Dont let scammers to rip you off.

Hi, i have experienced lots of scammers on ebay and internet at all. Thought it would be good to tell you one way you can make them dissapointed in the way they cant steal your money. First: i have noticed lots of mainly nigerian scammers will purchase your item and then send you fake paypal email saying that your item was paid for and you can send it with no worries. What you do is simply log into your paypal account and you will see if there is any payment or not. If there is not, just send them what ever you want "i mean very not nice email or so".Other option is when there is money but they came from email address which is not verified or is situated somewhere in Indonesia or Thailand or so. In this case i would wait around one whole week before sending the money, because it can happen that card was stolen and your money will be taken away from you. This is usually case of notebooks, mobile phones and expensive electronics generaly.Now something for buyers.If you use your card for paying through paypal, make on simple thing, go to your bank, ask them to open new current account where you cant go to the debit and simply top up this account with money only when you purchase something. It can stay out of money in the meantime. But in case someone will get your bank details, there will be anyway nothing to take from you and thats what you want. Make scammers unhappy if they cant earn money other way than steal them from you.Hope this will help, if you like this guide, please vote for me. Thanks.

Hasselblad Mag / Back - Dating, Condition

Having seen backs mis advertised on ebay I thought a little knowledge might be a good thing so have endeavoured to clarify to some extent the history, dating and what to look for regarding faults and evidence of use.

I have for the purposes of this only included roll film backs leaving out Polaroid, Digital, and bulk film such as the 70 on back as they are a whole different chapter.

The magazine or for the purposes of this guide will now be referred to as back was first introduced in its current fitting in 1949 to fit the 1000F and the 1600F and has had during its life several modifications the most major being in 1968 which I will describe later, and you must therefore consider that it could be nearly 60 years old.

To date use VHPICTURES substitute 1234567890 - transcibe RS being 1980

First came the 12 on in 1949 which ran to 1954 and then the C12 which ran from 1955 to 1968 , both of which were simular in design and were loaded by looking through a hole in the back - winding until "1" became visible and the reversing the counter to locate frame 1 for the purposes of use.

How can I tell them apart well that is simple - on the bottom of the right hand side looking from the back are two small windows the one on the left being the frame number and the one on the right being the exposed indicator (red exposed - white not so) . On the 12 on the film number window is to the left of centre of the wind on , whereas on the C12 in is within 1/4 inch of the exposed window to the right of the centre of the wind on , which incidentally is still where it is located on the latest design.

This back only came in 12 and 16 on derivatives but at one time could be used with 220 by resetting the counter after shooting frame 12 and using a rubber plug in the hole at the back, however, don't fall for the bit that tells you that it is possible now as its not as the plug has not been made for years and if you find one its going to be either hard or perished and 220 film has no backing paper so it will fog unless you tape up the rear cover with duct tape.

The A12 was introduced in 1968 the A meaning Automatic setting to frame 1 and untill today utilizes the same loading method - yes there was the E type introduced with electrobus connectivity in 1994 but unless you are using the F series 201F etc.. you would not need them but remember the E type will work on a 500 series but non E type will not electronically couple to the F cameras.

Faults

The most common fault is the light seals - not an expensive repair but in 99% of cases caused by damaged dark slides (sheaths) so if you see a magazine advertised with a damaged sheath its odds on the light seal has gone or if no dark slide the chances are it was thrown away for that reason and the same would most probably apply.

Next problem is that the film wind on gets a little on the stiff side this is ina lot of cases down to a small nylon ring which acts as a bearing on the wind on and is inexpensive to repair but can also be down to a need of a service / lubrication.

Third problem is that they have a tendency to fail to stop at frame 1 when winding in the film or mis space where in some cases you end up with irregular gaps and only shoot as little as 9 frames although 12 register and the last 3 are fired on the backing paper - not so great if its the cake shot at a Wedding. My suggestion is if you have any old out of date films or see them for sale load one in and mark frame 1 and then advance , shoot, remove back and slide and mark each frame in turn to confirm spacing, yes it may be a pain in the rear but can save problems later.

Evidence of Use

First place to look is on the mounting surface where the serial is stamped as it wears first and is a good guide as to how many times it has been on and off of how it has been stored in a kit bag and remembering that while you are checking the serial number the last three numbers are also repeated on the insert - When new thay are paired at the factory and wear together so if mismatched at a later date can cause problems with spacing , my advice would be to avoid mismatched backs and if the numbers are not on the insert ask why ?. I have over the years seen chrome backs with black inserts and vice versa which I personally would not entertain using, not forgeting the usual dings, dents and shrinking or missing leatherette.

On the rear of the early backs 12 on and C12 the film reminder and rear cover are one and should spring shut to the rear of the back if its sloppy or missing draw your own conclusion , likewise check for damage to the plastic film reminder dial on the A12 and remember if its missing its not too inconvenient or expensive to repair but there should be a spring steel plate for it to mount to, if this is not there it was attached by two small rivets which if not there is going to be a light leak, especially bad on 220 as film with no backing paper will be directly under that point.

On the A12 the wind on knob was prone to loosing its outer part with medium to heavy use (the small part you hold whilst winding on) and in some cases may even be missing - consider if this is the case - why ?.

The wind on assembly wascrimped into the outer case side cover and it is possible to become detatched without major force and I have seen them advertised on ebay with a comment only needs a new side plate, yes it is only a plate secured by three screws under the leatherette but as a spare costs over 60.00 to buy at Hasselblad ex works prices.

From around the mid 90's the release button on the back lost its -V- marking which stood for Victor Hasselblad and gained a number representing the exposures on the film , and the latest gained a handy dark slide holder but as a word of caution if this is in any way damaged it is secured to the magazine by 4 small screws directly through and if they are loose you have a potential light leak.

Derivatives A12 (12 on 6x6) A16 (16on 6x4.5) A16S (12 on 4.5x4.5) A24 (24 on 6x6) and A32 (32 on 6x4.5) , beware the 16S which was superslide to allow you to project transparencies in a normal 2x2 projector and remember the mask so you dont fill the frame.

Due to the advent of digital there is a decrease in the quantity of 220 films available and the price of those that are exceeds the cost of 2 off 120 films and can only see a further decrease in availability / choice and hence a decrease in the value of the A16 and A32 backs.

For Information

Please note frame one is actually a C12 - On the A16S i have idicated the S on the side which shows it to be the superslide version and have provided close ups of the type of wear to look out for. Incidentally this back is still fully funtional as I have replaced the light traps and neoprene seal in the wind on and lubricated it, but if you would have to send it to a repairer it may be a different consideration.

Non Hasselblad compatables

A final note regarding Russian backs - yes they do fit but personally I would not use them as they are all the early pinhole 12 on or C12 type and if your film plane is as little as 0.25mm out so is your focus, but I can suggest the prisms to be a good buy.

Hope this helps - good luck with your purchase.

Lighting Tricks

Here are just a few ideas to think about when you furnish your home with vintage lighting.
To make a low room appear taller.......


ensure lots of light is thrown onto the ceiling;

use fittings that project vertical beams;

make sure pendant designs are low hanging.
To make a small space appear larger......


illuminate all four corners of a room;

use uplighters to bounce light onto the ceiling;

install recessed or track lighting;

maximise your natural light: hang mirrors opposite windows.
To give a large or tall room a cosier feel......


add more lamps: group several together in a cluster or scatter lots around singularly;

prevent light from a projecting onto the ceiling;

use red or orange toned bulbs in lamps.

If you've found this guide helpful, please tick "yes" below - thank you!

How To Tile A Bathroom

Bathroom Tiles With an almost unlimited choice of patterns, textures and colours to please even the most fastidious tastes, bathroom tiles are the obvious choice for lining your bathroom or shower area. Although some people consider leaving it to the professionals, most bathrooms can be tiled in a weekend, even if you have had no previous tiling experience.Before you begin, here are the essential tools you'll need for the job:Tile CutterTile SawGrout SpreaderSpirit LevelTile NibblersAdhesive SpreaderTile-Cutting JigHomemade Gauge StickPreparationBefore you begin, it is imperative that the walls are clean, sound and dry. The surface should be as flat as possible and therefore you will need to remove any wallpapering and coat any flaking paint with a stabilizing primer. Now would be a good time to make your very own gauge stick, which will help you plot the position of the tiles on the wall. Find a piece of softwood and lay several tiles next to it (adding spacers if the tiles are square edged or butting together those with lugs) and mark off the position of each tile along the stick.Setting Out The TilesThe size and shape of your bathroom ultimately decides on how you set out the walls. Mark the bottom of the lowest row of tiles and temporarily nail a thin guide batten to the wall, aligned with the mark. Use the spirit level to ensure that this is perfectly horizontal. Marking the centre of the wall, use the gauge stick to set out the rows of tiles on each side of it. If the border tiles measure less than half the width of a tile, reposition the rows sideways by half a tile. Use the spirit level to place a guide batten against the last vertical line and nail it to the wall. If you have to tile around an object such as a window, use that as your starting point so that the surrounding tiles are of equal size. Cut tiles should be placed at the back of the window reveal. Again, use a temporary guide batten above the window to position the row of tiles above it.Applying The AdhesiveIt's important to always use a waterproof tile adhesive for areas that will come into contact with water. Most tile adhesives are sold ready-mixed, although some will require you to add water yourself. Apply the adhesive to the wall so that it covers about 1 metre square.Using the toothed edge of the spreader, form horizontal ridges in the adhesive. Take the first tile and position it in the right angle formed by the setting out battens at the skirting level. If the tiles do not have lugs, place plastic spacers between them to ensure that there is enough space for the grouting.Using a damp sponge, wipe away any adhesive from the surface of the tiles. Tile along the batten until the first rows are complete, ensuring that each tile is perfectly horizontal. When you are complete, allow the tiles to set before removing the battens.Cutting The Border TilesOnce you have completed the main area, the border tiles will need to be cut to fit the gap between the adjacent walls. Placing the border tile face down and with one edge next to the wall, mark where it is to be cut taking into consideration normal spacing between the tiles. Use a felt tip pen to transfer the mark to the face of the tile. Take the tile cutter and holding it against a straightedge, score across the face in one firm stroke. Stretching a length of thin wire across a panel of chipboard, place the scored line over the wire and press down on both sides to snap the tile. Alternatively, you can use a purpose-made tile-cutting jig. Using a tile sander, smooth over the cut edges of the tile.Fitting Around AppliancesWhen fitting tiles around a pipe, it's best to try and set them out so that you can cut a semi circle from the edges of two adjacent tiles. If this is not possible, mark the centre of the pipe on the top and side edges of the tile and draw lines across from these points. Using a coin, or something slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe, draw around where the two lines cross. Make a cut straight through the centre of the circle and then use a tile saw to cut out the remaining circle. To fit a tile against a curved shape, it's best to use a piece of thin card and draw a template of the exact size of the tile. Cut small, evenly spaced slits along one edge of the tile and press them against a curve replicate the shape. Transfer the gradient of the curve on to the face of the tile and then cut using a tile saw.Grouting And SealingIt is essential to use waterproof grout for any bath or shower surrounds. Grout comes in a pre-mixed paste grey, white or brown paste, although it is also possible these days to source coloured grouts that will blend in with your choice of tiles. Allow the tile adhesive to harden for 24 hours before applying the grout using a rubber-bladed spreader, ensuring that are the joints are filled. Using a sponge, wipe the grout from the surface of the tiles before it sets and smooth the joints with a blunt-ended stick. When it has dried, use a dry cloth to polish the face of the tiles and leave for about a week before using.Sealing Bathroom FittingsYou should not use grout to seal the gap between the shower tray or bathtub and the wall, since it can crack and lose its waterproof seal. It's best to use a silicon sealant compound, which you can buy in cartridges. The sealants are again available in a choice of colours to match your choice of tile. Trim the end off the nozzle and press the tip into the joint at an angle of 45 degrees. When applying the sealant to bathtubs, it's best to stand in the bath* since the join will accommodate your body weight. When you have finished, smooth over any ripples with a wetted teaspoon handle.

