Well, I was looking at ordering a Z1 host, so I could have them send a box with that order. If they agree they could also send a lens. However, I would still like to remove the center cover. I was just informed by Paul that it requires a “special tool”. I have no idea how they got if so tight unless they used Loctite or something.
I am having difficulty with the language barrier here but it appears they don’t want to send box or parts because of shipping costs but they want me to send back item for refund. I had previously told Paul that he could ship these items with my coming order but I don’t think he is understanding?
G'Day Brett H, 
This tool that I have been using successfully, will solve your problem:
Pro Lens Repair Spanner Wrench Opening Open Tool 10-120mm for Canon Nikon Camera
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/400760837164
& there are 2 versions but I prefer the one I bought:
eBay search for: Spanner Wrench Camera Lens Repair:
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?&_nkw=Spanner+Wrench+Camera+Lens+Repair
Btw, Amazon also carry it.
Best Regards,
George
Thank you George! That looks great! Can you tell me if the tips are a very small diameter? The holes in this center cover are VERY small.
Yes, it has fine nail-like points.
That's why I got it in the first place.
Best Regards,
George
Gentlemen, might I humbly suggest that this thread is not the place for this discussion, by myself; or any of us.
This has nothing to do with the purchase of a “host” light or parts.
It concerns the purchase of a factory made light, not a DIY light.
Please consider starting a new thread about this matter and let us keep this thread open to discuss “hosts”, the builds of them, and —whatever else concerning “host” builds we need or want to.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Z1 is a zoom light of superior quality. I have enough of them I can say that with no reservation.
But I have no problem at all with concerns being voiced either, but this is a thread about “hosts”; not factory made lights.
Please take this in the way that it was written… a humble request. 
~
EDIT: PS - I am not referring to the discussion of tools and techniques.
EDIT again: Nevermind… it was just a thought. 
Thanks for the link to the spanner wrench George, I gotta get one of those. It looks like a quality tool. :+1:
Well, I got an answer to this. The shipping cost shown is in fact the actual shipping cost!
A pair of thick, short tweezers has never failed to loosen a pill/retaining ring for me. When they’re extremely tight I position the tweezers in the holes and grip the tweezers as far down as possible with a pair of pliers, applying downward force, and twist. Don’t try that with flimsy tweezers.
Brett, thanks for recap.
It is indeed strange, it is almost like the original package got damaged by Singapore mail and they put a new box around it and giving it a new label so that could explain the tracking originating in Singapore and strange shape it came to you.
About tools, I have this:
http://s.aliexpress.com/NNBVBreQ
(from AliExpress Android)
It has fitted all the small holes in rings I have encountered and it has proven strong enough to open even the ones really tight. I put the tips in and press near the tips so not holding the handles. When something is really hard I also give it some force the wrong way (sometimes they unsrew the wrong way)
I think you are expecting a good box and even a lens is what I would ask for.
I totally agree premium is to be expected from Jaxman and when paying $58.
Your solution of having them ship it with a new order seems pretty nice of you
I’d make the new order but not pay.
Send the same message asking for box and lens to be added in both the order as the Z1 buying order.
Short and to the point:
“The box my Z1 came in was crushed and not the normal retail box. The lens of my Z1 was chipped. I want you to send me a new box and lens with the order. As soon as you agree I will pay the new order. Thanks.”
This should make things clear.
Thank you Sir! I appreciate the link to the tool. Not only were the snap-ring pliers too large at the tips but they also didn’t open very wide. These look like they would work very well as long as the tips are small enough.
Your suggestion sounds like a great idea. However, my only concern is that they are not comprehending my request. They seem set on giving me a partial refund. If this is the case then I guess I can simply add a lens to my order and maybe it would ship in a factory box with all the other individual parts.
Beyond the misinformation, translation problems between Chineese & English, personal opinions, hopes and desires……… I think there is really a very simple explanation to all this. :person_facepalming: ……
Brett, look closely at the screen shot of your order you posted above.
It says shipping is $21.74.
