Handyman Club of America - WTF?

[Craig]

Sorry that I do not lurk before posting - But I am not really very sorry. Some years ago I got some crap - the "glue spreader" from HCA and I tossed the snailmail spam. I got more crap from them and sent something back with no intention to pay for whatever they sent. I looked online and saw that - I think it was this newsgroup

- folks bitched and laughed about drill gage and wire gage and assorted crap and not getting anything the HCA promised to send. Last year or early this year I returned a thing telling them to send me the damned stuff they promised before I send them money for anything. - So they sent me a flashlight and what I call a "Swiss Army Pliers" and they sent me thanks for subscribing to their magazine. So I been getting their magazine ever since. (Hey! I am trying to shorten this longish stupid story) Okay! I got myself a couple batteries for that cheap knockoff of a MiniMag light and screwed it together and it popped off the lens. - It works now that I superglued the lens in. A jaw broke off that folding "Swiss Army Pliers" when I tried to cut a weedeater string. So, I figured F*** them. Then they sent me a book and I looked through it and thought WTF - it was interesting and maybe had a couple things I did not know already so I sent them ten bucks. Today I got stuff from them that I am sure that they did not have time to get my book payment and respond - I am amazed!!! First thing was a $24.00 rebate check which I used to get the groceries that I went to town to check mail and get groceries. They said that my cashing the check would finalize my lifetime membership and that I would never ever have to send them money anymore. - I did not see anything on the check that bound me to anything - so WTF? Now I got home and looked more in the envelope and I got a window sticker and an iron on patch and a nifty looking carpenter pencil - Hey! even looks decent quality though I have not tried to sharpen it yet to see if the knife grabs the lead an pulls it out.

There is a pamphlet that shows photo's of the $340.00 of tools that I am going to receive for being a lifetime member now. Way cool. ... ??

My problem is that I wonder - if I do actually get any of the power tools - should I pay some homeless person twenty bucks to plug in and turn them on? Is HCA some dope front or money laundering outfit or tax write off scam or just insane or what???

Hey! I have played some scam outfits before and got some CD's (in broken boxes) and such and I never sent them back because I didn't want to pay postage. When HCA sent me the book they sent box prepaid to return it. - Had they not done that I probably would have just kept the thing rather than to send them the ten bucks they wanted for it.

They sent me the twenty four dollar rebate faster than I think they could have even got the ten bucks I sent them - maybe three days ago in the afternoon.

===================

Oh well, as long as I am here - might anyone have advice about how to go about brazing or soldering stainless? - I got a little MIG but am not very good with it and the stuff I want to stick together isn't all that thick.

[Leon]

And the hook is firmly set...... RRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr...

[Groggy]

Is it *that* time of year again already? I'd better drag out the waders with one imperial and one metric leg so I can get the dustballs outta my DC so it don't explode on me. Who knows what I'll find this year - last year I found the neighbour's cat (which made a dandy pushstick).

[Craig]

Well, spit it out for goodness sake and try to say something intelligent. Do you always reply with something as stupid in response to someone describing an event? Or maybe you can tell me how I have gone wrong so far, moron. Maybe I should have lurked this group for a bit to discover who is the ever present idiot that every group seems to have resident. But no matter. As it stands I am $14.00 and a glue spreader ahead. Maybe you are bitchy that they came out ahead on you so far? ;-)

[Craig]

Eh? _ Maybe I should have lurked first? I did do a Google and saw some remarks about the outfit a week or two ago. - So I went ahead and subscribed to the group in my newsgroup client and said what I said. - Seems my experience with the outfit is a novel one since about all else I have seen posted is about glue spreader and them never sending what they say they will send. They sent me the same garbage that I have seen folks to joke about. I found it amusing myself. Even sent them a response that they should send me the crap and I would send them money if i thought it was worth whatever. Is Leon the group idiot? ?? - whatever ....

Hey! - No question that they are a flakey outfit. I really doubt that the have researched me so personal that they would send me the stuff they have because their spies have reported that I am the sort who will talk good or bad about whoever treats me good or bad.

