Chris Howes' Sculptural Creations

[costumeball]

If you choose to be ever so patient and quiet about all of this, then why not show that in this thread and stfu? Let people who are frustrated and upset speak their mind if they so choose to.

I'm not choosing to be quiet. Instead of continuing to promote panic and paranoia, I'm trying to do what I can to help.

 

[costumeball]

No, I don't think saying he stole from us is a stretch. He took money from us with the promise of delivering goods in return then failed to send us said goods.

Failed how? As in, hasn't sent them . . . yet?
The fact that some people have received their orders shows that he doesn't intend to not send them at all.

That's not stealing, that's called getting behind.
I guess people choose to gloss over posts like this one, again from THIS thread:

As I repeatedly say, time lines are only estimates and real life has a way of reorganizing my schedule without my consent.

I work around the clock. Seriously. If I'm lucky I sleep maybe 5 or 6 hours a night. Virtually all conscious hours are occupied with work. The projects here on SSF are close to my heart, they are what I enjoy most of all and I wish they were the only work I had.... but they don't put food on the table. I simply don't charge enough versus the time they take. My commercial work supports my family. So, when my masters say jump, I jump. And they been making me jump an awful lot lately!

In the mean time I try to keep prices to you guys ridiculously low compared to the effort that goes into the projects so everyone can afford quality work. A consequence of that is that the schedule is necessarily fluid. Hopefully it's an acceptable compromise. It takes time, but you get the best quality available anywhere at any price (sorry if that sounds boastful, but it is my goal).

Bolding is my emphasis, btw.

Also I don't feel that branding Diver4 a scammer and ignoring what Chris Howes has done is being entirely honest with yourself. I used to deal with Diver4 before I knew his whole story and at least when I paid for goods I received them.

If captdan/diver4 steals others' work without permission and passes it off as his own, that is a scammer. Fact.

I'm not ignoring anything about Howes.

 

[The Drizzle]

I agree - it will probably be harder for some of them because of all this. But IMO, an artist berating another artist on the latter's thread is in bad taste. You probably wouldn't be too thrilled if one of your fellow artists slammed you on a thread that belonged to you, right?

I don't believe there's any chance of that happening because I am all too happy to talk to my fellow freaks, and see them all as peers and good friends. I think that's a lot of where Chris went wrong.
I also think some of this may have to do with Chris being in this strictly for business. He didn't come to us as a fellow collector like all of the other artists here. Pretty much all of the other customizers/artists, etc that do business here were 1:6 enthusiasts first, and still are. Chris just saw a business opportunity, and I suppose since it is just business, expectations are higher that he behave like a good businessman.

 

[thainer]

I paid for my House head and cane in November of 08 and haven't received it. People are buying the same set off eBay and are getting it in a week. What does that tell you about his intentions to send me mine. I say my chances of getting what I paid for or a refund (6 emails and counting) are slim to none. Hence, my feeling that I have been stolen from.

 

[nash]

I'm not choosing to be quiet. Instead of continuing to promote panic and paranoia, I'm trying to do what I can to help.

Let's get something crystal clear...you are NOT helping in any way shape or form. Unless you are actively trying to get Howes to send people their products or refunds, you are not doing jack ^^^^ of importance.

For all we know, Howes is using people like you and vader as his 'pawns' to keep people pacified and buy himself more time to get away squeaky clean. On top of that, you are upsetting people by contradicting their frustrations and making things even more polluted.

 

[galactiboy]

I'm not choosing to be quiet. Instead of continuing to promote panic and paranoia, I'm trying to do what I can to help.

Well your not doing a good job

 

[vader]

For all we know, Howes is using people like you and vader as his 'pawns' to keep people pacified and buy himself more time to get away squeaky clean.

I think you're assuming way too much.

 

[costumeball]

At least I'm trying.

But trust me, insults, false accusations, harassment, threats of lawsuits and publishing personal information on the internet . . .

These things will NOT help get anyone their heads any faster. Guaranteed.

 

[ProgMatinee]

i don't understand from you how long we have to wait before it becomes stealing. its not a matter of "how long can I go without the money" as you have insinuated in the past. His statements about scheduling "fluidity" and "estimates" ring hollow when he's shown to have shipped items to NEW customers. I know that you personally don't think he's doing anything wrong there, but everyone else does and I would bet in a small claims court that that evidence would be enough to prove to the necessary degree that Howes has skirted his obligations.

Furthermore, a proprietor owes his paid customers an explanation and answer to refund requests.

Imagine in a brick and mortar environment if a tailor took your money in advance to make a custom suit and closed his store and moved away. Imagine then seeing the exact same suit for sale at a consignment clothier. The tailor can keep leading you on that he'll get to your suit eventually, but you need the suit or money back to complete the transaction otherwise it legally is "stealing".

I'm almost certain in legal terms there are no "open ended" business agreements, ie someone cannot just take money and perpetually say "i'll get to it" even if there was no written contract signed. A court has the ability to set the limits to something based on reasonableness.

On Friday I explicitly gave Chris Howes a 2 week deadline or I would call the police. It is now his burden to either a)fulfill the obligation or b)contradict my request.

 

[nash]

At least I'm trying.

But trust me, insults, false accusations, harassment, threats of lawsuits and publishing personal information on the internet . . .

