Chester Machine tools – blood from a stone?

This topic has 17 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 21 December 2018 at 15:52 by Neil Wyatt.

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29 January 2014 at 11:16 #141970
Russ B
Participant
@russb
I'm trying to order some parts from Chester (and have been for at least a few weeks) – it's becoming like trying to draw blood from a stone!

All I want on the bottom line is a drawbar for my RF20/25 – which they have apparently in different lengths, so they asked me what mine was. They gave me a price, and postage, and I thought great, problem solved all in under 24hrs – I'll just get back them in the morning with size info – thumbs up!

I measured up, and then got no response, so I sent off more emails asking if they'd made any progress (at least 3 or 4 days bettwen emails), I got a different contradictory response stating they only do a "standard size" ??

So I've now been trying (unsuccessfully) for over a week again with different emails sensibly spaced so as not to bother them – trying to determine either what their "standard size" is, or if they do have multiple sizes, which size would be close enough to machine down or make do!

They have suggested I can use threaded bar, which is what I'm doing now, and I'd rather have something a bit nicer, simply because I'm a fool like that.

While I'm paying postage, I thought I'd also get a new 52pc clamp kit, and a cheap MT3 boring head and indexable bars and inserts but as I said, its like bleeding a stone! – and those items are on sale, and soon won't be, so I'll really be miffed if they take so long to respond that I miss the sale, I think I'd happily never ever use them again if they don't book their ideas up!

Anyone else finding them difficult to deal with?
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29 January 2014 at 11:16 #23111
Russ B
Participant
@russb
I just want to spend money!
29 January 2014 at 13:01 #141978
Tony – CHUK
Participant
@tony-chuk
I would like to be the first to respond to this one for you with a brief apology.

Due to staff Holiday's and illness we are short staffed at the moment, this has really slowed down searching for none standard items. Plus responding to emails has also been effected as we are extremely busy on the phones and in the showroom.

This is obviously no excuse for poor service, and I'm sure you will have responses from other users who may have had a bad experience.

I can assure you that as soon as we have the draw bars in front of us we will come back to you with the dimensions of the ones we have which will fit your machine.

As to the items which are on special offer that you are looking to purchase, if once your draw bars are sorted you still want to purchase them from us, I will personally make sure you receive them at the special offer price.

Although you haven't had a proper response yet, I hope this will assure you that someone is doing something!

Kind Regards

Tony

Chester Machine Tools
29 January 2014 at 14:16 #141984
Russ B
Participant
@russb
Tony,

spot on thanks, it is a bit of a shame it had to come through the public domain but none the less, thanks.

If you could have responded via email explaining the situation it would have been great, since I've essentially just been in the dark for a week, wondering if I've been forgotten or ignored (following the inconsistent reply)

I'll keep an eye on those boring bits, I'm after the MT3 boring head set and the 12mm or 14mm clamp kit (need to check which table I have you list 071-101 as compatible but that is 12mm, and the specs sheets say it has 14mm Tee slots which would be 071-102 I think)

Anyhow, happy to have received a response and wait patiently for a reply,

For the record the feedback I've recently been seeing surrounding Chester have been positive, as have my previous purchases of spares for sacrificial gears on my other mill which put me out of action probably this time last year, I had my replacements the next day – I ordered 3, and typically none have broke since!
29 January 2014 at 14:34 #141989
Oompa Lumpa
Participant
@oompalumpa34302
I would like to Butt in here.

The snag is, as I understand it, is that a couple of people are off ill and I can say that this is not to go to a football match ( ) but because they have had unfortunate accidents outside of work. Once you lose a couple of people out of three in a direct-to-the-public situation it can become a little fraught I would imagine. I am in no way making excuses, for anybody, but these things do happen once in a while (usually to me) and I can tell you from personal experience that Tony is a terrific help.

I personally can only endorse the other reviews you have read and Chester are usually great people to deal with.

graham.
29 January 2014 at 14:56 #141994
Kevin Bennett
Participant
@kevinbennett25223
it shows who reads the posts and you got fast response

KB
30 January 2014 at 22:56 #142236
Harry Wilkes
Participant
@harrywilkes58467
Tongue in cheek Tony (chunk) replies "Due to staff Holiday's and illness we are short staffed at the moment" well I note the post was at 13.15 so firstly if things are that bad why is he on the net and not sorting out the problems ? It could be suggested he was on his lunch break well again maybe he would be better off having a working lunch.
30 January 2014 at 23:54 #142242
John Stevenson 1
Participant
@johnstevenson1
And then again perhaps it was a customer who alerted him to the thread and he went in to deal with it in a polite and correct manner.

From what I can see most are retired and therefore have all the time in the world to nit pick.

Again tongue in cheek.
31 January 2014 at 06:12 #142246
Brian Warwick
Participant
@brianwarwick88192
I was just wondering how many people were going to die as a result of this absolutely diabolical service a whole week of delay the world could come to an end. And god forbid anyone stealing a few minutes to eat.

