Well, here goes... the man of a few words that I am, not:
Since Mr Scott has dragged me into this, I researched my invoicing program and all I can come up with is an order for a primer ram back in 2008. So we're going back 5-6 years and, honestly, I can't remember, nor can I locate ANY invoice for him.
I am thinking that I had a customer named Alan from around the Ohio area who broke out a portion of his crosshead and needed a new crosshead, but I am not 100% sure about who this was or where-been a long time ago. As far as purchasing "expensive" parts from me, I don't see that anywhere. This Alan did not want to purchase a new crosshead, so he machined it out himself and made a steel insert, much like all new P/W come with nos. He sent me photos and I said I'd be interested in a couple of those inserts myself. He sent me two, I believe if my memory serves me correctly. I think he was miffed because he considered them quite valuable, more so that I. I believe he also installed this in one of my broken crossheads for me.
Perhaps, Mr Scott can unlighted me with an invoice number because I show nothing else. If he can send me an invoice number I would be happy to post it here for all to see and my related charges. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I ever had a 950 in here with the short 1" shell holders. So I am very curious about this matter.
I have never, ever charged any customer for the entire amount of time I spend on their reloader, similarly with then work I do on Perazzi's. It is more of a labor of love (tough love at times with some customers), but I have a healthy retirement from a past profession and money has never been why I do this.
I have a Perazzi here that I have probably 10-12 hours invested in a fitting. I would be a hypocritical fool to charge this gentleman for that time and he'll probably pay only half. Many times I even show discounted labor on an invoice, but just as often I simply just cut my labor in half and call it "good."
I've never intentionally sent ANY reloader back not working, and I am amazed that even after I rebuild a reloader, and often time return it with actual reloads that take new factory shells to task, I'll get an occasional call that something is not working. Guy fiddle with adjustments and have no clue what they are doing, then they get to a point of frustration and that's when I get that call that "I" did something wrong. Oh, I may have overlooked tightening one of the 1/8" Allenhead screws from time-to-time, but those are no-brainer's.
In fact, I have a reloader right here sitting behind me awaiting UPS Monday morning going back to northern California that was rebuilt last summer but was returned for a problem. The problem is that it would not index after inserting a primer. The owner claims he doesn't "touch anything," but the wad ram was set 3/4" too low (that should have been a bigger problem), but his primer seating assembly was set so exceptionally high that the friction from the seating post on the base of the hull was so great that the turret could not rotate. Yes, the primer seating area was changed and not by me. Now, one with some minimal intelligence would have to assume that I could not have reloaded ANY shells on that machine in that condition, but I did, a dozen or so all sequentially numbered to show the owner the progression of a a "fair" reload to a "perfect reload"... Evidently there are gremlins in his reloading room or working at UPS. Oh, I did not charge this customer a dime for my work, and if I make a mistake, there would never, ever be a charge. I do make mistakes, and occasionally fix whatever UPS destroys.
I am sorry Mr Scott has lived with this problem for 5 or more years now without even calling me for assistance. Half my days are spent on the phone helping guys solve problems. I have to say that these times are soon ending. I just cannot spend that kind of time doing this kind of free work when I have shop work to do. I sure don't know any attorneys who would offer their services over the phone for nothing. And, because of this I end up working until midnight or later on most nights. This is why I usually don't open until after 10:00 AM... Yesterday morning I even had a call at 7:50AM (came early to get some work done) for help.
The other half has, many times, tried to convince me to stop all these late working hours and limit my phone calls for help to 10-15 minutes. In fact, I am going to institute a 10-15 minute limit policy for assistance, and then start my normal hourly charge for time beyond that once I have a credit card number. My neighbor is a certified QuickBooks Pro. He gives you about 10 minutes free and then after that it's $100/hour billed in 15 minute increments. He's trying to get me to do this as well. My days are just too long and wasted on the phone when I have bench work to do. The customer always has the option of calling the factory for "free" help as well. Ha, try that one on for size.
Here is the only invoice I should for an Alan Scott...
My invoicing database program goes back to 1997, so I am puzzled as to what other work I have done for Mr Scott. I am sorry this person has lived with a problem for these 5-6 years. Had I been the customer, I would have requested ME to take it back and fix it right! Maybe there are some sour grapes involved, but I am grabbing straws here because I just don't understand what's going on.
Mr Scott and I do 100% agree about the center shaft reloaders; the 900, 950, and Platinums. Their indexing is generated by a very small collar residing in the center shaft. That collar is "supposed" to "roll" up and down the machined channel. It probably does for a period of time, but the torque it generates to rotate the turret is just more than it can handle. I do make a hardened steel version, but it has its limitations as well. P/W should have used a much larger center shaft that would have permitted the use of a needle bearing roller collar. And, the use of 12L14 steel is just too soft for many of their applications. It is used because it machines quite nicely and tooling stay sharper longer.
Again, sorry Mr Scott has lived with this problem and if he'd like to return it to me, I would be happy to look it over and fix anything that I may have touched in its previous residence here. He pays shipping in and I'll pay it back.
Jim "Whiz" White
