Really disappointing customer service

[Lee Schierer]

I ordered a zero clearance insert for my son's Rigid 4512 table saw as a Christmas present in November. The place I ordered from sent me several emails saying their supplier had delayed shipments and I finally had enough of the delays. Before I cancelled the order, I spent some time on the phone calling other sources and asked each if they had the part I wanted in stock. If they said no, I thanked them and hung up. My last call was to MLCS/Eagle America. Again I asked if they actually had the part in stock. The woman I talked to said yes they had 9 in stock. I placed the order. That was February 1. Today February 8, I received an email saying the part I ordered won't be available until April 1. I called and complained and they told me a completely different story, blaming it on their answering service who had no access to their inventory. Maybe I will get the part in time for Christmas this year.

[Mark Rainey]

Very sad Lee. Unfortunately poor service is becoming more common.

[John Makar]

I truly hate buying from Amazon, but my experience with a lot of other businesses drives me there. They at least, most of the time, have product info and accurate availability. I could create a rather long list of places where I have had just weird customer service, and MLCS would be on there.

[Brian Tymchak]

Woodcraft of Parkersburg, WV is indicating the have a few Lee Craft ZCI for the 4512. 304-485-4050. Hopefully they aren't the company you originally struck out with.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I ordered a zero clearance insert for my son's Rigid 4512 table saw as a Christmas present in November. The place I ordered from sent me several emails saying their supplier had delayed shipments and I finally had enough of the delays. Before I cancelled the order, I spent some time on the phone calling other sources and asked each if they had the part I wanted in stock. If they said no, I thanked them and hung up. My last call was to MLCS/Eagle America. Again I asked if they actually had the part in stock. The woman I talked to said yes they had 9 in stock. I placed the order. That was February 1. Today February 8, I received an email saying the part I ordered won't be available until April 1. I called and complained and they told me a completely different story, blaming it on their answering service who had no access to their inventory. Maybe I will get the part in time for Christmas this year.


To me, the best Christmas present you could give your son is to show him how to make his own ZCI's. If your son's saw isn't close to you, maybe someone here with same saw could make him one. Haven't checked, but willing to guess there are you tubes out there showing how to make a ZCI for this saw. Just checked, and there are several you tubes showing how to make a ZCI for your son's 4512.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

Slivers Mills has the insert without the riving knife slot in stock; with riving knife slot is sold out. I’ve purchased my Forrest Blades from them and was very pleased with their customer service. It’s a family-owned business.

[John K Jordan]

To me, the best Christmas present you could give your son is to show him how to make his own ZCI's. If your son's saw isn't close to you, maybe someone here with same saw could make him one. Haven't checked, but willing to guess there are you tubes out there showing how to make a ZCI for this saw.

That's about what I was going to say - make one or seven. I made them for my table and bandsaw by tracing the opening and measuring the depth to get that right. I like to use little set screws for fine adjustment.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Slivers Mills has the insert without the riving knife slot in stock; with riving knife slot is sold out. I’ve purchased my Forrest Blades from them and was very pleased with their customer service. It’s a family-owned business.Latest issue of Wood Magazine has an article showing how to cut slot for riving knife in a ZCI

[Jim Barstow]

I'd love to buy from places other than Amazon but these other places don't seem to realize they have to at least try to be as good as Amazon. I ordered a replacement Wixey DRO for my Supermax sander since my existing one crapped out. Evidently, it gets drop shipped from Laguna and Woodcraft acts as the middleman. (Woodcraft notes it may take up to 2 weeks to ship.) After 2 weeks, I called woodcraft and they said it was supposed to be in stock and available for immediate shipping. It showed up almost a month after I ordered it.

I fault woodcraft for accepting this crappy service from a supplier. I fault Laguna for sitting on an order for 3 weeks before shipping. Don't either of these companies realize that Amazon is going to eat their lunch if it isn't already? Amazon knows how to treat their customers well. These other companies need to at least try to compete. If they don't, they'll deserve what they get.

[Justin Rapp]

I will have to agree that Amazon knows how to get their products to their customers and most of the time, when it will get there. It's once again the story of the big guy eating the little guy, esp this past year with Covid. When <insert smaller retailer here> puts in say, 20 drop-ship orders to <insert tool manufacture here> and Amazon calls the same tool manufacture and says 'I need a direct feed of your inventory so I can have 200 machines a week shipped to my Prime customers, and I want preferential treatment', who wins this battle?

