lathe purchase frustration

Drew Watson

Member
Messages
2,070
Location
Salt Spring Island, BC Canada
My apologies in advance for my complaining but as many know I purchased a lathe with cast stand and chuck and outrigger at the beginning of the month from KMS tools ( big sale last month). The lathe came in, short the stand, chuck and outrigger. I am a pretty laid back person and do try to maintain a sence of humor about things I laughed at the situation and they went about Phoning Vancouver to get them on the next shipment. A day later the chuck showed up and I ordered the bed extension still in good spirits. Well it is the end of a week and I went to the store yesterday and the fellow got on the phone and confirmed that everything has been shipped and will be on the truck tomorrow garanteed including the bed extension. Well I recieved a call from the store today "everything is in" I whipped down to find the outrigger is in but the cast iron stand is not ( they sent the wrong one) and the bed extension is not there either. The fellows at the store have apologized and apologized and got right on the phone with Vancouver. They told me that they have re-ordered both things again and have told me that they will be here Via Purolator by Monday. ( yea right). Yes my patience is being tested by the big guy. Has anyone else had shipping problems like this before or is it just me?
 
That sort of problem ISN'T common, but it does happen sometimes. It's always been my experience that patience does pay off, and also that the vendor usually goes far afield to get me my stuff as ordered. I even ordered a special six-piece triple-flute router bit one time (three cutters) and it arrived with the wrong size cutters. The vendor sent me the right size & asked me to send the wrong ones back when the new ones arrived. I did, and they sent me a check to cover the shipping... for like $1.69... even though I told 'em not to.

Now... a vendor is not SUPPOSED to charge your credit card (presuimg that's how you bought it) until the goods are actually shipped. That might be worth talking over with them - ain't right that they have your money but you don't have their goods.
 
That's gotta be frustrating. Like Tim said, it's rare, but it does happen. You realize there's a chance that you might end up with multiple bed extensions and leg sets?

I think in the end, the waiting will be worth it. You're gonna end up with a nice setup. :thumb:
 
Good Point Tim I will have to check into that with them. Yes Vaughn it is going to be a swet set up if it ever shows up.:dunno: I must say that even though I may complain about it I have never smiled so much since I started playing on it. I should have done this years ago.
 
I'm sure you will get everything and have an awesome setup.

I can understand the frustration thought. One of the reasons I think I'm such a DIY person is that when I do it myself, it kind of puts a clamp on being frustrated with someone else :rofl:
 
I read a lot of posts like yours, here and elsewhere.
I must be very lucky with shipping matters. My stuff comes promptly and in good order. No complaints.
OTOH, my wife is a bell collector. She has really incredibly bad luck with her shipments. I have seen well packed, double-boxed, styro protected things sent to her that were simply mashed and bashed in shipment and the bell (almost always a rare, expensive item) broken and ruined. Sellers and/or shipper always cover dollar loss but it still is a huge disappointment and seems to be a continuing curse.
Hope the rest of your stuff arrives OK. Life is unpredictable.
 
one thing about it drew, your supplier will recognize you and as long as you keep your cool you willhave the best service avaible the next time you drop by.. i have seen it in my expeiernces, they even offer me coffee sometimes:)
 
Thanks guys for all the positive words. :thumb::thumb: I am not one to usually complaine about things that I have no direct control over. It just frustrates me no end dealing with situations like this. :bang: I can understand what you are saying about the battered shipping Frank as the packaging of the stand that they had sent (wrong one, It was the top of the stand for the 1624-44 lathe ) looked like someone had attempted to use a canon to send it. I compared it to the work of a bunch of flying monkeys like in the wizard of OZ and I was surprisd that the cast top was not damaged. I know that I will get all the stuff (even if it one thing at a time) eventually. The guys here at KMS (formerly House of tools) in Victoria are doing a great job. I have been standing with them when they put the orders in and confirm them. They are not the issue. It is the guys in the main store in Coquitlam that are. I was thinking that it is because the store in Coquitlam is right beside the IKEA store that has created the entire problem. Staff must have come over from Ikea and the idea that there is more than one tool to put things together has stumped them. Their minds have gone into vapour lock.:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
having been in a similar spot with the jet lathe extension, I understand the frustration, but so does the dealer/retailer.
He wants to keep all his customers happy, and delays and mistakes in shipping are frustrating for him also.
 
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