we are saying pretty much the same thing now
Well, to a point, yes, I mean what I said. I choose to believe Trent because I know him and I know he isn't the kind of guy to just rip someone off. What I should have said is that the cue would be put on the back burner until I have more time for it, or until I'm caught up on orders. Now if it were a serious matter, like Trent made a major mistake, like used the wrong wood, made it way too skinny, or made it out of jello, then id say give the guy his cash back. But, if the guy just realizes he is broke and needs some cash, after the cue has been started and time and money (from the deposit) have been invested, he can't just change his mind and want his money back. That's not fair to the cue maker. I consider myself an honorable man, and I've always enjoyed your posts and your stories, so I just want to make it clear, that I didn't mean I would never finish that cue if I was in this situation, but it would be delayed for a while. I really hope it will all work out in the end, and both parties can get what they want.
Joe
Joe,
We are saying pretty much the same thing now, the cue has to get out in a reasonable time. I didn't mean my post as an attack, just pointing out that every new order is a sold cue so he can hardly keep moving the cue back behind new sales.
The wood is wrong in that the veneers are not as specified. That may seem nit-picking to some but it can be a major deal to others. I would feel that the OP was within bounds to request a new forearm made as originally specified, he apparently has an agreement concerning changes. I have to back off of this after rereading the original post. He said he specified black/white/black veneers which makes no sense against ebony but then later in the same post he says he specified white/black/white veneers. If he doesn't know what he asked for I surely don't!
To clarify my comments about the customer, it would be a blue day in hell when I gave him right of refusal on the terms he dictated in item four, he just decides he doesn't like the cue after all. Also I wouldn't consent to photographing a cue being built every two weeks. I'm working in my shop, not playing photographer for everyone that wants their hand held. It might be reasonable to send a photograph after a major stage of construction is completed or once every month or two, whichever is less interruption of the cue builder's real business.
Years ago I took on a job working on a two ton truck. It was an all day sucker, I picked it up before I opened my shop and would return it after closing by humping on the job all day. I did the job every three to six months and knew it was a very full ten hour job. My usual contact was on the first day of a two week vacation and his fill in called my shop thirty minutes after I got there with the truck. He insisted he had to talk to the person working on the truck, me, for a status report. I gave him one. Two hours later he called again insisting on the same thing. I was damned near up to my shoulders in rear end grease, brake fluid, brake dust, and melted plastic. I spent ten minutes cleaning up enough to go to the phone. Then I told him I had the truck torn down where it was impossible to be moved without my cooperation. I also told him one more damned phone call interrupting my work and I would deliver the truck in two weeks when my friend was back from vacation. Leave me the hell alone and I would deliver the truck when I said, at 6:30 that evening. Once I explained things to him in a manner he could understand everything was copacetic.
There are reasonable demands that customers can make and unreasonable ones. When they make unreasonable ones the person trying to please them is well advised to get rid of the headache even if it involves a small loss short term. Nothing wrong with the components as built other than they weren't as ordered.
As noted above, I'm none too sure of that now! Build a cue from them later, sell it, and Trent isn't out time or money.
I found about two percent of customers caused about ninety percent of my headaches. My life became much more mellow when I learned to sniff those customers out early and send them down the road to somebody I didn't like! :thumbup:
I'm like Craig these days, too many things going on to commit to deadlines. Anyone that wants something from me has to be very flexible concerning times. In return I don't want a deposit unless a customer wants something that would be almost impossible to sell to someone else. Right now there is a two to five year delay until right after I build my new shop and get my equipment out of storage. The shop will be built right after the house which isn't started yet! I'm not taking many orders right now although I have six or eight people wanting stuff if I ever get around to building anything.
Hu
