HI guy's,
I hate posting this but i believe it is hard enought to make it when everyone pays, but next to impossible when people don't pay. And I wanted to give fair warning to all the great guy's here tying to make a living.

I just wanted to let everyone here know about "Nova 9911" AKA: Ron Hamm, from Gateway Machine.

After several months of trying to get him to pay I have had no results. He will not pay his outstanding invoice and will not return any e-mail comunications. So if you come across one of his posts for RFQ please beware that he has not payed on an invoice.

Ron if you are reading this please contact me(michael.hesse@hessemachine.com) , I would like to get this straightend out. If you had any issues with the parts please let me know, I would like to know why you won't pay or respond to E-mails.

Regards,
Mike Hesse
Hesse Machine

do you have his phone number/address? send him bill :)

I have sent 3 invoices, and tried calling a couple of times with no answer. I just want others here to be cautious about doing business with this person. I would want to know from others here if they were not payed by another member.
Mike

I got cheated too Mike, not by the guy you mention but a guy from this forum.

I never posted this guys name but not all that uncertain it is not a good idea.

Especially when there is no or just ignored communication.

These guys think they get away with it but life catches up, we can be sure of that.


Ken

Thank you for posting this, I for one will avoid (Gateway Machine) nova9911. Please keep us informed.

Hey Mike,

I'll heed the warning as well. It's a shame. You machined a part for me last year and did such a great job. Sometimes you run into these folks and unfortunately they never pay, and worse don't communicate. Best of luck in resolving this matter.

Regards,

Philip
Nice to see your still here.

Yeah it's too bad some people don't stand-up and take care of their business. I'm just glad it was not for a big job. I think it good we have this forum to help each other out even though we are competing for the same business:)
~Mike

just a stupid question, but can't these guy's come in under a different name and number? and put more parts up for bid?

Not a stupid question Arty, but the answer is Yep :(

I guess it is just the cost of doing business and learning to get paid before shipping, if at all possible.

I can think of no legal / ethical way to resolve these incidences in a public forum.


Ken

I agree completly Ken, It is a chance you take eveytime you do work for someone. I am really lucky to have 3-4 great customers that ALWAYS pay so far. It is really hard and expensive to go after your money in the court system also.
That's why i gave everyone his Real name and Business because this is all I can do, "try" to help others to not get taken advantage of by this one individual.

Mike,
This type of guy, once known, I would not do business with if they paid up front, they are trouble just waiting to happen.

If he was at all legit you would have at least heard back explaining there was a problem, even explaining not having money.

Here is another type I shy away from getting financially involved with.

Big Talkers !

Yup kind of sucks to get burned, Worse to get burned by someone from a message board that you have bought parts from and you have met!!! Wanna hear something dumber, I DELIVERED THE FRICKEN PARTS that I made just so he could get to MotoGP. I drove over 100 miles only to hear I will get a check to you next week. :withstupi Promises to pay only to get the dam answering machine!! I did the parts as soon as I could and made sure he could get to his ride at MotoGp. Why can't he keep his side and pay me?? :confused: What did I get....NADA............ Now I ask for payments upfront before I ship anything if its for message board members, unless they are the guinnea pig:)

Sorry to hear of your colection problem. I have had similar problems in the past. I find that using a colection agency which takes 1/3 of the face amount puts me at an imediate loss (our profit margin is only 20%).
What I have done in recent time is to have the customer sign a personal garantee along with the credit app. I dont check refs (to expensive) but no one that has signed the garantee (at least 30 clients) has been a payment issue. Lots of customers out ther but it costs money to do work for those who consistantly beat you up for price and those who dont pay.
John

Sue them in small claims court. It does'nt cost much to do,and most people want to settle once they see a court date. I did it and it worked.

A word of advice.
If you are dealing with racers of any kind always get COD.
If you have not been in the racing biz you don't know that it is a form of addiction and ALOT of them will lie cheat and steal for just "one more race"
I built race motors for a few years and always it was COD.

Good stuff guys.

But just wanted to throw my opinion out about the other way around. I actually paid someone to have some stuff made (not this Forum). Never heard a word after payment was made. I did catch him online once, and he promptly signed off. So I am always weary about how I pay.

-Todd

That sucks.

When I make parts for people on a forum, I always get paid on delivery. (if local) Or… if they get shipped, I will send pictures via email, then ask for payment before they leave my hands. In the short time I’ve been running my shop, I’ve only had one person take offence to this way of doing business. But, they still bought parts from me. My shop is too small to get burnt on a deal. (even a small one)

(quote) I just wanted to let everyone here know about "Nova 9911" AKA: Ron Hamm, from Gateway Machine.

When i first read this i did a search for this"gateway" and found it to look like a large company, i found this odd. I looked for the name and e-mail addy and they are not to be found. Question is, did you send your product to this company or to an address unassociated with them. Most likely Both you and Gateway are "burned". I got burned a few yrs ago by someone doing same sorta thing. He borrowed a website, and phished suckers off e-bay ! Anyway, my point is be careful here or you could be in trouble for making "False & serious" statements. you know what i mean here !

Crusier,
I did send these to The address on the Web site and had corspondence with Mr. Hamm himself. I am fairly certain I am pointing out the correct person. If you go to the Web sight There is a Blog section showing the progress of a new machine they developed. I can see the parts I manufactured for him in the Blog.
Also I beleive I never said anything other than Beware of him. If "you" choose to do business with this individual you are doing so knowing there is a better than normal chance he will not pay you .
All I wanted to do is warn other hard working indiviuals here that there is a member here that didn't pay.
Thanks Mike