Warning! Tool Rant! If you don't wanna listen to me piss and moan, stay out!
OK, I've got a neat mini-chuck (model CSC500) from Penn State Industries for my Jet pen lathe... So I'd like to get a set of Cole jaws (those flat jaws with the little rubber knobs) for it, so I can occasionally turn something of a bit larger size than a pen or a chess piece. The sales data for the 5" and the 8" Cole jaws from Penn State (I'll call 'em PSI for short) say that they will fit "any C-series PSI chuck".
Still worried, because my chuck is smaller than the others in the line, I call PSI's tech support. (They are well-regarded, but I have never needed them before.) I give the dude my specific model number, explain that I am worried that the add-on jaws won't fit despite the fact that my chuck is a "C-series", and I do not want to have to go through the hassle of trying them and sending them back. He says "You may be right... hold on while I check...". He comes back and says "The 5" jaws will fit your chuck, but the 8" will not.".
OK, so I order the 5" jaws, but I'm still a little leery, so I put a note in the "Special Instructions" box on the order form, stating that, despite their assurances to the contrary, I was still worried about the fitment, and asking them to double-check before they ship the order.
Well, long story short (oops, too late for that
) the jaws arrived today, and do not even come close to fitting my chuck. Although the configuration seems to match, any idiot could take one look and see that the screw holes and the keyway spacings are way off (like more than 1/8" each way).
So, I call back their Support number and find that they shut down at 5:30 Eastern, and it's now 5:32... Too bad their information is not nearly as accurate as their timeclock! Now I gotta stew in my own juice all weekend about this, and it should never have happened, because I gave them every opportunity to get me the correct information, short of flying up there and checking it myself.
RATS!
Still worried, because my chuck is smaller than the others in the line, I call PSI's tech support. (They are well-regarded, but I have never needed them before.) I give the dude my specific model number, explain that I am worried that the add-on jaws won't fit despite the fact that my chuck is a "C-series", and I do not want to have to go through the hassle of trying them and sending them back. He says "You may be right... hold on while I check...". He comes back and says "The 5" jaws will fit your chuck, but the 8" will not.".
OK, so I order the 5" jaws, but I'm still a little leery, so I put a note in the "Special Instructions" box on the order form, stating that, despite their assurances to the contrary, I was still worried about the fitment, and asking them to double-check before they ship the order.
Well, long story short (oops, too late for that
) the jaws arrived today, and do not even come close to fitting my chuck. Although the configuration seems to match, any idiot could take one look and see that the screw holes and the keyway spacings are way off (like more than 1/8" each way).So, I call back their Support number and find that they shut down at 5:30 Eastern, and it's now 5:32... Too bad their information is not nearly as accurate as their timeclock! Now I gotta stew in my own juice all weekend about this, and it should never have happened, because I gave them every opportunity to get me the correct information, short of flying up there and checking it myself.
RATS!
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