Andys Tubes; (A Review)...

[MMurphy]

This is a quick review and comment on the product (tubes), sold by Andy Smith (see the link for reference):
http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1050

I noticed the ad for tubes for sale as listed by Andy. I decided to give him a "what the heck I'll try it", approach. I ordered from him approx 800 tubes, (8 bags of 100 each). I sent him an email and a quick phone call to let him know that I was making an order.

That afternoon Andy was pleasant enough and professional enough to call me back and verify my order, and we discussed unit discounts, which he offered, but due to my diligence, I insisted on full price. I sent the MO on Monday Midday to him.

I get home Wed Evening and lo and behold, the tubes are there! I know that there is NO way that he could've gotten the MO THAT fast. Andy in his good faith mailed out the product BEFORE receiving payment.
That's an AMAZING Gold Star in my book.

That evening I was able to sit down and look at two bags of the tubes.
Each set of 100 is packed into a brown paper bag. Now being hollow paper tubes there are going to be some that get bent or a little squished during shipping, but there was NO damage done to any of the tubes that couldn't easily be fixed by inserting your little finger or a pencil in them and getting the "bend" out.

All tubes were easy to load. They are wrapped in the exact opposite direction of the standard "paper ladies", and thus you have to "re-learn", (as I did), about loading and folding. I've never been good at folding and I failed paper crafts/origami in art class at school, so each tube took me a little longer due to my fingers and not the tube.

Out of the 200 tubes I filled and folded over a 3-4 night period, I had problems with one (1) tube! The issue was that the tube was cute about 3/4 of an inch longer than the rest. Wow...big deal...I merely trimmed the tube down to size and folded.

This past weekend at Cambridge City I was able to use them in a skirmish and engagement. I found that they held the powder well, and remained folded and tucked as done the previous week.

Overall, I would like to say that I am HIGHLY SATISFIED AND PLEASED with the tubes that Andy has for sale. He is friendly and easy to work with, and a pleasure to talk to! I will go on record and say that I highly recommend y'all giving him a try for your tubes. I will definately be ordering from him again!:D

Yours In Service;

[Frenchie]

Hear, hear! Andy is a stand-up pard and his tubes are a great value! Let's stop calling them "paper ladies" and call them "Andys" from now on. http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/Darkfold_2006/bow.gif

[MMurphy]

Frenchie....I LIKE the idea....I wonder if it could catch on??? :)

[Parault]

I too have purchased "Andy's Tubes," and I am very pleased not only with the service but also the quality of construction. I highly recommend "Andy's Tubes" to all my pards.

[johnnyreb]

I agree, every time I send Andy a personal check and he always sends them out before he gets payment out of good faith. I have NEVER had a problem with my tubes and would not get them from anyone else.

[tenfed1861]

He does good work.I have 300 for several upcoming events.Like you said Murphy,the only problem is when I get them,they are slightly crushed.But as you also said,a pencil fixes them.Holds 11 caps easily.All hail Andy,king of the cartridge tube.

[jda3rd]

Frenchie,
You ought not be calling Andy's tubes "Paper Ladies" anyway. That is not a generic term, nor a period term for paper cartridge tubes. "The Paper Lady" is the name of the sutlery of Mary Whisante, of Alexandria, Ala., who has been making and selling paper cartridge tubes since the early 1980's.

I can't comment on the quality of Andy's tubes, but I've heard only good things. I've used Mary's tubes, and I like them.

Mary's tubes were about the only ones on the market for years. And they remain a good value.

Frank Brower

[tompritchett]

That is not a generic term, nor a period term for paper cartridge tubes. "The Paper Lady" is the name of the sutlery of Mary Whisante, of Alexandria, Ala., who has been making and selling paper cartridge tubes since the early 1980's.

Mrs. Whisante should take it as a compliment that her product has so defined the market that it has, in essence, become the generic term for cartridge tubes much as Coke did for sodas and Xerox did for copiers for so long.

[Frenchie]

Frenchie,
You ought not be calling Andy's tubes "Paper Ladies" anyway. That is not a generic term, nor a period term for paper cartridge tubes. "The Paper Lady" is the name of the sutlery of Mary Whisante, of Alexandria, Ala., who has been making and selling paper cartridge tubes since the early 1980's.

Yup, I knew that; I should have said that I personally call them cartridge tubes.

Of course, following what Tom said, millions of people call every paper tissue a "Kleenex(TM)".

[jda3rd]

Believe me, Mary is grateful for all the loyal customers she's had over the years, and that 'paper ladies' are so widely known and used.

Frank

[toptimlrd]

I was actually set up next to Mary at Tunnel Hill last weekend and she was as gracious as ever. Although I make my own tubes now, I am impressed by the way she has cornered the market and the term "Paper Ladies". For what it's worth she doesn't even call them "Paper Ladies" it's just she puts the name of her sutlery on the label and her sutlery happens to be "The Paper Lady".