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Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars

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Rich V.
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/02/05

Loc: Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: edwincjones]
#5547642 - 11/30/12 06:31 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Did you contact Fujinon?

The address is in NJ, not far to drive.

I would be very surprised if they EVER get back to you

edj

I agree; Fujinon is not a customer friendly outfit in my experience. I never received a reply when I contacted them either. Fortunately, Baker Marine provides good service on their products.

I'm sure Baker Marine will do a fine job....

Rich

Post Extras:

BillC
on a new path

Reged: 06/04/04

Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5547650 - 11/30/12 06:36 PM

I'm not a fan of their customer service, either. However, you should know Fujinon USA consists of 3 people. A repair sent to NJ will go to Baker if it is a top-end Fuji, Kama Tech, if it is less, and just be replaced if it is a cheapy.

BillC

Post Extras:

18UCinVA
professor emeritus

Reged: 10/24/08

Loc: Virginia

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: BillC]
#5547925 - 11/30/12 09:37 PM

Well thats good to know.

Post Extras:

Gordon Rayner
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/24/07

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: BillC]
#5548122 - 12/01/12 12:33 AM

They had an in-house repairman years ago.

Edited by Erix (12/01/12 11:57 AM)

Post Extras:

BillC
on a new path

Reged: 06/04/04

Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: Gordon Rayner]
#5548128 - 12/01/12 12:41 AM

Ah, but you would have loved Charley.

In those days it was Charley Nemoto, Scott and Michelle. By the way, MOST of the work was still going to Baker Marine.

BillC

Post Extras:

Gordon Rayner
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/24/07

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? *DELETED* new

[Re: BillC]
#5548225 - 12/01/12 02:45 AM

Post deleted by Erix

Post Extras:

bhuloka
super member

Reged: 03/06/12

Loc: Maryland, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: Gordon Rayner]
#5548396 - 12/01/12 08:10 AM

I sent the broken Fujinons to Baker Marine yesterday afternoon. They'll reach there on Monday or Tuesday. I'm optimistic for a quick, reasonably priced and excellent repair. Shipping via USPS Priority mail was $20.

I didn't get a chance to try turning the ocular while looking at the chip, as I had already packed it up when I saw your suggestion. So I'll find out from Baker Marine exactly what the damage was, and I'll post here the details as soon as I know. I hope to be gazing through them again within 2 weeks. Wish me (and my wallet) luck! Thanks everyone!
-Lawson

Post Extras:

Man in a Tub
Postmaster

Reged: 10/28/08

Loc: Fogpatch, CA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: bhuloka]
#5548434 - 12/01/12 09:02 AM

Good Luck! Please know that I've followed this thread with interest and sympathy. I got my Fujinon 10x50 FMT-SX from Eagle Optics in mid-September.

Post Extras:

bhuloka
super member

Reged: 03/06/12

Loc: Maryland, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: Man in a Tub]
#5553900 - 12/04/12 12:39 PM

I just received the estimate from Baker Marine;
$143 including $13 shipping. Along with the $20 I spent to ship to them, my total cost is $163, plus a trip to the post office. I consider that a great value! Very friendly, and fast as heck service, too. They say they'll ship it out today. I expect I'll have it back by Friday. Total down time; 8 days. Not bad. Next time I'll try not to drop them, though.

The damage: 2 broken prisms on the right side, at $25 each, plus an $80 flat repair fee, plus $13 return shipping, totaling $143, plus, of course, the $20 I spent mailing it to them.
I highly recommend Baker Marine to everyone, at least based on service, quick turnaround, and price. They also said they will collimate and clean, so I expect the optics will be good as new, too.
I'll report back after I test them out...
Thanks Brian and Anthony at Baker Marine!

Post Extras:

Man in a Tub
Postmaster

Reged: 10/28/08

Loc: Fogpatch, CA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: bhuloka]
#5553960 - 12/04/12 01:09 PM

That is good news. Very reasonable.

Post Extras:

Rich V.
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/02/05

Loc: Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: bhuloka]
#5553970 - 12/04/12 01:17 PM

Yes, that is good news!

Rich

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ronharper
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 02/14/06

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5554090 - 12/04/12 02:26 PM

Lawson,
I'm sorry for your bad luck, but appreciate you sharing the story with us. It's one of the few cases I know of where an FMT/MT was damaged, although I think it happens a lot on boats.

For $25, I might buy a Fujinon prism for a paperweight!
Ron

Post Extras:

Gordon Rayner
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/24/07

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: ronharper]
#5554470 - 12/04/12 07:12 PM

Would you accept chipped ones? Adherent glue remnants? Their mass as paperweights would be essentially unaffected. How many?

