Chop accuracy, what to do...

Rock

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Posts
172
Loc
Frankfort, IN
I have been dealing with a company that just can't seem to get it right when I order chops. They are never cut where I don't have a big gap on the outside corners and I end up cleaning them up on my saw. Since this has been a continuing thing, I have since just ordered length and cut it myself. However it would be nice to buy chops when I can use them without having to mess with them other than glue and v-nail them together. I like the quality of the mouldings I have been getting, but that's about it. Anyone have a good supplier of moulding where they are getting good chops along with quality moulding? I'm not just wanting to complain to be complaining, but it ends up cutting into my profit big time when I pay for chops and end up fixing them before I can use them. And by the way, yes, I have talked to the company but my complaints fall on deaf ears. I'm kind of gun shy of trying another supplier by getting corner samples, setting up my POS software for their products and go through this again without getting some ideas of who has a good product out there. Any help would be most welcome. By the way, anyone needing to know who I'm dealing with so it won't happen to you, send me a private e-mail. Thanks.
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Rock
 
Palmetto Framing Supply in Columbia SC could be a good source for you. There may be someone closer to you, but if not, we can find you a chop supplier. The company is getting bigger. They have 5 or 6 locations in the south. They carry the full range of Bainbridge, Crescent, and Miller mat boards, TruVue glass and many moulding companies such as Gemini, Presto, Carolina Moulding and more. They also have their line of moulding.
 
I routinely order wood chops 1” larger than I need them just so that I can re-miter them myself.

Metal chops are not usually a problem. Wood chops are.

The reason I order the wood chops bigger than the final size is that chop services use a saw. In addition to my being able to miter moulding better than them, a saw leaves a teeny-tiny ridge on the front surface of the moulding which is bothersome to me.

I don’t have a miter sander like a lot of other Grumblers, but I do have a Morso. Using the chopper gets rid of that ridge.
 
Originally posted by Rock:
...And by the way, yes, I have talked to the company but my complaints fall on deaf ears...I'm kind of gun shy of trying another supplier by getting corner samples, setting up my POS software for their products and go through this again...
If your "complaints fall on deaf ears", then their sales reps' pleas for orders should fall on YOUR deaf ears.

If you are single-sourced, that may be part of your problem. The supplier may consider you a captive customer. I suggest setting up your computer for several lines of moulding, and select the ones you like from two or three of your favorite suppliers.
 
Either that or send 'em a bill for correcting their miters. You pay a premium for the chop service, and if ytou have to make corrections you should be able to get back something for the effort. Offer to pay length pricing any time you have to make a correction.
Better yet, say it is unsatisfactory and send it back (at their expense) until they get it right.


Nah...too much work...there's bound to be someone that wants your money bad enough to supply you with good chops.
 
I have very litle dealings with chop services but I can't imagine that all the frames from one could be cut wrong. If that were true, their customers would quit odering from the after about a month. I have been shown around several large suppliers' back rooms and all have used Pistorius double miter saws. LJ even has a special bearing package they order with their saws (I use it too). There isn't any way those suppliers could turn out consistently inaccruate chops. Occasionally an inatentitive operator may goof, but not all the time.

A mitre sander is probably your best bet if you don't want to change supplier but your supplier would have to be nuts not to fix the problem if it exists. BTW, in 27 years in the industry, I've never heard of this problem. At any rate, if you are right and the supplier can't cut his chops accurately, then the decision to switch may well be out of your hands. These guys aren't going to be around much longer.
 
There isn't any way those suppliers could turn out consistently inaccruate chops.
Wanna bet?
Use the search button for "bad chops".
 
I'm sure you are right about not all the chops they produce are off. They couldn't be in business very long if that was the case. But the ones I have received in three seperate orders are off greatly. I cut and join my own and had gave chops a try from this company. I started this thread to hopefully find a few other chop suppliers that do excellent work for other framers here so I could choose another company without going through the hassle of wading through the list. I prefer quality over quantity and have been doing that for 23 years in my other business. This one is no exception. I will try another supplier and see what they have to offer and the quality they produce in their chops. I can and have always cut my own, that's not a big deal and I get perfect miters with my not so expensive $300 miter saw, no problem there. It's just that if I pay for chops, I expect them to be accurate. I don't have to order a bunch of chops to figure out this company isn't one I would care to deal with in the long haul if the service is like I stated on the chops I have received, no matter how good they are on other services.

Rock
 
The holidays are coming up. If you will be "testing" a new supplier, do it before the holidays. (or, maybe the holidays would be the best test?? :confused: )

Anyway, I noticed that even my usually reliable vendors have some troubles as they get busy. I bought my sander in large part because of my experiences during my first holiday season. Of course, the holdiay season is the key time you don't want to be returning problems!
 
Just sent a letter to the president of one of "america's largest" frame suppliers.
It has taken three shipments so far to get three frames that would work (wrong length legs, wrong size, cut, not 45 degree angles, etc..)

Anyway, two page letter and picture worked. They are sending me the entire order JOINED free of charge.

ALSO: Any one recommend a good but fairly cheap sander?

Steven
 
PS: I was very pleased with their customer service. I am still going to keep them as a supplier because of that :) and the promise that the issues would be taken care of at the plant.
 
Originally posted by Steven6095:
ALSO: Any one recommend a good but fairly cheap sander?

I have a Barton that I bought from United a few years ago. It works great! However, I now have a Ledsome saw and have not even turned the sander on since.

If your saw or chopper is right, you don't need a sander.
 
I use one company that consistently sends bad chops. I complained so much, and sent so many bad chops back, that they now give me a handsome discount and I order them an inch longer and recut both ends before joining. The quality of their moulding is superior but someone in the warehouse needs to do nothing but train their employees and handle quality control issues. It hasn't happened. So I'll take the discount and do it right myself.
 
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