need advise for cabinet incubators

[poultrylady]

I prefer the sportsman, but thats just me I have both.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Yes think alot compare the new Dickey to the older model of sportsman. The newer sportsman have a new design and new controls.

 

[Ryu]

Well, I had my doubts about the Brinsea OVA, but we candled, and are 20 for 20 on day 7.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

But folks lets remember the budget....the money....that green stuff....
The mechanics and controls in the Dickey are the same or better than what is in the GQF for LESS MONEY...now if budget was not a problem the Brinsea 190 ($700.00) would be my choice
But that is just my opinion......
Happyhatch'en

 

[deerman]

HappyHatch'en :

But folks lets remember the budget....the money....that green stuff....
The mechanics and controls in the Dickey are the same or better than what is in the GQF for LESS MONEY...now if budget was not a problem the Brinsea 190 ($700.00) would be my choice
But that is just my opinion......
Happyhatch'en

Dickey control same as the old GQF not the newer Higher price model.

Not sure if its worth the price ,but thats why it cost more.

Myself I never had any trouble with the older model controls.​

 

[the_eagle69]

GQF Sprotsman its worth the price.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

deerman and others FYI......the dickey has the same mechanism as the new gqf...that are more expensive,.... in my opinion....because of greed....I'll start off by you calling... Don who owns Sunny Creek Farms....Red Lake Falls, MN....he fix's and restores incubators of all sizes.....he says the gqf product, old or new should really be a "Wal-mart Special" overpriced with poor customer service and he is a dealer for gqf...he would rather sell the Dickey, but because Mr. Dickey isn't interested in the volume he would have to make to meet the demand....he builds them himself....he is "customer service"....again building Value and Quality....let's see Dickey comes with electronic thermostat, digital Temp & Humid gauge, auto turners...same product as the new gqf for $540....gqf Sportsman $659 at (Strombergs)...It seems to me at that price we should be comparing the Sportsman to Brinsea 190 @ around $700.00. Which in my opinion it's a great unit and beats the Dickey & GQF... but it is more money...remember it's high hatch rates we are trying to achieve for the money we spend.
In the late 40's thru the early 70's the Big Dog on the street was the Leahy Bros. They made their own brand call the Leahy Famous Incubator out of Higginsville, MO. They also made units for Sears, called The Farm Master....they sold a ton of them.
Their product was made out of solid Redwood 1 3/4" thick...the largest unit was the Model 1200....21" Wide x 46" Deep x 54" Tall
It had 8 trays 16" x 34" holding 80 chicken eggs per tray with a simple mechanism that turned the eggs....that is a total of 640 chicken eggs. Can you imagine....640 chicks. It was considered the Cadillac of Incubators. It ran the unit using 2 wafer thermostats and 3 heating elements on the bottom ( fan and stat's on top)....also google... Leggs Peafowl Farm in Missouri and see why this Farm got rid of his GQF Products and started buying up all the Leahy Incubators he could...( Higher Hatch Rate) Leggs Peafowel is the largest peacock farm in the US, breading expensive birds. To clean these units the owner loads them on his trailer and goes to the car wash to disinfect and pressure wash them.
So, there are two resources that you folks can check on yourself for the quality (lack of) customer service (lack of) value (yes...lack of) low hatch rate the GQF offers. I mention this because it was GQF who help run the Leahy Bros. out of business with their new product and the electronic thermostat control in the early '70s...it was told to me the GQF sold for $175.00back then. It seemed everyone wanted an incubator they could set and forget...miraculous baby chicks would appear.
The wafer thermostat is still being used today, despite the new electronic thermostat...the wafer has hatched billions of eggs over the past 100 years and will continue to hatch a billion more.
I doubt if GQF has more than $200.00 cost in these cabinet incubators, based on the volume they produce and their parts being made in China. And good for them, companies should make a profit, just be fair about it.
I guess I feel sorry for the Leahy Bros and the Earnest Dickey's of the world....American Made....living a dream.
Attached is my Leahy Model 1200....it is part of my research regarding incubator's, you see I would like to raise the Leahy incubator from the grave and start manufacturing them again....there just is something about solid wood... not only is wood a great insulator ( how many log homes have insulation in the walls) but the wood holds the humidity better in it's natural pores.

Modern technology has been great and we have made tremendous advances over the years...but older technology has it's place as well and I feel that 1 3/4 " piece of solid (real) wood is better than particle board made from wood waste, lot's of glue and formaldehyde pressed together...or perhaps I would use 1/4" 4ply birch plywood sandwiching high density insulation, with solid wood attached to the raw edges.
The GQF is a good incubator, my problem with them is... poor materials used in the cabinet, poor customer service and an inflated price...and let's not get me started on those over priced white styro box's for $100.00 or more......that really burns me.

HappyHatch'en

 

[deerman]

HappyHatchin, I agree about the soild wood, But if you check the new Model GQF Sportsman you will find they dont have the same control now, the dickey used the electric and wafer thermosta like the GQF did on their last year model.

Know the dickey was pretty much a copy of the Sportsman, looks good ,but both work about the same with same results.
GQF patten ran out years ago. After that others show up looking pretty much the same.
GQF even sell all parts so people could make their own.

I collect incubators, and have many types. Even have a old sportsman with the hand turner over 35 years old.

Old sears ,jamesway,lyon, buckeye and etc.

Not saying the GQF is better,just pointing out why it cost more(new control center). The Dickey is like the 2 yr old GQF.(nothing wrong with these )

I buy mine all used, have 6 GQF all still work great.

 

[deerman]

Sillyfilly, the dickey is a very nice incubator even has a small window in the door. looks great and if you dont need the new type contol center of the GQF.

The duel wafer work fine, or you can get it with a electric thermostat. one is a back up.

You can also find great GQF sportsman used for under 300.00, really they work for 20 years.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

Go to Dickeys web site....he has the electronic thermostat as well....so the comparison of the two units are the same mechanism's.

I would like to see your incubators deerman...if you have time send pic's to me with history of each....good thread
HappyHatch'en