Has Anyone Ordered from Custom Photo Tools in Portugal?

About 3 weeks ago I ordered a thread adapter from José Meneses, aka Custom Photo Tools in Albergaria, Portugal. He sells on eBay in the US, but I bought directly from his website <link here>

My credit card has been charged, and I got an email saying "I expect to ship your order soon" - but that was over two weeks ago, and still nothing. So far, he has not replied to my email.

Does anyone have any experience with this seller? Is he legit?

The adapter is not an easy one to find. I bought a 100mm Schneider-Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6 Enlarger Lens with a rear thread size of 32.5mm x0.5. I want to mount that on a Pentax screw thread bellows for closeup work. The Custom Photo Tools website shows an adapter from 32.5mm x 0.5 (female threads) to M42 (42mm x 1) male threads; that would be perfect if they are able to actually provide one.

Does anyone know of another source for such an adapter?

I bought some adapters from him (I think it's the same person) a few years ago via Ebay. Shipping took some time, but they arrived, well packed with no damage. The adapters were well made fit perfectly. I would buy from him again.

I ordered an adapter ring via his website in October 2017. It took four days to ship and arrived in good condition after a reasonable further delay for international mail.

IIRC he makes each item to order. Not sure that this is his day job, so it's possible that there will sometimes be delays when he is occupied by other responsibilities.

Thanks. Sounds like he is legit, but something is wrong. His website says usual shipping is 2 -5 days, and if he can't ship within 5 days he notifies the customer and offers a refund. It's not the extra time delay that concerns me, but the lack of communication.

runswithsizzers said:

Does anyone know of another source for such an adapter?

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I would either turn it myself or having it done by some local workshop willing to do fine turning work.

AgX, I am an avid practitioner of DYI (do it yourself) and I have a pretty good collection of tools for working with wood and metals - but I do not own a metal lathe.

I assume José Meneses (Custom Photo Tools) is able to sell the adapter for 15 Euro only because his specialty experience allows him to make the part with great efficiency. I am guessing that a typical machinist would require maybe an hour to set up the lathe and machine this part from an aluminum billet if it was for the first time - yes? no?

I don't know for sure what machinist labor is worth, but most shops in "the trades" - electrical, plumbing, auto repair - consider an hour to be worth AT LEAST $60 (US), and $100-120 is more typical. And most charge for one hour minimum. So my assumption was that the part would be well over $50 from a local machine shop??

But thanks for the recommendation. I will call around to some machine shops on Monday in case my assumptions are wrong. I woud be delighted if I could buy the part locally for $20-25. Then all I would have to worry about is getting my money back from José.

I was not aware of that 15€. Yes, even with costs of importing in mind, that seems competitive to me.

I have no hesitation to recommend CustomPhotoTools. Some time back, I ordered a 25 mm to 39 mm enlarging lens adapter from this seller. He promptly sent me an order confirmation and shipped the adapter on the very same day. It arrived here in DK only five days later and was an excellent fit. Hope you receive your order soon.

Ahh! After 3 1/2 weeks, I just got an email from José Meneses at Custom Photo Tools. Apparently, he has been ill, but is now back in production and my adapter is finally on it's way to me from Portugal!

Since some time he makes them in brass. very hard to find. e.g. heliopan doesn only use brass for filteradapters etc. but some sized not available anymore. never had a problem with him. but no brass adapter asked yet.
have actually order a M29.5-M52-adapter from Rafcamera. for Kodak Autographic Junior 2-C. but i would like a brass-adapter for filters. Since Heliopan hasnt the only affordable resource i know is in Portugal. The idea here is:
Getting all brass but in two stages: 1. M29.5 x 0.5-M34 x 0.5 + M34 x 0.5 to whatever size brass from heliopan. here rafcamera cannot deliver since he doesnt make brass see above.
Had i ordered all my adapter locally i would be bancrupt. those who can afford should think about that. NB: Meanwhile the chinese copy Rafcamera-design. easy to do since he mostly is showing the drawing.
Rafcamera would make 1.