I sent a stock off for some repair and refinishing work in January of this year. The stock guy said he was running about 4-5 months to get work turned around. Every couple months I email him and request a status. As of late July, he had not had a chance to work on the stock.

I have never set any kind of deadline for the project, though I did say in my July communication that I'd like the stock for the season opener in early October. The stock guy said, essentially, " no promises, but I'll try"

Obviously the season opener trip has come and gone with no stock.

I have no urgent need for the project, but this is kind of a first step in restoring a nice old gun and getting it back into the field.

My guestion is, when to panic? how much to nag?

The stock in question needs a chemical soak to pull out 70 yrs worth of gun oil, some acton bedding, and refinishing with an oil finish. There is some missing wood in a couple areas of the forestock, which require inletting some new wood. The stockguy does not do checkering, chasing or re-cutting the checkering is not in this scope of work. I'd just as soon not mention names or even locations at this time. I truly do not know what I should expect here.
The stock guy is not associated with the AR website in any way that I am aware of, as either a poster or a sponsor.

John

Thats crazy

ask him for it back and send it elsewhere,sounds like it may be there forever , believe me ive went thru this before...paul

I don't have trouble with time if I get good honest communication. If not it is time to move on.
Butch

I sent a rifle to a well known and renound smith in your state (Plaines) and it took him 2 weeks shy of 2 years for a promised turn around of 6-8 weeks. I'm a bad one to ask but, like you, I was afraid to nag him. When I got it back, the work was great and he sent it to me before I sent him payment. I think even he was embarrased at the time it took him.

John, He said it would be 4-5 months and it is now going on 10 months. As for nagging...if that is what it takes. perhaps you have chosen the wrong person. You can let it go and hope you get it in time for next year. Or, take it back and send it to someone who will stick with the stated timing plan. I run a 1-man gunsmith shop and if I cannot get a job finished on time, I at least keep the customer informed. BTW, I can handle all the work you mention.
Mike in Michigan

If it were my stock I'd get it back. I do not tolerate liars, and telling someone it will be 4 months and the work is not even started after 10 months, without communicating why to the customer, is a lie. There's one company which is held in very high regard by many people in the gunsmith business for their quality product with which I will never do business with again for the same reason. Take your business elsewhere.

If we do not discuss date of expected delivery up front, I just ask politely when I get anxious, but I wait it out.

If we did discuss date and he set the date, he gets one "miss" of no longer than 6 weeks from me. If he misses that date, barring a severe illness of his or a death in his family, the work comes home and I don't go back there, EVER again.

I don't mean that as a hard ass. I have had "on the edge" health my entire adult life, and I can't count on living until someone decides they "feel" my work is finally important enough to bother with doing it.

Also, I am supposedly dealing with a business, not a hobbyist. They are not "doing me a favor" by taking my requested work, nor am I doing them one of providing sure income when they run out of other thigs to do/sell.

So, I treat it like any other business deal. You promise a delivery date, I promise payment (and a fair profit) for your efforts and goods. No delivery, no payment, no profits, no deal.

I have had a stock set for an Encore at a shop for almost seven months. The forestock needed opening-up for a heavy barrel and the buttstock needed a recoil pad. The stock is unfinished walnut, for which I provided the Tru-oil kit to finish it. I had the thumbhole buttstock about 95% sanded; the forestock I left untouched, preferring to let them do it all. They called me in early September, telling me it would be done about 10 October. No call yet but because it's just one of my five .223s, I can live without it. I want it done right, so I'm not bugging them. Would I ever take another gun there? No...

at 10 months i'd be starting to wonder, however i think 9-12 months is probably a good average wait for me, but i get bitched at enough at work that i sort of refuse to do it to somebody else

I had the same situation this year and let it slide because I found out the guy's wife got cancer and requires almost constant supervision. He worked on it nights and weekends for me. I got it back in about 10 months and it is great. All I had him do was bed the metal to the stock. It has an octagon barrel and I know my limitations.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
I had the same situation this year and let it slide because I found out the guy's wife got cancer and requires almost constant supervision. He worked on it nights and weekends for me. I got it back in about 10 months and it is great. All I had him do was bed the metal to the stock. It has an octagon barrel and I know my limitations.

Yeh, I have a friend who is a local gunsmith that went through pretty much the same situation. His wife finally died this last year. With Dave, I never even discussed dates, on purpose. I know he is a good man, and he worked on his customers' stuff at times when I'd have told them to all go pee up a rope!

I never worry if Dave takes a year or more. It's worth the risk. He IS a friend, and, as I said, a good man. That makes all the difference in the world.

John --

Have you sent him a deposit for the yet-to-be-performed work? If not, I would have him send you the stock back and find someone else. Just my $0.02 . . .

-- Brian

From a professional's standpoint..I can tell you it's damn hard to tell a customer you "just lost interest"

I've done it a couple times and felt terrible, but turns out this is the most honest thing a gunsmith can/should do.

Call him today and tell him that this is a Christmas gift for your best friend.

Tell him "no pressure", but if I can't get it this month, I need you to send it back.

You've now established the need for completion, and a firm date, that's more than twice as long (from January) as was promised you.

I suspect he'll have it done for you. If not, you can start over with someone more reliable.
This is not a big job that you've requested.

Garrett

Using the "guilt card" is not going to get your stock finished, now or a year from now. Take my advise and cut your losses while you still can. I have been down this road before and in my experience its a one-way trip down a dead-end alley.

-- Brian

I'll tell you, its a weird situation for me (first of all in your situation if it is just a standard gunsmith I would get it back and send it somewhere else. with that said....)

my friend and I both recently had some work done on our houses. mine a couple grand, his over 30k (and neither of us is rolling if you know what I mean). finally yesterday he fired his contractor, and none to nicely if you catch the drift. in discussing it we had encountered the same thing, contractors working whenever they feel like. so we take time off work and they come 4-6 hours late, jobs take forever because they don't put in 8 hours etc. etc.

I feel that when a contractor, of any sort, is your friend they automatically, at least most, take their time on it. even if you're paying them. I'm an IT guy for a living, I seldom do work on the side, and the rare occasions have to be friends. unfortunately for them because it isn't my work it get put on back burner behind all the other stuff.

I've sworn therefor not to hire contractors I like or am friends with. the only exception- gunsmithing. I guess because for me it is hobby and not necessary stuff I enjoy the process and would prefer to have a friend do it than somebody I don't know. I think its worth it for the communication, stories, etc. etc. It can get out of hand, but hopefully being friends makes the whole "hey man, I really need that" statements easier as well.

Red
PS
whatever happened to mark stratton? I haven't seen him on here in a while, anybody know? (you can pm me if you want).

Dago, whats a IT guy?

quote:

Originally posted by GSP7:
Dago, whats a IT guy?

Information Technology (i.e. computer geek). That's what I do as well.

Ken....