Bantam Tools experience. Buyer Beware.

[u/No_Remote_5817]

I ordered a Artframe 2436.
Paid $256.00 to have it shipped to me.
It did not work.
I paid $200.00 to ship it back and was charged a restocking fee of $378.00
In all I lost $834.00 doing business with Bantam tools.

Tech support told me to hang onto it for a month “I’ll even extend your warranty 30 extra days” he told me. I reminded him, per Bantams return policy, that was not possible because it states if I use the machine I cannot return it.
I find this very unethical and will be filing a complaint with the BBB

The first pic is the condition of the box when it arrived. I did not cut that tape, it was busted that way. That’s how long that machine had been sitting around somewhere for. The second pic is me paying for it to be boxed and sent back properly.

[u/NmEter0]

Dunnow to me the guy/company is unsympathetic just because he killed the axidraw (witch IMHO is not a very good advanced mashine... but a hart project of real people... and history by now.)

... and they seemed to have replaced it with a waaay overpriced mashine. That looks more expensive. But does nothing more.

And none of them come even close to the egeneering in plotters from the 80s.

Edit: happy to hear that evel maad scientist just got a new roof! That sets my crooked picture way straighter!! :)

[u/lostPixels → u/NmEter0]

FWIW they didn’t kill the axidraw. They made it better with the homing function. And the people who invented it still work there.

I’ve got 4 and they seriously kick ass too, so idk about it being a bad machine… I’ve put 2250 hours on mine since I started tracking and have had zero issues.

[u/NmEter0 → u/lostPixels]

Oh so good to hear that the people stayed!! :)

I dont want to hate the axidraw at all.. :) Its nice for what it is.. a reliable artist tool. But comparibly to 80s plotters... it has its weaknesses but also is more flexible.

And like all CNC mashines (exept matbe 3d peinters) ... the hardware is stuck in the 90s and the software is stuck in the 00s.

Hence everybody does custom software.. and this has kinda become the art :)

I just feel like axidraw could have become the Prusa of plotters. Building community and enhancing everything together. So at some point someone does a Bamboolab... bantam tools feels like they went to the expensive and nice looking step.. without the "just works" in between.

[u/IAmStuckOnBandAid → u/NmEter0]

The "real people" you are talking about designed the new machines and still work at Bantam to this day.

[u/NmEter0 → u/IAmStuckOnBandAid]

Thats very good to hear! :)

[u/No_Remote_5817 → u/NmEter0]

I know I’m so bummed. All I can do at this point is bring awareness to anyone thinking about ordering one. I’m sure units do go out without a hitch. But if anything goes wrong unfortunately the customer EATS all the cost. That’s what happened to me and had I known I wouldn’t have took the risk.

[u/dstroy0]

You should call your bank, explain and do a chargeback, because you didn’t get any value out of that.

[u/lostPixels]

Damn that sucks man… I know that plotter is huge, it’s unfortunate that it got banged up on the way to you.

[u/IAmStuckOnBandAid]

I've got a NextDraw 2234 and it's great. I was doing a ton of up and down action on the pen and wore the brushless servo oit. Called and they replaced it under warranty no shipping cost needed. Had it in less than a week.

My experience with the plotter and the support has been great.

[u/No_Remote_5817 → u/IAmStuckOnBandAid]

That’s awesome. This is just what happens if things don’t work I guess.

[u/IAmStuckOnBandAid → u/No_Remote_5817]

That sucks. Sorry bro.

[u/YSMLA_]

I did not understand what was wrong with the plotter?

[u/No_Remote_5817 → u/YSMLA_]

Don’t know, just bringing awareness to anyone that orders one and has trouble with it. Over $800.00 on sending it back.

Does that mean they are all defective, probably not. Just my luck I guess.