Well, what can I say? - I am greatly surprised that any such outfit has sent me cash money and the back of the check didn't even obligate me for anything.

Oh well. They sent me same drill gage that I have seen folks laugh about and even before seeing "glue spreader" I thought about as much of it. The flashlight and the "Swiss Army Pliers" was crap. - Seems there was another thing but having just written them off I forget what it was. If it worked or didn't it did not impress me I guess.

Oh well. No outfit could come out ahead treating 'potential' customers as they have treated me so far - and that is even if they never send me the $340.00 of stuff they claim that they will. They already sent me more money than I ever sent them. Anyway. If they send me any of them tools they say they will be sending I will be back to gloat that I did good at what folks did not get such a deal. LOL :-)

Maybe that Leon fellow needs to try a different brand of laxative?

[Morris Dovey]

I'm resisting the urge to agree that you'd already found him (and I'm not referring to Leon, who is a well-regarded regular here).

I'm glad you're aware of the wisdom of lurking for a while before posting to a new group. The practice /does/ seem to help many people avoid appearing to be boorish idiots in front of an international audience.

Welcome to rec.woodworking.

[Ralph]

Hi been lurking awhile getting some good tips here.Anyways about the check and obligation.I to did get all that stuff check, patch,pencil etc. On the letter said if you cash check you will be billed for $ 27 dollars and change a month for a year for your life time membership come out too roughly a little over 300 dollars.If you still have the letter that came with it read toward the end of it. Ralph

[Craig]

Read it. Crap does not matter other than what it said on the check. Nothing on the check obligated one to anything. What was in the letter? - Lot of glowing stuff. But it does not matter. Suppose I sent you a check and a letter that said that if you cashed my check you would be required to ... whatever. Or suppose that I sent you a check and then later tried to claim that I also sent a letter with a lot of conditions ....

Oh well. I didn't really come to get into a bitchfest. I described my event with that outfit and wondered if anyone had any similar. Does not matter squat to me since I will only be good to them as long as they keep sending me whatever right up front.

LOL - you say that there was a letter enclosed with the check? - I guess I best look closer in the envelope. Maybe there was a letter along with the patch and sticker and pencil and check. ;-)

[Greg Millen]

Craig,

the Handyman Club is a thread that pops up a couple of times a year, that's why you've got some funny answers. If you have a win with them, great, but most find them a waste of space. As for Leon, he is a valued contributor and well worth reading if you want to learn.

cheers,

Greg

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I'm looking forward to the follow up in a month or two. HCA is not giving away money because they like you. Maybe the fine print is finer than usual here. Ed

[Charlie Self]

Jeerz. You know, if I'd known that, I'd have ignored the letter that came with my last book advance, cashed the check and gone on my way.

You may well find yourself obligated to something you don't want to do--pay for what you are getting.

Claiming there was no letter in your particular check might work, but it also might not, and could end up with some nasty notes to your local not-so-friendly credit bureau.

Good luck.

Charlie Self "I think the most un-American thing you can say is, 'You can't say that.'" Garrison Keillor

[Phisherman]

If Handyman Club of America treated all their customers that way, they would have bit the dust years ago. But as long as there's a few suckers to send them money, they will keep going. No lasting company is going to give out more than they take in. I have the free plastic drill gauge they sent me, although I use my metal one as it is much easier to read the numbers. I have not yet had a use for the foam-backed sandpaper. The HCA membership card makes a good glue spreader.

[Leon]

OK, ;~) Hook, Line, and Sinker.

Seriously though, I was not trying to belittle you or make fun of you. This story of yours has been discussed over and over except with a different name. IF you get what you think you are going to get, it will be the first time that I have read of and that will be good for you. But, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

No. Sorry, I through it was just going to be the beginning of a thread that goes the same way over and over, which is is proving to be so far. I actually got the feeling that you worked for HMofA. NO ONE has ever given that publication such on going praise.

I suspect the check in the mail will turn out to be not what you have been lead to believe. Again, if it sounds too good to be true...

