Bump or Flaw in refinishing?

[Seaspook]

I just got this cue back(October 14) from a well respected shop. They did a complete refinish of butt and shafts(2) with new tips and ferrules, with return shipping $382. After some light play last week, I did a wipe down with soft cotton cloth and isopropy and discovered the pictured damaged area. Their response was that there was no lifetime guarantee on work. I was told they would work with me and do a touch up.....with shipping should only cost $60-$70.

Am I wrong in expecting a bit more than that. There is no way of knowing if the finish was flawed or I caused the damage.....but the picture does not look it took a hit.

Apologies for my pre coffee rant...

 

[Black-Balled]

Looks like it was a bubble to me, but I am not really knowledgeable about things like that.

That said, the shop's position in known and it sounds like it will never get another dollar from you.

Frustrating though, I hear ya.

 

[ugotactionTX]

Yeah that's lame. It looks like a flaw in the finish that wasn't noticed by anyone. However, regardless of who built the cue, if you didn't sent it to Scott @ Proficient Billiards for the refinish... you should have.

 

[Seaspook]

Yeah that's lame. It looks like a flaw in the finish that wasn't noticed by anyone. However, regardless of who built the cue, if you didn't sent it to Scott @ Proficient Billiards for the refinish... you should have.

the work was done by proficient and spoke with Scot yesterday. I was not going to post the name of the company, but could not have this thread be a recommendation for them.

 

[TATE]

Hate to see that. I think they should repair it and cover the postage since it looks like a defect in the finish. We have seen companies like Amazon step up and offer great customer service, cover postage on returns - they have it right.

 

[Black-Balled]

Very surprising to read such an established shop took this position.

Given that photo, Scott knows the cause of the blemish with near 100% certainty.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

Someone please explain how anyone would risk such a reputation over $60 to $70?
My experience with Proficient was second to none but that was long ago.

 

[ChrisinNC]

I just got this cue back(October 14) from a well respected shop. They did a complete refinish of butt and shafts(2) with new tips and ferrules, with return shipping $382. After some light play last week, I did a wipe down with soft cotton cloth and isopropy and discovered the pictured damaged area. Their response was that there was no lifetime guarantee on work. I was told they would work with me and do a touch up.....with shipping should only cost $60-$70.

Am I wrong in expecting a bit more than that. There is no way of knowing if the finish was flawed of I caused the damage.....but the picture does not look it took a hit.

Apologies for my pre coffee rant...


View attachment 573861

Unacceptable, but you should have thoroughly inspected it straight out the box. Hopefully you didn’t tell them you already played with before noticing the imperfection, but it sounds like maybe you did.

At that price, they certainly should do the right thing, but you may have to become quite assertive to get them to agree to pay. I wouldn’t get too greedy and demand for them to pick up shipping both ways as well, even though they should. Let us know what happens.

 

[Type79]

Interesting.

 

[Seaspook]

Unacceptable, but you should have thoroughly inspected it straight out the box. Hopefully you didn’t tell them you already played with before noticing the imperfection, but it sounds like maybe you did.

At that price, they certainly should do the right thing, but you may have to become quite assertive to get them to agree to pay. I wouldn’t get too greedy and demand for them to pick up shipping both ways as well, even though they should. Let us know what happens.

I did carefully look over the work.... the size of the bubble is smaller than a match head.

 

[ChrisinNC]

I did carefully look over the work.... the size of the bubble is smaller than a match head.

Doesn’t matter - it clearly doesn’t appear to have been caused recently by banging it in to a rail which would have caused a dent.

 

[ugotactionTX]

the work was done by proficient and spoke with Scot yesterday. I was not going to post the name of the company, but could not have this thread be a recommendation for them.

oh man that's EXTRA shitty and very disappointing.... I've been recommending them for this kind of work for years. I guess Ill be reconsidering in the future... Please keep us updated on the the outcome.

 

[maha]

wont some kinds of finish be harmed by using alcohol on it?
shellac and varnish will dissolve and maybe something else in what you used might affect his finish.
alcohol is a solvent and will ruin many types of finishes even some poly ones. especially if you used straight iso.

 

[ChrisinNC]

wont some kinds of finish be harmed by using alcohol on it?
shellac and varnish will dissolve and maybe something else in what you used might affect his finish.
alcohol is a solvent and will ruin many types of finishes even some poly ones. especially if you used straight iso.

Some strong alcohols or using a magic eraser dabbed in alcohol on a wood finish might permanently dull the finish, but wouldn’t have caused a mark like that.

 

[ideologist]

There was a defect in the finish and it popped off. Proficient refuses to warranty their work

 

[greyghost]

Doesn’t matter - it clearly doesn’t appear to have been caused recently by banging it in to a rail which would have caused a dent.

doesnt have to leave a dent in the wood to get finish to lift, and if finish especially one thats pretty new was lifted, it wouldn't be broken off, takes a hit to do that.

 

[ChrisinNC]

There was a defect in the finish and it popped off. Proficient refuses to warranty their work

Quite hard to believe that there would be a lapse in the quality control that would have resulted in someone failing to check the cue for any imperfections in the finish before sending it back out to the customer.

The other big problem here is that apparently it took the customer over two weeks including having played with the cue before noticing the spot in question.

 

[ideologist]

Quite hard to believe that there would be a lapse in the quality control that would have resulted in someone failing to check the cue for any imperfections in the finish before sending it back out to the customer.

The other big problem here is that apparently it took the customer over two weeks including having played with the cue before noticing the spot in question.

That explosion comes from finish not adhering to the wood. Dust may have gotten in there, or a weird spot of epoxy/sealer. That's a finish defect that probably occurred due to climate change or something. The fact that Proficient won't warranty it says enough

 

[jimmyco]

Sure is ugly. That would be hard to miss, even at the size you say.

When I think of the countless ways that a cue butt can get banged, I would have a hard time laying blame on Scot.

 

[ugotactionTX]

Sure is ugly. That would be hard to miss, even at the size you say.

When I think of the countless ways that a cue butt can get banged, I would have a hard time laying blame on Scot.

I know what your saying and it can happen quite easily... however that does NOT look like damage from a whack. It looks like a flaw in the finish that no one noticed until it flaked off.