Bruce Karbal The Bum!!!

I First would like to say, this in "NO WAY" is Astromart or FLI's fault. I will continue to buy and sell my equipment on Astromart. In the below e-mail's I blacked out addresses and other people's names.

This deal gave new meaning to the term TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN!!!

Bruce Karb and I made a deal for his FLI PDF focuser. The Add is listed below (#1)We spoke via E-mail and phone conversation. The deal was for the PDF focuser with 2 adapters, one for the STL-11000 connection and one for the BRC connection to the PDF focuser as well as the cables,tools, paper work and software that the PDF would come with from the factory!!

When this deal began I told Bruce Karb that I was selling some of my equipment and did not have all of the funds at this time to buy his PDF, Bruce Karbal said just commit to buying it and send me the money when your sales are final, (#2) Three days later I mailed Bruce Karbal a personal check for $1400 dollars. Approx. 3 days after my money cleared from my bank Bruce Karbal shipped the PDF focuser. Via Fed-ex. I received it on 4-11-06.

When I opened the box the first thing I noticed there was NO paper work or software, then when I took the PDF out of the box and examined it. I could hear loose equipment moving around inside of the PDF focuser. Within 5 or 10 min I was on the telephone with the manufacture FLI and they confirmed there should not be any noise or loose parts at all, FLI also said that this focuser would work with my FocusMax software that I used with my DF-2 focuser. I tested it to see if it worked at that point, you could hear the motor turning but nothing moved.

I then called Fed-ex to confirm that there is Ins on the package they said if there is a claim they would settle the claim with the person who shipped the item and Insured it. (Bruce Karb)

Then I saw that Bruce Karbal was on line so I sent him a few instant massages in reference to the problems, none of which he chose to answer. I also sent an e-mail to him (#3) Soon after that Bruce Karbal signed off line!!! Still not responding to any of my efforts to contact him I also attempted to call him 2 times on the telephone with nothing but an answering machine. (I did not leave a message) As we were making the deal Bruce Karb was very easy to get intouch with to discus how he was to be paid and what was to be shipped, via E-mail or Telephone, Now he is nowhere to be found after repeated attempts. In his one and only one response to my Calls, IM's, and E-mails (#4) Bruce Karb says it was working when he last used it approx. 3 weeks ago, and it's under warranty until Aug. 2006. I spoke to "Dave" at FLI he says this PDF ser# is only under warranty until April 18th 2006. Does Bruce Karbal have any idea that what he is telling people is WRONG!!! Bruce Karbal went on to shift blame onto me or the shipping co. in the one responding e-mail that he sent. He said it could have been banged around in shipping or maybe you did it.. Then out of the kindness of his heart he offered to pay for the shipping to FLI to have it fixed under it's warranty.

I sent Bruce Karbal another e-mail and kindly asked him to do the right thing here. Please refund my $1400, take the PDF back and you have it fixed under it's warranty(#5) and (#6) Bruce Karb's basic reply was he WILL NOT TAKE IT BACK!!! I have not heard back from Bruce Karbal since.

As far as the BRC adapter I spoke to "Fred" at Texas Nautical he is not sure if it is the correct back focus he is checking into it for me, but he thinks there needs to be a second adapter to connect it to the scope.(UPDATE 4-14-06) There is a second adapter needed to make the connection to the scope!!! Bruce never told me I would need this additional adapter. I believe he is selling it in another add that he placed on Astromart Then in Bruce Karb's e-mail (#4) you can see where he says Loke used this adapter with his BRC set up but Bruce Karb used it with his FLI camera and filter wheel with an additional spacer. He does not say he used it himself with a STL-11000 and BRC scope. So again he does not know what he is telling people. I think he just says whatever it takes to make the sale!!!!

Bruce Karb also goes on to tell me that he forgot to send the software and paper work with the focuser and it was sent in another shipment. Funny he never mentioned this when he sent me the shipping notice for the PDF or anytime after until I brought it up as a problem??? I wonder if I will ever receive the software or paper work that comes standard with each PDF focuser??

Deal with Bruce Karbal at your own risk!!! He took my Money and Ran!!!

As for Bruce Karbal paying for the PDF to be shipped back to FLI. I want nothing more to do with this Guy!!! I will pay for my own shipping to FLI to have the PDF fixed.

One last thing after checking back on Bruce Karb's ratings on Astromart I see this is not the first time he sold an item as one thing and it was another "ABG" or "NABG" but that was not his fault either.

(UPDATE 4-20-06) I was informed by FLI that Bruce Karbal was not the original owner of the PDF focuser. So there is "NO" warranty coverage on this equipment!! So at this point I gave Bruce Karbal another ZERO star rating on Asromart.. That is when this "BUM" decides to finally contact me Via E-mail. (#7). If you look at this e-mail Bruce says that he checked on the warranty for this PDF on March 28th "THAT IS 2 WEEKS BEFORE I RECEIVED IT FROM HIM. IT WAS AS IF HE EXPECTED A PROBLEM ONCE I RECEIVED IT FROM HIM. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS "BUM" WAS THINKING AHEAD!!! Also go figure, he says this is not his fault either and offers to pay for the repair (#8 My reply)(as I said before I don't want your money for the shipping or repair. I asked for a refund of my $1400 not for you to intentionally sell me a broken PDF and then pay for it to be shipped/fixed) then goes on to tell me he "expects" me to remove my last negative rating on Astromart. (Hey Bruce ask me if I really care about anything you "expect" at this point) I "expected" you to be a stand up guy and refund my $1400. But why do that when you intentionally sold me a broken PDF focuser and even tried to cover all the bases before you SOLD/SHIPPED it to me!! by checking on it's warranty.. (Update 4-23-06. I was asked to remove my 2nd rating from Astromart by Herb. I will do as Herb asks, as it is his web site. You can stop your CRYING & TEARS!!! Bruce save them for another time)

(Update 4-25-06. I was informed by a very reliable source that does not want to be identified at this time, that the BRC adapter that Bruce says he used with the PDF focuser (and SOLD to me) will cause the PDF to bind up and break!!! Also that after it was made for the original owner this was a known problem. The threading on the adapter was to long, which interferes with the motion of the PDF focuser causing it to break. If you look at my E-mail's to Bruce I say it is not the correct adapter and he insists that it is the right one and he used it. I knew this was the wrong adapter because I had seen other pictures of the correct adapter.