Things worth considering at this point:
Some forum members have paid well over ten thousand dollars for some of these pieces. Given that they purchased the pieces under the impression that they were hand-carved, this appears to be a clear-cut case of fraud.
As a non-American, I'm not quite sure, but does this count as a "felony"? (We don't classify crimes this way in Canada)
I wonder does WC have import permits for the exotic woods he uses?
Topic: Scam Warning: WoodCollector - page 23. (Read 29102 times)
Smoking gun, agreed.
A real carver would have at least filed down those corners.
A real carver would have at least filed down those corners.
you would think the inside would be etched also and not left looking so scruffy
I don't think you can etch the inside edges with a laser, so that's probably why they're not etched.
that's actually what i was meaning, by hand you could get in there and have them looking much nicer. shame to see...
you would think the inside would be etched also and not left looking so scruffy
I don't think you can etch the inside edges with a laser, so that's probably why they're not etched.
you would think the inside would be etched also and not left looking so scruffy
Why question something that is good? 
Because some people have paid up to $14,000 for the end results.
This. And because I am an actual artisan, and it upsets me to see people claiming to be artisans -- and charging artisan prices -- when they're amateurs producing sub-par work.
He's a great *artist* and *designer*, sure... as long as those designs are his. That's where his skill ends.
Interesting challenge, looking forward to the response 
Because some people have paid up to $14,000 for the end results.
Knew nothing about wood laser engraving but have to admit the end results look very similar -
Why question something that is good?
Because some people have paid up to $14,000 for the end results.
Knew nothing about wood laser engraving but have to admit the end results look very similar -
Why question something that is good?
UPDATE 1: WoodCollector creates a hate thread in order to intimidate me into silence. He will post his evidence "soon": https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/nubbins-is-the-type-of-plague-that-destroys-this-community-video-proof-thread-931109
UPDATE 2: A carver with 40 years of experience calls bullshit: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10223017
UPDATE 3: Several pieces are found to be using stolen artwork: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10226824
UPDATE 4: IMPORTANT: I have received PMs indicating that WoodCollector is contacting his customers privately, and attempting to extort more money out of them by claiming that he will provide them with video proof once they pay their outstanding balance. I urge any customers who have not paid in full to not give this scammer any more of your money as he runs out the door.
UPDATE 5: Thread where WoodCollector attempts to recruit paid shills to push his phony wares: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/want-to-contract-a-few-good-marketers-hype-men-closed-915488
UPDATE 6: Thread where our Master Carver is tired of making $10 million a year, and is interested in a much more lucrative career operating a dark market website selling marijuana paraphernalia: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.9753499.
UPDATE 7: More stolen artwork: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10235300
UPDATE 8: WoodCollector resorts to using homophobic slurs to silence his detractors: http://i.imgur.com/DWQ8trs.png
UPDATE 9: Several of WoodCarver's customers have PMed me stating that they realize they were ripped off for hundreds/thousands of dollars, but are currently too afraid to come forward for fear their personal information will be released.
UPDATE 10: A South African resident calls bullshit on everything WC has stated about his woods, with links to back it up. https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10237658
UPDATE 11: WoodCollector locks both of his hate threads against me, after posting screenshots of him uploading a proof video. The screenshots turn out to be bogus: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10239877
UPDATE 12: WoodCollector can't figure out how to engrave straight lines onto wood with his laser engraver on November 29, 2014: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/closed-877143
FINAL UPDATE: WoodCollector finally shares his video proof. It is a video of WoodCollector using a Dremel rotary tool to damage a piece of wood that he has laser engraved a design into. Note that the wood is already completely engraved when the piece is first shown! https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/videos-of-woodcollector-hand-carving-care-of-mob-935115
WoodCollector's pieces truly are beautiful, but I believe he's SERIOUSLY misrepresenting himself as being a "master carver" and that his pieces are "carved by hand". It's too bad, because if he was honest about his production methods, people would still buy his products. They'd just know what they were paying for.
Reasons why I think WoodCollector is full of shit:
He claims to be a master wood carver, showing off insanely detailed "hand-carved" pieces:
But all of his "carvings" are impossibly perfect -- just as perfect as a laser etching tool.
Okay, well, maybe he's just that good at carving. After all, he's a master right?
But if he's so good at carving, why can't he cut shapes? Why doesn't he care that his BTC logo shapes are terribly deformed?
Look at the top two legs, as well as the inside cut-outs:
Here's another bad cut:
If he's so good at carving, why do all of his carvings have only two levels of height, as a laser cutter would produce, instead of varying height like hand tools would produce?
Check out the obvious difference in quality between the cutting of the shape and the engraving:
Here's an outlined version. Notice how the verticals do not line up, and are not even the same width.
He obviously has a laser cutter, as evidenced by these perfectly-rendered logos:
Laser cutters also etch wood to a consistent depth, like WC's pieces, whereas a hand-carved relief piece would have a varying height in the flat part.
He claims to be a MASTER CARVER making $10 million a year, but spends 130+ hours working at $18/hr because he "just loves bitcoin so much".
His normal rate is $450-800/hr.
His normal rate is $3,000/hr.
Yes, a MASTER CARVER who normally earns $450 (or is it $800 (or is it $3,000)) per hour is willing to make Butterfly Labs dildos for $18/hr.