Probably so, as so far I think you are jumping to conclusions.

No, I think I have 14 of their glue spreaders and 4 or 5 drill gauges but still no oblication on my part or money out of my pocket to them.

[Dave Hinz]

Craig, big favor buddy? Set your line length to something that isn't

90-something. 72 works well.

[Dave Hinz]

I sense much cluelessness in this one. Hello, and goodbye, Craig.

(that means, "My, what an amazing waste of time this one seems to be, so their posts won't show up on my screen anymore).

[Craig]

LOL - I will certainly post follow up. I have tossed checks before because they had some conditions written on them. - Though most checks that such outfits send are good toward some amount of their over priced product. I have me quite a stack of CD's that outfits have sent me but did not include return postage. - I notice that all the offers have prepaid postage if sent within US but all the follow up crap costs money to return the stuff they sent.

Anyway - they sent me stuff. - I saw someone mention that they might have got my name for buying stuff at Harbor Freight. Then maybe I returned a postcard. They sent me the 'glue spreader' right off and, when I did a Google on the outfit I think it was this group had a run of laughs back in nineteen ninety something over the outfit sending same crap then. - I guess some folks got a wire gage glue spreader instead of a drill gage glue spreader. Myself being into rather small projects tends to favor them credit card sized glue spreaders that can be got at some store checkouts.

Anyway - things went on and they sent me a bill for subscription to their magazine - or membership or whatever. - I forget what they sent me that had already proven to be a POS. I already said about the flashlight and the folding pliers with all the blades thing .... I think that was offered as my first free thing but they were billing me, so I wrote on the back of the bill that I wanted to see the stuff they promised first. Later I got a 'thank you' for full payment and then came the trash things that I have gotten better quality at the 99cent store. - The recent set of small screwdrivers seems good though. At least the bit does not turn in the handle when I put more torque on it than a screw could ever do. I think I did return something bitching about the flashlight pushing the reflector through the end by popping the lens out and the plier jaw breaking off when cutting a weedeater string. ??

So, they gonna send the local constabulary to haul me away, kicking and screaming, because they even had my name spelled wrong on the crap they sent me? Ruin my credit? - I don't have any. Small print? Would have had to been invisible ink. Oh well, I am ahead so far. I sent them ten bucks for the book. Had they sent the book and it had been the usual thing that I had to pay postage to send it back I probably would have just kept it and not sent them squat. But I kind a liked the book - hardcover - and it didn't cost but about twice the price of a magazine and it did have some things of interest. I sent them ten bucks and they sent me twenty four bucks and the screwdrivers seem good if the metal does not strip in some tiny screws.

Damn! - Just getting some whiffs of definite methamphetamine oder. - I did three years for manufacturing the stuff even though I never did manufacture the stuff. - I had done some dealing with the stuff and then got fed up with the folks one had to deal with and told the folks to go away and not bother me anymore. - Then a neighbor got his self a problem and set my ass up .... Hey! You been following that Lacy Peterson case? - Some of the same cops is involved in that. I think that this county is spoiled by too long getting away with sloppy and generally corrupt police work and they do not know how to deal with competent opposition. The bastard probably did it and may well get away with it because of idiot cops who have gotten away with so much shit that they get into bad habits taking for granted that they can get away with it.

But I digress.

Oh well, I see that there are some other responses to some of my posts. About time I take look to see if anyone has had such silly experience as my own - or if anyone has come to the defense of that silly person with the one liner smart ass response.

[Craig]

Yea - that might be where I have it over some folks. My credit is non existent. Macy's was silly enough to have sent me a card back before sending unsolicited cards was outlawed. Both Fed and State government gave up years ago sending me bills for crap that was mistake on their parts. - I assume that if I ever paid any state income tax that I should get a return they would keep the return. I suppose if I won the lottery I would give someone else the ticket and go halves. ;-) - Hey! even if it were ten times what they say I owe I would rather give fifty percent to a buddy than give ten percent to them.

