(Posted this in the Turners forum, but I wanted as many members as possible to see this, and since there are at least 4 times the members viewing here at any time, hence the double post. This post has been going on for 2 painful months.)
Finally got my Jet 1442 headstock back from the machine shop. They sent it back in the same box that I sent it to them in, using the same packing materials. As the picture shows, the paint on the cast around the threads is pretty roughed up, I would imagine because they had to use a big wrench to get the frozen faceplate off. It looks like crap. Certainly not like a brand new machine. They sent the nylon washer fix kit (it's called a "no lock spindle washer")with the headstock (in a bag, not installed). This is supposed to keep me from overtightening the faceplate. Wish they would have given that kit to the person that originally overtightened it at the factory.
I have never been treated so poorly by a manufacturer in my life. They sent me damaged goods, treated me poorly throughout the entire repair process, and in the end look at what I have got. They complained when I mailed the headstock to the machine shop using UPS because they wanted to approve the price of shipping, and demanded a federal form W9 before they would even consider paying for shipping. I have not been reimbursed yet. I have never heard of making a customer send a W9 before. They also told me that they NEVER reimburse customers for this kind of thing, and this was a one time situation, and they would never do it again.
This being my first experience with a lathe, I wish I had some turnings to show you, but the WMH tool group just blew the wind right out of my sails.
UPDATE:
Just plugged the headstock in, and the reeves drive would only go up to 2300 RPM. Looked inside and the machinist installed the drive to far to the right, causing the drive to hit a protrusion on the housing, stopping the pulley from fully opening up. A very obvious error, seeing as I spotted the fins on the pulley were not lined up with the pin that locks the pulley from moving when removing the faceplate. I am now a machinist, and will be fixing this error (I hope) myself.
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