Problem Decor Chops

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Framar

Framar

WOW Framer
Joined
Jul 24, 2001
Posts
26,420
Loc
Buffalo, New York, USA/Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
For the last couple of years I have been experiencing a problem with Decor's chops. I love Decor - I have a great rep (actually - she is my only rep!) and I love their mouldings and I love their prices. I have been buying chops from them for decades with no problems until a year or two ago when the chops started coming in, I don't know how to describe this, well - wonky.

I join frames with a Stanley 400 miter vise, and I have never had any problems ever with anything from them or any other companies for almost 30 years. Now these chops have been coming and if I can get them together in the front they gap in the back. Sometimes I have to dry fit them and slide a thin saw blade thru the ends (sometimes three or four passes!) to make them actually fit together at all.

I have mentioned this to my rep several times and I try to remember to mention it when I am placing an order.

But how many times should one have to say "Make sure the saw is squared" when ordering chops? What the devil is going on at their place? At first I thought maybe they had some new employee cutting chops - but, come on - two years!

Before all y'all jump on me for "taking this public" before contacting the concerned party - I have mentioned this numerous times to them - and still the bad chops keep on coming.

I have taken to keeping my Japanese flush saw by the vise so I can tweak all of their chops before gluing. PITA!!!
 
Because of the less than acceptable chops I have always gotten from ALL the vendors I get these from(occasionally), I ALWAYS have them cut 1/2"-1" longer so I can make the corners right(shipping is the important part here--NOT needing the wood cut for me)!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides, the cost differential length/chop is just not acceptable to me. I honestly do NOT see how anyone can run frame service using only vendor chops/joins--their stuff just does NOT measure (cost/quality) up! Perhaps I'm just too %$#@ picky??? but I've always thought that if I didn't like what I see, a customer wouldn't either!
 
Cutting one's own moulding is only an option when one owns a saw or a chopper. By the time I am finished with 'em, my joins are perfect - but is anyone else having any problems with Decor's chops?
 
Approximately 10% of my corner samples are from Decor. I like their selection.

However, Decor is not a high end moulding. IMO, there is a greater likelihood of it being warped than, say, L-Js., and yes, some of the stuff is snotwood and tends to crumble when re-miter it (like other Bill I order my chops +1/2”), but I have come to expect it from Decor.

If it is really bad and cannot be joined, I send it back.

But, to answer your question, I haven't seen a decrease in quality; it has always been mediocre.
 
Other than the usual, "Whoa this doesn't look a thing like the corner sample!" problems (had to refinish a moulding yesterday) - this chop problem is relatively recent in the scheme of things.

OTOH, I have NEVER had any problems whatsoever joining an LJ chop. FWIW.
 
I would start sending every single bad chop back to them. I know it's really disruptive to your client service, but they will not get the message any other way. Send every bad chop back to them and demand a replacement. After a couple of weeks of this, if the problem is not resolved, tell your rep you want them to provide joins at chop price. Send any bad joins back, too. If they still can't resolve the issue to your satisfaction after doing all this, ask your rep to stop by to pick up all the Decor samples.
 
So some of you are paying for Chop, then chopping it yourself?

Why not just order LENGTH, and save yourself a WHOLE lot of money?
(yes a little more moulding, but you'd probably save more than chop still)


That's like ordering pasta from a restaurant just partially cooked, then you bring it home and cook it the rest of the way. Just buy a box of pasta and do it yourself - it's a whole lot less expensive for the identical end product.
 
Like Bill and Bill..I order all chops about 1" longer and mitre my own ends...of course , if offered, I order straight cuts from non-delivery vendors...not all will do that however.
 
The old addage "you get what you pay for" does apply with Decor. I do not order chop from them, but even the length has quality issues...and the way they pack is ubsurd. The boxes look like they've been though the war by the time they reach me. I have greatly cut down on using Decor. There are those mouldings I really like that I will still order, but I make it a point to check them as soon as they come in.
 
Funny, I have never had a single problem with the way they package their chops.

And there are some of their mouldings I simply cannot live without!

I will look into the join thing, however - it might prove cheaper to them than if I start sending everything back to them.

The Japanese flush saw is a very fine-toothed narrow kerfed blade - used for cutting off dowels and such - very flexible blades, too - I have wanted one for a long time now and bought one last year from MicroMark.
 
I too do not understand ordering chops oversized and cutting them to the correct size.. but I order length moulding from Decor. The packaging is great and pricing is also very good. I mainly buy black mouldings from them.
 
John Golden said:
.. but I order length moulding from Decor. The packaging is great and pricing is also very good. I mainly buy black mouldings from them.
Click to expand...

Decor's packaging on length is very good, but be very careful about ordering by the box from them. The cardboard that by-the-box is shipped is the cheapest Asian cardboard you can imagine. It's the cardboard equivalent of snotwood. I doubt if it is even #150 cardboard. I used to buy quite a bit by the box from Decor but stopped because of the horrible box packaging. I almost never got a box without damaged moulding. Luckily the mouldings that I bought by the box are available from other vendors so Decor has lost about 2-3 boxes a month from me.
 
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