[Craig]

LOL - I have gotten off on wring foot with folks in newsgroups from time to time. With some the relationship just deteriorated from there and with some we became as good of buddies as might come from forums such as Usenet. Myself would likely not have a whole lot - or anything - of value to contribute here. Maybe the most novel thing I have accomplished with wood is some quick microwave cure on some green wood I wanted to use for knife handles. - Well, "quick" is spending most of a day messing with it. - I am more into metal.

[Craig]

Okay. - Dunno how it got to 80. - Musta been drunk.

?? - just recalled that I was experimenting some time back because of some Mozilla things I found irritating.

[Craig]

Cool. - But in relation to the response I was trying to belittle you or make fun of you for sake of the silly response. - Old newsgroup habit. Years ago I had approached the whole affair to be polite and have a go at polite exchange. As time went on I came to an attitude of WTF and to pretty much reflect what I perceive. Your initial response certainly did not impress me as a constructive offering to some dumbshit newbie to your group.

Praise? - I will have to look back at my original post. I thought I had speculated that it was some drug front or money laundering or bogus tax write off outfit. - ?? At any rate they had first impressed me as just another run of the mill rip-off but then came to make me wonder if it isn't some folks who just don't have their shit all that well together. I guess my current bottom line is that they are unusual. ;-) Well, I used to order some magazines from Publisher Clearing House. I think three was the number of trials they offered back when. I would usually get about three issues of some mag' and bitching that I should pay them for something. Then there was the ten CD's for a penny - or whatever silly offer. So I would get some CD's that some of the plastic boxes appeared as if they had been stepped on. The CD's themselves was good but the packaging was often crap that could not have sold in the stores.

I dunno. My local grocery store cashed it. - If I'd had a bank account I suppose I might have let it age awhile before determining the money was real. But yea - that 'good good to be true' was what enthused me to do a Google and saw that there was a few posts to this group a couple weeks ago. - Seemed like a fun thing to carry on about. - I would have posted to my usual haunts but it did not seem that it would be so fun as would be where some folks have had some dealing or awareness of the silly outfit.

LOL - Don't take it too hard. I just figure that when someones sets a pace I am happy to go with it.

Shucks! I only got one glue spreader. Some glue in the minimag take off and the lens stays in and it works. - I could see a cavity in the fracture where the plier jaw broke off. - Maybe I ought to see if it is still in garbage somewhere and break it up some more to see if that is common throughout the metal.

LOL - Reminds me of a knife I purchased one time. Cheap "Rambo" survivalist thing but the wire saw in the handle came cheaper than buying a wire saw like it. - Quality control was amazing. One could chose among the bunch if they wanted to have compass North indicate by looking at the handle at eye level and see 'N' or to look down at the handle and 'N' would be on North instead of South side. Anyway I sharpened the thing and it took a good shaving edge. I thought that was pretty cool so gave it to a buddy and went and got a few more.

- I guess that first was a fluke because none of the others I got could be sharpened worth a sh*t.

Oh well. - What is the profit in smarting off at dumb newbies anyway? - Oh well, not so bad as in anti-virus group that used to - maybe still has - some asshole who would frighten the timid from asking questions that said asshole would bitch about it not being asked right. - Even one of the most knowlegable persons in that group used to be such a nasty flamer that I would entertain myself for days on end flamikng him until he killfiled or decided to ignore me. - Well, I think that one can tell someone that they should not open an executable or should not click on much of anything that comes in unsoliceted email without having to tell them what stupid bozo they is for having done so. I would suppose that the most of folks who come desperately asking for advice at a virus group has some immediate problem and has not had previous opportunity to know what some smart asses think they should know already. - Hell, no use in even telling someone that they are ignorant. Myself figures that it is the stupid asshole with big ego who cannot just give some aid to the ignorant without accompanying insult. - Whatever ....

Were I working for them bozo's don't you think I would have come praising the quality of the crap they sent me? Well, the little screwdriver set is certainly better than some I got at the 99cent store. - but a little JB weld in the shanks probably made them as good as this set that they HCA claimed is ten dollar value.