Right. This is Rumor Control, here are the facts:
The past few days I’ve gotten FB messages from people I know and like asking me about some rumors concerning Machine Paintball. I just got off of an hour and a half Skype call with Mike Spurlock and Jimmy Wu, and I asked and got straight answers regarding Machine, as well as made Mike and Jimmy laugh at some of rumors and silliness being talked about right now.
He’s at the point now where he’s talking to or will be talking to key people like me, Ken Bryson, Jay Peavy, and others to address these rumors and work out how to move forward. I have been given permission to discuss some of the more retarded rumors in an attempt to stop them from spreading, simply because I’m tired of answering the same stupid questions over and over again.
In the interest of full disclosure, my relationship to Machine Paintball is as a contractor, brought on for advertising support, early testing, design, and presentation of the guns via Test Drives to the general recreational and scenario communities and continuing support for the brand via The Ford Report and the various social media platforms that I’m involved with. My wife is assisting with technical support for customers.
- Rumor: Machine Paintball is in debt for over a million dollars and is basically dead.
- Fact: Machine Paintball is currently debt free and in good financial condition. Rumors and scuttlebutt to the contrary are obviously the product of wishful thinking from competitors and/or butthurt sales reps at other companies.
- Rumor: The hopper is never going to happen.
- Fact: The hopper design is complete, including the rumored gear that needed a mold opened up to produce that part. Mike promised a teaser picture in the near future. He apologized for it taking so long, and promises that it’ll be worth the wait. Given what he’s told me about it and how it will interface with the Vapor, I believe that it will.
- Rumor: Will there be a 2014 Vapor?
- Fact: Yes. a majority of the conversation Mike and I had this morning revolved around the 2014 Vapor, and the differences between that gun and the current Vapor. The 2014 gun will be even simpler than the current gun, and the revised bolt and other parts will be able to be retrofitted to the current Vapor. It will operate at lower pressures and look different than the current guns. Mike is also looking at using different manufacturing processes (forged vs. billet milled) to make the 2014 guns easier to produce.
- Rumor: The 2014 guns will have a soft case.
- Fact: Yes. I saw a prototype soft case that is to be included with the 2014 Vapor, and was asked to see about getting it manufactured in quantity with soft goods manufacturers that I know. The soft case once in production will also be available for sale as an accessory. Apparently my wife and I are the the only people who like the hard cases!
- Rumor: There’s going to be a scenario gun from Machine.
- Fact: Yes there is. Mike and I argued some this morning about what and how the scenario gun will look. He made a strong case for his vision of what it will look like. I believe that a basic scenario gun as he envisions it with potential accessories to make the gun look like ‘real steel’ is a good idea. As things develop I’ve been given permission to talk to experienced scenario players for their input.
That’s all I have for now. In a way I have an even better understanding of why Bob Long was so frustrated with people in his
recent video . People like Mike Spurlock and Jimmy Wu don’t just snap their fingers and a 3rd Axis CNC machine poops out their vision. There is always a development cycle with new guns and designs, and custom options like milling, anodizing, and the like all take time. Running around the internet via forums, social media and even in phone calls to other players and industry people whining about not having everything absolutely their way precisely when they have the whim to want it isn’t going to make it happen.
A majority of the complaints Ashley and I have seen regarding the Vapor concerning reliability, etc. are almost always attributed to user error or lack of or improper maintenance of the guns. Dead batteries and improper lubing (especially using the wrong lube!) are the main causes of issues with these guns. User vandalism is also a problem as well, up to and including taking pliers to threaded parts then claiming the gun is a piece of crap and demanding we fix it right this second or else.
This is a common thing for techs on ALL guns to see and deal with. I’ve had my Vapor (#74) for nearly 2 years now, and aside from lubing it and replacing one o-ring that finally wore out, it’s been reliable in the extreme. The only time it goes down or dies when when I perceive a problem and try to ‘fix’ it. Not everyone is suited for working on a spool valve gun, and obviously I’m one of them! Ashley’s even earlier Vapor (no serial #) is a workhorse, only having to have a set screw replaced when she stripped it, and general lubing and maintenance to keep it running reliably. As with most paintball guns, once you get the gun set up, leave it alone!
Friends involved with other companies that make guns tell me stories of similar issues with users and sadly it’s an ongoing problem. They hear the same “This gun is a piece of crap and you’d better fix it or else!” all the time, so it’s not anything uncommon. And they ALL have little idiots running around in forums and on social media running their mouths because they can’t be bothered to read the manual and take proper care of their guns. Partisan users who think
their gun is the best latch on and next thing you know the trolls come out from under the bridge and off we go.
For future reference, if the general playing public has a question about the Vapor, they are more than welcome to contact me via email or on FaceBook to answer any questions they may have or to address rumors concerning the company. I encourage every Vapor owner to look up and join the Vapor Vendetta FaceBook group. It’s an amazing resource for new and experienced Vapor users to have for day-to-day maintenance of the Vapor, troubleshooting and killer settings to use for maximum performance. Tony Tharayil and his guys are absolutely amazing guys, and Master Tech Ken Bowles hangs out there as well helping users get the most out of their guns.
