"Review- Grass Tech Flocking Applicator" Topic

Hi,
We finally had the chance to try out a flocking applicator.

It worked quite well and it beats our home made version.
Or review is here
senjistudios.com/?p=2296

Pat

Interesting…

Thanks for sharing.

Hi,

The grass tech is $39.00 USD. The $139.00 USD is the newest version, but I haven't had the luxury of testing it.

Here is their product page
link

Aloha,
pat

Thank you for the review.

How well does the grass stand up? I've often wondered if the majority stood up what happens when figures are slid over it?

The Noch Grassmaster is $189.95 USD

Cup screen from a $ store a 9V battery and a bit of old wire spend less then $5 USD :)

Still have my parts lying about to make the one from the electric flyswatter. :-)

Grimm

REALLY big warning about Grass-Tech USA.

The grass-tech were developed by two people in england.
One of those is a well know business in the railway world, John from company called Green-Scene.
The video on to use the grass-tech , ALL the reviews and magazine articles and articles, everything including the designs, were done by John from Green_Scene. Development and parts all paid for by John.
The other guy, paul cobb, is web designer who knows sources for electronics in china, helped find the electronics and assemble the devices but has nothing else to do with green-scene except one other thing: he helped john do a new website.
The guy paul started asking for more money for things like the electronics but despite money given electronics never appeared. Meanwhile the guy paul is selling on eBay, and this where trouble really starts. He makes some, then stops devliering them. Lots of people complain and his ebay account is closed.

So he start another ebay account and here is what happens: auction

So that Ebay account is closed and person is banned. Paypal also look into it and after other complaints from persons website, paypal close his account and ban him from paypal. But he keeps using his domains like grasstechuk.com but now uses his step-dads paypal for payment (because he is banned by paypal himself)
So now he goes to usa to try to sell over there as he has some left and gets person in USA to help him out. So now there is grass-tech usa but it all relies on this guy paul who is known shyster (which poor guy in usa probably know nothing about).

Meanwhile Mr John of green-scene is getting very annoyed as he owed money and has no devices of his own to sell (as paul keep them all for himself). So John goes and finds out source for electronics form china and after some time gets all these things and starts making his own. He ignores paul as much as possible but as paul reputation keep going down toilet in the end he wants to break away all-together and tells this paul that grass-tech usa no longer allowed to use video, articles and reviews because they all done by john from green-scene and his copyright.

What does paul do?

Well remembering about what I said to do with paul helping do the green-scene website? Remembering that green-scene been going for many, many years, very well known, very much liked by railway people? Well this know is green-scene website: ww.green-scene.co.uk

Paul person has logged in and wiped out website. John forgets that Paul had all password when he write the website. So john goes to change passwords on his site and get it transferred to new host away from paul. But guess what? He cannot do this. Paul has, few months back, changed all registrar detail on domain to his, so paul now ‘owner' of green-scene domain. He has stolen the company domain!!!

So john now not only screwed for money, his main, long standing company website is stolen. He has to start appeal with Nominet to get domain back, this will take a long time. Police are called but they say it is not a police matter but for civil court. So green-scene royally screwed in the pooch by this paul.

grasstech.info/products.htm (see who website done by? Design by Paul Cobb, Solent Solutions )
grasstechuk.com (Designed by Paul Cobb. )
auction
grasstechusa.com
paul-cobb.co.uk (web design).

all done by shyster paul cobb.
Do NOT trust, do NOT buy from paul cobb people!

Why are prices all over the palace? Paul cobb get very very desperate for money and his only income is grass tech. but he has no money for buying new parts for grass tech. so he start changing prices as he cannot sell his, so grass tech II in UK go down to even £39.00 GBP, whilst usa still selling at $139 USD USD.
Paul cobb not tell the man is USA that this happens. Paul cobb even do a cheap one with free postage to usa, so he tries to screw the pooch of his partner in USA!! But now he changed price back to £69.00 GBP and just UK free postage, but he still sell to USA cheaper than USA partner is selling things. Except you are idiot if you try buy from him, idiot like me!

Grass Tech USA claim they are exclusive for Grass-Tech because paul cobb tell them so. He didn't develop it, he just ripped off person who did, then ran away with stock components. Can he give rights to other people? No he cant, but he does anyway as lying is not a problem for him.

