Garage Gazette
TOOLS AND THE SHOP => MACHINE SHOP => Topic started by: GNAP on January 11, 2021, 04:23:41 PM
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About 2-3 months ago I ordered a series of ER 40 collets for my new MR-26A drill bit sharpener, so I ordered the collets from Toolots.com. My mistake, they put the 5 collets in an 8” x 8” x 8” box with obsolutely zero packaging material. The trip from California to central New York State, was like a meat grinder, the collets were basically useless, the return process was so convoluted, that I ate the purchase. Now fast forward 2 months, I made another mistake, I ordered a expensive “high precision” set of ER 40 collets, the mistake was ordering them from the same place. This set was shown in a case fitted plastic briefcase, it arrived today, the plastic briefcase was the shipping container. It was wrapped in about 3 layers of black plastic shrink wrap, the case was banged up, scuffed all to hell and inside the ”high precision” collets were laying in a pile, with a the individual shrink wrap ground off, scuff marks and dings covering them, two of the collets actually look used. To say I’m discussed is an understatement. You live and you learn, my call to the service line, was answered by a person, who’s native language was not English. I got so frustrated, that I just gave up. I’ll never order from them again.
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The internet used to be easier to deal with. most places seemed eager to get your business. Now they just want the money, dont care if you get what you need or not. I ordered an transmission input shaft Mid December, They billed my credit card day1. Aint seen that input shaft yet. called them between Christmas and newyears and was told they're closed for two weeks at the end of the year. Tried calling them today and they must be closed the first two weeks of the year as well. :banghead:
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Here are the pictures
1 - the case
2 - the view I saw, when I opened the case
3 - the total packaging
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Thanks for posting that Jack. I have been looking at some stuff from them but think I will forget about buying from them.
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Where is a good place to buy tooling? Im getting into this lathe know next to nothing beside what little we learned in high school 15 years ago.
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The internet used to be easier to deal with. most places seemed eager to get your business. Now they just want the money, dont care if you get what you need or not. I ordered an transmission input shaft Mid December, They billed my credit card day1. Aint seen that input shaft yet. called them between Christmas and newyears and was told they're closed for two weeks at the end of the year. Tried calling them today and they must be closed the first two weeks of the year as well. :banghead:
Yep, alot of places have adopted the attitude that - once they have your money - they just about unplug the phone. It used to be businesses worried about bad publicity - now it's just blamed on the newest excuse (the current excuse is COVID).
I hate ordering stuff over the internet. But there are so few local businesses anymore - mom and pop stores are evaporating as we speak - one almost has to order on-line to get stuff.
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Where is a good place to buy tooling? Im getting into this lathe know next to nothing beside what little we learned in high school 15 years ago.
You should get the Southbend book How to Run a Lathe to refresh yourself on basic operation of a lathe. If you can't find a copy I may have one. If you haven't picked up the lathe yet grab anything that looks like it belongs to it including the T wrench for the chuck. I wouldn't worry about tooling until you know exactly what you have.
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I'm almost certain the offshore help lines are purposely constructed to frustrate folks.