[SRT Mike]

Well, FWIW, as I mentioned on another thread, I bought my machine directly from G. Weike and through Jack in the last couple months. Them announcing the firing like they did is not so unusual...corporate America does it all the time. Cut out the cancer and restore faith in the rest of the operation.

When dealing in China the factory is everything. Another seller could have a laser that looks exactly the same but run like crap. So far I'm happy with my Weike machine, and I would not hesitate to buy another. I think if they had dishonest intentions they would not have been so public about sacking a dishonest employee.

I don't think any company that has a large manufacturing plant and numerous employees *intends* to be dishonest, it's just often the way business is done or the level of importance given to a small customer like you or I. In the USA, they wouldn't say "turns out Bob was stealing, so he got fired". They wouldn't go into it - because they could be opening up themselves to a lawsuit, and also to admit that an employee did wrong speaks to the company in some way. Thats why you don't read about 99% of bank robberies, the bank doesn't want you to know about them.

I am not suggesting G Weike are charlatans at all, however the facts remain that many people bought from Jack, all got what they paid for with no complaints. Second, prices he was giving out are apparently not being honored. Third, there are lots and lots of companies selling the same lasers using the same control. They are essentially a commodity, and I disagree that the same machine from another company can run like crap. That's pretty much impossible, given they all use the same control, same tubes, same motors, same design. What matters is the price and the customer service.

So, I am still very much interested in companies to get quotes from in addition to G.Weike. The price I was just quoted on Sunday is 10% above the quote for the same machine several weeks ago, and they just told me they can't honor that price and raised it again. When we're talking thousands of dollars, 10% here and there adds up.

So if anyone has any companies they have dealt with other than WK, I would like to hear about it. I still have their quote and may buy from them but I want to explore all my options before I lay out this kind of $$.