So where do you buy?
You wait a very little while for VERY big USA company that start to sell device under new name, device made by proper professional company green-scene. This USA company that will have them is BIG and VERY known and respected, legitimate company. Devices still the same, no changes other than name because they do not want anything to do with paul cobb and reputation which is being ruined.

People in railways know that green-scene make these, they know green-scene company, they know john, all very well and very well respected person, which is why BIG USA company will deal with him.

Really sad story of one person being shyster to others.

Does person in USA, alex, know all this?
Hard to say, perhaps best to ask, but all his bits come from paul cobb, so very, very doubtful person to deal reliably with. Probably USA person is legit and knows nothing, but still very very risky to buy from there.
Remember all the reviews, articles and videos are not grass-tech's or paul cobbs, all belong to green-scene. If you look on grass-tech usa site the review links no longer work, they not go to the reviews anymore. No videos of john showing how they work…because grass-tech usa have only dealing with shyster paul cobb and no permissions to anything else.

Be very very very very wary to buy from grass-tach people anywhere.

grasstechuk.com

Well it looks like someone got flocked!

Whoever knew that the world of model railway landscaping technology was so exciting?

Whoever knew that the world of model railway landscaping technology was so exciting?

The intrigue…..

Pricks are pricks no matter the context, well I hope good ol'Mr john and nasty pasty Mr Cobb get what they are individually due. Actually I'll write them an email and ask if they would like to make a more substantive comment

@grasstech uk – anything real to add

regards
Dave

dont know what went on there………….

Having been made aware of this thread by one of our customers we felt obliged to comment: We can largely verify the above comments by linkhunter99.

Grass-Tech II has been replaced on our website with the new "Flockit!" device, which cuts-out this Paul Cobb character completely from the manufacturing cycle.
We are also aware that Nominet has (quelle surprise!) found in favour of Green-Scene and will be returning the domain to their ownership in the next few weeks.

(Why a web-designer thinks he will be able to stop Nominet returning the domain to its legal ownership is totally beyond us: it shows a staggering lack of knowledge about the web for one thing!)

Up until last week or thereabout My Cobb had replaced the Green-Scene company website with a page just showing "F*&k you!"

That speaks volumes.

The subsequent libellous statement that has replaced the "F*^& You!" is rather ironic in that it rests its authority on the statement "The accusation of "theft" of this website are unjust and this is backed up by the fact that Mr. Lloyds attempt to steal the domain from me have failed." – which will rather bite him when Nominet return the domain it to its legal owner! (Mr Cobb here is a clue: It is their company trading name DUH!)

Add in the two suspended eBay accounts ("Grass Tech" & "JJP Manufacturing") and his banning from Paypal also speaks volumes.

So judge for yourselves; it isn't hard.

----------

We are also aware that the largest independent stockist of model scenery supplies in the USA will also soon be stocking the new "Flockit!" (same device, new trade name) so those in the USA will get a reliable source for buying the superb device, rather than having to involve themselves with anything to do with Grass Tech, JJP Manufacturing and Paul Cobb.

In the meantime we have changed the name of the Grass-Tech II on our store to the new "Flockit!" name link and are one of the two legitimate source for this device on the Internet at this time – DCC worcester are the ssecond nad the USA site will be the third. (If you want to buy in-person then speak to Green Scene at any of the UKs model-railway shows)

Having dealt with John Lloyd and Green Scene for 7 years we can authoritatively state that he has an excellent reputation both personally and in business, is extremely professional and that potential customers should disregard Paul Cobb's comments wholesale and without reservation.

In the meantime anybody considering purchasing the Grass Tech devices should seriously consider the huge risk they are taking with their money, and fully bear in mind the remarks on the two eBay account as indication of the likely outcome:

auction

/jed

back OT btw:

The difference between any fly-swatter type applicator, the Grass-Master and Grass Tech, and "Flockit!" is immense. Similarly any comparisson to "rubbing a ballon" or "Putting it near the TV set" are absurd and rather pointless.

It is comparing a Citroen 2CV to a Ferrari.

All of these devices work in the same manner by setting up a differential between the surface-to-be-flocked and the static-grass residing in the "Flocking device" – the more powerful that differential the better the flock stands up (so long as you use an applicable glue, watered down PVA isnt really much use and the grass will largely just fall flat again!)

The device reviewed by Senji was really a proof-of-concept designed to test the required circuitry: it works but is limited by its "oomph". The Flockit blows it out of the water in terms of effectiveness (and the professional-use-only + {plus} version is more akin to industrial flocking devices!)

