Problems with 40 degree frog on Veritas Custom Plane

[Bogdan Ristivojevic]

I must say that I am astonished with support offered by Veritas. Custom Plane is my 8th Vertas plane, and it won't be last.

[James Pallas]

I must say that I am astonished with support offered by Veritas. Custom Plane is my 8th Vertas plane, and it won't be last.

I own several LV products and several LN products. I have had reason to call both companies. I would like to say it is a pleasure to deal with these companies. It almost makes me want to call them just to have a chat. I realize in today's world that is unusual. I wish that people would give them a call first before posting here. If you call and can not get things worked out, which would surprise me, than you can post away in my opinion. They deserve the chance to help before the complaint hits the forums. YMMV.
Thanks for posting your experience Bogdan.
Jim

[Jim Koepke]

I wish that people would give them a call first before posting here. If you call and can not get things worked out, which would surprise me, than you can post away in my opinion. They deserve the chance to help before the complaint hits the forums.

Even though this is an extremely proper and logical practice, a person who is on the receiving end of a statistical "falls through the QC cracks" scenario is experiencing high anxiety and may find some solace in posting and hearing from others that this too will turn out well.

The anxiety is exponentially multiplied by the distance and international boarders between the vendor and the buyer.

At least in this case we are fortunate the man behind the magic at Lee Valley follows woodworking forums or at least this one.

jtk

[Simon MacGowen]

I have never posted and will never post anything regarding a sales/purchase problem without first sorting it out with a vendor. Most vendors don't have a presence in forums anyway. You can't rely on forums to help you with your sales issues in all but a few exceptional cases.

It is not about protocol (of a forum) but about effectiveness. If I couldn't get a purchase issue resolved quickly and directly with the vendor/retailer (through its sales people or their boss), I don't expect any forum would help me anyway.

The last time I had a problem with a purchase from Lee Valley Tools, it got dealt with to my satisfaction by its Customer Service, without any involvement of Rob Lee here, as helpful as he always has been -- and that is how a well-run company (or Customer Service) should work.

Simon

[Bogdan Ristivojevic]

You should also count in money and time. It sounds simple when you live in US, but being on other side of the pond complicates things a little bit.

No 4 custom with 2 additional frogs and slow adjuster cost almost 700 USD here. In US, it is below 450 USD. If I order from US, it will take 3-4 weeks before I get it. I spent this month 1500 USD on Veritas tools (I usually make 2 big purchases per year) for something which will cost 900 in USA. Taking into consideration money, waiting time, a problem, no matter how small in US looks quite big, and disappointing.

If you exclude UK, all tools are very expensive in Europe. And if you live in smaller country, after sales support is a sad story, no matter warranty. Return period is 5 working days, if you ordered online, if not, you can't return product. Not to mention that all major electric tools dealers (No proper neanderthal tools dealers here) keep tools for 45 days for the warranty repair. On top of that, prices are double than in USA. This is not power tools forum, but just as example, Makita 2012NB planner cost 1280 USD here. Isn't it about 600 in USA? And when belt break down, waiting period on spare part is from 10-45 days.

When you live in such conditions, only option is to buy highest quality tool (Like Veritas, or LN) in hope that everything will be Ok. When you open new tool (toy?) after long waiting period, and discover that it requires non planned intervention and parts to make it working, and that it will need to wait till next week, for patch up solution, and maybe month or longer for real solution wouldn't you be disappointed?

[Noah Magnuson]

It is one thing to post a "complaint" without first contacting a vendor, but often these threads start out more as a "Is anyone else having this problem?" and trying to sort it amongst peers in case it is user error. In the latter case it is perfectly acceptable, though sometimes others jump on and turn it into a trash-fest of product/vendor opinions which is unfortunate. I don't think it is always so simple to decide how to handle and at least for Rob, he has only benefited from his responses to these sorts of threads.

[Patrick Chase]

It is one thing to post a "complaint" without first contacting a vendor, but often these threads start out more as a "Is anyone else having this problem?" and trying to sort it amongst peers in case it is user error. In the latter case it is perfectly acceptable, though sometimes others jump on and turn it into a trash-fest of product/vendor opinions which is unfortunate. I don't think it is always so simple to decide how to handle and at least for Rob, he has only benefited from his responses to these sorts of threads.

Exactly. FWIW I think that Bogdan's OP was reasonable.

I think it's important in cases like this to take a "just the facts" approach and avoid using terms that imply judgment (defective, broken, etc).