PEEL OFFS

Do you think Peel Offs are Fussy? Wish you knew how to use them? Don't know what they are or where to start?Well here's a quick and easy guide to having fun with peel offs!

Peel Offs are stickers, it's that simple! They are intricately cut stickers made from a durable, flexible material. Simply peel off the sheet and apply to any smooth, clean surface, such as paper, acetate, glass, plastic, metal and ceramics.

Pandora Battery and Services! Why Pay?

There have been MANY people on eBay currently selling the
Pandora Battery or the Service for you to send your own battery to them and
they will program it and send it back. The fact of the matter is: Your getting
ripped off!

The truth is they are charging you most of the time for the software or the
service of doing it for you when you can do it at home for Free with the
"Pandora Battery" Software if which you can type in on Google and
will find the software in seconds!

The Pandora Battery software allows you to upgrade/downgrade and recover
bricked PSP's and if you have a bricked PSP, its your Misfortune their picking
on. So avoid being misled into buying something thats Free!

Please Thank Me at the Bottom by Clicking Yes if this Guide has Helped You!

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CHEAPER READING AND LEEDS TICKETS

DONT LET THESE TOUTS ON EBAY CHARGE YOU 250 FOR A TICKET THAT SHOULD COST 155! LOOK ON THE READING AND LEEDSFESTIVAL WEBSITES AND THERE ARE WEBSITES SELLING THEM FOR LESS. STILL SLIGHTLY MORE BUT STILL LESS THAN 250. HOWEVER, MAKE SURE YOU DO ENOUGH RESEARCH, AS THERE IS ONE BASED IN BUDAPEST THAT NEVER ACTUALLY SENDS TICKETS.(readingfestivalonline couk) HAVE A LOOK. ALSO, GO ON THE DAY AFTER THE FESTIVAL HAS STARTED AND THE CHANCES ARE, TOUTS WILL BE LOOKING TO SELL THEIR TICKETS AT CHEAP PRICES. HAGGLE WITH THEM, MIGHT EVEN GET IT BELOW FACE VALUE. HAVE A LOOK AT RECENT EBAY LISTINGS AS SOMEONE MAY BE SELLING AT FACE VALUES. GET THEM BEFORE THE TOUTS DO. CHEERS, CHRIS

Sellers BEWARE of unconfirmed buyer details!

After being 'stung' a few times recently, I decided to write this warning for sellers. It has become on the increase the number of people purchasing items from me, without having a CONFIRMED address either with PayPal or eBay. Strangely enough, a large proportion of those buyers, after a short time ,reported the item not received, despite their items being posted. This appears to be more-so the case with international transactions. The problem is, if you post to an unconfirmed address, you have little or no protection should a dispute of goods non-receipt be opened, and you are likely to have to refund the buyer.Should you receive such an order for goods, (regardless of whether you've been paid), ask yourself one question.... WHY are they unconfirmed?Ebay seem to have noticed that this is a problem and have now added a facility to report buyers with unconfirmed addresses and this can be found under the payment not received dispute console, regardless of whether they have paid or not.It might be worthwhile changing your policy on this, either stating that you will not post to an unconfirmed address, or, stating that such orders will require that postal insurance is also paid. I have been stung, and largely on higher priced items, please be aware of this problem. Because sellers can no longer leave negative feedback for buyers, this problem is likely to be on the increase, however, eBay also indicate that they are stamping down on problematic buyers, provided they are reported.Please be careful, and pass this on to fellow sellers.

WWE Rip Offs

Beware of sellers selling wwe figures/twin packs/triple packs stating that they are 'rare'. These wwe merchandise can be found inother major stores(such as the triple giants pack with undertaker,great khali and kane). I have seen this triple pack advertised for 24.99 plus postage, when you can find these pricedelsewhere for 14.99. What a price difference!

Tetra radios for sale

Quite a few sellers are offering TETRA radios for sale on eBay and a few are promising SECURE DMO transmissions. I am a serving MOD police officer and while not an expert on TETRA radios I have a working knowledge of the system (Airwaves)and would hate to see someone spend upwards of 300 on a defunct system or one that won't give whats promised.

TETRA is basically a Push To Talk (PTT) mobile phone, using the mobile phone network (O2 in UK), hence anauthorization code is required to use the system.

Any second userradios offered on eBay will not be authorized to use the system, as the codes will have been removed before the radios were decommissioned, so no national coverage or data transmissions.

Any radios released with the codes intact can be remotely disabled if an unauthorized user attempts to access the system. Some high end radios have GPS tracking systems, so an unauthorized user may get a visit from the authorities!!!

This leaves you with a basic hand held "walkie talkie".Most TETRA radios have a Direct ModeOperation (DMO), this is a fallback mode if the network fails and offers short range use between units. Some newerradios retain their digital transmission capabilities most revert to analogue.The power output is in the range of 500mw to max 1w, similar to 446 pmr. The car/base units can have up to 10w.

Note: even if the unit keeps it's digital capability in DMO, there are digital scanners available to the publicthat are capable of intercepting the signals ( yes, very expensive but available non the less), also the Security Services use highlysophisticated systems ( I've seen them and believe me, I know what they can do), so without the encryption your transmissions are NOT completely secure.

Now on to the claims of "secure encrypted transmissions". The radio manufacturers and The End Users spend millions of pounds developing these systems, hence the encryption keys and algorithms (E2EE, ETSI, TEA1, TEA2 etc)are a closely guarded secret. Do you really believe a radio is going to be decommissioned with these keys intact?, I don't !!!!. You may be lucky and get a US radio with the basicEnd To End encryption intact, but ANY TETRAradio designed to be usedin the UKand possiblyEurope WILL (I repeat WILL) have the encryption disabled. This leaves you with a300, 500mw, unencrypted walkie talkie on a non standard, illegalanalogue (possibly digital)frequency, not a good buy!

UPDATE: 02/10/08 Some IDIOThas just paid 3100 for a single Motorola handheld unit because the seller said it was popular with Government Agencies and it could be reprogramed to alltheir own needs, (hint, hint, you could listen to the police).Ifpeople are thatgullible then they deserve all they get!!!

NO TETRA RADIO AVAILABLE ON EBAY IS ABLETOAND NEVER WILLBE ABLETOLISTEN TO POLICE TRANSMISSIONS REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS MADE

Well that's my Two pennies worth. As I've stated I'm not an expert but I would hate to see buyers duped into buying a very expensive doorstop.

Cricket bats: Fakes from India, supposedly sponsored

UPDATED: July, 2010: Tempted to get the same bat as Sachin Tendulkar or any other top international player from the sub-continent?Beware - Hero Honda is a motor manfacturer, they do not make bats for professionals. They sponsor international cricketers, who use their red and white stickers on high quality bats (most notably, the SS, SG and BAS brands)- but Hero Honda do not make pro bats, just cheap recreational ones because of an ICC ruling which states that an international sponsor must manufacture bats if their name goes on a bat. So Hero Honda bought a small bat company in India. Be careful with this as virtually all of the Hero Honda bats on Ebay are not the ones used by international players but cheap rubbish or even fakes (more on this here).Reebok do make bats but MS Dhoni does not use a Reebok bat, though Reebok pay him very well to endorse their products. Dhoni uses a very heavy SS but was also recently pictured with an SG... Same with Yuvraj Singh, who uses an SS bat.And as for Britannia, they are a biscuit company and also do not manufacture pro bats. If you have a Britannia bat, it's probably an el cheapo.A possible exception is MRF (tyre manufacturing company which owns a small bat subsidiary) - this brand of bat is sold in some Ebay stores as well as in private auctions. Personally, I would not buy one as some of them are made of Kashmir Willow (see my other guide on willow type and grades here). One of the selling points of the MRF range is that they are used by the likes of Brian Lara and Tendulkar - but even Tendulkar used MRF stickers on an SS bat.Also remember, some of these listings state that the bats are made of Grade A willow - there is no such thing as "Grade A" willow. There is only grade 1 through to grade 5 - with grade 1 being the best and running all the way through to the lowest quality grade 5... "Grade A" is just something some sellers have made up to confuse people into thinking it is somehow superior. Bat-makers do not recognise this grading and neither should you.A thought - there is nothing wrong with getting one of these "sponsored" bats (even if it is made of Kashmir Willow and is of an inferior grade) if you wish to play social cricket in the park - but be careful if it is for serious cricket at club or higher level. Don't pay top money for what is essentially just a novelty item.Sorry to burst your bubble, but did you know that the majority of the South African national team uses bats made by Bellingham and Smith, a small, privately run entity? The stickers you see on the players' bats do not matter - it's the quality of the willow. Most international players change the livery (stickers) every season to match the branding of their big sponsors but the bats are privately manufactured! Same story for the Aussies - many of their bats are made by Laver

