Q: I encountered a problem to complete my order at your webstore, but I still wish to buy. How do I do?
A: We apologize as our eCommerce supplier sometimes give us a hard time. Please use contact form to let us know:
- Your PayPal account
- What you wish to buy (size, color, quantity)
- Which shipping option you prefer: $2 (unregistered air parcel), $5 (registered air parcel), $10 (registered package, for North America only), $28 (EMS speed post, the fastest method).
We will invoice you from PayPal. If you wish to skip the invoicing steps, you may pay directly at our PayPal account (dy.desther@msa.hinet.net) if you know what you intend to buy, which shipping to go...etc.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Q: Is it $6 for a piece of 1.5x6mm vial or $6 for all vials in the picture?
A: Unfortunately, all the pricing here are for ONE PIECE of vial, not all you see on picture.
Remark: I must have been asked similar question for 10 times. I decide to put it on Q&A now....Daniel Nov. 5, 2017
Q: How to use the 3W 365nm UV flashlight for NOA61 curing?
A: It can be operated by either one single AA battery or a 3.7V DC 14500 battery. The latter creates stronger beam and also heat. So we recommend a normal AA battery is good enough. To fix a tiny T1 (1.5x6mm) vial in the slot (such as flashlight or spinner), I would recommend you to find a tiny little copper wire to dip into the NOA61 and apply onto the bottom of the slot. Do so 3 or 4 times so the bottom has sufficient NOA61, put the vial in and adjust it to the center. Place the 3W UV flashlight on top of the slot, turn it on (MAKE SURE YOU MOVE YOUR NOA61 AWAY or cover it properly). It should cure 90-95% of the Norland NOA61 in about 10 seconds. Use same copper wire to apply more NOA61 to level up the slot, cure it with longer time like 3-5 minutes. NOA61 shrinks a little (no data from Norland but my experience is around 5-8%) when it is cured. So you may try to apply slightly more while you level up on the slot.
Q: Why do you offer 18G needle?
A: On two purposes. For larger slot where using tiny copper wire to dip and apply NOA61 is far too slow and painful. So a 18G needle will be included IF YOU ASK FOR IT (for those who order NOA61 only of course). The other usage of this needle is for creating a vacuum chamber to degas NOA61. NOA61 has invisible bubble that will show up when it is cured. For small slot with tiny little vial, this will not be a problem unless you are really keen for perfection.
Degassing Find a small rubber pad, use a 3cc or 5cc syringe to intake 0.5-1.0cc NOA61. Press the needle on the rubber pad, pull the handle up and you create a simple vacuum chamber and will see the bubble. It takes time for them to float up. Flipping on the syringe may help a little. By doing so, NOA61 in front portion of the syringe has less bubble and is good for your application.
Note: Be aware that bubble can be decreased significantly but can never be removed 100%. Perhaps a professional vacuum chamber can do the job...:-)
Remark 1: You need to flatten the needle and get syringe by yourself (recommend 3cc one).
Remark 2: We DO NOT offer syringe. I do not wish to have problem when shipment is outbound at our customs and inbound at your country's customs.
Q: When can I expect to receive my order?
A: As we locate in Taiwan, all options except EMS speed post take about 10-15 business days to reach you. So it is about 10-20 days including weekends. EMS can be slightly faster at 4-7 business days. There are a few factors affect the time that your shipment is delivered:
a. how fast your shipment is handled at our postal service.
b. all foreign mails or parcels must be checked by customs. They must pass a random check at customs (outbound at ours and inbound at yours). There is possibility yours are picked up and take an extra day or two to be released for its following journey.
c. timing of a parcel to be transported to its next stop. Be aware that there are many stops.
d. weather condition. We have "typhoons" every summer and could still have a few in autumn. They affect international flights a lot which carry outgoing mails or parcels. Also some of you might be living in area with winter storm that snow too much to affect inland transportation.
e. holiday may also cause delay of a day or two either it is our holiday or yours. Our holidays are very different from yours.
f. peak season or not. Christmas could be the most severe case every year. Please plan to order your gifts earlier as we are far far away from you.
g. others like unexpected strikes (encountered once for Canadian Post Nov./2018) or manpower shortage at your postal service (West Coast area informed officially by USPS Jan./2019)...etc.
Q: Why can't I find EMS speed post option for Singapore?
A: In early April, 2017, we shipped an order by EMS speed post. And our post office checked to find that 6 other parcels among that big bag were successfully delivered except our parcel. Singapore Post could not find out where our customer's parcel was and that particular parcel can not even be tracked at their system. Therefore, we discontinue to offer EMS shipping for Singapore and Singapore only. To use a faster option, we are forced to choose FedEx. It is more expensive but very reliable.
Q: Why my order was not shipped the same day I ordered?
