Reparing The Slider Switches On A Mk3 Finder

[sanibel686 29]

I just got a mk3 finder from another member and had a good play with it this morning when my batteries came from ebay. I noticed that the search/locate slider wasn't doing anything and when I opened it up there was no magnet in the slider to operate the reed switch. I understand how these things can get lost so no worries, i thought I would just ring DEBEN and get them to send me another one. They told me that all areas of the finder are patented and they could not send me an individual component part, but I would have to send it back to them for "refurbishment!?!?" at £35. After 10 minutes arguing that a magnet to activate a reed swith is not their sole intellectual property and getting nowhere I told them that their policy was designed to fleece money out of peiople who could ill afford it and ended the conversation. I then measured the magnet in the on/off switch as it is the same size.It is 4mm dia x 3mm long. you can get 50 off ebay for just over £3 delivered from the UK here is the item number 151036018339. If your not in a hurry you can get the same thing from china for less than £2.

 

Thanks to DEBEN's monopolistic and shitty approach to customer service they gave me the urge to look for an alternative solution and I saved myself £32!!

 

Just thought I'd share

[oakey 57]

Im really surprised that in all the years Deban have had the monopoly on ferret finders that nobody else has ever made one ?

[sanibel686 29]

I'm seriously thinking about it. Without copying any intellectual property of course.

Edited May 24, 2013 by sanibel686

[Guest scramble]

I'm seriously thinking about it. Without copying any intellectual property of course.

plenty of useful forums around you wont find it too difficult

[theworkingferret 56]

i thought bellman&flint would have made one for the ferrets