 2023 8:07 am

gkamysz wrote:There has been some controversy about Temu using slave labor. Google will tell you more. I haven't bought anything from the direct china sellers in a very long time, since back when dealextreme was the go to. Maybe a times off feeebay or scamAmazon, where the 30-50% defect rate gets taken care of....

Yes, when stuff is sold for cheaper than the bubble envelope would cost at your local store, with free shipping, taxes and customs (supposedly) paid, brought to your door (or the next door) with a diesel-powered truck operated by a paid driver, there must have been slave labor or government subsidies involved. Possibly both. All part of the big plan.

The Post here in Finland applied a handling fee for foreign shipments, it is a couple of euros regardless the stated value of the actual shipment. At one point they were drowning in the thousands of boxes and bubble envelopes of cheap trinkets delivered by air to Helsinki airport. Some whine and moan followed, of course, but personally I think it was a good thing. Makes you think whether you really need that thing or can you do without.

getback Sat Dec 30, 2023 5:47 am

I have seen this stuff and thanks for verifying its as cheap as I thought , hard enough to get good quality when paying over the limit Happy New Year

NEW222 Sun Jan 14, 2024 10:22 am

While the vice is both cute and funny, I now really want one. I feel that for the price, even if bad, it would have a few really good uses around here, when I get back to modelling......

**944_Jim** Mon Jan 15, 2024 11:33 am

Chancey,
Do you have Harbor Freight up there? I bought a small clamp-to-counter vise for one of my boys. It is a bit bigger, and probably a little stronger than the above indicated vise.

I've used it for holding things requiring an extra hand (or two). I've even used it for cutting stock with an old jeweler's/coping saw. I like the way the clamp can be rotated to provide different angles of work.

cstatman Mon Jan 15, 2024 12:32 pm

I also like the hobo-freight mini-vise for in the buildling room.

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/clamps-vises/vises-anvils/2-12-in-table-swivel-vise-59113.html

i have a much bigger, american made vise out in the garage, for projects. but for small stuff? the small one is nice
and? still made in chinese slave-labor factories like the TEMU stuff. but I can see if firsthand, before committing to buy.

NEW222 Mon Jan 15, 2024 8:31 pm

Sorry, we do not have a Harbor Freight up here unfortunately. Our equivalent is Princess Auto, which i was at earlier today after work ironically, but exchanging a pair of pliers and did not do any real shopping there today. Canadian company started right here in Winnipeg too. But I guess I should look there for a possible vise anyways. But the one pictured is just so....... dare I say cute? Lol.

GallopingGhostler Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:05 am

Yes, unfortunately Harbor Freight has no stores in Canada. Those who live near the US border like Toronto, have access to 4 stores across the border. But, as you point out, there are other similar type stores in CA.

getback Tue Jan 16, 2024 5:52 am

Princess has a mini vice but the reviews don't look good ??> https://www.princessauto.com/en/mini-table-vise/product/PA0008926867 Funny there proices are close to HF and the same kind of STUF Snowman

NEW222 Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:47 pm

Thank you Eric. I had seen that one while at the store. I just didn't have the funds at the time. But I will definately be buying one when time permits, sadly as it sounds, I both drove by one way and went through the parking lot earlier today.............. Lol. I have to work some things out and I will hopefully be back in action shortly, and you will be seeing and hearing more from me very shortly!!!!!

getback Thu Jan 25, 2024 7:35 am

Sounds good , keep us informed Very Happy

GallopingGhostler Fri Jan 26, 2024 12:25 pm

30 years ago, I bought a plastic mini-vise with articulated alligator clips that was suction based, used it to hold electronics like circuit boards, for soldering difficult to hold componets with. It was purchased mail order from I forget where, but quality was reasonable because it worked.

I still have it, would have to dig it out. It still may be OK as it's suction base was not rubber, which hardens and deteriorates over time, but a flexible plastic.

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Temu - Off Topic and off the wall

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