A: I work on weekends from time to time, but our post office do not open on weekends. All orders are taken to local post office for shipping every evening on weekdays. We are in Taiwan. So the latest order we processed could be what ordered before EST 02:00 UTC-4 your time (we are at UTC+8). Any orders came in later than that time will be prepared and shipped the next day or next Monday.
Q: Do you accept eCheck?
A: As long as PayPal accepts it, we are fine. But eCheck takes 5-8 days to cash in, so we will hold your shipment until we receive confirmation from PayPal that your payment is cleared. Sorry for the possible delay.
Q: Why can't I track my package on USPS site?
A: With RAxxxxxxxxTW tracking numbers ($5 shipping), they can only be tracked by applying tracking service via papers. With CCxxxxxxxxTW ($10 option) or EExxxxxxxxxTW ($28 option), they can be tracked online.
Q: Do you warrant your vials or key fobs?
A: Unfortunately, we DO NOT. All of these tritium vials are made of glass tube sealed by laser instrument. Vial maker does not warrant as well. You must be aware of the fact that it may break if handled improperly like dropping or throwing onto ground hard. We received replacement requests of those who ordered 3 months to 2 years ago. For those requests, we simply ignore and do not reply. We have humble profit and can not afford to guarantee you for free replacement.
Q: Why was my order canceled and I received the refund?
A: We reserve the right to take your order or not. 99.9% of our customers are the greatest we can ever have and it is always a great pleasure to provide our products and service to these great customers. But there are still a few we encountered and we keep those data on a list.
Q: I ordered and checked out, then I found that I need to buy a few more. How should I do?
A: It is easy. Just shop and check out again, and let us know that you wish to combine 2 orders in ONE shipment. We will refund your 2nd order's shipping fee.
Q: I bought before with non-registered shipping, I want to order again but there is no unregistered shipping option?
A: We had a dispute with a customer in June, 2015, so we simply removed that option.
Added on Jun. 16, 2016: As there are quite a few customers asking for "No signature needed", we decide to offer this option again.
Q: Can I have my registered air parcel traceable yet not requiring me to sign for? I work everyday and do not stay at home during office hours to collect the mail. And it is troublesome to find time to pick up the mail.
A: Please notify us to add "DO NOT sign for the package" on your shipping label. We are not sure whether your postman would do so but at least this may tell him/her to just drop the mail into your mail box rather than leaving a note for pick up at their office. As for whether he/she does so, we can not guarantee.
Or you may choose Unregistered shipping - updated on 6/16/2016.
Q: Can vials be cut to length?
A: No, all vials are made of glass tube, cut and sealed with laser instrument. It can not be cut to length.
Q: I asked a question, why did I not hear from you?
A: Please check your trash folder. If you can not find it, ask again (remind us please). We will reply to you from our gmail.
Q: I want to know how much it cost to ship to XXX (country)?
A: Please check our Shipping page for details. Rate is all the same worldwide for $2 and $5 options except registered package ($10, available for North America only) and EMS speed post (different rate for different countries).
Q: Can I get my order within 5 days or a week?
A: Sorry, we do not deliver ourselves. All orders are handed to Taiwan post office (or called Chungwha Post) within 1 or 2 days after receipt of your order. However, we have our holidays quite different from yours. How efficient your order is delivered depends on efficiency of both our post office and yours. Sometime, a lot of factors like extreme weather would affect the delivery tremendously.
Q: What do you suggest to install a vial in a hole?
A: The diameter of the hole should be at least 0.2-0.3mm wider than the vial. If it is a blind hole, the depth should also be 0.2-0.3mm deeper than vial's length. NEVER use any sharp tip object to push the vial into a tight-fitting hole. Vials are most vulnerable on both ends as they were cut and sealed with laser instrument.
Nov. 5, 2017 add: As both ends are sealed by melted glass, they are vulnerable and can be broken instantly if you use any sharp tip object such as toothpick to push it into the hole. If you really need to do pushing, make sure:
1. the hole has sufficient tolerance on both diameter and depth.
2. find a FLAT-ENDED bar to do the pushing job, not any sharp tip object.
Be aware that once a vial is broken, it is gone forever and can never be repaired. We do not do any free replacement for any dead vials.
Q: Can I use crazy glue to fix the vials?
A: No, we do not recommend you to use that. And yes, if you insist and do not mind white smoking mark. Transparent Norland NOA61 UV adhesive is widely used by many flashlight enthusiastic for installing tritium vials on their pricey flashlights. You can use transparent silicon as well, if you do not have any NOA61 in hands.
Q: Why my red vials are not as bright as those green ones?
A: Check the brightness chart on lower portion at Home. All colors have their own wavelengths. Red is simply 20% of brightness if green is 100%. Green is the brightest and most sensitive to our naked eyes.