BUT, if you add all the shipping charges together they total $28.01.
If you take the actual charges of $28.01 and subtract 22.4% you end up with $21.74, the actual amount charged for shipping.
The shipping has been reduced by 22.4% already.
How or why I do not know. I finally realized this on my on order just a while ago……… :person_facepalming:
I then checked the one you posted and it was the same.
- That is all I know…… I still do not understand this from above…. [ “Please contact us for more formal prices” - (Jaxman said this on the AliExpress site in what ’hank’ posted just above) ]
If anyone knows anything different it would be most helpful, to most everyone probably; if they would post it in detail instead of some vague reference to an answer.
Brett, I had one factory made Jaxman Z1 light that I have bought as a yet ungifted gift. I had not disassembled it, till a few minutes ago. I did it to check out the tightness of the LED cover.
On the one I just took off, there is no way it would have come loose with nails, safety pins, mouse pads, tweezers, or anything like that.
So I can totally understand what you are saying. But…. it will not loosen without a proper tool…. bottom line. Nothing wrong with it, just real tight.
It would take a tool like ‘George’ or ‘The Miller’ linked to, needle nose that “fit” the holes, snap ring pliers, or a substantial tool made for the purpose. (whether one made it themselves or had it made.)
I used my snap ring pliers and it was tight. I had to torque on it to loosen it. However, once loosened; it can be easily screwed out with the end of one toothpick in one hole.
Below I have included some pics of my snap ring pliers. All of the tips except the copper colored ones fit the holes in the Z1 LED cover.
> Please contact us for more formal prices” – (Jaxman said this on the AliExpress site
That’s quoted from the first post in this thread — and that was some time ago.
Things change. They were new to Ali when this all started. Seems like it’s now settled down.
Forward …
OK…. but, I / possibly we; were only going by what you posted yesterday in post # 80… (quoted below) in answer to the question on how to handle the shipping matter. The answer was not known and your direction was appreciated and followed.
Now, it would possibly appear there is no need to contact them??
‘hank’, I think I remember you posting you recently received an order from Jaxman.
How did you handle it? Did you contact him?
Information would be helpful to all of us please.
edit for spelling correction
Thank you Teacher! I am glad to see that someone understands just how tight this LED center cover is. Do you happen to know the brand of those snap-ring pliers? I like the tools suggested by George and Miller, however, I would prefer not to wait for the shipping from China if possible.
Also, I did in fact notice the decrease in shipping from the cost shown per item. However, in some cases it still seems to be a way to up-charge the price of an item. Here is an example in the two different screenshots below. I added a quantity of 5 of those tiny LED adapters which would add nothing to the cost of shipping. The price for this quantity is 50 cents. However, you can see that the shipping cost increases the total shipping by $3.62 for 50 cents worth of items. The same applies to adding other items. The shipping is increasing far more than it is decreasing. Of course, this is their way of doing things, so it is what it is I guess. I just wanted to point this out.
_
Agreed! I contacted them as Hank suggested and they basically told me the shipping is what is shown.
Mine was tight too i undid it with circlip pliers. Just dont slip
I have retaining ring pliers with removable tips but they weren’t wide enough. I took the tips out and put them in my bench vise at the right distance apart and that worked fine as a makeshift tool.
As I’ve said before, I asked Jaxman to sell me a host — long before any of the group stuff happened here.
Before there was any mention of it on their web/sales page.
I did that because I noticed they’d posted a comment in one of the threads here saying they sometimes did sell people hosts.
I took it as a hint and emailed to ask. Got all I asked for and more, promptly.
I’ve seen several sellers start up on AliExpress and have to wrestle with the automatic posting of descriptions and costs that Ali apparently provides by default.
It’s only worth so much bother to deal with these small amounts, either selling or buying.
I’ll buy another host at some point.
Whatever they cost.
And may I recommend Hoop’s copper pills? I just got mine. Beautiful work.
Yeah, I can swap them in and out of one host.
You know how long that will last though.