Quality Issues With The Bethel Rhodes,duffus

[earth-thrower 493]

Someone mentioned previous about bethel rhodes barrels, not being to the usual standard. ( Matt i believe ) I bought a box (small quantity) last year,and noticed this,also.Now, has anybody who has been a buyer of these,long term,and aquired some recently ( this year ), know if this has now been addressed,by the manufacturer ,or not ?

[Matt 160]

I doubt it earthy...

 

I spoke to a chap in the works last year and his attitude was "well that's the way we've always done it" which speaks volumes...

 

I spoke to them again in September and they told me that they weren't taking on new customers because they couldn't keep up with the demand they had at that time, so I'm guessing they won't want to add to manufacture time by improving the build quality.

 

Funnily enough, I was thinking about this the other day and am now seriously considering having a word with Flat Pack to see if they would be interested in producing a trap more akin to the original Duffus. I also have issues with the finish on the Flat Packs, but I understand they have now resolved that.

 

Despite the poor finish on some of the BR traps, mine work very hard and still look pretty good. I put the spring balance on a few a month or so ago, and there is no noticeable difference in the springs either. To be fair, my FP traps that are now 4 years old are still in pretty good nick too, although I doubt that would be the case if I'd not dipped them.

 

I also saw some cheapie traps yesterday and tried tuning a few up. The first one I tuned blew itself to bits when I fired it for the first time, so I think I'll be giving them a wide berth.

 

Would there be any interest from others in a good quality Duffus trap more like the original? I may give FP a call later this week and see what they say about the feasibility of producing a batch

[earth-thrower 493]

Thats not a bad idea Matt,as regards approaching F P,about a possible new project ! As far as " tuning" is concerned, are F P as pliable for adjusting,compared to a bethel ? (just in case i have to purchase,as an alternative) ?

[Matt 160]

Thats not a bad idea Matt,as regards approaching F P,about a possible new project ! As far as " tuning" is concerned, are F P as pliable for adjusting,compared to a bethel ? (just in case i have to purchase,as an alternative) ?

In a word, no....

 

The FP traps use much harder material for the trigger loops, which makes them harder to tune up than the BR trap... on the flip side of that, the BR trigger loops have got softer and softer, and I've started finding that moles are actually bending them either when caught, or on the odd occasion when you get a blocked trap.

 

I'm tempted to ask FP to produce a trap which has the same dimensions as the original JND trap, with a sensible half inch gap between the catching loops when the trap is not set, and would require little or no tuning up. An added bonus could be stamping the barrels to make them a little more identifiable.

 

The downside is that FP would probably sell them to anyone and everyone and we could loose work if we're not careful.

 

I'm really not sure what to do about this. I need a few more traps myself, but I'm loath to spend money on second rate crap.

[earth-thrower 493]

Thanks for clarifying.I spoke to a guy on the phone ,before ordering.He was aware of the odd customer or two , id recommended the traps too,initially.As a result ,he chucked in a few extra traps, free of charge ! lol So i thought i may have been passed some ,which were going to be rejected ,anyway ! But, i should have got back to him,anyhow.Dont know if its of any relevance, but i remember him mentioning,that a previous employee of F P,was now currently working for them !

[earth-thrower 493]

Forgot to add, if you were indeed to become involved, in the production of a possible ' improved type of barrel mole trap ' ,i have every confidence you could do better,than " Jeff Nicholls " somewhat disappointing efforts, so far. (ha-ha)

[Matt 160]

Forgot to add, if you were indeed to become involved, in the production of a possible ' improved type of barrel mole trap ' ,i have every confidence you could do better,than " Jeff Nicholls " somewhat disappointing efforts, so far. (ha-ha)

Thanks for the compliment; but I have no commercial interest in selling mole traps these days. I would however, like a trap that is fit for purpose, which I think is what is currently missing from the UK market.

 

If other trappers want to get involved then so much the better I can't imagine that any manufacturer is going to enter into serious re-tooling for the sake of selling me a few traps every year to top up my stocks. It would need a few of us together who were prepared to commit to buying a sufficient number to make it worthwhile.

 

I'll have a word with them later this week and report back.

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

ive starte dbuying s few traps from else where like ag merchants just 2 or 3 in each place i visit and testing them out for flaws ect and most end up passed on to freinds or sold or scrap as their shite BUT BUT their is the odd batch comes into the carrs billington shop by me and their awsome! very good barrel traps but they dont or cant order this batch in they just get them form their main spot i think.... ive tryed to exsplain the diffrence between the traps from each other but their all barrel traps to them... so i just have to wait to see when they have them in....

 

thou as matt knows ive got over to talpex traps now not for all my stuff but a lot of it... i buy 10 every week or every 2 weeks and will do untill i have enugh... but i want to stock up on 50 or so new barrels.. its just finding the right traps to splash out 2-300£ on!

 

and as i was saying to matt ive got a few new cheaper traps hear that i have taken to bits and am going to re make them as i want a trap and see how they go.. now i wont be doing this to all my traps just to see what can be done with the materials when to maker knows how to catch moles insted of a fabricator knocking them together...we need traps made by mowdy men for mowdy men!