Because he loves bitcoin so much, he makes BITCOIN THEMED DILDOS.
For 0.6% of his regular wage.
Yes, a MASTER CARVER who makes three thousand dollars FOR ONE HOUR OF WORK needs to take out a thousand-dollar loan to buy a new lathe:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10191336
WoodCollector, I hereby CHARGE YOU with MISREPRESENTATION of the first degree, and REQUEST the following in order to disprove my theory:
-pictures of your carving tools
-video of you carving a coin with your tools
-name of the master artisan you studied under, and in which country he is located
My apologies to anyone who purchased one of WoodCollector's pieces -- hopefully you bought it because you like it, not because it was "carved by hand" by a "master".
FINAL STATUS: WoodCollector has proven, without a doubt, his artistic skill.
UPDATE 2: A carver with 40 years of experience calls bullshit: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10223017
UPDATE 3: Several pieces are found to be using stolen artwork: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10226824
UPDATE 4: IMPORTANT: I have received PMs indicating that WoodCollector is contacting his customers privately, and attempting to extort more money out of them by claiming that he will provide them with video proof once they pay their outstanding balance. I urge any customers who have not paid in full to not give this scammer any more of your money as he runs out the door.
UPDATE 5: Thread where WoodCollector attempts to recruit paid shills to push his phony wares: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/want-to-contract-a-few-good-marketers-hype-men-closed-915488
UPDATE 6: Thread where our Master Carver is tired of making $10 million a year, and is interested in a much more lucrative career operating a dark market website selling marijuana paraphernalia: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.9753499.
UPDATE 7: More stolen artwork: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10235300
UPDATE 8: WoodCollector resorts to using homophobic slurs to silence his detractors: http://i.imgur.com/DWQ8trs.png
UPDATE 9: Several of WoodCarver's customers have PMed me stating that they realize they were ripped off for hundreds/thousands of dollars, but are currently too afraid to come forward for fear their personal information will be released.
UPDATE 10: A South African resident calls bullshit on everything WC has stated about his woods, with links to back it up. https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10237658
UPDATE 11: WoodCollector locks both of his hate threads against me, after posting screenshots of him uploading a proof video. The screenshots turn out to be bogus: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10239877
UPDATE 12: WoodCollector can't figure out how to engrave straight lines onto wood with his laser engraver on November 29, 2014: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/closed-877143
FINAL UPDATE: WoodCollector finally shares his video proof. It is a video of WoodCollector using a Dremel rotary tool to damage a piece of wood that he has laser engraved a design into. Note that the wood is already completely engraved when the piece is first shown! https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/videos-of-woodcollector-hand-carving-care-of-mob-935115
WoodCollector's pieces truly are beautiful, but I believe he's SERIOUSLY misrepresenting himself as being a "master carver" and that his pieces are "carved by hand". It's too bad, because if he was honest about his production methods, people would still buy his products. They'd just know what they were paying for.
Reasons why I think WoodCollector is full of shit:
He claims to be a master wood carver, showing off insanely detailed "hand-carved" pieces:
But all of his "carvings" are impossibly perfect -- just as perfect as a laser etching tool.
Okay, well, maybe he's just that good at carving. After all, he's a master right?
But if he's so good at carving, why can't he cut shapes? Why doesn't he care that his BTC logo shapes are terribly deformed?
Look at the top two legs, as well as the inside cut-outs:
Here's another bad cut:
If he's so good at carving, why do all of his carvings have only two levels of height, as a laser cutter would produce, instead of varying height like hand tools would produce?
Check out the obvious difference in quality between the cutting of the shape and the engraving:
Here's an outlined version. Notice how the verticals do not line up, and are not even the same width.
He obviously has a laser cutter, as evidenced by these perfectly-rendered logos:
Laser cutters also etch wood to a consistent depth, like WC's pieces, whereas a hand-carved relief piece would have a varying height in the flat part.
He claims to be a MASTER CARVER making $10 million a year, but spends 130+ hours working at $18/hr because he "just loves bitcoin so much".
His normal rate is $450-800/hr.
My normal rate averages about $450 to $800 an hour depending on the difficulty of the wood i am working with.
His normal rate is $3,000/hr.
you are going to un-ass $30,000 and get about 10 - 20 hours worth of carving out of me
Yes, a MASTER CARVER who normally earns $450 (or is it $800 (or is it $3,000)) per hour is willing to make Butterfly Labs dildos for $18/hr.
Because he loves bitcoin so much, he makes BITCOIN THEMED DILDOS.
For 0.6% of his regular wage.
Yes, a MASTER CARVER who makes three thousand dollars FOR ONE HOUR OF WORK needs to take out a thousand-dollar loan to buy a new lathe:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.10191336
WoodCollector, I hereby CHARGE YOU with MISREPRESENTATION of the first degree, and REQUEST the following in order to disprove my theory:
-pictures of your carving tools
-video of you carving a coin with your tools
-name of the master artisan you studied under, and in which country he is located
My apologies to anyone who purchased one of WoodCollector's pieces -- hopefully you bought it because you like it, not because it was "carved by hand" by a "master".
FINAL STATUS: WoodCollector has proven, without a doubt, his artistic skill.
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