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View Full Version : Can't say enough good stuff about Craft Supplies customer service!



Joshua Dinerstein
03-26-2011, 12:01 AM
On a sale on the 31 of Decemeber in 2009 I bought a WoodCut bowlsaver. I wanted to try coring some wood and getting to keep more of what I have both purchased and found.

Well long story short I managed to kill 2 Craftman Chainsaws in a row, discover that my wife and I have twins on the way, move my parents twice, almost change jobs etc... Pretty crazy stuff. Well I just got to setting up the coring rig this last week.

I should learn. I really really should learn from my past. I am at times the living embodiment of Murphy's law. I bought a new Powermatic and it was bad. I went thru 2 chainsaws both of which cut for less than about 1o minutes before dieing. But I waited 15 months to try out the coring rig. To discover that it was bent, during shipping or something, and was basically entirely useless right out of the box.

I got it set so that the cutting tip was right on center and the MT2 support piece of this system was way off and wouldn't go into the tailstock. So I change things and put the MT2 piece into the tailstock and discovered that the cutting edge was able to pass below the drive spur center. Yep it was close but it went below it lock stock and barrel.

I was kind of disappointed by this. So I called CSUSA and talked to them about it. They got a new one out of the box and set it up on a 3520b lathe that they had there on their showroom floor. Theirs was good. I took mine down today. It is about a 25 minute drive. I got there and we looked at theirs. Then we put mine onto the same lathe and Sam, the guy I was working with, took one look at it and pause for at most 2 seconds and then said "Wow. Just take that one we setup last night."

15 months old, admittedly clean and new out of the box, but still no muss, fuss or fight. They just went out of their way to make it right. Like the subject says. I just can't say enough good things about their customer service. Would have been 'easy' to say too old, your problem, whatever but they didn't. Customer service like theirs is hard to find. Been lucky by listening to creekers. Had equally great luck with Sean at ToolNut and with Hartville tool. But even still it stood out to me as truly great. And since you so often only read what is negative about a business I wanted to make sure and post something so good about one most of us will probably deal with.

Joshua

Tim Thiebaut
03-26-2011, 12:31 AM
It is nice when a company treats us with respect the way they did you, I am glad they made it right for you and took care of it, let us know how it works out for you.

Ken Fitzgerald
03-26-2011, 12:42 AM
Not surprising! I recently inquired via email about a product I thought they should carry and it wasn't listed in their online catalogue. The customer service manager replied back that his webpage folks would be adding it to their webpage, they didn't have any in stock BUT....he found some and had shipped them to my home address. He followed up with an email a week later to see that I got them and wanting to know if I was happy.

They have always treated me right and went beyond what I consider to be normally expected for customer service and satisfaction!

Jim Burr
03-26-2011, 2:23 AM
They have always handled whatever issue, albeit only two in 8 years, beyond any expectation I've ever had. One of only three vendors I use.

Dan Forman
03-26-2011, 3:47 AM
Two thumbs up from my experience.

Dan

John Keeton
03-26-2011, 7:18 AM
Joshua, glad all that worked out for you. The good companies survive in tough times, and CSUSA has proven their status. But, here is the real lesson from all this - I sure am glad I don't live 25 minutes from CSUSA!!!!:eek: That would mean certain financial disaster for me!!:D I waste enough time just drooling on the catalogue - can't imagine the money I would spend if I could be there in person.

Lee Koepke
03-26-2011, 8:38 AM
I buy from them from time to time ... mostly my pen parts, and so far my only comment is they ship very quickly, prices are reasonable, and I have had no problems! Between this and IAP site I have seen Sam at CSUSA take care of any issues immediately.

You are right John, these are the times that define a 'good' company.

Joshua Dinerstein
03-26-2011, 8:15 PM
Joshua, glad all that worked out for you. The good companies survive in tough times, and CSUSA has proven their status. But, here is the real lesson from all this - I sure am glad I don't live 25 minutes from CSUSA!!!!:eek: That would mean certain financial disaster for me!!:D I waste enough time just drooling on the catalogue - can't imagine the money I would spend if I could be there in person.

Sounds a challenge to me. Come on out, drive instead of fly as you will need trunk space for sure. Bring the missus, the wife and I have a spare guest room all setup for you. You'll want to stay with us so you can save all your pennies and rocks for the trip to CSUSA. Then we'll take the day and go down and get everything you want and keep careful tabs on it all. That way we can check the list twice and verify whether it is or isn't more than the gross national product of most small 3rd world countries. Sounds like a great way to spend a day. :)

BTW, that reminds me... There is a Wednesday in May that would be the perfect day for this excursion. They call it Super Wednesday and it is the day before the big Utah Woodturning Symposium. I went last year. Amazing how many items were on sale. Lots of demo's and hey if you are signed up for the symposium there are often even better deals to be had. Last year you could get up to 25% off your whole order. So it makes just staying for the symposium totally worth it. :) Making it actually a great weekend.

To be honest I used to spend more there than I do now. I still like to go and I like to browse etc... I just find that with a wife and a young daughter with more on the way that I spend less time and money on Woodturning than before. Which is one of the reasons that this bowlsaver has been such an interesting idea and so much fun today. Instead of 1 large bowl I got 3 of varying sizes. More turning, more bowls, and still lots and lots of fun.

But hey John, when you want to come out and test your mettle just let me know. :)

Joshua

Steve Schlumpf
03-26-2011, 11:43 PM
Joshua - glad to hear you had such a good experience with CSUSA. From everything I have read/heard - I would have expected nothing less. Good company!

John Keeton
03-27-2011, 7:14 AM
Joshua, what a tempting invite!! The Utah Syposium is legendary, and I bet the related sale event at CSUSA is a blast. The days are over when I would drive that far - unless is was a slow pace excursion, but perhaps in a few years when I can get this "work" thing behind me!!

I have flown thru Salt Lake City a few times, and rode thru there on a trip when I was 14 - big country! You are situated in an envious locale.