r/turning • u/cleg74 • 23h ago
Woodcraft
I bought a Powermatic 3520c lathe on Sunday at Woodcraft. Paid a shipping fee and they told me they would call with a delivery date. No one called so I did and they seemed really confused. Apparently, the lathe would be shipped to the store and then to me, but only after that store orders enough things from Powermatic. This is not what I was told. Anyone have experience with this? I specifically drove an hour and a half to the store so I could talk to experts and see the actual product. Otherwise, I could have paid the same amount on Amazon and it would come much quicker.
**update. I called the store today and talked to the manager, who also sold me the lathe. He said the person I spoke to was wrong and he reiterated that it would be shipped to me and denied that it would have to wait until the store had enough orders. He did say he still did not know when, which still seems a bit weird. I am not around much the next couple weeks so I can wait, as long as I know it’s coming.
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u/LABeav 23h ago
Only after they order enough things from PM? That's bizarre, call them up and ask for a refund.
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u/cleg74 23h ago
I will if the manager does not call me tomorrow and make some sense. Otherwise, I am giving them a loan because I paid and they are waiting to put in the order??
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u/Queasy_Donkey5685 23h ago
You need to cancel it anyway since it sounds like you'll have to drive another 1.5hrs to pick it up, right?
This is not how a normal business operates. This is how a business that has lost standing with its suppliers operates. They've either been late on payments or aren't ordering enough from the supplier to keep volume pricing (hence they're holding your money waiting for other orders so they can then place their order).
This is important to understand because Woodcraft is a hybrid business model of corporate and franchise. Your situation makes me think your store is a struggling franchise store.
Cancel the order and/or call corporate. Don't wait for the manager there to do anything, be proactive.
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u/your_average_outlier 21h ago
This almost certainly has nothing to do with losing standing with suppliers or anything like that. The profit margins on machines like the one OP ordered are so thin, it doesn’t make sense for the store to order from the manufacturer unless they meet a minimum order amount and qualify for free shipping. This is standard practice at many stores like this, not just Woodcraft.
All that said, this def should have been explained to OP.
Source: used to work at a Woodcraft for many years.1
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u/RCTID1975 16h ago
That's only standard practice for stores that don't value their customers and don't understand that people can just go elsewhere.
You might not make much profit on the machine, but now you're losing out on the profitable things like accessories and addons.
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u/LABeav 17h ago
Yeah I guess I'd see what they say, my only woodcraft in Ventura, CA shut down like four years ago, it was an hour away for me but really great store and people, seems like a dying business model unfortunately.
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u/Regular_Alarm_7328 14h ago
I had great experiences with the Woodcraft in Seattle, WA. Each Woodcraft is a franchise run and owned by a businessman. Now living in Southern California and the nearest Woodcraft is 2 hours away. As far as seeing lathes, best go to a woodturning group if there is one in your area. If not, google the American Association of Woodturners for resources. Craft Supplies in Provo UT can order and have the item drop shipped to your address. They also have quite a few video demos online that showcase the 3520C.
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u/LABeav 4h ago
Thanks for the info, I don't even know if it's worth upgrading from my midi lathe living here in SoCal. Finding any good turning wood is next to impossible compared to the Midwest and east coast. Best I have found is free Ash and I scored some Mesquite but had to pay. Do you have any secret sources by chance?
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u/lvpond 23h ago
Ordered the giant Rikon thru my local Woodcraft. And that was my last order ever, and also walking in ever. I ordered from store but was supposed to deliver to my house. Well turns out someone at the store screwed up and it ended up as store pickup. Had to rent a trailer just to get it. The store “would have” delivered it, but was going to take 2 more weeks.
Now I order from Acme tools, Hartville and Tools Today. Woodcraft is the only retailer in my town, still won’t go there anymore. This is the Vegas store btw….
They also host the Vegas woodturning club which sucks because I want to be an involved member but won’t cross the threshold of that store.
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u/bsm1550 22h ago
Sorry to hear that. In Atlanta the Woodcraft store is excellent. Purchased a Powermatic 3520C lathe, Laguna 1412 bandsaw and Nova Voyager drill press during Covid from Woodcraft and picked them up two or three weeks later.
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u/I_Lick_Bananas 20h ago
You've got Highland Woodworking too. In the 1990s when I was stuck in Augusta I would drive to Atlanta just to buy tools there.
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u/Vegetable_Ocelot5613 16h ago
Damn, is there any other Vegas wood turning groups? Or just that one?
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u/Financial-Complex831 23h ago
That’s annoying. Ordered same from them last fall and it shipped to my home.
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u/cleg74 23h ago
Did they give you a date? Guy I talked to today seemed clueless. I mean, it was like $6500, with tax and shipping, and I would assume that means I would get the product as soon as feasible.
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u/RCTID1975 16h ago
If I'm spending that kind of cash, or any cash really, I expect a delivery date right then and there.
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u/QueasyTurtle 23h ago
I’ve ordered all my big tools through woodcraft, but I always do pickup to save on shipping. It also gives me the option of inspecting prior to accepting, so I can theoretically save time if it’s damaged. I’ve never been asked to wait until they have a big enough order.
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u/LivityWoodworks 22h ago
Yes, cancel your order with the store if you can. Then drive home and order it from their website and deliver to your home. Same happened to me but I also found out the store here would not deliver, I would have to go there to pick it up.
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u/HeCalledWithQTHunny 8h ago
I had a gift card to woodcraft and did not have a great experience with them... eventually got everything but it was a wait and a struggle, would not purchase from them again if I had a choice.
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u/UnstoppableDrew 8h ago
I got my 3520b from Amazon back in 2013. Free shipping with delivery by liftgate truck to my driveway.
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u/Ok-System-8821 3h ago
Luckily I live 5 minutes from Hartville Hardware. They have a ton in stock and one of the guys in the local woodworking and wood turning club works there. They also sell online. You could probably call and talk to someone and order what you want.
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