UPDATE ON FAKE HOT PINK GHD'S

Hi, this is just an update to my previous GHD fake guide, I have received some emails from memebers who read my previous guide asking for my opinion, sadly if they had read it first they would have known what questions to ask prior to bidding, my previous guide was concerning the Pink MK3 version, the questions I have received are concerning the new MK4's, personally I wouldn't bother as the new version does not heat up as high as the Mk3 and for your own piece of mind buy from a reputable website, I am not 100% sure on the markings of the new Hot Pink version but there is one big give away, they come with a DVD, look closely around the edge of this, if it reads GHD then you have probably purchased a genuine pair, if it reads dvd/r/rw then they are fake, also if you have been naive enough to buy prior to reading the guides left by members then go to GHD's website to register them, after entering your personal details the next page will ask for the verification code on the irons, after typing this in hopefully you will get congratulations on registering your genuine GHD's if not then they will advise counterfeit.IN ANY INSTANCE OF WANTING TO BUY FROM EBAY, I URGE YOU TO USE YOUR BRAIN AND ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE BIDDING OR USING THE BUY IT NOW OPTION, FIRSTLY ASK THE SELLER FOR THE VERIFICATION CODE, IF THEY IGNORE YOU THEN DO NOT BUY, IF THEY SEND IT THEN CHECK STRAIGHT AWAY ON GHD'S WEBSITE, IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED AND HAVE ANY DOUBTS HOPEFULLY YOU WILL HAVE USED PAYPAL, OPEN A DISPUTE THROUGH THEM AND ALSO REPORT THE MEMBER TO EBAY, THEY SHOULD BE SUSPENDED, AFTER ALL THEY HAVE NO CONCIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING PEOPLES MONEY

How to get a sig and use it.

First of all you will need to get yourself a photobucket account which you can do by going here:www.photobucket.comNow, there are restrictions on the sig you can have. The guidelines to the sig you can use are set out here:Signature Guidelines. Next you will need to find the picture you wish to use as your sig. You
can do this by searching Photobucket for the pic you want to use or you
can visit here:Diva's By Design Signature Thread. For visual aid to the following steps, please visit this page:Ebay ME Page. Now there is two ways to upload the picture you wish to use depending on where you got it.If
you are using the photobucket search facility, you can upload the
picture you want to use straight to your photobucket account by
clicking on the picture. You then need to click on "save image to my
album", this is located just above the picture. The picture will then
be added to your album and will be ready to use.If you visit
the tag thread and request a sig you will need to right click on the
sig when it has been posted for you and save to your computer using the
"save as" option. After you have saved the sig to your computer log
into your photobucket account. To upload the picture you will need to
click on "Browse" and then click on upload.Once the picture
has uploaded to your album you will need to use the HTML Code. Click on
the line marked HTML Code, then right click and copy.Once you have the HTML Code copied, come back to the Ebay Boards.At the top of each board on the right hand side you will see "Watches/Settings".Click
on settings. This will bring you to a new page where you will see a
little box. This is where you will insert the HTML Code. Click inside
the box, then right click and paste.Now, sigs are not allowed contain Link backs so you will need to remove some of the HTML code.The part you will need to remove is this:

SPOT REPLICA BUTLINS BADGES

SPOT REPLICA BUTLINS BADGES

How do you spot a replica badge from a genuine butlins badge,Actualy its not that hard to do .Firstly the replica badges were not made to fool you, they were sold by Butlins as part of a relaunch of thier badges.

If you can turn the badge over you can tell by the pin ,the picture with thge safty catchis the Replica, all replica badges have the safety pin, a lot also have the words REPLICA stamped on them....But on EBAY and other sites you cannot usually see the reverse. so how can you tell by looking at the front? One or more things can give the replica away . Firstly the colours ,normally a lot brighter on the replica, also a strange shine caused by the fact replica badges are not enamel but are coated in a resin finish The replica is on the right!!! see some more,

oooooooooooo

Did you spot the replicas.? see below for which real..,

replica real replica realreal replica

as you can also see the quality is not the same on the replica badges if you get stuck you can always email the seller and ask them what type of pin is on the back..... So good luck and happy EBAYing

Thanks for reading, Matt.

thanks to .

www bygonebutlins com

lots of good info can be found on butlins badges.

A Scuba Diving Instructor's Guide to Mask

A good Dive Mask lasts for years and unless it gets lost, you will probably never need to buy an other one.

MATERIAL SELECTION

Q: Plastic or Glass Lens?
A: GLASS LENS. Tempered Glass to be more precise. It means that the lens is very strong and if it breaks it cracks rather than splinters. (think windscreen) - though I have never seen one even crack.

Q: Two Lens Or One?
A: TWO one lense masks have larger volume capacity for air and for water too if the mask should ever leak. And it might if you smile underwater! Clearing the mask is easier if it's less flodded.

Q: Rubber, Plastic or Silicon Skirt?
A: SILICON SKIRT. Softer than plastic, moulds better to your face. The flexible nose-pocket will allow you to equalise by pinching your nose. (That is to relieve the pressure on your eardrums when you decend under water.)

SIZE SELECTION

Q: How Do I know If The Mask Fits?

Mask don't come in a great variety sizes, but some people may need special consideration.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

- Presciption Glass Wearers: Presciption lenses are available for dive masks, although if you can wear Contact Lenses do so. Make sure to shut your eyes while clearing water in case of flodding though. Your dive instructor will teach you how to clear your mask underwater
Moustache, Beard: One Word for you hairy men, Vaseline. Put on facial hair will help the sealing.
Fog Prevetion: SPIT this old time favorite is still the best. (and Free)

Now please do go to my shop and buy your mask there. I think I deserve you custom after all this :o))) Cheers!
Vicky
PADI Scuba Diving Instructor
CLICKing ON THE MASK below will take you to my shop!

KNITTING MACHINES

Anyone new to machine knitting will find the following tips helpful.

There are lots of Knitting clubs thoughout the U.K. find them by serching the web or look in local liberies for clubs.

There is also a mounthly magazineMachine Knitting Monthlyask at newsagents. This gives lots of patterns and good helpful informatin

So much help and freindlyadvice can be passed on from these clubs so that you can enjoy your machine to the full.

The Truth About Fruit Machine Emptier Guides (inc 2006)

I am writing this guide because not only am I sick of arcades taking all of my money, I am sick of eBay sellers selling useless Fruit Machine Emptier Guides in order to try to con Fruit Machine players all over again!

So, if you're thinking of parting with your cash for one of these guides, read this...and think again!!!

The Section 16 Emptier Guide will give you a whole lot of blurb about odds and the history of the machines (yawn). It will then suggest that you do a few things which are "guaranteed" to give you wins. Here's what they are:-

They are all to get the machine to play in free play or test mode, so that you supposedly play for free but are still able to collect large winnings. Sounds great, doesn't it? So, what do they say you need to do to get free plays? Again, they say it's really simple....just press and hold the collect button on the far right of the machine. Simple! Except that all players know that the collect button is on the left! Anyway, even if you overlook that, it doesn't work! And if it did, you're then expected to play with a "-" figure showing in your credit window all the time until you win enough for it to disappear!

Oh, and they tell you 2 great other ways of entering test mode....open the door or turn the machine on and off. Fabulous! Going to get away with that one down at the arcade, aren't you?!!

So, please feel free to email me through eBay and I will happily email you FOR FREE any other guides I have - they are for older style machines that aren't yet re-chipped. Why am I happy to do this? Because I don't like to see people get ripped off for useless information. Okay, I could sell a guide for a couple of quid on how not to get ripped off but what's the point? I'll only then be making money from the guides I think shouldn't be earning people money!!!

I hope this helps, please don't fall for these robbers - they are just trying to make money out of people who like a gamble. Not nice!

Thanks for your time. sthpk72fan.

Exporting - military goods

If you are offeringmilitary items for delivery abroad, for most of them you MUST obtain an export licence from the Dept of Trade and Industry. If you are caught without a licence the maximum penalty setis either an unlimited fine or 10yrs jail.

And people do get caught: An Essex companywas fined 10,000 on 23 March 2006 for exporting military-listed body armour to various Middle East countries without the correct export licences.

Direct links from here are not allowed, but go to the DTI website (dti.gov.uk)and search for Export Control Organisation. You can e-mailthem (see the contact webpage) or phone their helpline on 020 7215 8070. You can also do a websearch for the "UK Military List" - if your goods are on it, you need a licence.

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM HAYFEVER

This is now my 2nd guide and since my first guide is about how to protect yourself from fraudulent/scams on ebay and is a success which i believe has helped many people, I thought why not write a guide about how people can overcome Hayfever.I Myself am a hayfever sufferer and for others who have hayfever - I am asure you are aware how it can ruin your summer. Well follow my tips and i can assure you your next summer will be better than the rest.REMEMBER: Anyone can have hayfever. You can be born with it like me or you can develop symptons any time of the year (summer mainly). The common type of hayfever is allergic to pollen from grass but you do get others who are allegic to tree pollen as well.Preventions (when indoor):

Always close all windows and doors to prevent pollen from getting in. Even on a hot summers day where pollen count will be high. This is when it is good to have AC.
Try not to hang clothes outside to dry as pollen can stick to them but dry them inside.
Wash and change your clothes everyday especially when you have been outside.
If you've been outdoor, have a shower and wash your hair to remove any excess pollen.