With the Flockit! you can flock upwards, literally: the flock shoots out of the top of it to attach to the glue, so doing small dioramas, scenery or model bases is simple as well as effective.

Apply glue to base, turn on Flockit! (with grass in it) hold figure upside down over Flockit and watch the grass shoot out, upwards, on to the figure base.

Try that with any of the DIY devices, the Grass Tech (not the GT II) or even the Noch Grass-Master and results will be substantially different (indeed they generally wont work at all!).

Are they REALLY worth the money?

That depends on what you intend to do. If you are simply flocking the odd figure base of bit of scenery then, no they are not. That £75.00 GBP-£85 will get you a lot of lead, so don't even contemplate it.

If you want to make your own grass tufts, flock scenery or gaming boards, then they are worth every penny in both timesaving and effect. Combine the Flockit! with a good flocking glue and not only will your grass stand upright but it also will not shed! (we will soon be adding a specialist flocking glue to the store fwiw, sounds expensive? nope, same as a good PVA in terms of cost).

I no longer use our Grass-Master as the Flockit! is so much better, and it has made producing our own grass-tufts very simple and quick.

As such I suppose that if you currently spend a lot on Silflor/MiniNatur tufts then the Flockit! may be a good investment in the long term as there is nothing to stop you making your owns tufts, either for yourself or for sale.

In terms of the reviewed device and fly-swatter type devices then you can achieve as good a result, or better results, with the plastic bottle flock applicators – Although getting that good with them requires practice and a bit of black magic and lateral thinking).
Again, they are "OK" but really not in the same class as the Flockit! And comparing the two is rather a waste of time as the performance is radically different. Both are usable and effective, but really cater to different end-users.

/jed

This is Alex with GrassTechUSA.

After reading these comments I would like to add my own response. The
above attacks on me and GrassTechUSA are unwarranted. Rather than come
directly to me to resolve their issues, the anonymous author has chosen instead
to use vague accusations and innuendo to try to humiliate me and GrassTechUSA
on this forum.

I have always gone out of my way to take complaints seriously, and to
make sure my clients receive the absolute best customer service and
the very best product that we manufacture here in Colorado. Our new
website was designed and published over a year ago and since then we
have only added pictures and videos that have been sent to me or that
I have personally taken.

What is happing in the the UK is unfortunate and sad but it has
nothing to do with me or GrassTechUSA. Our business is not pointing
fingers and making accusations. I welcome more competition: I feel
competition makes companies stronger and strive to be better. But I
will NOT slander my competition; I will not post negative comments
about my competition; I will not use forums or reviews to talk
negative about my competition. We are in the business of building
static grass applicators and that's what we do best.
Sincerely,
Alex Y.
GrassTechUSA

what attack Alex Yakubovich? I said very clearly:

"Does person in USA, alex, know all this?
Hard to say, perhaps best to ask, but all his bits come from paul cobb, so very, very doubtful person to deal reliably with. Probably USA person is legit and knows nothing, but still very very risky to buy from there."

but why are you still using pictures that belong to green scene to promote your product?

all the photographs in this?:

they are all made by greeen scene and you do not have permission to use them. permission was taken back by green scene when paul cobb started attacking them. none of their articles or images can be used at all and you still are doing so.

so perhaps it is best if you remove them and use your own pictures and not the work of others?

consider also that paul cobb was not, is not, full owner of rights to grasstech, so there was no legal basis to give you rights to produce it. you need to get rights from green scene also, otherwise you can be sued for copyright.

perhaps you should speak to green scene to get full story and truth of things Alex? sure as rocking horse doodoo that you do not know the whole picture at the moment because you have been kept in dark and fed brown stuff by a certain person and i think that you are beginning to know this also.

if you want to be legitimate then best to deal with legitimate people who do not do dirty tricks and steal other peoples domain names.

contact john lloyd and green scene and become properly legitimate.

I for one would like to thank to Alex (I hope you didnt think my email was attacking you) for taking the time to explain the position he is in, and to Antenocitus for some clarification of the situation. Pity Paul Cobb isn't available for comment, or maybe the msg on the web site says it all.

regards
dave

It's very hard for me to say anything more Paint Pig, without compromising certain actions elsewhere.

I would strongly suggest that Alex speaks to John Lloyd @ Green Scene.

(Emphasis on "speak": I would not trust your grasstechusa domain email at all Alex).

