CDCO

[1hand]

Wondering what your guys thoughts on this supplier are. I ordered my DRO display for my lathe from there in early Nov. It showed up the very next day. Real nice fast shipping from Chicago to me here in Wisconsin. So I figure I'd try them again and ordered a bunch of stuff. The next day I received a call from this fellow who I could not make a word of. My 3 week old niece knows more English than this guy. So I told him on the phone to email me with what ever problem he had cause I could understand him. 5 mins. later sure enough here comes the email. And it said that the 5c collet chuck was back ordered for 3weeks. Not a big deal, he said I get the rest the next day. Oh by the way he signed his email with the name Frank "right". So as he said the other stuff came the next day. As I'm putting it a way I notice that one of the 5c collets was missing from the set, and there were two of a different size. Honest Mistake, so I email "Frank" back to tell him the problem cause I figure its the best way of communicating. I wait a week and nothing. So I call him on the phone 3 times now and I keep getting "call tomorrow, I'm too busy in the warehouse now to help you" well I think that's what he's saying. Now I'm going on 5 weeks and still no collet chuck and I'm still missing the collet. The sad part is for what ever reason he billed my ceditcard for the chuck even though he didn't ship it. As some of you Know CDCO has really good prices but there customer support really you know........Guess I should of stuck with LMS even though there more expensive. When you have a problem they take care of it ASAP. Sorry to vent.


Matt

 

[websterz]

Never had a problem with Frank yet..yet. He is bordering on impossible to understand, no exaggeration there. :

 

[GrahamC]

I have purchase from CDCO and have no complaints.

His name is Frank - at least that is the name he goes by. He sound pretty much like a one man show - does everything and spreads himself pretty thin; at least that's the impression I get when I have spoken to him, he has been the only one I have spoken to or have received emails from.

Screw ups happen, it's a fact of life. With a little patience I am sure he make good.

I am just a happy repeat customer. Incidentally I bought a 5c collet chuck from him as well. Had to wait several weeks for the next shipment (he sells a lot he tells me).

cheers, Graham in Ottawa Canada

 

[Metal Butcher]

Hi Matt, I ordered a set of expanding arbors from them last year. They arrived with three of them missing the tapered end screws. I called and spoke with some one I could barely communicate with. He did however say he would send the screws after quite a bit of my needing to repeat the arbor sizes that were missing their screws. A week went by and I called again. The guy told me" I told them to send your screws".
another week went by and so I called again and was told they were sent out. After another week a package arrived with the wrong size screws. I called again and went over the sizes that were missing screws.'They must make mistake", I send you screws. A week later two arbors with screws arrived. I have two arbors missing screws and two duplicate arbors with one screw. The time I spent on the phone I could have machined my own.

I gave up and will not order from them again. It looks like I'll be making my own screws someday when I get a chance.They may be good people and/or have low prices, but I just won't deal with a business that has people answering the phone that can't communicate with its customers!

Typing this story brought back my memory of the ordeal, and gave me a headache.

-MB

 

[1hand]

I know when you talk to him he sounds like he is going a hundred miles an hour. The funny thing is when I talked to him today he said "call again and I could help you" I butted in a told him we have had this conversation 3 times before we need to get this straighten out. After 4 or 5 times trying to explain 55/64ths to him he said he will send it with the chuck next week when he figures he would get it. As he is trying to hang up on me, I ask him, who ya going to send them to? He never got a name or an order number, but I was for sure to receive them. He doesn't know if he is coming or going. So we'll wait and see. If it shows up, I'm sure I order more later again, I'm a sucker for a good deal. : I suppose if he were to hire someone to lighten the load we all be paying more. Hopefully Frank will have a Merry Christmas and well deserved day off!!!!!!!!!!

Matt

 

[black85vette]

I have not ordered a lot from CDCO but got everything I ordered and at good prices. However if you swapped Shars for CDCO you just described my experience with them. They missed a chucking reamer from a shipment and the guy that could help me was never there. Same problem talking with them also. Shars is located in St Charles just West of Chicago. Wonder if they are related?

I guess when you cut costs to the bone customer service is one of the things that gets cut.

 

[techonehundred]

I live just about 10 miles from Shars. I have also talked to the owner of CDCO. He was at the names show. He didn't admit they were related. I usually like Shars, because I can do will call right at the warehouse. It is surprising how big their warehouse is.

 

[1hand]

Will call. That would be nice. You know you'd be going home with the right stuff then. Or if it wasn't what you thought it was, you can exchange it right there.