Preventions (when outdoor): If you are going out and you know your going to be going on grass or near follow these steps:

Have any medication first that your doctor prescribe or you bought over the counter - i found the benadryl allergy relief tablets to be the best and most expensive as well
Nasal spray/eye drops all these help
Get a good night sleep the day before. This is vital to help build a stronger immune system.
WEAR SUNGLASSES - This is probably the best help as it worked best for me on a hot day walking on grass - hayfever did not affect me and i am a strong sufferer but until they broke at the end which is when i suffered bad :(
Place a thin layer of vaseline around the inside of the nasal area (nose). Helps to stop the pollen going in any further.
Try Homeothapy - natural soutions to help cure hayfever. Try brands such as weleda. I have a spare one brand new not been opened for 9.99 if anyone is interested - contact me. Contains a nasal spray and some pollen tablets (2x100 tablets).
Have a teaspoon of honey in the morning about 1/2 months before when your hayfever starts.
Try red light. Its an expensive solution but helps to prevent runny nose. Does not do much for runny eyes though i believe.

Ill continue to add steps when i come accross new ideas and solutions. Contact me if you have any ideas you tried that have worked for you. AND DONT FORGET TO VOTE PLEASE - THANK YOU.

How can I tell if my Hard Drive is faulty ?

Thebest way to test it is to use a piece of software called Drive Fitness Test, this is a DOS application that runs from a Boot Floppy or a Bootable CD.

You cannot use Windows to test the drive.

If you do a Google search for ibm drive fitness test 4.05.

This simple program will allow you to test an IDE or SCSI hard drive, you cannot test :-

SerialATA (SATA) hard drives
CD Roms or Writers
DVD Rom or Writers
Flopticals
ZIP drives.

If you test fails then it is almost a certainty that the drive is faulty.

However, you should unplug a faulty drive and test it with another hard drive just in case one of the following components are faulty :-

Power Supply
Power Supply's Molex that plugs into the rear of drive
IDE Cable
Motherboard Controller
Floppy drive controllers (can affect IDE for hard drives)

If the replacement drive passes reconnect the old drive and re-test just in case there was a loose connector.

If it still fails then it needs replacing.

Do not throw it away as you may still be able to read some or all of the data when you plug it into the PC as a secondary hard drive.

If you have any further questions then please visit oureBay shop: Highridge Computers Ltd.

Please don't feed your cat Chocolate!

"Where's the harm? My cat seems to enjoy chocolate and it's onlya small piece."

Just because certain foods, such as chocolate, are enjoyed by us humans and are perfectly safe for us, it does not mean they are suitable for cats. Chocolate contains chemicals which rarely cause problems for humans, but for cats and other domestic pets, these chemicals can, in rare cases, be deadly.

One problem is that cats in general find chocolate very tasty and so, it is important not to feed it to them, otherwise they will eat what you give them up to the point where it poisons them.

Chocolate contains the compound theobromine which is a diuretic as well as a cardiac stimulant. This can cause the pet's heart rate to increase or it may cause the heart to beat irregularly, both of which can be dangerous to the animal. The level of theobromine present in chocolate varies depending on the type of chocolate. For example, dark chocolate contains higher levels than milk chocolate and so could pose a greater risk to your pet.

There are many problems that can result from feeding a cat chocolate. Chocolate is relatively high in calories so it can contribute to the development of obesity in your cat. A cat can lose its appetite for it's normal food if it eats chocolate. The largest problem isthough the fact that chocolate contains the chemical theobromine as mentioned above. If this chemical builds up in the cats system, it can be potentially lethal, and one reason for this is that cats cannot clear theobromine from their bodies as quickly as people can.

Many cat owners would simply expect their pet to develop an upsetstomach after eating a large amount of chocolate but few realize its lethal potential.

Further problems which can arise from chocolate poisoning are Diuresis (increased urine production), diarrhea, lethargy, vomiting,depression, and muscle tremors. These are signs which must be recognized by any cat owner so that the cat is not fed too muchchocolate.

Treatment for chocolate poisoning in its advanced stage can be very unpleasant for both the cat and the owner of the cat, so it is much better to be safe and to cut down chocolate consumption of your cat to a minimum. If you do have worries that your cat has consumed large quantities of human chocolate it would be wise to consult your vet - pronto. Spotting the symptoms early on can be very beneficial and can give the cat a much better chance of surviving any poisoning which may have occurred.

If you wish to feed your cat chocolate, there are alternate "chocolate" treats for cats which are produced by some pet food manufacturers. They will either use a vegetable substitute made to taste and look like chocolate, or they will take out the theobromine, or use greatly reduced, safe levels in the chocolate treats they produce. While a very small amount of chocolate may not be harmful to some cats, it is always safest to avoid giving any to them at all.

Our Venison Chunx and Tripe Pieces are also suitable for cats.

A Guide to identifying FIRST EDITION LADYBIRD books

Wills and Hepworth did not have the collector in mind when publishing their books and as a result, many first editions are difficult to identify. Many booksellers and new collectors to Ladybird believe that if a book states 'First published 19xx' and has no other date, then it will be a first edition, but this couldn't be further from the truth.

Check the dustwrapper flap or catalogue listAll Ladybird books prior to 1965 were published with dust-wrappers and usually had a list of titles from the series on the rear flap. A true first edition will always be the last title listed or in a few books, it may not even be on the list at all. If your title is the last on the list, then it MAY be a first edition, but there are other points to check first. If the title appears in the middle of the list, then it is definately not a first edition.If your book is missing it's dustwrapper, you can check the catalogue at the back of the book. Up until 1955, most ladybird books were published with 56 pages rather than the standard 52, and one of these pages would sometimes be used to advertise other books (not necessarily from the same series). From this list of books, you will be able to date the last titles listed in each series and this usually gives an approximation of the date to within a year.

Dated EditionsSome early editions were produced with dates and edition numbers. This information was always found on the reverse side of the front flyleaf.Books published in 1940 and 1941 tend not to have any dates on their first editions, these were from series 401, 413 and 417. However later editions up to 1955 would often have the date and edition printed.

Copies fromthe late1970'shave a date printed inside the bottom of the first page in roman numerals.

Tally numbersBetween 1963 and 1974, some Ladybird books have a 'tally number' printed somewhere on the book, usually found on the back flap of the dustwrapper or on a matt edition can be located at the bottom of the back board. The tally number indicates the approximate number of titles published so far by Ladybird.100 = 1963 and 1964120-140 = 1965150-170 = 1966190-200 = 1967 and 1968210-225 = 1968230-260 = 1969270-280 = 1970 and 1971300 = 1972320-340 = 1973350-370 = 1974

Spine text directionAnother indication of age can be determined by looking at the direction of the text on a book spine and it's dustwrapper. All spine titles ran from bottom to top until 1959, after which Wills

Removing the Wig from an Antique Bisque Head Doll

You often need to remove either the entire wig (for packing the doll or to get access to the eyes) or just part of it (to check for markings underneath) this guide advises how to do it without causing damage to either the doll or the wig.

WARNING: Do NOT pull the wig from the head; you could tear the wig and pull chunks from the head. This guide is for bisque or china head dolls it is not suitable for composition heads.

You might try to gently lift the hair from the head, say, just above the ear; grasp the hair closely between finger and thumb as near to the head as you can and see if the hair lifts from the head. Sometimes the glue loses its stick and comes away completely without effort. If you can lift the hair away from the head, try to do the same with an adjoinng piece of wig and move carefully around the head lifting eventually as much as possible. Do not use any effort if it is stuck, keep reading.

The original glue used to hold the wig on is water soluble, so the best way to release the hair is as follows (do NOT dunk the head in water), use a sheet or two of wet kitchen roll folded into a sausage wetter than moist but not dripping lay the doll face down on a towel and gently move the hair up and away from the head, starting at the neck, place the kitchen roll on the join and leave for 10 15 minutes, the glue should be softening now and you might be able to gently pull the hair away from the head a little way (if not ready, leave a bit longer), once the soft glue has been parted from the head, lay the kitchen roll back on the join and leave again. Continue to do this until you have managed to part as much hair from the head as required. The aim is to wet the glue but not the hair and certainly do not get any water onto the body if composition.

If the glue is not original but more modern, you will need to try and identify what will dissolve it; you might need acetone (nail varnish remover but not acetone free) or some other solvent. You can try by putting a small amunt on a cotton bud and trying a tiny area first be careful, if the wig is synthetic you may dissolve or damage it, note also that the solvent might dissolve the glue holding the cotton to the stick. When you find a solvent that works you will need to work your way around the head and upwards bit by bit, gradully pulling the hair from the head as you dissolve the glue, until you have as much free as you need. The solvent will probably work quite quickly so you should only do a small area at a time and be prepared not to leave it but carry on until finished.

I hope this has helped if you need more advise please contact me and I will try to help.

BEWARE OF FAKE AUTOGRAPHED GOODS

Fakes Fraudsters Scams Scammers Con Artists Conmen Ebay Scams Beware Guide on Sports Memorabilia Football Shirts Signed photos handsigned memorabilia

Autographs avoid being duped by forgeries and fake signed handsigned sportsfootball memorabilia

UK eBay's first ever Sports Memorabilia Autograph Guide by 4D Sports

Don't buy a fake autograph on eBay - Do your research first before placing a bid - Do not bid on items that have private bidding id - Don't bid on sellers with Private feedback - Be careful - Look for providence where item was supposely signed - was it in-person - by post - purchased third party - Check sellers history - See what other items have been sold in feedback - check examples of autograph - do your research first - everything is not as it may seem - be cautious - who issues the COA - does the Certificate of Authenticy have sellers contact name and address details printed on the certificate

As an example we have only seen only 5 to 6 genuine Thierry Henry handsigned items in the past 12 months listed on eBay. And these items went for far less than the signed name numbered shirts you see all the while on eBay. Points to avoid.We use this guide purley based as a free help guide - we will not comment on other items for sale or items purchased. We will not authenticate items orprovide valuations on items - guide is intended as information assisting in and protecting the Sports Memorabilia and particularly autographed Sports Memorabilia hobby and a guidance for new collectors. This is also the first autograph guide on sports autographs on ebay and also we are the first to offer a guide on matchworn football shirts on ebay please feel free to check our guides id numbers to verify that this is true. Vote YES if guide was helpful more votes the more other ebayers will see.