TONGUE IN CHEEK OF COURSE

I think the internet has made us all a little to impatient

I have only dealt with Chester once but they were extremely helpful.
31 January 2014 at 08:11 #142255
Hopper
Participant
@hopper
Posted by Harry Wilkes on 30/01/2014 22:56:42:

Tongue in cheek … well I note the post was at 13.15 so firstly if things are that bad why is he on the net and not sorting out the problems ? It could be suggested he was on his lunch break well again maybe he would be better off having a working lunch.

Blimey grandad, haven't you heard? T'interweb is where the problems get sorted these days — like this one just did. If the poor chap is like most small business operators, lunch break is something he can only dream about.
31 January 2014 at 09:40 #142262
Oompa Lumpa
Participant
@oompalumpa34302
"Tongue in cheek Tony (chunk) replies"

I am still trying to work out who Chunk is?

graham.
31 January 2014 at 10:38 #142271
old Al
Participant
@oldal
I went to Chester's a few years ago. Long way from where I live in Kent, but I thought I would make a detour there. On entering the building, their was nobody in reception and when somebody finally arrived, I was curtly told the showroom was through there.

A very interesting look round and I compiled a small shopping list, about £180 worth and some questions on a big mill I was interested in.

Now back in reception, of the two staff people I came across, one was talking to a member of the public and the other was holding a phone to his ear but never seemed to do anything. I received no acknowledgment that I was there in the 20 mins I waited from either member of staff and left empty handed and sill with my pocket full of cash..

Axminster Tools always make me welcome in their Sittingbourne shop and the majority of stuff is the same, for what I am looking at.

I wont go back to Chester's. They don't hold a monopoly in any of their products. (looking under the paint job and badge)
31 January 2014 at 10:50 #142274
Mick D
Participant
@mickd41895
I'm glad the OPs issue seems to have been sorted.

On a happier note,I purchased two clamping kits earlier this month, I had to phone as the web site would not permit online ordering. I spoke to a nice person in 'accounts' who, whilst it was not her responsibility, took my order – the goods arrived three days later.

I'm a satisfied customer who will have no hesitation in using Chester in the future.
31 January 2014 at 13:43 #142302
Russ B
Participant
@russb
Posted by Brian Warwick on 31/01/2014 06:12:54:

I was just wondering how many people were going to die as a result of this absolutely diabolical service a whole week of delay the world could come to an end. And god forbid anyone stealing a few minutes to eat.

TONGUE IN CHEEK OF COURSE

I think the internet has made us all a little to impatient

I have only dealt with Chester once but they were extremely helpful.

You've missed the point, I can hapily deal with a month or 2 of delay, the issue was mixed messaged and being left in the dark for over a week despite 2 or 3 reminders – a simple, "we're really busy and down to skeleton staff due to illness" would have covered it.

The issue is sorted and Chester where back to thier very useful selves and quick delivery.

Axminister are great and thier service is quick, but when I first bought a little mill they where charging 30% or more higher prices than Chester, we're talking 3 figure differences in price! – as good as they are, I dare to call anyone stupid who goes out of thier way to pay such an extreme price difference for exactly the same machnie, the prices are still more than £100 apart now – madness
31 January 2014 at 15:33 #142309
old Al
Participant
@oldal
After all I said above, the last thing I bought was a multi form tool. Axminster had just hiked up the cost and was significantly more expensive than Chester. But I brought one of Chester's via an industrial supplier for less than Chester wanted.

That was 3 years ago or more.
1 February 2014 at 08:34 #142381
Limpet
Participant
@limpet
Looks like Chester has a more underlying problem I ordered a lead screw for my DB8 it took ages and ages most of the I was left totally in the dark as to progress. At one time being told "It's on the bench" It still took another two weeks to arrive that was the tail end of last year. The problem only seems to be with spares — perhaps they'll take this onboard and look at their systems.
21 December 2018 at 11:16 #386815
larry phelan 1
Participant
@larryphelan1
I have had mixed reaction from Chester,some good some not so good.

First I would like to say that I found Tony to be very helpful,also a man named Mark. The problem seems to be that things get shifted around between different people and you dont always get to talk to the same guy twice. This causes misunderstandings and annoyance along with delays.

It,s a strange thing but this seems to happen more when small companies expand and tend to lose touch with their customer base [this appears to happen in most companies,not just Chester ]. My first dealings with Chester was some 18/19 years ago when they were quite small,we walked in there one Saturday morning,no-one to be seen anywhere. We walked all around the place,still no-one !,we could have filled our bags with everything lying around !

Then,out of the blue,a man called Chris appeared,offered us a cup of tea and showed us around,all very low key,very different to what it is now,it seems. Chris was/is a gentleman,met him several times afterwards,always a pleasure to deal with him [is he still around ? ] Also a man named John,another gentleman,ever helpful.

So it seems that big is not always best, eye contact is all-important in sales ask any car sales man.

Another thing is that when trying to order spares,they want you to fill out an order form about two yards long with this number and that number,make,model, colour ect, and you with a machine 20 years old and covered in muck and with no idea where any number might be ! That,s OK for big operators,but not for small guys like us [who put them on their feet ]

Perhaps it just needs a new approach,maybe one guy to look after things like this?
21 December 2018 at 15:52 #386871
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
This thread is four years old. Locked to stop confusion.
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