/jed

(sorry, I must stop using DeeDees account and register my own!)

link hunter 99: I fail to see what gives you the right to comment on what has been happening, you go on about people not having the full story, you have never met me or dealt with my company at all, the only information you have is what has been fed to you by john lloyd. As for your comments about copyright and who owns, invented grasstech – you are wrong again – were you there when they were being designed and built? and for the record neither was john lloyd.

Jed: Nice to have your input, obviously your input has nothing more to do with the fact that you are a close friend of john lloyd, appologies for not responding to your request for wholesale pricing on the grasstech product range by the way, didnt really feel this was an avenue worth pursuing. Also, your comparing the "Flockit" to the "GrassTech" was spot on, Try comparing the "GreenTech II, oh sorry FlockIt!" to a "GrassTech II" – see how many similaritys you find there.

As for the images, artwork, photos and other material used in conjunction with the grasstech brand – Green Scene/John Lloyd did not make, take or produce any of them, All images used were made by persons purchasing one of MY products and submitting photos with permission to use them, they have all been in circulation for at least 2 years, If an individual that has taken a photo and sent it to me WITHOUT any stipulations on how it can and can';t be used, then i suggest you point out the specific image, prove to me you took it and we can then take the necceccery steps.

Websites/Domain & copyright: It is nice to see that for sombody that wants nothing to do with me, he has made an illegal copy of a website designed by me and posted it on a new domain, You would think he would at least have the decencey to remove my name and company from the masthead (bottom left).

not all information comes from john lloyd, you think that only he knows? ebay and paypal say most about you. two accounts banned, both accounts ended with many many complaints, so serious there and elsewhere that paypal ban you also. other comapnies comment also and so will organisation Nominet. you alwasy blame john lloyd, did he make you swindle people on two ebay accounts? no.

well some things are easy to solve Mr Cobb.

Grass Tech II = Flockit = same thing, no change but name.

I do not need to open device to know this. I believe what others have told me because they are trustworthy with good reputation. they have been in scenery business for 23 years. you have not. this is your first time in scenery business and you have very bad reputation and no history of good business except ebay and paypal banning. you are not at railway shows showing people devices are you? no. did you arrange magazine reviews? no. did you take photos of scenery for websites? no. did you make scenery for photos on websites? no.

If Antenocotis also say that they are same device then that is all I need to know of proof. two companies of good repute against one person banned because of cheat and swindling customers out of money.

this everybody can see from looking at ebay.

images.

5 photographs in middle of poster image in post above Mr Cobb.

I see that you did not tell the people the name of person who sent you those photographs of model railway table. that was very sly thing to do.

perhaps you tell everybody the name of person who sent you the photographs and then we discuss that point again.

illegal website?

what illegal website Mr Cobb?

please provide URL link to this illegal website Mr Cobb.
if you do not know how to do this copy address from top of browser and then paste that into the forum post box here.

can you explain to everybody why a website is illegal?

I do not understand this claim in truth.
I know about cybersquatting which is where person squats on company website and tries to make that company pay them lots of money to get their domain back. that is illegal yes.

what do you mean by illegal? I do not know.

perhaps when you put up link to illegal website then everybody will know better.

on similar point why did you change the domain owners name of green scene website into your personal details?

this is not usual practice for web developer to do. somebody does work for TMP they do not change domain ownership from Mr Bill to their name. somebody writes new QRF website the designer does not change ownership of domain to his own. somebody writes ground zero games website does not change ownership of domain into their name. nobody does this as nomral practice.

so why did you do this?

i see that you cannot spell 'decency'.

why is this not surprising to many, many people?

Firstly, you are the last person to be correcting my english when your grammer and way you form sentances is so poor.

Illegal website, certainly: green-scene.co a website built, maintained and hosted BY ME for over 2 years, This site was built to promote MY products and as a favour to Green Scene I also photographed and listed their entire product range, no contracts, no fee's – I just did it as they were selling MY PRODUCTS!. The green.scene.co.uk was transfered to me over 2 years ago, hence why the details were changed.

You keep mentioning the fact that I am not at shows selling my product? I am a manufacturer, Green Scene USED to sell MY PRODUCT at the shows, that was the extent of our relationship, You seem to be of the impression that because he was selling it and demonstrating it that it belongs to him?