.
A: We apologize as our eCommerce supplier sometimes give us a hard time. Please use contact form to let us know:
- Your PayPal account
- What you wish to buy (size, color, quantity)
- Which shipping option you prefer: $2 (unregistered air parcel), $5 (registered air parcel), $10 (registered package, for North America only), $28 (EMS speed post, the fastest method).
We will invoice you from PayPal. If you wish to skip the invoicing steps, you may pay directly at our PayPal account (dy.desther@msa.hinet.net) if you know what you intend to buy, which shipping to go...etc.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Q: Is it $6 for a piece of 1.5x6mm vial or $6 for all vials in the picture?
A: Unfortunately, all the pricing here are for ONE PIECE of vial, not all you see on picture.
Remark: I must have been asked similar question for 10 times. I decide to put it on Q&A now....Daniel Nov. 5, 2017
Q: How to use the 3W 365nm UV flashlight for NOA61 curing?
A: It can be operated by either one single AA battery or a 3.7V DC 14500 battery. The latter creates stronger beam and also heat. So we recommend a normal AA battery is good enough. To fix a tiny T1 (1.5x6mm) vial in the slot (such as flashlight or spinner), I would recommend you to find a tiny little copper wire to dip into the NOA61 and apply onto the bottom of the slot. Do so 3 or 4 times so the bottom has sufficient NOA61, put the vial in and adjust it to the center. Place the 3W UV flashlight on top of the slot, turn it on (MAKE SURE YOU MOVE YOUR NOA61 AWAY or cover it properly). It should cure 90-95% of the Norland NOA61 in about 10 seconds. Use same copper wire to apply more NOA61 to level up the slot, cure it with longer time like 3-5 minutes. NOA61 shrinks a little (no data from Norland but my experience is around 5-8%) when it is cured. So you may try to apply slightly more while you level up on the slot.
Q: Why do you offer 18G needle?
A: On two purposes. For larger slot where using tiny copper wire to dip and apply NOA61 is far too slow and painful. So a 18G needle will be included IF YOU ASK FOR IT (for those who order NOA61 only of course). The other usage of this needle is for creating a vacuum chamber to degas NOA61. NOA61 has invisible bubble that will show up when it is cured. For small slot with tiny little vial, this will not be a problem unless you are really keen for perfection.
Degassing Find a small rubber pad, use a 3cc or 5cc syringe to intake 0.5-1.0cc NOA61. Press the needle on the rubber pad, pull the handle up and you create a simple vacuum chamber and will see the bubble. It takes time for them to float up. Flipping on the syringe may help a little. By doing so, NOA61 in front portion of the syringe has less bubble and is good for your application.
Note: Be aware that bubble can be decreased significantly but can never be removed 100%. Perhaps a professional vacuum chamber can do the job...:-)
Remark 1: You need to flatten the needle and get syringe by yourself (recommend 3cc one).
Remark 2: We DO NOT offer syringe. I do not wish to have problem when shipment is outbound at our customs and inbound at your country's customs.
Q: When can I expect to receive my order?
A: As we locate in Taiwan, all options except EMS speed post take about 10-15 business days to reach you. So it is about 10-20 days including weekends. EMS can be slightly faster at 4-7 business days. There are a few factors affect the time that your shipment is delivered:
a. how fast your shipment is handled at our postal service.
b. all foreign mails or parcels must be checked by customs. They must pass a random check at customs (outbound at ours and inbound at yours). There is possibility yours are picked up and take an extra day or two to be released for its following journey.
c. timing of a parcel to be transported to its next stop. Be aware that there are many stops.
d. weather condition. We have "typhoons" every summer and could still have a few in autumn. They affect international flights a lot which carry outgoing mails or parcels. Also some of you might be living in area with winter storm that snow too much to affect inland transportation.
e. holiday may also cause delay of a day or two either it is our holiday or yours. Our holidays are very different from yours.
f. peak season or not. Christmas could be the most severe case every year. Please plan to order your gifts earlier as we are far far away from you.
g. others like unexpected strikes (encountered once for Canadian Post Nov./2018) or manpower shortage at your postal service (West Coast area informed officially by USPS Jan./2019)...etc.
Q: Why can't I find EMS speed post option for Singapore?
A: In early April, 2017, we shipped an order by EMS speed post. And our post office checked to find that 6 other parcels among that big bag were successfully delivered except our parcel. Singapore Post could not find out where our customer's parcel was and that particular parcel can not even be tracked at their system. Therefore, we discontinue to offer EMS shipping for Singapore and Singapore only. To use a faster option, we are forced to choose FedEx. It is more expensive but very reliable.
Q: Why my order was not shipped the same day I ordered?