 

[peteski]

This is the second time that my wife has ordered from CDCO for presents for me and has not had any problems. The best way to order from them has been through Email on their web site. Their products seem to be of very good quality for the price. Things bought from them have been a collet set and holder and a Phase 2 toolpost and holders. I have been very satisfied with both items.
Peteski

 

[ke7hr]

I placed a telephone order with CDCO last Friday afternoon. He said that it would ship that afternoon and it did - crossing half the country in just a few days. The eight items that I ordered arrived complete and well packed. I was satisfied as a first time customer and will probably order from them again.

 

[bearcar1]

I have no experiences or dealings with CDCD but have made purchases from Shars and I too go to the will call window to pick up as I am within an easy drive of them. They are located in an out of the way industrial park and the name on the building does not face the street but once found it is a fairly large structure. I think the prices are decent and not having to pay through the a** for shipping is a huge savings for me.


BC1
Jim

 

[Orrin]

Thank you for mentioning CDCO. I've been meaning to order some toolholders from that outfit and this thread jogged me into doing it. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the AXA size is now on sale for $8.00 and the BXA is $9.00! I ordered ten. That way, the shipping cost per item isn't so bad.

At $8, each, a person is foolish to try to do better by making them at home. If you place much value your time, it can't be done.

Orrin

 

[1hand]

Last month I ordered a QCTP with all the holders and knurling tool all for $78. I already had this stuff but at that price.............a guy could have two. Why, I don't know. Tool envy I guess. I paid twice that for my first set. I started this thread not to bash this guy, but to see if I was the only one that stuff like this happens to. If he gets this straightened out for me, I got a list a page long that I want to order from him. "Tool envy, again".

Matt

 

[Davyboy]

Hi 1hand. CDCO had an outlet at 7 Mile Fair near Milwaukee, weekends only at the flea market. I last visited in July 2009. He doesn't stock all the catalog items, but there's a lot to see. I've bought some good stuff from him, some is of dubious quality, I opted to get elsewhere, typical of imported products. Hope you get your situation resolved.

Davyboy

 

[1hand]

Davyboy,
Merrill WI, Well we are neighbors almost.

 

[Davyboy]

Yes, Just about an hour's drive down hiway 64, tho I don't get out too often.

DB

 

[1hand]

Yep, called again this morning and got the run around again. Maybe next week...........Well its time to cut the cord. Canceled the chuck and hopefully will be credited back on my card ???. Going to pay the extra $$$ and get it through LMS. Lesson learned.

Matt

 

[Metal Butcher]

Yep, called again this morning and got the run around again. Maybe next week...........Well its time to cut the cord. Canceled the chuck and hopefully will be credited back on my card ???. Going to pay the extra $$$ and get it through LMS. Lesson learned.

Matt

Sorry to hear you had to cancel the order and bail out. That,s unfortunately the way it goes sometimes. And it happens to the best of use sooner or later. With a little luck the other guy will get it to you in short order.

The thing that bothered me, when I read your original post was that your card was charged. I thought that vendors could not charge your card until the day they shipped the order. Also heard that when 'back orders' reach 30 days they should be automatically canceled by the vendor. Sounds to me like this ''operation' is selling "eggs out of an empty basket." I quick call to your card company might be a good idea due to the approaching time limits.

I noticed you mounted a 6" chuck on your 9x20 (19). I'm thinking 6'' 4 jaw for my lathe. Would you recommend that move , or are there 'issues' that I might need to deal with? Like say, have you snapped a drive belt, or run into any clearance problems?

Thanks.

-MB

 

[1hand]

Haven't had any issues with the 6" chuck yet. Its a hell of big chuck though. If your worried about the drive belt breaking, you could use the tension lever as sort of a clutch to get everything spinning. I'm missing my left arm so I don't like reaching over the chuck with my right, so I just turn it on without any problems yet. When I get my 5c chuck, I'll use that for anything under 1 1/8" and over I'll use the 4" or the 6". Would like to get the better 4 jaw down the road. Don't know if I'll get the 5" or the 6". I'll wait til you get yours before I decide.............lol

Matt

 

[Metal Butcher]

Thanks Matt. Occasionally I forget to dis-engage the belt tensioning lever and when I re-start the lathe it freaks me out. So far I haven't snapped a belt but sooner or latter...

One of the main reasons I'm leaning towards a 6' chuck is that their are a few more brand and seller choices. Seems that 6" is more of a standard starting size.

I got my collet chuck and backing plate a few years ago, and have yet to muster up the courage to machine the back plate. If I 'blotch' it up, it'll be nothing more than scrap iron, expensive scrap iron! The hold up is that my spindle is not threaded all the way to its shoulder, and this part is were I'm totally lost. Machining the backing plate for an adjustable independant four jaw is less intimidating. If its off center a thou or two will it really make any difference? Perpendicular to the spindle axis is something I can handle. ;D

Oh, by the way, I like you lathe, and I'll wait till you get your back plate machined before I give mine a try.............lol

-MB