Photographs: Do you have ANY idea how many hundreds and hundreds of photos have been submitted to me over the years? I am not legally obliged (unless requested to do so) by anybody to credit them for such photos, you are either missinformed and simply an idiot if you think i should be publicising who took the photos and hold all their details. The simple fact is, they purchased one of my tools, were impressed with the results and sent them to me on the understanding that they be used online and in other media, again – no complaints in 2 years untill green scene stole my product, must be coincidence im sure.

I have never hidden the fact we have had issues with ebay/paypal on numerous occassions, all cases were resolved – at the end of the day we have sold thousands and thousands of tools over the years and there have been very few issues in comparism, as with any company – however I am done with justifying my self to literally a handfull of people who in the grand sceme of things are insignifficant.

Appologies, correction to my last, I see that after pointing out all my details and an illegal copy of my website had been published on green-scene.co that within less than 12 hours it has been removed and replaced with another site. That word again, coincidence?

Antenocitis / Jed

If you are so against me and my products, kindly remove them from your website. All this negativity against me, at least have the decency to remove The "Original" photos & brand name before it was copied and stolen.

link

Illegal website, certainly: green-scene.co a website built, maintained and hosted BY ME for over 2 years, This site was built to promote MY products and as a favour to Green Scene I also photographed and listed their entire product range, no contracts, no fee's – I just did it as they were selling MY PRODUCTS!.

You state that you designed the website for Green-Scene for free to help promote your own products…and yet you also say that it is an "illegal copy". How could it be "illegal copy" when you admit that you did it for free, without contract, for somebody else?

I see that after pointing out all my details and an illegal copy of my website had been published on green-scene.co that within less than 12 hours it has been removed and replaced with another site. That word again, coincidence?

It has been like that for some time Mr Cobb, it was certainly like that well before your post so there is no coincidence: just you making wild accusations without verifying them first.

If you are so against me and my products, kindly remove them from your website. All this negativity against me, at least have the decency to remove The "Original" photos & brand name before it was copied and stolen.

No.

1:Customers need the information and images to understand the name-change of the product (until the various magazines print their review updates with the name-change and it becomes common knowledge.)

2: I am not aware of any theft of brand name or photographs. If you know of any then please submit your issue via your lawyer and I will, of course, look at them immediately.

Also, your comparing the "Flockit" to the "GrassTech" was spot on, Try comparing the "GreenTech II, oh sorry FlockIt!" to a "GrassTech II" – see how many similaritys you find there.

The Grass Tech II and the Flockit are identical in all regards, right down to components and pcb.

PS: you are the last person to be correcting my english when your grammer and way you form sentances is so poor.

According to his/her member information s/he is from Turkey… where are you from?

Update FTI:

The domain green-scene.co.uk that was the victim of a cyber-squatter has now been returned to its lawful owner following an investigation by Nominet (the domain authority) and Fasthosts (the domain hosts).

Mr Cobb was given the opportunity to present evidence as to why he should keep the domain (in his name), but it was quickly discovered that Mr Cobb had no lawful right to this domain and could not back up his claims. As such any and all access he had to it has now been revoked and returned to the control of Green Scene i.e. Mr J Lloyd.

Mr Cobb has repeatedly used his "ownership" of this domain as his "proof" of his legitimacy: stating that if there was any truth to Mr Lloyd's claims against him then "why hadn't the domain been handed back to Mr Lloyd?"

As this has now happened I think we can all draw the correct conclusions from the Nominet/Fasthosts decision and reflect on whether any of the other claims by Mr Cobb have any basis in fact.

As per my old school motto: Ut prosim vince malum bono
(Defeat Evil with Good)

"Firstly, you are the last person to be correcting my english when your grammer and way you form sentances is so poor."

I am not English, although I am in Turkey for work I am not Turkish, I am Swahili by parentage. my english can be good if i take a lot of time and use a program like word, otherwise it is not very good. it used to be better when i was in england. so what?

"The domain green-scene.co.uk that was the victim of a cyber-squatter has now been returned to its lawful owner following an investigation by Nominet (the domain authority) and Fasthosts (the domain hosts)."

This might seem silly, but I am in the interest of purchasing a flock applicator and thrugh an internet search on the product name in question turned up this link. Wow, great job on this post, I almost bought this item and as of now will be placing the order with Green Scene in the UK. I am not a big altime seller on ebay, but have a very very high standard in the responsibilty that comes with the trust others have in me after sending me their hard earned money to my pay pal account after a purchase. In my oppinion the documented ebay and pay pal accounts truly reads as proof in itself.
P.S and yes I am American and I can not spell (our scools stink)