Is your Sports autograph REAL or is it a FAKE.

When looking to make a purchase on a autographed item several factors should be taken into consideration. Please note all images on this guide are fake signed memorabilia.

Firstly - the authenticy of item, you will see many many autographs for sale of your favourite sporting legend, sports personality etc Ebay is a great place to buy and is quickly becoming the major web search engine catching up with Google and Yahoo. More and more people are buying from ebay instead of purchasing from the internet.Ebay is unfortunately flooded with mass amounts of fake autographs offered for sale from various sellers. If you are new to hobby you should be very wary of who you buy from and firstly do some research into autographs otherwise you may buy a worthless fake. See picture below of a fake signed Pele, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Rivaldo Brazil shirt look at how similar the handwriting is on shirt all the same consistent style. Image isn't great but this was taken from an ebay auction on UK site fetched over 200 and isn't worth anything at all even the shirt is worthless as unfortunately the autographs are forgeries.

The football boot is signed by David Beckham at a buy it now price of only 45 amazing as a undedicated card signed by Beckham would be valued at 40 - 60. Look at how perfect Beckham's signature is did he sign this? Of course not if he did you would expect item to fetch 150 plus also Beckham is under contract with Adidas and this boot is made by Umbro - you could say he wears an England Umbro shirt but hardly likely you would get a signature like this on a cheap Umbro boot.

Always ask questions if you are not 100% confident in placing a bid or using Buy It Now. Remember the seller should be proving the authenticy NOT you, if they avoid questions or can't state where/when its was signed this is no good would you buy a second hand car from them - certainly not -the salesoley relies on honesty from seller!! Look at price - look at what other items are for sale - look at previous sales - avoid sellers offering all the big names and in vast quantities. Sellers may say it was purchased from UACC registered dealer if so they should give you the name ofdealer and also their membership number this can be checked on UACC website. The UACC has several UK guys monitoring eBay at present, you can report suspicious members to the UACC, they are doing there very best to monitor its members. If somebody is saying they are a member they should be advertising there full name and UACC membership number and also they are not allowed to use private feedback or private bidders identity if they are report them to UACC. Check this first as alot of autograph sellers state they are registered dealers when in fact they are not. Some sellers are saying they are members and they are not even a member.

NEVER EVER buy an autograph based on a seller being a member of any autograph club/association this doesn't mean anything or in no way guarantees authenticy at all. It can be reliable to buy from registered dealers from a certain famous autograph club but that doesn't guarantee totalauthenticy aswell. There's only one real guarantee and that's to get autograph yourself only method of guaranteed authenticy you yourself will know its real as you were there when it was signed. There are alot of bogus sellers about ready to con you out of your hard earned money including con merchants who basically copy the original autograph onto a football shirt/card/boot/photo somebody who doesn't know sporting autographs is easy picking. NEVER EVER buy an autograph based on how great the seller is either i.e Silver Powerseller 100% feedback etc Autographs should mainly be purchased in our opinion on authenticy ONLY and providence helps support the authenticy. How reliable and honest the person/s are selling the autograph with back up support such as a contactable address and name if anything should go wrong. Its very awkward but research before hand is the key and we have probably made you very wary of buying an autograph on eBay - not all sellers are selling fakes - the one's who are reliable and honest are always happy to assist in any questions. Do your research first before buying an autograph check examples ask questions.

Purchasing autographs are totally about authenticy.Whatever Else !!

Avoid products we call Manufactured Memorabilia these are basically perfectly and expertly produced autographed items that are produced to target a market i.e Ryder Cup, Rugby World Cup, The Ashes etc An example is the England 5 Germany 1 limited edition signed shirts by Owen, Gerrard and Heskey all autographs on most of these shirts are fake and Eric Cantona Kung Fu kick photo's.

We have only seen a handful of genuine signed England Rugby World Cup shirts been sold on eBay its unbelievable how much travelling it takes and time to get a fully signed shirt world cup england rugby shirt. Several stars inc Johnny Wilkinson will not sign without a dedication - the forgers are now aware of this so are offering still multi signed shirts without Wilkinson's autograph so as to not raise any suspicions!!One other Sports Memorabilia dealer we would highly recommend for genuine Rugby autograph's and memorabilia are Legends International. They represent many stars from the finaland have excellent links with Leicester Tigers.

Several memorabilia companies do supply official memorabilia on behalf of stars so limited edition handsigned prints are produced and one well known company bigbluetube supply Wayne Rooney's official memorabilia these are the companies to use to guarantee you are getting an authentic item as they work closely with player's and player's agents. Unfortunately, Big Blue Tube have gone out of business now but A1 Sporting Speakers have acquired the company now, A1 is run by Terry Baker who is official memorabilia agent for quite a few of England 1966 World Cup winning squad. Terry is also a good person we would recommend for Pele and Diego Maradona as he organises signing sessions with these two football legends for many UK dealers.

Never take a sellers word treat it as if its a double glazing salesman don't be rude alwaysaskquestions if your unsure about something. Customers can be a pain but if the question is a reasonable one then most sellers will answer - most authentic sellers are happy to answer any queries as we have nothing to hide its only when you receive some silly questions!! Silly questions are like if you list item as being handsigned and somebody asks a question has this been signed - Yes that's why we say handsigned. Several pointers to look out for are definately proof, and definately providence, sellers feedback. NEVER BID ON PRIVATE BIDDERS ID or PRIVATE FEEDBACKavoid at all costs why is the need for seller to hid these details from potential customers - either the seller is secretly bidding which you can't see in history to up the price or has had some bad comments left by previous customers that question authenticy of item. Regarding autographs ask where it was signed, how was it signed, date, location, any pictures takenat time of signingand do you have any supporting evidence to support claim.Its always good to have history to go with autograph aswell. It is possible to obtain autographs from writing letters to players or via agents if it was obtained via post then no harm in saying so.Look at other examples of autograph that are being sold and compare - the genuine items are always more expensive with a high reserve as they simply are GENUINE that's why they are more expensive - a fake can be sold at no loss to seller as he/she can simply write another photo/shirt out!! Its amazing how many signed items by cat A stars are about Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Pele, Diego Maradona, Erc Cantona, George Best etc only a small percentage are infact real!!Never listen to nonsense reagarding I'm a Powerseller awarded by Ebay Silver level etc This is rather frustrating as this simply means that they have been awarded this status by ebay by how much money they have made from selling fake autographs!! Most of these sellers haven't even been to a football match never mind a training ground!! And couldn't tell you who was playing who at weekend!!

Certificate of Authenticy COA's, holograms, money back guarantee are all great but will the seller be contactable afterseveral years when you find its a forgery or even afterseveral months!! We agree with Certificates being issued as all the sellers personal details should be on certificate so acts as a receipt for item always keep the certificate. If you find out its a fake latter on then you have all the details regarding the sale and supporting evidence of item. Majority of honest/reliable/genuine sellers are facing a constant battle against fakes/forgery's being sold as they always offer signed photographs, limited edition signed shirts, signed captains armbands, trust our word if you offered a football boot to be signed by Thierry Henry he would mumour something in French and stroll off!! If he DID sign it would be very unlikely he would just scribble he would ask for your name - a majority of top sports stars will not sign without dedicating THAT IS A FACT - Mr David Beckham is impossible to obtain un-dedicated now aswell as Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Jonny Wilkinson.We recently attended a location in West Midlands where football legend Eric Cantona was present we offered several Kung Fu kick photographs for signing by Eric and Eric Cantona looked at items he started talking to his brother Joel and said "No" - we latter learned that Eric does not want any memory of that incident and is still embarrassed. We can confirm this is true and will not give out location/date as this will be used by rogue sellers to sell Cantona items. A few autograph collectors we know from St Andrews, Villa Park, NECwere present and can confirm this one of these collectors is also a seller on eBay. Due to amount of money that is being made from sports memorabilia market this is where fakes/forgeries are being sold its the same as within music area. Englands recent success in cricket is another area to be targetted. England won the Ashes and within24 hours a HANDSIGNED Freddie Flintoff Ashes photo from final test appeared on Ebay not one but from 5 different sellers. No location or supporting evidence was provided if you took a photo of Freddie signing it would sell for 300 instead of 100 so its worth getting a photo took also these sellers have 10-20 in stock all the while this is the same for Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Pele, Diego Maradona even Bobby Moore have been targeted. This also happened when England won the Rugby World imagine all the fakes if England won the world cup again! If you want to collect 1966 World Cup signed autographs best advice is to ONLY buy with picture proof being shown or come to Sporting Memorabilia at the NEC in Birmingham, its an autograph show where a majority of 1966 team appear it will cost you entry fee and also a charge of usually 10 but you can collect all autographs IN PERSON and meet your heroes in the flesh.

See our other guide page on - What to watch out for when purchased matchworn player issue football shirts this is another area unfortunately targeted by fakes same as fake replica football shirts.

When you have been collecting for a while you will see who the genuine sellers are from the dodgy one's just by looking at autograph alone. It takes years and years of collecting, knowledge to attain a vast knowledge of autographs you know which stars are hard signers i.e Alot of cat A stars will not sign anything un-dedicated without asking for your name. We are still learning like other sellers all the while no one seller/person is an absolute expert on autographs its impossible to attain every single knowledge on every autograph - can you imagine how many autographs there are!!!!

We have been rudely ignored several times by Thierry Henry and David Beckham they know you are selling for profit so avoid you at all costs. You may be lucky to get something signed but not 20 or even 3 items at a time by cat A players. If you do you are very very lucky or have a regular team obtaining autographs all the time. Dodgy sellers all have the same style handwriting so its easy to spot a dodgy seller as MULTI SIGNED shirts all have a similar style of handwriting. Look at one shirt by a certain team then look at another team ask for close up scans to be sent if Ebay picture is too small and not very clear.You can spot these by simply looking at auction always have multi signed Chelsea, Arsenal, England, Man Utd, Brazil, Pele, Maradona, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Signed legends shirts by Eric Cantona, George Best. You are lucky if you ever got one of these in a lifetime of collecting in-person and we never see lots of pictures of players signing these shirts supplied by sellers no dates/ no location nothing.

