Over the last few days it has been brought to the attention of the members of the USFG list members that Fac-ette manufacturing is no longer manufacturing their line of faceting machines. I had been planning on the Gemmaster II as my next machine.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 10:08 am
Gold Member
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:14 pm Posts: 1383 Location: Royal Oak, Michigan US
ozymandias wrote:
thanks for the heads up. Has the factory folded or are they still manufacturing replacement parts?
Hi, even though they have chosen to no longer manufacture machines, they will continue to make parts available [as they continue to have stock]. But, I believe, but cannot say with certainty, they are no longer interested in creating parts.
I would hope that a representative from the company or a surrogate would comment officially.
If you are a Fac-Ette owner I would recommend reviewing your machine to determine which parts are most likely to wear out over time and acquire spares. Many of the parts are not expensive, and so I would consider it wise to be prepared for if/when you are in need.
Although I love my Fac-ettes, I've been disappointed in the company and the customer service for some time now.
I recommended to Fac-ette that they put together a parts kit and sell it as a single line item. That way it's easy to stock up, and we have a chance to maintain our machines going forward.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 2:06 am
Valued Contributor
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:21 am Posts: 187
WOW.... This is really shocking. After the amount of money that has been invested in these machines... Sickening really. I have always wanted to get a GMII, the price was so out of range for me though, I always planned on getting one... someday.
Well so much for that.
I guess I should be thankful that I have an Ultra-Tec.
RIP Fac-ette.
_________________ Maine Tourmaline! Second to none.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:42 am
Moderator: Lapidary Arts and Tools
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:41 pm Posts: 5534 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Quote:
Although I love my Fac-ettes, I've been disappointed in the company and the customer service for some time now.
Having been though closures, myself, sometimes the people in the trenches suspect trouble long before Management admits it to themselves, and morale sags.
Whatever did happen, this is not a good thing for any of us in the business, when a well-respected icon goes down.
It's like being on a cruise and spotting an iceberg. Less machines being upgraded and sold means less demand for all our products. It's like a food chain...Someone upgraded to a Fac-ette, someone else bought their old machine, etc., more machines in use, and the Market grew.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:45 am
Valued Contributor
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 12:57 pm Posts: 472
Gearloose wrote:
Quote:
Although I love my Fac-ettes, I've been disappointed in the company and the customer service for some time now.
Having been though closures, myself, sometimes the people in the trenches suspect trouble long before Management admits it to themselves, and morale sags.
Whatever did happen, this is not a good thing for any of us in the business, when a well-respected icon goes down.
It's like being on a cruise and spotting an iceberg. Less machines being upgraded and sold means less demand for all our products. It's like a food chain...Someone upgraded to a Fac-ette, someone else bought their old machine, etc., more machines in use, and the Market grew.
I'm ashamed to admit that the first thing that crossed my mind when I heard this was that the faceting machine industry just took a big step backwards. My perspective was that they had created a very accurate "depth gauge" and even though there were other known issues with keying, transfer, etc, that it was still a great move forward. I felt like I was always waiting for other manufacturers to create something new. I knew it might take some time but I was curious what the next "big thing" would be. Now what?
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:08 am
Moderator: Lapidary Arts and Tools
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:41 pm Posts: 5534 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Quote:
I knew it might take some time but I was curious what the next "big thing" would be. Now what?
Nothing from me. I am out of that business also. I cannot imagine something coming out that is not a derivative of Current Art, including Fac-ette's design. This is a tiny market. Despite Fac-ette's prices, they were making them as cheaply as they could or selling them for the maximum the market would bear, or both, and still did not make it. I do not see Venture Capitalists rushing in to fund a new startup or fund new product development, nor could I imagine an individual investor doing so. Even if the Red Dragon Noodle&Lapidary Pty made strikeoffs, it is not a cheap machine to make, and if they had wanted to do so, they would have years ago, since they seem to be immune from IP consquences. The only thing we have seen them do is that horrible brass thing.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:26 am
Gold Member
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:01 pm Posts: 1902 Location: Pine City, NY and Dothan, AL
Quote:
I knew it might take some time but I was curious what the next "big thing" would be. Now what?
I didn't know that Facette had made any "big thing" innovations. Certainly not the digital gauge - Gearloose did that years ago, and teamed with Graves to produce the first (afaik) good quality commercial product, at a price folks like me can manage.
I wonder if we aren't pretty much at the end of the line for machine design in conventional faceting. The requirements to make the product are well understood, and well implemented. At this point innovations are more likely to come when the end product is changed, as in machines for fantasy cuts.
In spite of the many "shown on TV" products, the garden hoe is still best at its job, and hasn't changed much for a few thousand years.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:50 am
Moderator: Lapidary Arts and Tools
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:41 pm Posts: 5534 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Quote:
I didn't know that Facette had made any "big thing" innovations
Their use of a strain gage to indicate facet completion was, and was patented. Measuring a distance by force was non-obvous. We all do it by "feel" somewhat but they displayed it on a meter. So does the BW meter, after the fact.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 9:58 am
Gold Member
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:01 pm Posts: 1902 Location: Pine City, NY and Dothan, AL
Gearloose wrote:
Quote:
I didn't know that Facette had made any "big thing" innovations
Their use of a strain gage to indicate facet completion was, and was patented. Measuring a distance by force was non-obvous. We all do it by "feel" somewhat but they displayed it on a meter. So does the BW meter, after the fact.
I do know that it was patented, though I might disagree that it was a non-obvious application to a skilled practitioner. The fact of a relationship between force and penetration or flex is certainly well-known, as is the use of a strain gage to measure it.
I've seen a lot of patents granted for things most any good engineer would have come up with when handed the problem.
The patent system is widely misused now. The original idea of encouraging both innovation and the publication of it was good. Granting a new patent for putting two drugs whose patents have expired in the same capsule is not.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 10:09 am
Gold Member
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:01 pm Posts: 1902 Location: Pine City, NY and Dothan, AL
The Facette has a reputation for being well and solidly built. I think the biggest distinction from the competition is the protractor-style head. I've never used one - what are the pros and cons?
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 10:12 am
Moderator: Lapidary Arts and Tools
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:41 pm Posts: 5534 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Well, it may be moot, anywway. I was unable to locate such a patent this morning on the USPTO site.
The search did turn up many whacky and screwey patents, so it was not wasted time, and was an entertaining breakfast read.
At $500 an hour, ANYTHING can get a patent. It can take YEARS of Billable Hours, but one will eventually issue after everyone gets their Porsche. You could patent a talisman that prevents UFO Abductions if you have enough to spend. I did not search that, but it would not surprise me in the least if there were several. Or hundeds.
Post subject: Re: Fac-ette no longer making faceting machines
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 5:52 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:32 am Posts: 1730 Location: Suwanee, GA US
Gearloose wrote:
Well, it may be moot, anywway. I was unable to locate such a patent this morning on the USPTO site.
The search did turn up many whacky and screwey patents, so it was not wasted time, and was an entertaining breakfast read.
At $500 an hour, ANYTHING can get a patent. It can take YEARS of Billable Hours, but one will eventually issue after everyone gets their Porsche. You could patent a talisman that prevents UFO Abductions if you have enough to spend. I did not search that, but it would not surprise me in the least if there were several. Or hundeds.
My first million may be made making 'chastity' belts in case of alien abduction. Know where there is a $5 an hour patent lawyer?
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