These things will NOT help get anyone their heads any faster. Guaranteed.

Neither will you contradicting these things get you or anyone's heads any faster. So maybe you should do your thing and keep it your thing instead of pissing everyone else off?

 

[The Drizzle]

Oh, and for the record, I've received a grand total of ZERO PM requests to contact Howes about anything, so I can't help but think that some people here would prefer to continue the drama show and insults than to try and encourage any actual progress.

I haven't bothered you with it because others have already tried for me before, and as soon as they mentioned refunds they no longer got emails.

 

[nash]

I think you're assuming way too much.

Those of you who are still giving Howes the benefit of the doubt are the ones assuming way too much. all you have to go on is speculation that he will deliver eventually.

The rest of us here see the inconsistencies in his stories and excuses, on top of flat out ignoring all communications via email etc. Any logical person can see that these trends do not add up to receiving what you paid for.

 

[Anzik]

Cause I don't want to get involved in specifics, ie. "Hi, when are you sending _____'s order for _____." That would be a tad ridiculous, no?

OK, without being too specific please ask when the River sculpts will ship (as per Chris, week of April 23rd) and the House heads( in post 1154 of the House thread he said they are coming and that was May 26th). Neither was painted or drilled, just pull 'em outta the mold and send the little box to Jersey.

I also have a David from Lost Boys ordered but I am quietly and patiently waiting for that since he never said that one was finished.

 

[costumeball]

Those of you who are still giving Howes the benefit of the doubt are the ones assuming way too much. all you have to go on is speculation that he will deliver eventually.

But what did ANY of us have at the start of the commissions beyond "speculation that he will deliver eventually"?

 

[costumeball]

OK, without being too specific please ask when the River sculpts will ship (as per Chris, week of April 23rd) and the House heads( in post 1154 of the House thread he said they are coming and that was May 26th). Neither was painted or drilled, just pull 'em outta the mold and send the little box to Jersey.

I also have a David from Lost Boys ordered but I am quietly and patiently waiting for that since he never said that one was finished.

Hey Aznik, I haven't been following all the commission threads, was any payment accepted for the Lost Boys heads?

And I just fired off an e-mail about estimates on River and House heads.

Oh and btw Drizzle I did get an e-mail response to a general inquiry about refunds. He didn't ignore it, but he said that he's trying to figure it out.

 

[Spenser]

Vader I’m not trying to start anything with you ether I have no bad feelings toward you, everyone is entitled to their opinion if you took my post the wrong way sorry...however,

Truth is, many customizers/artists/sculptors take money and miss deadlines. They get some slack and Chris gets sacks and sacks of cow dung. Seems like double standard.

You can’t be serious about this we’re not talking about missed deadlines here, not by a long shot. Chris took the money and then sold the items on eBay! That’s not missing a deadline.

So if I sold you something and then 6 months later I told you it was shipped then told you 2 more months later that it was about to ship, and then you saw I had been selling them hand over fist on eBay for the last 3 months, you would have no problem with that.

Look, I have nothing against you personally and I am not here to attack you. But your posts (plural) here just stood out for me because I know you are an artist yourself. It just seemed inappropriate. If I were an artist and I posted snide remarks about you and your work on your Ghostbusters thread, I'm sure someone will call me out on it. If not you, somebody else surely will.

I’m not posting snide remarks about Chris’s work, I’m posting snide remarks about the way he’s dealing with this forum and the people on it.

I'm not gonna say anything further about your posts after this. I think I've said enough already. Maybe you'll see it my way, maybe you won't. But as I've said, it wasn't a personal attack on you. I just commented on your comments.

<Vader extends handshake to Spenser>

Nope, don't see it you way, but people are differant and that make for a more interesting life…Handshake accepted my good man!

 

[nash]

But what did ANY of us have at the start of the commissions beyond "speculation that he will deliver eventually"?

What does your comment have to do with anything?

This is not the start any more, this is months and months later. A lot of circumstances have changed, which include many negative things such as lack of updates, total lack of communication, excuses on top of more excuses, the list goes on. I'd like to think that the speculation has ended long ago and all signs are pointing to Howes not delivering on his promises. You people giving him the benefit of the doubt are the ones still speculating. The rest are sifting through the dirt and seeing him for what he is.

How many times do you need to be burned until you wake up?

 

[ProgMatinee]

But what did ANY of us have at the start of the commissions beyond "speculation that he will deliver eventually"?

So you're implying without a written contract that he's allowed to keep an open ended deal forever?

 

[costumeball]

Let's get something crystal clear...you are NOT helping in any way shape or form. Unless you are actively trying to get Howes to send people their products or refunds, you are not doing jack ^^^^ of importance.

And btw nash, if anyone is being unhelpful in this thread, it is absolutely YOU.

Your contributions in this thread, and to the situation as a whole, amount to nothing but juvenile remarks, insults, and adding fuel to the fire.

 

[nash]

And btw nash, if anyone is being unhelpful in this thread, it is absolutely YOU.

Your contributions in this thread, and to the situation as a whole, amount to nothing but juvenile remarks, insults, and adding fuel to the fire.

Im being just as helpful as you are. You already said you wont invest too much or get too personal to help people find out the status on their orders.

Your so called "help" is nothing more than superficial bull^^^^.