SCAM ALERT!
Several people in the textile community have reported a new scam to watch out for.
Basically someone offers to purchase your item and sends you a "cashier's check".
This check includes money for someone to come by, pack, and ship your stuff.
The check is a forgery -- and good enough that your bank may not recognize it as such.
It turns out that the money sent is more than the actual shipping charge.
There are now two variations that can happen here:
a. the shipper asks for the difference to return to the purchaser
b. the 'buyer' asks that you send them a cashier's check with the difference.
And then you discover that the check is counterfit.
I'm trying to visualize a situation where I would give a refund to the shipping folks, but I'm just not seeing it. Being my mother's child, I'd also probably trundle the cashier's check off to the bank BEFORE I let anybody take anything. Certainly before I'd send a refund.
In any case, please use judgement. If you should be approached with some kind of offer like this, seriously consider calling the police. Or, if you received the 'check' through the mail, the Postal Authorities. And for heaven's sake, don't give out any personal information to folks online. Again, please use judgement.
I'll take this a step further. If someone approaches you with some offer that feels, well, a bit 'hinky', contact me before you do something that you might regret. This could be a person pulling the scam listed above -- or a seller offering a different item than was listed in the ad. We'll chat and see if my 'hinky' alert goes off.
Then we'll get back to my mother's effective threat of "do that and I'll make your life a misery." rbrock@prosaix.com
Also, cherrywood Ashford Elizabeth-style 17" dia. Spinning wheel by Steve May, West Bend, Wis., carders incl. Needs minor repair, $300. Mary, m.benek@worldnet.att.net, 650-342-4603.
Full-sized Toyota 787 machine with punch card reader, knit tracer (pattern reader), extra punch cards, numerous factory punch card sets, auto-motif feature, lace carriage, garter bar setup, ribber bed, extra cast-on bars, yardage roller, spare needles, weights, ribbing tools, stitch transfer tools, all manuals and instruction booklets. A great machine, but perhaps a little advanced for the first-time user.
This machine has served us well, but now, due to the demon Carpals', is excess to our needs. A great chance to gain a pro outfit with the bells and whistles for a fraction of replacement costs!
For Sale - $450.00
Contact Studio Gaustad for further details and info. Please, serious enquiries only. gaustad@jps.net.
We have used this guy for production weaving for the past 25 years - now, carpals, arthritis and a bad back have forced Amos the weaver into "less grand" projects. Zillions of rag rugs, hundreds of yards of homespun yardage, tartan, linsey-woolseys, pillows, table runners, placemat sets, and reproduction costume goods have rolled across the beams.
Originally set up for semi-auto weaving via fly shuttle/beater arrangement, this particular loom was built in 1940. Amos obtained it through a complex swap arrangement (involving a red leather love seat and a Marlin shotgun) in 1976, and wove with it in the stock configuration for several years. Finding it practical (for rag rugs) but limited in scope, he made a number of modifications, all of which were intended to make the loom more yardage-efficient. For example, the beater-operated shedding cams are now operated through a single treadle arrangement; the harness shedding set-up is far easier to operate; the fully adjustable beater is in overhead mode; the cloth beam takeup is vastly improved; warp tension is via weight box and a friction brake beam lock device.... and so on.
This particular Newcomb variation uses shedding cams - and by shifting and rotating the cams you may achieve all sorts of wierd treadle orders. Your 'tromping' sequence also allows for changes. We have the twill and the tabby cams, all in good order.
For someone who is serious about weaving rugs, saddle blankets, simple upholstry and the like, this is hard to beat. On the other hand, we will be the first to tell you that it is hard work, noisy, messy and is Not A Good Idea for the upstairs apartment dweller.
For Sale - $1250.00
Contact Studio Gaustad for further details and info. Please, serious enquiries only. gaustad@jps.net.