Look for sellers of sports autographs who hold private signings and show you lots of proof ofcelebrity signing aswell as date and locationor offer alot of PICTURE PROOF and VIDEO PROOF but not same proof all the while sellers will place text over signing pictures to stop rogue sellers using as authenticy for passing of to sell their fake items. Ask questions - don't be shy - if you don't get any replies - simple don't bid - ask before bidding. Avoid fly by night sellers on ebay these are new sellers that are selling all big names and have hotmail/yahoo/msn emails these are email accounts are that are mobile whereas a email such as btinternet/tiscali/wannadoo are fixed email address registered within UK. These are trackable to person.

Unfortunately, Ebay are not specialised in this area to know who is breaching criminal law. It is up to you the general public to report these people to local trading standards office who will conduct a report to the police. Provide all relevant details with ebay auction, name, address, item number, cost etc and your reason why it is a fake. Trading Standards are really jumping on fake autographs at present and recent media has shown several high profile cases involving ebay sellers supplying fake autographed sporting memorabilia. Do your bit - report these people - destroying a beautiful hobby - it will send a warning to others - they are quite simply criminals

Be Careful - Be Vigilant - Avoid Private Bidders sellers - Avoid Private Feedbacksellers - Avoid sellers with all the big stars multi signed.

Enjoy the hobby of collecting autographs

Ihope this has helped you, if you found this guide helpful please click the yes link below, best wishes jamedirvine1954

HOW TO SPOT FAKE RAPALA LURES

Hi my name is stewyshaw and I have had years ogf experience buying and selling RAPALA lures. I will only sell RAPALA and STORM lures [made by the same company] as I consider them to be the best quality lures available.

HOWEVER I have noticed recently several sellers selling lures which thay claim are genuine RAPALA lures but they are in fact cheap imitations.

You can spot these fakes by

1 They come in a plastic box [genuine rapalas always come in a cardboard box with a plastic lid]

2 These lures do not have "RAPALA" stamped on them [genuine lures have it stamped on the body or diving lip].

3 The colours of these fakes are usually gaudy and glittery and are given as numbers eg colour No32 [ genuine rapalas give the actual colour eg firetiger or silver shown as a code on the box eg F-9 S means the lure is a floating, 9cm, silver lure].

4 Fake lures have no names on the box[genuine rapalas have descriptive names eg floating minnow ,or super shad, or jointed minnow etc]

5 The fake lures have no description of the lure on the box [genuine rapala lures have the weight, swimming depth and length of the lure.

6 The fake lures often have the two treble hooks tied together with an elastic band [genuine rapalas do not]

7 The hooks are weak and poorly made [genuine RAPALA hooks are super strong and needle sharp]

8 If you are unsure contact the buyer and ask him to confirm that these ARE genuine RAPALA lures if they appears vague eg saying "I bought them in good faith " or "As far as I know they are" just WALK AWAY

9 These fake lures are often sold cheaply in lots of between 5 and 100 with a vague description and either a cheap starting price or a bargain buy it now price. REMEMBER IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE , IT PROBABLY IS!!!

GUIDE TO GOLF GPS - Skycaddie

SKYCADDIE PURCHASED FROM THE USA DO NOT CARRY ANY WARRANTY IN THE UK. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY SKYCADDIE. PLEASE USE A UK RETAILER AND BE CAREFUL WHERE YOUR SKYCADDIE ORIGINATED FROM. ALL SKYCADDIES CAN BE TRACED WITH THEIR SERIAL NUMBERS!!

PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT SKYCADDIES FROM THE USA MAY COME WITH A NON UK CHARGER AND ALSO MAYBE STOPPED AT CUSTOMS AND TEREFORE IMPORT DUTIES WILL BE PAYABLE!!

Golf GPS is one of the fastest growing buzz golf items of 2008. With the PGA now letting Professionals use them in PGA events for 2008 onwards most Golf Clubs are following suit and allowing them for competition golf.

What does a GPS Golf Unit do? It acturately measures your distance from an intended target by the way of satellite navigation. Most Golf Courses in the UK have now been mapped or are in the process of being mapped. Skycaddie currrently has one of the largest databases of UK Golf Courses and also probably the largest amount Worldwide. It has been oficially reported that the use of range finding equipment such as Golf GPS speeds up play and can reduce the duration of a round of golf.

For more information please go to www.skycaddie.co.uk

BUYING A SKYCADDIE

We are official retailers for Skycaddie and also PGA Professionals. Any questions that you have regarding Skycaddie or their products please feel free to get in touch. Skycaddie are the leading Golf GPS specialists.When buying a Skycaddie please make sure you purchase your item from the UK and from an authorised retailer. The main reason for this is that if you encounter any problems it will make your aftersales experience a pleasent one. Please also be aware that Skycaddie units will require a subscription paid direct to Skycaddie UK via the internet. This subscription covers any software updates and also unlimited downloads of golf courses. The pricing structure for this in the UK is as follows

Birdie Membership - 29.95 Per Year - Unlimited Course Downloads in UK

Eagle Membership - 34.95 Per Year - Unlimited Courses Downloads in Europe and Africa

Double Eagle Membership - 39.95 Per Year - Unlimited Courses Downloads Worldwide

On all of the Skycaddie handsets available you will be able to store 10 courses at any one time. Battery life of handsets will stretch to 36 holes of continuous play. If you are unsure whether your course will allow rangefinding equipment in competitions please ask your competition secretary. During 2008 it is believed that most golf clubs will follow the stance of the Professional Golfers Association.

For any further information or help please just contact us - 01332 518662, 07809 390392

PAYPAL SCAM THAT GOT MY ACCOUNT CLOSED.

JUST A WARNING TO SELLERS TO BEWARE WHEN ACCEPTING PAYMENTS THROUGH PAYPAL I SOLD A TOMTOM TO A CRAFTY CON MERCHANT BACK LAST NOVEMBER WHEN SHE PAID INTO PAYPAL THEN SHE SAID IT WAS FAULTY WHICH IT WAS NOT WHICH I COULD PROVE THIS WELL PAYPAL REFUNDED ALL HER MONEY BACK TO HER AFTER SHE SAID IT WAS FAULTY EVEN THOUGH I SENT THEM ALL THE PROOF THAT IT WAS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER SHE STILL GOT HER MONEY AND SHE SENT ME BACK A FAULTY TOMTOM BACK TO ME WHICH HAD NO CHARGER AND SHE HAD BLEW THE CARD IN IT ASWELL WELL BECAUSE I REFUSED TO GIVE HER AN EXTRA 20 PAYPAL PUT MY ACCOUNT ON HOLD INTILL I PAID HER WELL I NEVER PAYED HER AND THIS WAS DUE TO HER SCAMING ME ALREADY AND SINCE THAT UNTILL I PAY HER THE 20 THEY WILL NOT REOPEN MY ACCOUNT SO NOW I DONT ACCEPT PAYPAL ONLY POSTAL ORDERS UNCROSSED AND THIS IS BECAUSE YOU CANT GET SCAMMED LIKE YOU CAN WITH PAYPAL SO IF YOU DONT WANT TO GET SCAMMED JUST ACCEPT PERSONAL CHEQUES OR P.O I HOPE THIS HELPS AND JUST BECAREFULL I FIND P.O IS THE BEST WAY TO SELL ON EBAYSCREW PAYPAL ITS JUST FOR THE BUYER THE SELLER HAS NO RIGHTS AT ALL EVEN THOUGH WE THE SELLER KEEPS THEM IN BUSINESS BUT NEVER MIND I LEARNED THE HARD WAY AND I DONT WANT GENUINE MEMBERS TO GET SCAMMED LIKE ME.

TIPS ON BEING A GOOD SELLER ON EBAY!!!!

As a seller your top priority are your customers!!!. If you treat any potential/actual customers with respect and courtesy then you are 99% ishthere in terms of making a sale. Always answer emails promptly, and remember to be polite and welcoming!!!

Only sell quality goods and DO NOT LIE about any aspect of the item you are selling for example:

1. If the item is used then clearly state this!!

2. When selling DVDs always state the REGION that the DVD belongs to i.e.

REGION 2. DVDS will onlyplay on all European/UK DVD players.

REGION 1. DVDS will only play on American/multi region DVD players.

Always include a picture of the item you are selling and do not use a stock photo. Buyers want to see your item as this helps in the decision making process.

When describing your item, be colourful and praising of it(within the boundaries of being truthful about the item itself) and make it sound appealing!!!!!!

ALWAYS LIST YOUR ITEM IN THE RIGHT SECTION OF EBAY!!!!.

Do not go overboard in terms of Jazzing uphow your item will look. EBAY offers a hostof additional extras thatwill cost you money, and for small/inexpensive items, it just isn't worth it, as it only takes away from your profit margains.

Always sell your item even if you feel that the price you got isnot what you wanted. Remember that all feedback is kept on EBAY and if you have a lot of NEGATIVE FEEDBACK then you simply will not be able to sell your items on EBAY.

I recommend that if your item is valuable then you set a fixed reserve price so that you can get the minimum that the item is worth. Remember to be relastic in your valuation as you will only put buyers off if you set the RESERVE PRICE to HIGH!!!!

Finally!! IF you have an area of expertise that you feel confident in writing on then please do so(in the form of an E-BOOK)as there are a lot of people who will gladly pay for expert advice on a whole range of topics. Please check out the E-BOOK section on EBAY and if you have 99p then purchase anyone of these E-BOOKSand you canjudge if your E-BOOK is up to the required standard!!!!

Finally I do recommend that you get a PAYPAL account as this is the best way to insure that you get paid for any items that you sell!!!!

GOOD LUCK SELLING!!!

I hope I have helped!!!

Regards.