On top of the big guy eats little guy effect, supply lines are a mess this year, for pretty much everything at one point or another. Maybe there is a cargo ship off the coast of LA or NY with 50 containers full of woodworking toys but can't dock because someone on board developed some 'flu like symptoms'. At least they figured out how to get toilet paper back on the shelves...

[Lee Schierer]

To me, the best Christmas present you could give your son is to show him how to make his own ZCI's. If your son's saw isn't close to you, maybe someone here with same saw could make him one. Haven't checked, but willing to guess there are you tubes out there showing how to make a ZCI for this saw. Just checked, and there are several you tubes showing how to make a ZCI for your son's 4512.

The problem with the 4512 is that it uses magnets mounted in lugs sticking out from the sides of the throat opening to support the throat plate. They leave only 1/8" of space above them to the table surface. Without the magnetic attraction the throat plate would lift as you raise the blade and there is a riving knife that has to go through the plate as well. A like to a video would be helpful.


Woodcraft of Parkersburg, WV is indicating the have a few Lee Craft ZCI for the 4512. 304-485-4050. Hopefully they aren't the company you originally struck out with.

Woodcraft is the place that delayed the Christmas present into February, then March

What I would really like is one made like the one I have for my saw. 451736 That is designed to fit the 4512.

[Austin Grote]

The forum is not full of complaints about that particular vendor is it?

It would seem your experience is not the norm.

I don`t think the current state of businesses is to reduce customer service, I think it is better now than it has ever been, competition demands it.

Not every transaction goes smoothly, that`s just the way things go sometimes.

But I do think there is an increase of people expecting perfection, and when something is not perfect, we see a complaint on a forum.

[Lee Schierer]

Woodcraft of Parkersburg, WV is indicating the have a few Lee Craft ZCI for the 4512. 304-485-4050. Hopefully they aren't the company you originally struck out with.

Wow, you are a life saver. I just spoke with Betty at that phone number and she walked back, picked one off the shelf and will mail it to me today. They have one left according to Betty.
Thanks Brian. Once again the folks at this site have helped.

[Brian Tymchak]

Wow, you are a life saver. I just spoke with Betty at that phone number and she walked back, picked one off the shelf and will mail it to me today. They have one left according to Betty.
Thanks Brian. Once again the folks at this site have helped.

Glad that worked out Lee. I really like the Lee Craft ZCIs. I have a TS3650 and finding the RG1 for it has become a lot harder so I bought a spare last time. Being phenolic, they last forever.

[Ken Howell]

There's an old business book called "It's Not The Big Who Eat The Small, It's The Fast Who Eat The Slow". Customer Service is all about fast and accurate. Amazon, love them or hate them, has this down pat.

[Lee Schierer]

Woodcraft of Parkersburg, WV is indicating the have a few Lee Craft ZCI for the 4512. 304-485-4050. Hopefully they aren't the company you originally struck out with.

I received a phone call from my son this afternoon saying that the throat insert had arrived and it is the proper one for his saw. So if you need something from Woodcraft give Betty in Parkersburg, WV a call.

[Brian Tymchak]

I received a phone call from my son this afternoon saying that the throat insert had arrived and it is the proper one for his saw. So if you need something from Woodcraft give Betty in Parkersburg, WV a call.

Excellent.

FYI, Parkersburg is the Woodcraft home office. Never made it there even though I get down in that area semi-regularly (well, prior to Covid) to visit family. Grew up in Marietta, OH, just a few miles upriver.

[Bruce Wrenn]

What I would really like is one made like the one I have for my saw. 451736 That is designed to fit the 4512.Can you duplicate it to fit into 4512. Aluminum works with carbide cutters. If you know someone who has a mill/ drill, they should be able to duplicate it. You can take a phenolic one, and cut it for insert. As for you tubes, just "google it." That's how I found them.

[lowell holmes]

I go toy shopping at one of the lumber yards in my area. I have three to choose from. It's like going to a toy store as a kid.

[Lee Schierer]

Can you duplicate it to fit into 4512. Aluminum works with carbide cutters. If you know someone who has a mill/ drill, they should be able to duplicate it. You can take a phenolic one, and cut it for insert. As for you tubes, just "google it." That's how I found them.

I'm working on a design for the 4512.