A: I work on weekends from time to time, but our post office do not open on weekends. All orders are taken to local post office for shipping every evening on weekdays. We are in Taiwan. So the latest order we processed could be what ordered before EST 02:00 UTC-4 your time (we are at UTC+8). Any orders came in later than that time will be prepared and shipped the next day or next Monday.
Q: Do you accept eCheck?
A: As long as PayPal accepts it, we are fine. But eCheck takes 5-8 days to cash in, so we will hold your shipment until we receive confirmation from PayPal that your payment is cleared. Sorry for the possible delay.
Q: Why can't I track my package on USPS site?
A: With RAxxxxxxxxTW tracking numbers ($5 shipping), they can only be tracked by applying tracking service via papers. With CCxxxxxxxxTW ($10 option) or EExxxxxxxxxTW ($28 option), they can be tracked online.
Q: Do you warrant your vials or key fobs?
A: Unfortunately, we DO NOT. All of these tritium vials are made of glass tube sealed by laser instrument. Vial maker does not warrant as well. You must be aware of the fact that it may break if handled improperly like dropping or throwing onto ground hard. We received replacement requests of those who ordered 3 months to 2 years ago. For those requests, we simply ignore and do not reply. We have humble profit and can not afford to guarantee you for free replacement.
Q: Why was my order canceled and I received the refund?
A: We reserve the right to take your order or not. 99.9% of our customers are the greatest we can ever have and it is always a great pleasure to provide our products and service to these great customers. But there are still a few we encountered and we keep those data on a list.
Q: I ordered and checked out, then I found that I need to buy a few more. How should I do?
A: It is easy. Just shop and check out again, and let us know that you wish to combine 2 orders in ONE shipment. We will refund your 2nd order's shipping fee.
Q: I bought before with non-registered shipping, I want to order again but there is no unregistered shipping option?
A: We had a dispute with a customer in June, 2015, so we simply removed that option.
Added on Jun. 16, 2016: As there are quite a few customers asking for "No signature needed", we decide to offer this option again.
Q: Can I have my registered air parcel traceable yet not requiring me to sign for? I work everyday and do not stay at home during office hours to collect the mail. And it is troublesome to find time to pick up the mail.
A: Please notify us to add "DO NOT sign for the package" on your shipping label. We are not sure whether your postman would do so but at least this may tell him/her to just drop the mail into your mail box rather than leaving a note for pick up at their office. As for whether he/she does so, we can not guarantee.
Or you may choose Unregistered shipping - updated on 6/16/2016.
Q: Can vials be cut to length?
A: No, all vials are made of glass tube, cut and sealed with laser instrument. It can not be cut to length.
Q: I asked a question, why did I not hear from you?
A: Please check your trash folder. If you can not find it, ask again (remind us please). We will reply to you from our gmail.
Q: I want to know how much it cost to ship to XXX (country)?
A: Please check our Shipping page for details. Rate is all the same worldwide for $2 and $5 options except registered package ($10, available for North America only) and EMS speed post (different rate for different countries).
Q: Can I get my order within 5 days or a week?
A: Sorry, we do not deliver ourselves. All orders are handed to Taiwan post office (or called Chungwha Post) within 1 or 2 days after receipt of your order. However, we have our holidays quite different from yours. How efficient your order is delivered depends on efficiency of both our post office and yours. Sometime, a lot of factors like extreme weather would affect the delivery tremendously.
Q: What do you suggest to install a vial in a hole?
A: The diameter of the hole should be at least 0.2-0.3mm wider than the vial. If it is a blind hole, the depth should also be 0.2-0.3mm deeper than vial's length. NEVER use any sharp tip object to push the vial into a tight-fitting hole. Vials are most vulnerable on both ends as they were cut and sealed with laser instrument.
Nov. 5, 2017 add: As both ends are sealed by melted glass, they are vulnerable and can be broken instantly if you use any sharp tip object such as toothpick to push it into the hole. If you really need to do pushing, make sure:
1. the hole has sufficient tolerance on both diameter and depth.
2. find a FLAT-ENDED bar to do the pushing job, not any sharp tip object.
Be aware that once a vial is broken, it is gone forever and can never be repaired. We do not do any free replacement for any dead vials.
Q: Can I use crazy glue to fix the vials?
A: No, we do not recommend you to use that. And yes, if you insist and do not mind white smoking mark. Transparent Norland NOA61 UV adhesive is widely used by many flashlight enthusiastic for installing tritium vials on their pricey flashlights. You can use transparent silicon as well, if you do not have any NOA61 in hands.
Q: Why my red vials are not as bright as those green ones?
A: Check the brightness chart on lower portion at Home. All colors have their own wavelengths. Red is simply 20% of brightness if green is 100%. Green is the brightest and most sensitive to our naked eyes.
.