John

LASTLY IF YOU HAVE FOUND THIS GUIDE HELPFUL PLEASE TICK THE REVIEW GUIDE BOX AT THE BOTTOM AS THIS HELPS MY OVERALL REVIEW RATING!!!

THANKS.

FREE SIM UNLOCK CODES! DO NOT BID ON UNLOCK LISTINGS!!

IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE TO UNLOCK YOUR MOBILE PHONE, SO DON'T BID ON ANY UNLOCK LISTING, SIMPLY READ THIS GUIDE

I've seen countless numbers of listings on eBay for unlock codes - absoute waste of your money - you can unlock your phone by reading the below guide, absolutely free!!

OK, first off - why unlock your phone?

Mobile operators tend to sell phones that are 'locked' to their network so as to keep you as a long term customer; hence the lower cost of handsets on up and coming network operators such as Virgin and Three. They want you to stick with them; fact is, one operator may be cheaper for a particular service, whilst another may be cheaper for a different service. This is why i use 2 or 3 different sim cards, to best utilise my unlocked handset (vodafone for talking, o2 for texting, orange for web browsing).

Step by Step - How to Unlock your phone

(example: Unlocking a nokia 6230)

1. Search in Google for free unlock and your handset / manufacturer. Try to look at calculators only, and don't be tempted to pay for any codes or call any premium rate lines!

2. After searching free nokia unlock, one of the sites is nokiafree.org. This is a great site fot tech support, unlocking services, reviews and much more. Here it takes me to a DCT4 calculator.

This is the software that is used to unlock your phone. Once you hit this page, it's pretty self explanatory, but for the purpose of the example, i'll continue with the steps.

3. Enter your IMEI number (press *#06# to display it), the network your phone's locked to, the model number, and then click 'GET NOKIA DCT4 CODES!'. Then just follow the final steps on the screen ( by entering the code into your handset), and you're done!

How easy was that?

Thats all it takes! Just a few minutes, and you've got a phone that you can use with any network, as well as a phone that's probanly increased in value!

IT'S SUPER EASY TO DO, AND IS 100% FREE - SO WHY PAY?

PLEASE CLICK 'YES' AT THE BOTTOM IF THIS GUIDE WAS HELPFUL

THANKS

TurboLister - A Free tool from ebay for sellers.

Turbolister - Control your listings.

Once you start listing lots of items on ebay, you will find that listing each one by hand soon becomes a chore. Thankfully, ebay has a FREE tool that takes most of the pain out of listing bulk auctions (or even just the odd one or two).

Turbolister is a windows program that runs on your computer, its available as a free download from ebay, Download Turblister here.

You have the choice of two installation methods, to install from the web, or to download the whole lot, and then install it. Which you choose is up to you, I prefer to download the whole lot, so I have a copy on my pc in case I ever need to reinstall or copy it to another computer that does not have a internet connection.

Installation is easy, no different from installing any other windows program really, just answer any questions asked during install, and let it do everything automatically for you.

What turbolister can do for you.

It may take a little time to get the most out of turbo lister, but considering the benefits it can give you, it is remarkably easy to use.

Selling preferences

You can set turbo lister up with all your favourite selling preferences, each time you create a item to list, they will be automatically filled in for you.

Even things such as your return policy, postage/shipping policy, sell to locations, payment methods etc can be set up so they always default to your own custom requirements.

Different settings can be applied for fixed price items, auction items and store items.

You can even have more than one "seller" using turbo lister, so you can set up an account for yourself, your partner, or anyone else that has a ebay ID in your house, and when they log into turbo lister, it will be customised exactly the way they like it.

Template Auctions

You can create a "template" auction listing, that you can save, and then later use as a basis for a real auction. This feature can save a lot of time when listing many similar items, just copy a template and alter the details that are different and you are done!

Saved Auctions ready to post anytime.

You can create as many auctions as you feel like, but NOT upload them to ebay until you are ready, this means you could prepare in advance hundreds of auctions, over a long period of time, and upload them all on a free listing day.

Or you can get your auctions ready at your own leisure and upload them quicky whenever you feel the time is right to list. They are all ready, waiting and the upload to ebay process is easy.

Fees shown in advance

Before you upload the items you can ask turbo lister to show you how much it would cost you in fees, this gives you the opportunity to add or remove and optional listing features until you match the amount you wish to spend on listing fees.

Auction preview

You can preview what your auctions will look like, without uploading them to ebay, so you can tweak your listing until you get the spot on.

Easy auction creation

With the ability to switch between wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) editing, and html editing you can easily create better looking auctions. Turbo lister also comes with a great set of templates that can enhance your listings. You can switch to a preview tab at any time to see the final result.

As this is all done on your computer, and is not reliant on pages loading from the internet, you will find creating auctionsa much more enjoyable, speedier process.

No more page not foundmessages after spending ages creating a auction, no waiting for pages to refresh, its all nice and fast.

Adding pictures toyour auction is easy,in fact the entire process of listing iseased with this tool.

Other features

You can backup your work, even import or export the data so you have more control over your listings this way.

Is it worth the cost?

Well, it is FREE so yes, it is!

Seriously though, turbo lister is well worth the download, the improved editing facilities, better control over settings, preview, and batch upload facilities are well worth the time taken to install and learn the package.

If you are serious about listing, or even just an occasional lister of items, this is well worth a download. Certainly a must if you list many items, and you dont already have some means of automating the process.

Download Turblister here.

Cheap Mattresses

I have noticed a huge number of cheap budget mattresses on ebay recently, and I should point out that although beds and mattresses are far cheaper through ebay than they are in the shops, there are some things to look out for to make sure you don't end up with some cheap and nasty mattress that your dog wouldn't sleep on:

Have a look at the photo of the mattress, if it looks like it doesn't have much quilting, then it probably doesn't, and you may feel the springs. If it looks like thiswith a flat topthat doesn't stand proud of the beading at the edge, then it has very little quilting.However if a cheap mattress looks like this one with obvious quilting standing proud of the edge beading, then it is a far better quality mattress.The price difference between two mattresses like these can be as little as 10, but it is well worth it.
Following on from what I have said above, you should take a good look at the other mattresses from the same seller. If they use the same photo for a few different models then ask questions. Or if the photo looks like the one below, but it is a very cheap price, then be suspicious.
Another thing to watch out for is the fabric. Cheaper quality mattresses tend to be covered in stitchbond, which is a low cost woven polyester which usually comes in quite bold colours, or chequered patterns like the two photos near the top of the page. Even if these mattresses look to be deep quilted, they tend to be made to a lower standard, as the stitchbond is used to keep production costs down. Higher quality mattresses as a general rule tend to be covered in either a damask (which has a satin look to it), or one of the new 4 way stretch materials used with memory foam mattresses.
Also as I have mentioned in another guide, there are a few sellers on ebay selling fake memory foam mattresses. If you find a memory foam mattress that looks very cheap, then just ask me, and I will give you my honest opinion.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU FIND THIS GUIDE HELPFUL OR NOT.

XBOX 360 3 RED LIGHTS - FIX THIS PROBLEM!!

Firstly, on eBay there have been many e-books on how to fix this problem your self - DON'T DO IT!! These involve removing the casing and having a go with a soldering iron. This is just stupid. It will invalidate your warranty and probably won't be a perminant solution - a friend of mine paid 5.99 for the inforamtion, it worked for TWO DAYS thenthe same problem cropped up.

MICROSOFT will fix this problem for you FOR FREE IN OR OUT OF WARRANTY. Ok, if it's out of warranty you THEY WILL ONLY DO IT FOR FREE IF IT'S LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD, if older you have to pay the shipping via UPS, but at least the work is then under warranty and WILL work.

EVEN IF YOU BROUGHT YOUR XBOX 360 SECOND HAND, IT MAY STILL BE UNDER WARRANTY, OR LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD FOR A FREE FIX!!!

My experience:

My xbox 360 got the three red lights, not always, but it became very regular. I logged on towww. xbox . com/ support(REMOVE SPACES - EBAY WON'T LET YOU ADD LINKS TO ADDRESSES WHICH AREN'T THEIRS!)

You enter your serial number, and you are told if it is still under warranty. Don't panic if it's not, they will still fix it, you just have to pay for the shipping.

Mine was, so I added my details and booked a repair. UPS then send you a shipping label, and you log on to their webite via a provided link and book collection. UPS collect your xbox, and you track it via their website to Germany.

My xbox 360 arrived two days after it was collected at 0535 in the morning. I then received an e-mail at 1032 the same day to say it had been repaired and had been shipped back to me.

My xbox 360 was repaired and back to me within 1 week! microsoft know the xbox 360 has this problem, which is why they are bening over backwards to help their customers out.

Postage cost's and making profit.

Hi again..

firstly...why do a lot of sellers think they can make a few extra quid out of postage ??

somthing very lightweight sent second class for less than 50p, auction states 1st class 2.50..

nice profit..

you see it everywhere, in CB radios, the average CB will cost around 8 to post, so why charge 10 or more ??

i know there's packing involved, but the ammount of used boxes i've received, and re-used jiffy bags..!!

i do it, i recycle, but then again i only charge postage cost's..not actual, but a very close estimate..

and never to make more than a couple of pence either..

if your unsure on an item, maybe it's big and heavy, try royalmail dot com look under standard parcels, they are cheaper than you think with upto 20kg being around 12..!!!

makes me laugh....

how about the sellers with an item at 1p start and 35.99 postage..!!!! you think you get a bargain untill you pay, then realise you've just paid high street prce !!! or the less obvious, but the postage is the items cost price, so the seller never loses out, even if it sells at 1p, he gets back his cost price..

come on after all it's an auction, if you want to make money start the price higher..don't put i ton the postage it's wrong and ebay should stamp it out..

try and recycle where you can, boxes and jiffy bags are cheap enough but to make the buyer want your items charge less on postage..

i know it really gets my back up when i pay waht i think is reasonable on postage to find it's been sent second class, and in a re-used package and the actual cost was maybe a 1/4 of what i paid..

i know this seems like a moan, and maybe it is, but after all honesty is the best policy, and it's FREE..

if you set out to rip people off with postage cost's, you will upset people and get bad feedback, non of which we want..eBay is fun and can be quite profiting, so lets not let greed get to use..!!

