Hey Thanks guys, If only I could get this **** web site finished up, then everyone could see what all we have! But its getting there, I've been saying that for years, but it really is this time. Talk about an industry full of scam artists, but if anything, it taught me a lot.
But one thing I always go back to, years ago I was laid off from my job (In a machine shop), and had a bit of money saved up. Knew I needed to do something, so before I got the official layoff notice, I went out and bought a skid loader to do some excavating work that I knew I could do, (In a hurry, so I could get approved for the loan before I was laid off haha, and I did make every payment on time), and ordered a lathe with the rest of the cash I had saved up. Looked at used for a while, but then had to get something here quick, so I ordered new. At that time I didnt know anything about the machines made in China, other than the fact that they smelled funny when I went to look at one ha ha.
I also had a contact and knew I could get some work for that. It was every penny I had to my name. Still lived with my parents at that time. It was a brand new lathe. Skid loader worked out great, but that was just a summer thing, making a flat spot for a guy who was installing above ground swimming pools. (We live in PA, sometimes it was 4-6' or more out of level, some jobs were big) Anyway, when I got the lathe in, I needed major parts in the headstock within a week. No I didnt crash it, it was defective from the start. They told me months to get the parts. I think 6 months. I was like WTH am I going to do, I am trying to support myself here, brand new lathe, and it doesnt work. I had deadlines for these parts, that is why the work was given to me, because the other shop was already behind. It was their overflow. It was a real mess there and I lost a lot of work that would have more than paid for that lathe. So I always try to go back to that if anyone ever has a real problem. We do a lot more quality control than they had been doing 20 years ago, thats for sure. And things have gotten much much better in China. But it almost ruined me. If I didnt have the excavating work to back it up, I would have been done. It was a big company too that did this to me that you all know, this was really before the internet, or anything, just mail order catalogs. and I remember paying with a check instead of a credit card, for one thing I didnt have a credit card, and the other, I saved a few percent from sending a check. It was not any company mentioned here in this thread though. Anyway, I always try to remember that, and while a lot of people just do it for a hobby, a lot don't. And either way, I know the excitement when it comes to a new machine, heck I still get it when we get new models finished up.
Besides the web site people and that lathe experience, I've been dealing with a lot of big corporate B.S. Recently, Verizon with their sh** service, heck even Priceline over a stupid hotel room, I arrived to a hotel in Boston a few months ago for a wedding, and was told sorry, we are overbooked, oh and sorry there isnt a single hotel room available in Boston or within 35 miles after being on the phone with them for 2-3 hours in a hotel lobby. So I flew in, got a cab straight to the hotel around 10pm, and had no room for the night. I even called and confirmed it that morning. And that was it. Ended up calling someone who we were lucky enough to know who lives about 30 miles from where we are at and stayed there for one night. Who happens to have cats and dogs, which I am really allergic to, that tops it off. Couldnt breathe for 3 days. And the best part is, priceline is trying to fight me for the refund! It just seems that its so ridiculous, that it almost seems like a joke.
But experiences like that can make me promise that no matter how big we get, we will never get to be like those kinds of places, ever. I may not always be available, since I am a real person, and do get tied up sometimes, and go on vacation once in a while and take my offshore fishing trip once a year, or whatever, but it seems like the worse I am treated through my experiences with other companies, the better I want to treat our customers.
The other thing is that I can personally run every machine that we sell. (well maybe not some of the CNC's all that well anymore, I lost that since I dont do it much anymore!) You can't find that much anywhere though. I am trying to hire more people who already know about this stuff, and I found a few machinists, but from what I've found that it seems like if you do it for a hobby, you know a lot more than someone who has done it for a job. I thought it would be backwards. Hired a few more people who are pretty good, but they just do not know the machines inside and out like I do. Well I guess if they did, they wouldn't need me haha.
Well thats enough haha, by the way, if anyone knows anyone looking for a job, who already has a really good idea about machinery like this, we are looking to hire more people! (and we do pay very well too for the right people!)