As once discussed, by selective trial assembly with oil or transparent grease, two, or three (with one of the three semisilvered/semi-aluminized for approximately 50/50 R/T), can be glued to make a crude comparator for at least up-down parallelism, and with luck and/or mental compensation, horizontally also within a chosen range of IPD ( to match the observer's IPD). When satisfied, one shines the UV light to fixate the already semi-cured, but yet adjustable, glued assembly. Cosmetic chips can be flat black painted.

Post Extras:

RichD
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/08/07

Loc: Derbyshire, UK

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: Gordon Rayner]
#5555618 - 12/05/12 12:47 PM

Wow, what a great price and service. They must have plenty of old, used prism hanging around the work shop to be able to offer them at that price. Glad that Fuji will be back in action soon.

Post Extras:

bhuloka
super member

Reged: 03/06/12

Loc: Maryland, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: RichD]
#5565305 - 12/11/12 01:44 AM

OK, it's late Monday night (tuesday 130 am now) and the binos are back! UPS delivered today. It's been overcast for days, but as soon as I opened the box at 10:30pm, the skies became crystal clear for about 45 minutes. Thinking that this must be a sign, I put the binos on a tripod and aimed at Jupiter, a clean disc, with 4 crisp moons; then Pleiades, Hyades, M42. Then the overcast returned. Perfect timing.
I can happily say that the Fujinons seem to be as good as new, maybe better. Pinpoint stars, easily merged images.
Baker Marine also collimated and cleaned all the optics thoroughly. I am as pleased as can be. So, I heartily recommend Baker Marine Instruments and Repair (San Diego) for any Binocular service. Thanks Brian and Anthony!

Post Extras:

bhuloka
super member

Reged: 03/06/12

Loc: Maryland, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: bhuloka]
#5565318 - 12/11/12 01:55 AM

Gordon Rayner wrote:

"I have several 7 x50 MT/MTR/FMT/FMTR , which were dropped on boats, with chipped prisms , which have languished, without surgery, and some spares. I wonder if the prism is the same as in the 10 x 50?"

Well, Gordon, the invoice which I received from Baker Marine listed the 2 prisms used in the repair as "Fujinon 7x50 prisms". So it seems that they are indeed the same prisms. In any case, now you can have your broken 7x50's repaired quite cheaply at Baker Marine. Tell 'em I sent ya!

-Lawson

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RichD
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/08/07

Loc: Derbyshire, UK

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: bhuloka]
#5565399 - 12/11/12 04:33 AM

I shudder to think how much that repair would cost here in Rip off UK, much much more would be my guess. Very pleased to hear you got it sorted, it's nice to own a bino of that quality - makes it economic to repair!

Post Extras:

BillC
on a new path

Reged: 06/04/04

Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: RichD]
#5565841 - 12/11/12 12:19 PM

It's the economy. At Captain's I charged $120 an hour with a one hour minimum, and couldn't keep up with the work . . . especially after Cory bailed. I even had to chip a nail or two! Although part of that was to separate rational customers from talkers who were so gracious they would approve the repair to $25 before wanting to walk off.

BillC

Post Extras:

planetmalc
super member

Reged: 10/21/09

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: RichD]
#5565875 - 12/11/12 12:37 PM

Quote:

I shudder to think how much that repair would cost here in Rip off UK, much much more would be my guess. Very pleased to hear you got it sorted, it's nice to own a bino of that quality - makes it economic to repair!

Here in Rip-off UK, you'd be told, "The repair would cost more than they're worth, Sir, but we'll be glad to take them off your hands for an insulting pittance and replace them with substandard dross that'll fall apart within a fortnight."

Edited by planetmalc (12/11/12 12:38 PM)

Post Extras:

BillC
on a new path

Reged: 06/04/04

Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Re: broke my new Fujinons; where to repair? new

[Re: planetmalc]
#5565917 - 12/11/12 01:13 PM

"Here in Rip-off UK, you'd be told, 'The repair would cost more than they're worth, Sir, but we'll be glad to take them off your hands for an insulting pittance and replace them with substandard dross that'll fall apart within a fortnight.' "

That is probably true, but people need to learn the value of a qualified tech repairing such instruments. Hearing it will cost more than they are worth could be because the new direction in optics is to base quality on how cheap it was.

Folks will spend $100 on a bino, brag about it as if $100 will buy the best, let it get hit by a train and then expect it to be restored--much better than new, of course-- for the price of eating out.

As they say: "Reality Bites."

By contrast, our friend bhuloka has purchased a binocular that will be worth fixing every time he needs it done. Many are the users of that bino--and similar--who will go to their graves without ever needing a repair or a season ticket to a collimation thread.

Cheers,

Bill

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