then why even paint it?
There is a difference than paint coming off in wear spots vs paint chipping off in non wear spots. Wear spots are constantly shined up and dirty. Random rusty patches on top of equipment looks like Chinese made junk. Heck, I made a gravel bucket for my excavator and used black rustoleum and it’s holding on good. Just need to rough up smooth laser cuts. Paint prep 101.
I do hate to see things arrive like that, and if you call me, I can credit you some for touch-up.
On the grapple, those edges are etched by the laser, so it is the most challenging surface to get paint to adhere to, especially if something rubs against it, or scrapes it. We do use a high quality enamel paint, in contrast to the descriptive words someone else used up there, and we hand wash every attachment with a phosphate bath prior to painting, so it isn't a quality issue.
I'd like nothing more than for an EA representative to hand deliver each attachment, so we can ensure pristine condition. We wouldn't pack things in the truck, so metal or other hard surfaces are against paint, vibrating thousands of miles up the road...stopping, starting, slamming on brakes. It is a shame that carriers don't treat freight with care, but these days, it's actually a blessing when freight actually arrives, and sometimes, even on time.
We've tried crating, but that simply adds more cost and invites them to stack, which doesn't end well. We could put them in a velvet lined vault, and they'll find a way.
Our attachments arrive to the customer kinda like they would to a dealer's lot, but since there's no middle man, there's no one to touch it up before the customer sees it. I've sold cheap stuff in the past, and I've sold the most expensive(not EA), and it doesn't matter which because they all are vulnerable to scratching during transit.
After this week, with a few exceptions, we'll only be offering our attachments in black. This will simplify the mfg. flow, be easier for touch up, and hopefully lower our lead times even more, which is a huge goal. Small things, such as garden bedders, receiver hitches, and some other ground shipping items will remain yellow, but the larger things will be black, black, or black!
I hope this helps explain. We appreciate your business and the support from all of our proud customers. I guarantee you that, underneath that paint, you've invested in the very best tractor attachments you possibly could have, by a long shot. They'll quickly prove that, once you get them hooked up.
Travis