FEEDBACK NO LONGER HELPFUL - DON'T GET CAUGHT OFF GUARD

WELCOME

This is just a quick guide to raise a very important issue - which i hope contains some helpful information (Please click YES at the bottom of the page if you do find it helpful).

The basis of the feedback system is to provide buyers and sellers with a fair and true view of a buyer / seller's performance on eBay. It helps buyers in particular decide whether to purchase from a particular seller or not.

However, this indication may no longer be helpful. Whilst idly searching the web, i came accross a company, which caters for eBay's crooks. There is a company, that actually creates and sells accounts to people who have previously been banned on eBay! I couldn't believe my eyes!

The company charges for this service, and sets people (most of which have previous account suspensions) up with new accounts. One of their services is to provide feedback on that account. You can also pay extra for an older account. These two factors help most buyers determine the legitimacy of a seller, yet sellers can now purchase this using PayPal, straight off the internet!

As a long term seller on eBay, i find it quite outrageous that people long term hard work and success can be bought by a simple click of a button. However, an even more problematic issue is that buyers who think they are buying from a 1,000 UK seller who has been registered for 3 years, could actually be buying from an ex-crook of ebay!

The company offers many other services, all of which are aimed at getting previous sellers who have been banned on eBay, back on there, to start selling. According to the site, eBay lost a case against them, as they had done nothing illegal.

I'm sure most readers will agree with me the serious problem sites like this create, especially if they're actually allowed, and eBay can do nothing to stop them!

This is the part where you'd look for a solution to the above mentioned problem.Unfortunately, i just don't have one. Just like everyone else, i look at the feedback score and date of registration as a key factor when purchasing.

All i can suggest is perhaps to thoroughly read all comments on their profile, ask questions if you're not in a rush, and always use PayPal (preferably when there's a buyer protection scheme available on the listing). MOST IMPORTANT, DON'T RUSH - TAKE YOUR TIME AND STUDY THE SELLER AND LISTING.

Hope you've found this guide interesting and helpful. Please click 'YES' at the bottom if you did so.

If there's anything vital you think i've missed out, i'd be glad to edit the guide, so just drop me a line.

SYBIL - NEW RELEASE

NEW RELEASE

Hi. I have done this guide to all, who like me are desperate to see Sybil again or like my daughter, wanting to watch it as she is studying psychology.

Though after seeing the stupid prices that old or copied videos were going for, I did a search on a certain well known book website, not the UK one, as it isn't listed on there. It is listed as an up and coming release on the American site.

It's actual release date is: July 18, 2006 and it's a 30'th anniversary 2 disk special edition!

This has got to be the best film that Sally Field has ever been in. Her acting is top notch and you cannot fault her performance. Also stars Joanne Woodward as Dr Cornelia Wilbur.

It is the true story of Sybil Dorsett who after being abused as a child, ends up as an adult with at least 16 personalities.

If you struggle to find it, please contact me and I will send you the direct link (I've already been "told off" by ebay for apparently breaking rules. Hopefully this time I'm not)

PLEASE NOTE This is from America so make sure your DVD player is multi region before buying.

19thggg

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

BUYING A CLASSIC CAMERA - WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW

Beautiful Cameras.

A
classic camera should bring you pleasure - not frustration and
unexpected cost. There are some beautiful cameras for sale on ebay -
but there are some real lemons too!

How can you tell the difference?

Unfortunately, you can't examine an ebay camera first hand - so you have to do the next best thing.

Ask the seller questions!


It's your money! Spend it wisely!

Which questions should you ask?

This guide is aimed at people bidding for classic 35mm SLRs. But the same principles apply to almost all cameras.

Q-1. IS THERE ANY STRUCTURAL DAMAGE?

Unless the listing has close-up photos of the camera from all angles you should ask the seller for details of any damage. Dings,
dents, and cracks in the body are signs that the camera has been
dropped - and a dropped camera could have internal damage which renders
it beyond repair.Walk away from any camera with structural damage.

Brassing (areas where
the paint has rubbed through) and minor scratches in the paint are not
necessarily signs of a bad camera. But they do give a clue as to how
well the camera has been treated. Classic cameras do not respond well
to neglect.

If the seller tells you that the camera has no damage - and you find a crack in the body, you have grounds to demand a refund.

Q-2. DOES EVERYTHING WORK?

Are all the knobs and
dials in place? Are any of them broken? Do they work smoothly? Has the
seller checked them? If there are parts missing ask the seller why. If
he tells you it's a minor repair - and that it will be easy to fix -
walk away! If it was easy - he would have done it himself!

Classic camera parts are hard to find - and often expensive!

Q-3. HOW NEW ARE THE LIGHT-SEALS?

Almost every camera
over ten-years-old will need new light-seals (see my other guides for
more info on light seals). If you buy a camera with its original seals,
you will have to have them replaced - at a cost of at least 30.00. If
the seller doesn't know how to inspect the light-seals, refer him to my
guide. If he is a so-called professional seller - he should already
know!

Q-4 HAS THE CAMERA BEEN TESTED WITH A FILM?

The best
way to test a camera is to take pictures with it! This may sound
obvious - but countless cameras are sold on ebay untested. A classic
camera may look great - but if it doesn't work, it's just a classic
ornament! If the seller has not put at least one film through the
camera, ask if he will allow you an inspection period (in writing) to
test the camera properly. A week should be enough for you to take some
pics and see the results.

Unless you are buying spares or repair - never buy from a "No returns" seller! That way lies frustration and madness!

Q-5 DOES THIS CAMERA SUFFER FROM...

In order
to finish this question, you will need to have some understanding of
"known problems". The good thing about classic cameras is that they
have been around for a long time and most of their strengths and
weaknesses are known.

In some of
my other guides(coming soon!) I will be writing about the "known
problems" with specific cameras. I will also write about the
strengths of specific cameras, and hopefully help you to make a more
informed choice.

In the
mean time, feel free to contact me via ebay messages if you have any
questions. I will do my best to answer them, or to point you in the
direction of someone who can.

For guaranteed, beautiful classic cameras - please visit my ebay shop
Beautiful Cameras

Marks

Fake M

Birthstones Chart from Harris Michael Jewelry

Birthstones from Harris Michael Jewelry: A thoughtful way to show your family they are loved.January:GarnetNearly everyone thinks of garnet as a red gem, but in fact this family of gemstones is available in all colors except blue. Garnets offer enough variety in appearance to suit every taste.February:AmethystAmethyst is a variety of quartz, ideally deep medium purple with rose-colored flashes, however, itg ranges from pale lilac to nearly black purple.March: Aquamarine The ideal color of aquamarine is a refreshing sea blue. If you are looking for a big, durable gemstone, aqua is readily available in larger sizes and is truly dramatic when cut in regular or oval shapes.April:DiamondEven though the diamond is the hardest gemstone known to man, it is the simplest in composition: it is common carbon. The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth.May:EmeraldThe emerald is known as the Queen of Gems, and the Gem of Queens. The most prized is pure green or slightly bluish green. Emeralds are often characterized by a garden of included crystals trapped within them.June:PearlA pearl is the product of an oyster's defense mechanism: when a foreign irritant is introduced naturally or by man (cultured), the oyster immediately surrounds it with layers of substance called nacre. This forms the exquisite gemstone known as pearl.July: RubyRubies were thought to contain a glowing spark struck from the planet Mars. Ancient lore held that the ruby was capable of curing illness and reconciling lovers' quarrels.August: PeridotPeridot is sometimes referred to as an Everning Emerald, because under artificial light the stone glows as a brilliant green. Choice peridot is transparent and its color varies from yellow green to brilliant light green.September: SapphireSapphire, a variety of corundum, comes in all colors except red, with the most popular being deep blue. Rare orange, pink, and lavender varieties, along with rich velvety blue, are the most expensive.October: OpalThere are more than a dozen varieties of fiery and iridescent opals. In fact, its trememdous color spectrum is the major reason for the opal's mysterious attractiveness. The most popular have a white body color with flashes of many colors.November: CitrineCitrine is a variety of quartz; colors range from pale yellow to yellowish-brown and Madeira red. The most popular fashion colors are the vivid yellows and oranges. It is often mistaken for yellow or golden topaz.December: Blue TopazMost people think of topaz as a transparent golden yellow gemstone. However, this gemstone also occurs colorless as well as orange-yellow, red, blue and pink. The name topaz is derived from the Greek word meaning to shine and also implies fire.

STAMP KILOWARE MIXTURES ( what you should beware of!!)

A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW

........................................................................................................................................................................................

Firstly, thank you for taking the trouble to look through my GUIDE.

As you will have noticed, in looking at all the other BEWARE GUIDES in relation to KILOWARE,

there are two opposing views that are quite evident,

when you look through the GUIDES, on this EBAY SITE,

as well as when you check the other countries' sites on EBAY, across the world.

THE SELLERS ....versus....... THE BUYERS.

...................................................................................................................................................................................

MY STORY: ( I will make this short and sweet!) I am a SELLER!

I decided to scan in 100% of the actual stamps that you will receive in my KILOWARE MIXTURES.

This allows the BUYERS to see the actual quality of the material that they are purchasing from me.

STARTING BID: usually 99p... The BUYERS can then dictate what the final selling price will be.

Most of my KILOWARE MIXTURES inform you, as to my estimate of the QUANTITY of stamps that you will receive.

No surprises!!!

In NOVEMBER 2008, I added FREE POSTAGE and HANDLING on my kiloware lots.

......................................................................................................................................................................................

RESULT:

To date all my KILOWARE MIXTURES have been sold.

Feedback Rating: 100%

LASTLY:

I have consolidated my guides and additional information is available on the EBAY site in the UNITED STATES.

If you have trouble finding the site or my GUIDE/REVIEW from the USA Ebay site, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Leo..............................................................................................................................................................................WAS THIS GUIDE HELPFUL? 95% of visitors will not tick the voting button at the BOTTOM.( But I am an eternal optomist)