Bear Woods Blade Order

[kmmcrafts]

I know a few of you order from them.. I also realize that they are in Canada but.. Anyway.. I place a couple hundred dollar order for blades on 12-11 took them until 12-20 to even ship out my package.. still no blades.. The tracking number I received doesn't seem to work.. Got a message today from them about how my experience was with my purchase and wanted me to give a review, LOL... How can I give a review if I haven't even received my order.. 

I ordered one other time from them ears ago... ordered some clock movements and that took forever to get here too.. I'll certainly not be ordering again from them.. DnD orders come within about 4-5 days max.. I expected this order to take some time because it's coming from Canada.. I don't expect them to wait several days to even get my order in the mail though.. 

Anyone else have their order not ship out for several days after placing it?  Just wondering if that is normal for them.. Maybe the one blades I order was out of stock.. they was on DnD which is why I placed an order with BW.. nothing was on the site about being back ordered.. no email saying it was back ordered.. just waiting in limbo for my order, LOL Not out of blade by any means.. but.. do feel they need to be a little quicker on mailing stuff out..

     

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Holiday season Kevin. May have to cut them a break. I have ordered from them before and can not really recall how long things took but I planned on being a little extra long because of location. 

[kmmcrafts]

LOL, Maybe I expect too much from companies.. But.. I ordered 300 clock inserts on the 18th.. from China.. and they was custom ordered to my specs so she didn't have them ready made... They was delivered a couple days ago...so.. Location is hogwash.. but the time frame it's in the mail isn't what bothers me...as I understand that it has to go through customs etc.. especially this time of year... My point is... why does it take them nine days from my order day to bother to package and hand them over to the mail...Like I said... nothing was mentioned about being out of stock or back ordered... If they are in stock ready to package and ship.. why so long to be packed and shipped out..

I've always ordered from Mikes or DnD.. there was a time I ordered from Leslies Patterns.. and they was slow.. no big deal as long as I expected that.. I stopped ordering from them when they was out of stock on some blades and sent what they had saying they'd send the rest when they got more.. only to forget that they was supposed to send me more when they got them in... one time okay i get it... everyone makes mistakes.. but three times in a row and I was done with them..

I'm not in a hurry for the blades... I have plenty to work with.. I was only asking because I was wondering if this is normal practice for them to be slow at getting the order packed and mailed out.. I did expect it to take time in the mail.. especially as the Canada post had been on strike and the time of year.. they probably had a lot of catching up to do... just didn't expect the slow end of it to actually be them getting it to the mail system..    

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Well Kevin have to say you did good on clock inserts one week from China??  ( I do not believe it)  because I have 2 orders in right now in China and one is for an X Y table for my drill press and and for marbles, yes I said marbles from china and will not get till end of Jan. I just got a shipment of billiardballs in from China and it took 4 weeks but when I placed the order they said between Jan 25 and Feb 5 Ordered Nov 15 and received in 4 weeks after.  I have no idea how China deals with shipping. I have plenty other examples of items ordered from China that took real long and others that I see within 4 weeks. All items I plan on long trip times. Never have I gotten something shipped from China in one week. I too order inserts from there. You must be special. 

You should have to deal with Penn State Industries. No matter what day of the week you order their orders go out one week later. I deal with them on occasion for pen related things. Don't bother emailing them better to call. 

As I said it has been some time ago I ordered from them. Maybe someone else can answer to it. Hang in there. On your order of clock inserts did you start bumping up to 2" as you said you would?/ I have started doing this. 

[Rolf]

Two day and next day deliveries have really spoiled our perceptions about delivery times. But having said that, the time in the delivery system is one thing , but getting my order in the mail is important.  I also like D&D for Pegas and Sloan for my Olson blades.

If a vendor is out of stock or if it is a small business and they are overwhelmed or on vacation, let me know up front that there will be a delay. A simple e-mail goes a long way.

I provide a brass hardware kit for one of the clocks that were in an issue of SSWWC several years ago. I try to keep several kits in stock, but if I don't have any I am very clear with the customers about the status and when I will make more.  

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by Rolf

[kmmcrafts]

JT, I ordered the same 1-7/16 size.. A lot of my patterns I cannot change the insert size without changing the whole design of the pattern.. then the clock would end up much bigger..  I do want to change the size of those that I can though.. and will maybe once my inventory runs out of what I have that takes the smaller size..

Well, I gotta say that I have ordered other things from China and it did take a month to get here.. I don't know how she does it.. but can say the shipper is DHL and the tracking says DHL Express.. I'll also say that she didn't even send it out until Christmas day..   Here is a screen shot photo of the tracking.. 

I've never upgraded shipping or anything with this place.. just how they do the shipping.. I order every year about the same time.. Last year i ordered on Christmas eve and the was delivered new years day..  

[kmmcrafts]

9 minutes ago, Rolf said:

Two day and next day deliveries have really spoiled our perceptions about delivery times. But having said that, the time in the delivery system is one thing , but getting my order in the mail is important.  I also like D&D for Pegas and Sloan for my Olson blades.

