I couldn't read Bob's post either so I imported it into my e-mail editor and whacked it up into paragraphs. I also did some rough editing. Hopefully I kept what Bob was trying to say. I am cutting and pasting my version of Bob's post here simply so it can be read by those interested.
I'm not going to try to comment on the right or wrong of the matter. As usual in these messes, it seems that communications were an issue throughout the deal.
Hu
(included text)
HEY EVERYBODY WHATS UP? OLD Dale has forgotten a few things so he runs to the forum for some approval. The old boy calls me up, he wanted 3 sneakys all special order stuff exotic woods and ringwork and weights and balances and so on. I quoted $375.00 a cue plus shipping. I told him I could at that time not promise him a direct time of completion because I have a health problem and I had just had a problem with a guy that had told me to take my time only to later blast me all over the forums with downright lies.
Keep in mind I've built cues for 15 years at that point with a total of 1 complaint which happened at the time of my health problems uprising but has since been taken care of. I just got behind, I was too sick. well dale was supposed to send me half down but he only sent $525.00 I went and started the cues I had told him it would be maybe 2 months to 6 months time because of some back orders and again sickness problems about a month to 2 months went by he called saying him or his friends who had went in on the cues with him had seen the forum about the 1 problem I ever had with a customer that I can remember saying it concerned him and them. I reassured him he had nothing to worry about and he seemed okay. About 2 weeks later he called wanting to know if the cues were done. I said no he asked if I would send pics. That upset me because it made me feel he no longer trusted me. I send the pics, he said he wanted more pics of the ringwork. I said if I could free up the time, I did not.
He called about twice over the next 2 months asking about the cues which they were not done. Then about 2 to 3 weeks later I called him saying they're done please send the remaining balance. Our contract was $375.00 a cue half down which was not paid in full the rest before the cues were shipped. He wanted me to ship the cues to him then he would pay. I refused. Then he wanted COD. I refused so I offered him to pay thru paypal. He says no then he informs me his 2 partners have backed out and he needs pics of the cues completed to try to get them to become reinterested. At the time my camera was completely destroyed. We had to search everywhere all over town to find a camera to match our software or come up with $300.00 for a new one.
We got lucky and found one we could use and sent him the pics. He said they look great give him a day or 2 to confide in his friends. He comes back and said just send me my down payment back I have changed my mind. Now keep in mind I built these to his specs special order his size shafts wood and ringwork. These sneaky have a finish to kill for like most high dollar cues. I have called him on my dollar at least 10 times, e-mailed countless times, sent pics several times, started the cues without a full down payment, put up with him calling me dishonest finishing the cues, now he wants all of the down payment back. So get this, I must now sale these cues to pay him back a down payment that I feel he owes me some cash out of. If I must resale his special ordered cues to pay for them for him then I should get paid a sales commission of 25 percent. Really my policy has always been no returns on any custom made cues after down payment is made. As we were discussing shipping and paying the overall price was never mentioned but when I mentioned the total cost that is when he says well you're lying the downpayment shows the price was double that amount because you said to send half down but dale was trying to jew me down that day and he did get me down to $375.00 from $390.00 with 2 shafts which is my reg. price. He tried the $350.00 but I refused.
Does everyone think I should return him all his money or a portion? I wish to be fair about this but hell guys try doing everything I did to find out a old boy don't have all the money to pay for what he's had you work your ass off to improve his pool game for. It would be like all you all going out here and working all week even doing extras for the boss because he distrust you over what some else has said that's untrue then finding out that it didn't matter that you tried to prove yourself because the boss says well hell I can't pay you anyway, or pay you half but want it back even though you done the whole job plus extras for him and have to sale the cues to make his money back and eat phone bills, emailing time, and the reselling of the special made cues.
Buy a house, pay half down, the builder gets done and wants the rest you say I don't want it my partners got out on me. They will auction it off if it sales a $100,000 less than you owe. Guess what, you still owe the rest plus interest, auction costs, late fees, and so on but everybody should not want a cue builder to work for nothing then attack him without knowing the whole story. I will work with Dale but he wants me to do all the work for nothing. Remember all he's done here is order cues I worked and completed them. He refuses cues never seeing them so I work trying to collect adding to my phone bills, using my time, and contacting buyers for cues I was supposed to already have been paid for and yea defending myself for him not wanting to pay for the products he had made special for himself. Please give me a break guys. It's enough just to build a nice hitting and looking cues for the price I sell them for. I run my prices on the edge. This kind of stuff only drives the cost up for what I believe cue builders will be calling just in case money. I must say that everyone I've ever dealt with has always been fair.
I have I guess 2 overall complaints now in 15 years. That's all I can remember and its all been in the last year. One was my fault for getting sick. This one, hell I don't know, I guess he's broke. Dale we need to work this out. I have never screwed anyone out of a red cent; I am 44 years old. I don't plan on it but lets be fair here. You had me do a job. I did it. Your buddies backed out. You had me do all kinds of extra stuff that most cue builders wouldn't mess with for the cost of a sneaky. Too, you questioned my morals and let me know you distrusted me over hearsay. You forced me to run up my phone bills. You lied about the overall cost of the cues or maybe and I mean maybe misunderstood at least. You've threatened me. You refused $225.00 I said I would send you since one cue is sold and offered you more when another sold. What else do you want I have so far done everything I think anyone would or could do. I really believe you need help Dale
I am serious, with your distrusting issues and your unreasonable disposition boarding on self-centeredness I would think you get on a forum attack a guy for him screwing you out of a downpayment he already at that point had offered you money back. You then threaten me with the A.G. What are you going to tell them yeah the guy won't pay me but his policy for 15 years is no down payment returned on any custom cues but he did say he sold for me one of the cues and offered me $225.00 and said he has a lead on another sale and he would then pay me more but I told him no I didn't want it that way. I want it all at once now and refused the money. Well these are the facts some of the time period may be off but for the most part it is the story. Man this crying on these forums is I think bad for the sport it took me 15 years to build my business a lot of long hours and these guys get on here and attack people telling half truths or getting involved in stuff they know nothing of destroying peoples good reps. It should be against the law as slander. Please remembers there's 2 sides and the truth is the truth.
Madison Bob
