Anyone had contact with Blackburn Tools lately?

[Tyler Bancroft]

I ordered a saw kit from Blackburn Tools back in mid-October and haven't heard anything. Sent emails last month and this month and no response. (I know the site says he's running 8-12 weeks behind, but I'm at the 4.5 month mark.) Anyone had contact recently?

[Stephen Rosenthal]

Not recently but maybe 4-5 years ago I was interested in his Rake MasterII saw sharpening device. I emailed him about lead time and didn’t get a response. Tried again a few months later and still no response so I wrote him off. Hate to rag on the guy but if you paid up front you should get a response. Otherwise I’d cancel and demand a refund. If it’s the framing saw you ordered, Bad Axe makes a kit as well and Mark responds quickly. I have his sash and tenon saws and am very pleased.

[Herman Davie]

He is there. I ordered a frame saw kit last June and got it two weeks ago, he is totally swamped. I just happened to mention to the wife two weeks ago that I had not seen the saw kit yet and shot him an email, he responded that he had sent it the say before, sure enough it arrived two days later.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

Part of doing business is responding to customer inquiries in a timely manner. Failure to do so reveals a negative side about that business that causes me to look elsewhere.

[Louis Lampe]

I ordered saw plates last 9/1 and got them about 16 weeks later. I had had two vendors of reasonably priced saw plates in mind, the only other being TGIAG. A bit later I saw that TGIAG was not taking any more orders. ¨Due to health and family concerns we are not taking any further orders for the next several months. ¨ I speculated that Isaac at Blackburn would then have a problem like orders doubling but probably only temporarily so any increase in staff or facility would be iffy. Lots of new customers temporarily.

[Tom M King]

This sounds like it's turning into Stu from Tools from Japan all over again. One person can only do so much, especially in times of so much sickness.

[Chuck Hill]

Much later...

See
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?300884-Roubo-frame-saw-badaxe-vs-Blackburn&p=3230979#post3230979

[Stu Farnham]

The communication problems continue into March of 2023. I ordered a 4x48 Roubo hardware kit at the beginning of August of last year. Where his site quotes an 8-10 week backlog I am now at 30 weeks and counting. I understand being swamped but giving customers some sort of indication as to what to expect is a baseline for customer service. Updating his website to show the current typical backlog for an order would be a quick and easy way to improve communication.

My case is complicated by the fact that we have moved since the order was placed. I have sent him my new address (twice) with no indication that he has seen it.

The phone number on my PayPal receipt rolls over to voicemail. The voicemail box is full. His carrier offers the option of texting the owner to give them your number, which I did with little expectation of a response.

This kind of bad customer service can kill a small business in a hurry once enough people get frustrated and the word gets out.

[mike stenson]

I had issues the first time I dealt with them. Eventually I filed a PayPal dispute. Isaac got ahold of me pretty quickly and complained that my email went to his spam folder.

But, I got my order.

[Chuck Hill]

Blackburn Tools - An UpdateZoom Update - 13th May 3:00PM EST
After our recent announcement regarding Isaac Smith joining Union Manufacturing Company, we are inviting all Union & Blackburn customers to an update on Blackburn Tools, current orders, and the future. We'll also discuss Accu-Burr and the working relationship between Union Manufacturing and Blackburn Tools. Questions will be taken during the call. You can find details on how to join the Zoom call below.

When: May 13, 2023 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Blackburn Tools, an Update
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85906048347
Or One tap mobile :
+13602095623,,85906048347# US
+13863475053,,85906048347# US
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
+1 360 209 5623 US
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 689 278 1000 US
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Webinar ID: 859 0604 8347
International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcLQw2FbNK

[Eric Brown]

I too wanted the saw filing tool and signed up to a waiting list. I forget, maybe five or more years ago? The real question with him becoming VP of Union is if they can take over Blackburn production and actually be producing more product. Currently Union is also having issues with getting product out the door to the dealers. I wish them well but will not put a deposit on anything. It's either available or not.

[Tom Bussey]

It took me over 7 months to get a #1 plane I ordered from Woodcraft. What is new anymore? I now use credit card to order things from the net. By law, and the credit cards company enforce it, that the card is not credited with the purchase until it is shipped.
I paid for my plane with PayPal and the money was removed mediately. In other words Wood craft had my money for 7 months. Never again.

[Greg Parrish]

It took me over 7 months to get a #1 plane I ordered from Woodcraft. What is new anymore? I now use credit card to order things from the net. By law, and the credit cards company enforce it, that the card is not credited with the purchase until it is shipped.
I paid for my plane with PayPal and the money was removed mediately. In other words Wood craft had my money for 7 months. Never again.


Wonder if that has anything to do with companies that create a shipping label seconds after the order but then take 3 to 10 days to actually deliver the item to the shipper. Maybe just a trick to get around the credit card funding requirement?

[David Carroll]

Wonder if that has anything to do with companies that create a shipping label seconds after the order but then take 3 to 10 days to actually deliver the item to the shipper. Maybe just a trick to get around the credit card funding requirement?

I think that is exactly it! I think that what they consider shipping is to put the order into their system and create a label. That's when they charge the card. To them, it counts as shipping. Whether the order is packed and leaves the building or not, that is another matter.

DC

[Tom Bussey]

I understand what you are saying about creating a label. But there a a difference between creating a label and waiting 6 months. Actually it was a difference of 9 months between deciding to buy and to get. You also have some options with a credit card verses PayPal. just saying.

[clinton cox]

Blackburn Tools - An Update

Zoom Update - 13th May 3:00PM EST


After our recent announcement regarding Isaac Smith joining Union Manufacturing Company, we are inviting all Union & Blackburn customers to an update on Blackburn Tools, current orders, and the future. We'll also discuss Accu-Burr and the working relationship between Union Manufacturing and Blackburn Tools. Questions will be taken during the call. You can find details on how to join the Zoom call below.

When: May 13, 2023 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Blackburn Tools, an Update
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85906048347
Or One tap mobile :
+13602095623,,85906048347# US
+13863475053,,85906048347# US
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
+1 360 209 5623 US
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 689 278 1000 US
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Webinar ID: 859 0604 8347
International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcLQw2FbNK




Was anyone able to sit in on this? If so, could you provide us with a summary of what is going on over there?