 

 

but then again

 

 

[earth-thrower 493]

 

Forgot to add, if you were indeed to become involved, in the production of a possible ' improved type of barrel mole trap ' ,i have every confidence you could do better,than " Jeff Nicholls " somewhat disappointing efforts, so far. (ha-ha)

Thanks for the compliment; but I have no commercial interest in selling mole traps these days. I would however, like a trap that is fit for purpose, which I think is what is currently missing from the UK market.

 

If other trappers want to get involved then so much the better I can't imagine that any manufacturer is going to enter into serious re-tooling for the sake of selling me a few traps every year to top up my stocks. It would need a few of us together who were prepared to commit to buying a sufficient number to make it worthwhile.

 

I'll have a word with them later this week and report back.

 

Thats what i actually only meant, as far as your ' input into the design '. But hey, there may be other opportunities there !.......................( he-he-he)

[earth-thrower 493]

ive starte dbuying s few traps from else where like ag merchants just 2 or 3 in each place i visit and testing them out for flaws ect and most end up passed on to freinds or sold or scrap as their shite BUT BUT their is the odd batch comes into the carrs billington shop by me and their awsome! very good barrel traps but they dont or cant order this batch in they just get them form their main spot i think.... ive tryed to exsplain the diffrence between the traps from each other but their all barrel traps to them... so i just have to wait to see when they have them in....

 

thou as matt knows ive got over to talpex traps now not for all my stuff but a lot of it... i buy 10 every week or every 2 weeks and will do untill i have enugh... but i want to stock up on 50 or so new barrels.. its just finding the right traps to splash out 2-300£ on!

 

and as i was saying to matt ive got a few new cheaper traps hear that i have taken to bits and am going to re make them as i want a trap and see how they go.. now i wont be doing this to all my traps just to see what can be done with the materials when to maker knows how to catch moles insted of a fabricator knocking them together...we need traps made by mowdy men for mowdy men!

 

 

but then again

 

 

Hey Perthshire,will you send me fifty of those,in the photo ? ( that will be me sorted for life !! ) LOL

[Matt 160]

What would you trappers like to see that's different?

 

 

For me, it's the width of the barrel, the gap between the loops and all the other usual stuff...

[earth-thrower 493]

 

ive starte dbuying s few traps from else where like ag merchants just 2 or 3 in each place i visit and testing them out for flaws ect and most end up passed on to freinds or sold or scrap as their shite BUT BUT their is the odd batch comes into the carrs billington shop by me and their awsome! very good barrel traps but they dont or cant order this batch in they just get them form their main spot i think.... ive tryed to exsplain the diffrence between the traps from each other but their all barrel traps to them... so i just have to wait to see when they have them in....

 

thou as matt knows ive got over to talpex traps now not for all my stuff but a lot of it... i buy 10 every week or every 2 weeks and will do untill i have enugh... but i want to stock up on 50 or so new barrels.. its just finding the right traps to splash out 2-300£ on!

 

and as i was saying to matt ive got a few new cheaper traps hear that i have taken to bits and am going to re make them as i want a trap and see how they go.. now i wont be doing this to all my traps just to see what can be done with the materials when to maker knows how to catch moles insted of a fabricator knocking them together...we need traps made by mowdy men for mowdy men!

 

 

but then again

 

 

Hey Perthshire,will you send me fifty of those,in the photo ? ( that will be me sorted for life !! ) LOL

 

I dont doubt their effectiveness , ( in the right hands ) but im slow enough setting a duffus,never mind one of them ! ( ha-ha) However, i dont miss many moles,these days !!

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

What would you trappers like to see that's different?

 

 

For me, it's the width of the barrel, the gap between the loops and all the other usual stuff...

same width barrels a small gap about 1cm between the top of the arms....the trigger wires made from good firm but not rock hard steel.... trigger wires that aint to long so they stick in the ground when the trap is pushed in....not to narrow so the mole can slip past....nor to wide so they can slip thru! ... the space between the catching loop and trigger loop shortend by 6-7mm so the trigger is closer to the catching loops... slightly wider arms so they dont rock or slide to one side when set...and them holes (matt you know the ones) need to be smaller just a fraction bigger then the wire is....and the tunnels make from good thick steel that will take a weathering but not rot or bend like a chocolate fire gaurd

 

i dont want much

 

see i dont want much

[earth-thrower 493]

I picked a barrel up once,in an agri,merchants.It was in a fancy box,with instructions.I believe they were made exclusively,for ' George Wilkinson (Burnley) ltd ' .It was the most robust,and well made duffus type,ive ever come across.

Edited March 17, 2014 by earth-thrower

[earth-thrower 493]

I think the 'duffus' design, has proven to be extremely effective,as a mole trap.For me , it is probably the most versatile,also.However, ideally i would like the trap length,to be shorter.........( but i wouldnt even know ,if this would be possible ! lol )Even a single catch trap,based on this type,i could tolerate.As long as it was reduced in length !

Edited March 20, 2014 by earth-thrower