are all machine shops so slooooow?

alright, my first machine shop experience was with my flathead. i called around untill i got a reference for a guy who actually did flathead work. he was a bit odd, very slow, but did good work. it took monthes but i accepted this as it was a unique situation.
my most recent experience was with my 283. i called around untill i found a place with a fair price (not the cheapest). the guy was friendly and seemed eager to get the work done, it happened to be a NAPA affiliate.
again it took monthes of me calling once or twice a week to get my engine back.
is this just the speed that machine shops move?
if anyone can recommend a shop in the minneapolis, mn area let me know.
thanks, zach

 

It sounds like you are on the right track of finding a new shop.......

 

are all machine shops so slooooow?

Yes.

 

It took me years to find someone who would do it when promised at the price promised. Keep trying ,they are out there, my opinion is they accept all new business, promise anything , then do a little bit along to try to keep you happy. Not a successfull way to do business.

 

"YES"

haha, ok, i guess that answers that!

 

Nope, but the faster ones are usually more expensive.
Larry T

 

Did you ask how busy they were or did you just assume they were waiting for you?

 

I guess is must depend on what you are having done. I've got my 364 nailhead at the shop right now, with in three days the block was bored, and now he said I'm a week out or so till he's done balancing it.

 

All the shops up here are as quick as they want to be which means slow.

 

i'm ok with paying a little more. i want it right, and no matter what it's not cheap

 

this guy has the right answer.

 

Busy has nothing to do with it. Search around on the HAMB and you'll find plenty of stories just like his. A lot of small shops are small shops because their work ethic sucks! Same with body shops, mechanics, you name it: they do as little as possible to make enough money to pay the rent and/or act like they are gods doing you a huge favor by agreeing to work on your lowly items.
There is a guy down the road from me who does beautiful bodywork and paint jobs. Truly show-quality stuff. He also keeps customer's cars sitting outside in his driveway for MONTHS before he even starts working on them. THEN they sit IN his shop for MONTHS before he actually does any serious work. Then, when he wants the money, he does the whole job in a week or two and local idiots brag that it took 2 years for him to do the candy paint job on their car!

 

i understand i am not the only customer. but when i'm told it will been done in two weeks, that's a little different. if they are busy that's cool, just be honest with the time frame.

 

AMEN, BROTHER! If you can't start on something until March, SAY SO. Don't take my stuff and let it sit until March! If someone says it'll take two weeks it should take two weeks. Period. Anything else is just lying. Who wants their motor built by a liar?

 

I worked in a machine shop for 4 years. The top dollar parts get done first!

 

They don't consider it lying they see it as telling the customer what he wants to hear.
Been that way for many many years in lots of businesses.

 

Most machine shops around here have a 3-10 week turnaround. Sometimes it's sooner, sometimes longer. A lot of people drop their stuff off at the shop and never pay for it or pick it up, so the machinist will usually put their repeat customers and contract customers as first priority. Calling them every week is only going to make it take longer...they have to stop what they are doing and answer the phone.

 

yeah, i know. my stuff is pennys on the dollar for other stuff that they do, but i'm still paying for it. i can go to wendy's and get a .99 cent burger in thirty seconds, i only spent a buck but i still got service.

 

And that's why Wendy's conquered the whole country but most independent shops just scrape along. I will go out of my way AND spend more money for any shop with good customer service. They're hard to find.

 

I got a lot of machine work done the year that I took a part time job at a machine shop.

The motivation thing is kind of strange...I've gotten things done quick, but it seems to require a good working relationship with the shop owner. That could take years to develop, if it's even possible.

Best thing is to ask around in your town about who gets work done quickly, and done well. The two don't usually go together, either.

 

I work in manufacturing, I need raw materials and tooling to complete jobs. So I live on both sides of this equation. Cheap, fast and good. Pick two.

 

At my shop I like to refer to it as BUSY !!! >>>>.

 

I ran a Auto machine shop for years.
I can say the same about customers... finish the job and it lays there for 6 months or longer before they show up and pay the balance and pick it up.

I always asked them when they were in a rush "who's job should I stop working on so I can do yours?"

If your not happy I am sure they will gladly let you pick up your job and take it to another shop who has no work lined up... hmmm.. wonder why they have no work?

 

At least one of the machine shops around here seems to prefer building stock car engines that the customers promise to pay for as soon as they get their first feature win to doing jobs for non-stock car customers that pay in full upon the job's completion.......yeah, I know, makes lots of sense.

 

The majority of them are slow..it is a requirement. They must maintain a certain amount of customer displeasure to keep there business in a state of mediocrity. I believe this was learned through attending the same mediocre business classes as the chrome platers went to. They can not handle success..I mean come on, who really wants to be successful, and retire early anyway? And then the customer..what are they thinking?, they want quality work, in a reasonable time frame, at a reasonable price, and with good communication throughout..what a bunch of self centered jerks.

 

I dont think I have ever had anything sit in a machine shop longer than a week start to finish. And these are busy Socal machine shops.

 

alot can be said for machine, repair and paint shops. I too have been victum to folks like these. Year and a half to paint a chevelle. I could go on and on... I learned that before you give them the project watch what goes through their shop. Do things really move? Let them know how serious you are on the timeline.

still wont matter.

btw....I have always paid on time for every project. I have yet to see one project actually completed on time of the original quote. I just plan on at least doublling the time line and let them know how focused i am on the due date. Oh and just have more than one project so you can drive the other one...lol

That reminds me...i need to make a call.

 

i'm sorry for any shop that gets burned. i would be willing to pay something up front if it means getting my stuff back when promised.
once again, it's not that i think my stuff is more important than anyone elses. i would just like it back in the time frame agreed to.

 

after the last motor I had done was returned to me with bearing chunks still in the oil pan I'd be happy to deal with a shop that was only slow rather than slow and incompetent.

 

Bob,
Try Alberta Crank on 1st St S.W.
When I lived there they were great to deal with and quick. I would usually get stuff back within a day or 2. (this was ten years ago, so hopefully they haven't turned to crap since then)
Their work was great. When I was specific about what I wanted, they would deliver exactly what I asked for, and prices were very reasonable.