If a vendor is out of stock or if it is a small business and they are overwhelmed or on vacation, let me know up front that there will be a delay. A simple e-mail goes a long way.

I provide a brass hardware kit for one of the clocks that were in an issue of SSWWC several years ago. I try to keep several kits in stock, but if I don't have any I am very clear with the customers about the status and when I will make more.  

 

Yes, that is exactly it... communication is a key factor.. I myself have many made to order items in my etsy store and web site.. I write on the very top of every made to order items description to allow up to 14 days for me to make the item before I can mail it.. Once a person orders.. I'll send them a message saying about how long it might be.. and I typically will give myself an extra 1-2 days in that email just in case something comes up.. Even in my busiest time.. the longest it's taken me to get an order made and in the mail was 8 days...

This day and age people are spoiled and want their stuff now... but anyway.. to make a business thrive.. one needs to have at least good communication and customer service..on top of good lead times.. It turns people off when their order takes a long time.. and then people will start shopping elsewhere..  

[kmmcrafts]

BTW , all my shipping experience.. I do send a lot of stuff over seas and most do take 2-3 weeks.. even though I mail out the next day ( when in stock )..  The Key is.. I mail it out the next day... especially.. international orders where I know it takes time... it's about Caring for the customer... waiting 10 days to get a package in the mail make me think they really don't care about your business... especially with no email indications or anything.. makes me wonder if it's standard practice... 

I know some people who only make 1 trip a week to the post office... I don't drive there.. they come to me because I'm special like that     

Edited December 29, 2018 by kmmcrafts

[scrollerpete]

Canadian are having a postal dispute right now, rotating strike, slow work so that will be a factor. I found that Bear woods is also very slow in Canada and communication is not the best. I ordered my blades from Mikes, D&D and Sawbird (Canadian) all 3 provide excellent service.

[kmmcrafts]

The dispute was over a couple weeks ago according to my eCommerce news that am subscribed to.. maybe they gave me wrong info... even so.. an email saying they are in a dispute might delay them getting the order into the mail would go a long way.. 

Again, the time in the mail system isn't my issue with them.. getting it into the mail system timeline is what is bothersome.. 9 days from the day I ordered to package it and send it to the mail system is a long time.. especially when it's an international order and that takes a lot of time in the mail system.. 

I'm going to give the benefit of doubt on this one.. This is only my second time ordering from them... and the first time took a very long time too.. but...I didn't pay any attention to the process of how soon they got it in the mail etc.. I won't need blades again for quite some time.. but.. just for fun and a test... I'm going to order another gross in the summer months..  

[rjweb]

We would all have to change hobbies and our business if we had to relie on bear woods, there are a lot of negativity with them, I like dealing with the small guy that does what they say will do, RJ 

[Fish]

I ordered my FD blades from the Hawk scroll saw website.  They have the same blades and they are cheaper, and from the U.S.  I had a problem with the web page so I called directly and ordered, the lady I spoke with was very nice and it didn't take very long to get them, maybe a week I forget. I need more blades now and am going back to Hawk.

[kmmcrafts]

31 minutes ago, Fish said:

I ordered my FD blades from the Hawk scroll saw website.  They have the same blades and they are cheaper, and from the U.S.  I had a problem with the web page so I called directly and ordered, the lady I spoke with was very nice and it didn't take very long to get them, maybe a week I forget. I need more blades now and am going back to Hawk.

I see they offer the Pegas too... noticed that when I was shopping for my new BM 226 last week.. I'm considering buying from them simply put... the busier they are the less likely they go out of business.. they are great people and.. well... I'd rather support a business I really like than one I know nothing about.. Not saying the folks from Bear Woods are not nice etc.. but.. supporting the business I like AND getting to know them on a more personal level by doing a lot of business with them can and will be an advantage some day if I was to ever be in a pinch and need something desperately, IMO..

On a side note about doing business.. The people in China that I order my clocks from.. even though I only order about once a year.. we message back and fourth all the time throughout the year.. They message me on holidays saying Happy New Year Happy Fathers day etc etc.. They do this because WHY.. they are doing this so the customer doesn't forget about them.. the extra little things that doesn't cost money to do ( advertising ) once one has some sort of contact info.. goes a long way.. and you get the feeling or sense of comfort level as if you know them... even though you've never met and in this case.. they are completely across the world LOL... Response to messages is usually within a couple hours.. That's good business.. Always hated when I order somewhere and never really get any kind of message that they even received the order, never hear about any shipping info... and next thing you know it just shows up in the mail... even though it might have been shipped quickly and arrived fast.. its better customer service letting the purchaser know Something , LOL

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Again Kevin it is possible I guess but I too get my deliveries by DSL and in fact have to sign for them when they arrive. How she is doing something we can not get to happen with everyday vendors here in the USA is amazing. There are times when vendors over in China have factory outlets here in the USA too. Whatever the case that is good service. China vendors are subsidised by the government for shipping and that is why they can offer free shipping and low shipping rates so you can not compare them to us or Canada. 

Every business platform is not the same and they work off of what they think works for them. No such thing as a cookie cutter business platform. You see it in your web sites and the different places you sell. The thing is if you have good success with a business then stay with them get screwed and move on there are always others selling the same things. 

