No more cheap box store plywood for me!

[Salty]

This is the second time I have found pieces of metal inside the plys of some 'blondwood' plywood from the blue box. The first time I noticed it at an edge and dug it out. I considered it a freak insident and dismissed it.
Well, yesterday while running a dado slot for a drawer, I saw sparks.
This image is a close up of the burn mark from the metal piece. It left a burn mark and was then quickly ejected by the blade, along with the shooting sparks.
I don't know if I am really noticing a slight drag on the blade now or if it is just my imagination.
Apparently QC where this stuff is made is at a low priority.

[JSCOOK]

I'd take it back to the store, along with your Dado blade, and ask them what their gonna do about "making it right" ...

[TheRic]

I'd take it back to the store, along with your Dado blade, and ask them what their gonna do about "making it right" ...

I agree it's worth a try, at the minimum you wasted some time. But you could walk away with a new & better dado blade, new wood, discount coupon for next purchase, and you get to check out the discount table for a great find!!

[Salty]

All good suggestions, but in the end I don't even want to waste the time. If it were a reputable vendor, like a lumber yard, where the people actually knew the gravity of the situation, I'd take it back in a heartbeat.
My goal here is to maybe save other people the hastle.
The box store people, even the managers, don't really care about the customer's problems. They have their training about how to handle the situation and try to make it look like they care, but they don't.
I know I'd walk away feeling as though I could have spent my time being much more productive. I've been there before and that's what happened.
And, if it would result in some other product from the same store...no thanks.

[gjat]

I would tend to agree with Salty, that's pretty much my attitude, but what about the chance it gets to a manager who fills out a report and something actually happens.

Salty, I think you should go by the store and ask to speak to the manager and show/describe the problem. It's not about getting a new dado blade, it's maybe being the pebble that causes the ripple that gets a quality control memo to the wood supplier. A big box store is usually a little more sensitive to a liability issue so I would write a quick letter to the manager saying it's a safety concern and bring that with me. It may save someone from getting a metal chip in their eye, but it's never a waste of time if it MIGHT do some good.

[Lee4847]

Take it back

I would take it back with a letter and photos explaining the hazards of something like that being in a product. If they will not do anything I would e-mail it on to corporate. You do need to start with the store and then move up the ladder until you are satisfied.

[Warren]

Lee's right. If you're not blessed with a decent store manager go to corporate. The corporate people understand the customer relationship better than floor help. The bottom line won't improve with a bunch of disgruntled excustomers. The bottom line is understood by both the suits and the shareholders. Floor help only understands that they get a check every now and then, usually no matter how poor their performance.

You are also dealing with a safety/liability problem. That usually gets attention at the top. Big dollar law suits worry management. Law suits and bad publicity adversely effect profits, which then affect share prices. You gotta go to the people who understand that.

I'm lucky, the Home Depot manager in my neighborhood is outstanding. The rest of the staff, well good help is hard to find sometimes. The closest Lowe's isn't bad either. I think the quality of service depends on the labor market more than anything else. The higher the unemployment, the better the lower paid employees. At least until high unemployment forces good employees to look elsehere for work. During the winter up here the unemployment rises, kids go back to terrorizing their teachers and service in the stores improves.