To your moving up to 2" inserts is just a matter of enlarging the patterns you use by a small margin. I do it all the time. Sometimes there is enough room within a pattern to just make a larger hole. I agree sometimes it throws off balance but that is where enlarging the pattern comes in. Maybe it is because I am getting older and seeing a larger clock face helps me and that is my way of thinking now. Not sure what it is but I sure am stepping up alot of my patterns these days. I may have to make a large order for 2" inserts from China soon. But again I do not do the volume you do so will have to see on this. Good luck.

[OCtoolguy]

I have only ordered one time from Bear. They backordered one size of blades that I ordered but shipped the remainder. It took the better part of 3 weeks to get the order. I won't be ordering from them again unless they have some kind of sale or something to lure me back. I ordered from DnD and my blades were here if 4 days. Mike's is very fast too. Oh well, at least we have choices. Not like Venezuela.

 

[Rockytime]

I have ordered from Bear Woods several times with no problem. Orders received in about 7 days.

[kmmcrafts]

4 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Again Kevin it is possible I guess but I too get my deliveries by DSL and in fact have to sign for them when they arrive. How she is doing something we can not get to happen with everyday vendors here in the USA is amazing. There are times when vendors over in China have factory outlets here in the USA too. Whatever the case that is good service. China vendors are subsidised by the government for shipping and that is why they can offer free shipping and low shipping rates so you can not compare them to us or Canada. 

Every business platform is not the same and they work off of what they think works for them. No such thing as a cookie cutter business platform. You see it in your web sites and the different places you sell. The thing is if you have good success with a business then stay with them get screwed and move on there are always others selling the same things. 

To your moving up to 2" inserts is just a matter of enlarging the patterns you use by a small margin. I do it all the time. Sometimes there is enough room within a pattern to just make a larger hole. I agree sometimes it throws off balance but that is where enlarging the pattern comes in. Maybe it is because I am getting older and seeing a larger clock face helps me and that is my way of thinking now. Not sure what it is but I sure am stepping up alot of my patterns these days. I may have to make a large order for 2" inserts from China soon. But again I do not do the volume you do so will have to see on this. Good luck.

Yeah most my car patterns are already on the larger side for a desk clock.. making it bigger would also make it longer.. most are already 12-13 inch with the 1-7/16 inch clock... I just don't see it working on many of my designs.. Yeah the whole group of patterns I have from the Berry Basket etc would probably work.. but then.. those clocks aren't really my hot sellers anyway.. Maybe because the clock is too small..  

[JimErn]

6 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Always hated when I order somewhere and never really get any kind of message that they even received the order, never hear about any shipping info... and next thing you know it just shows up in the mail

My last order from Ocooch Hardwoods was like that.  It came, fairly quickly, but ...

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, JimErn said:

My last order from Ocooch Hardwoods was like that.  It came, fairly quickly, but ...

But what Jim? I've ordered from them and the service was spectacular. I ordered one of their scrap/cutoff boxes. I asked nicely if they would tag the wood so I could identify what they sent. Each piece had a nice tag on it and the wood was all nice, clean and very useable. I like Ocooch.

 

[JimErn]

Sorry for the interrupted post, I got called away and it would seem my schnauzer walked on the keyboard or something. firefox was closed down too, and I just forgot.

It came, fairly quickly, but I was left wondering.  I got nothing back in terms of feedback about yes we got the order, we shipped it.  I have no complaints about them, they have responded to my questions in email quickly, and the wood was beautiful. 

That not knowing aspect, in todays world of automatic acknowledgements frustrated me.  Admittedly it's been a while since I ordered, life got in the way there too.

[Rolf]

I agree on the communication part.  I would rather be told that it will be three weeks and get it one than be told it will be three days and it ends up three weeks.

I ordered a Kreg fence for my band saw, didn't like the old one. I placed the order on the 27th, I installed it yesterday. This instant gratification is dangerous. 

[3Dface]

i ordered my saw bird blades, they shipped the next day and they took 13 days to arrive. maybe it is customs that slows the processes. 

i love the saw bird spirals... so in the words of Viktor "the goat" Navorski, "I Wait"... lol

[rjweb]

Rolf,

where did you order your kreg fence from, thx RJ

[OCtoolguy]

7 hours ago, Rolf said:

I agree on the communication part.  I would rather be told that it will be three weeks and get it one than be told it will be three days and it ends up three weeks.

I ordered a Kreg fence for my band saw, didn't like the old one. I placed the order on the 27th, I installed it yesterday. This instant gratification is dangerous. 

Rolf, would you do a critique on the Kreg fence once you've had it a while? I have looked at it too but it's expensive and I don't want to make a mistake.

 

[Rolf]

RJ  I bought it on Amazon. I have had a Prime membership for a while and it has really paid off for me. We really don't have any local stores to buy tools like this.  There is one tool store but I would not give him the time of day.

 

Ray I have several Kreg products and am very pleased with all of them so far. The quality of the fence and easy install looks good so far.

I will Post a new thread when I have spent more time with it. I don't want to hijack this one.