Russell":od1drlyf said:Jb666 got a frame designed, built and fookin' copper plated in less than 5 months.
Make of that what you will.
How many man hours does it actually take to paint a frame.... 30? 40? So why should anyone have to wait more than a couple of weeks if they're dealing with a professional, organised company?
NeilM":1j5ghzso said:BB; Sorry, I hadn't spotted when the thread was started.
I share your interest, in this matter.
I know there are many custom builders who are skilled and therefore constantly busy, someone like Kevin Winter would be a good example, but it could just as easily be Dave Yates or any number of other 'artisan' builders.
These guys have pretty full order books, but at the same time can give a good idea of when the work will be done, even if that is three months away, then a customer can at least make a considered decision.
Personally, I think three to four months is a sensible time for a complex repair and respray. A little more than that can perhaps be excused due to other jobs running over. Where chrome is concerned, this can add time, but back when I used to build custom motorcycles, my local chrome plater could strip, polish, base and top plate motorbike bits in a week to ten days and my local plater recently stripped, cleaned and re-anodised a bundle of bike bits for me in three days.
In the case of my DB, I am just resigned to wait until it comes back. Needless to say, I would have to think long and hard before placing any further business with them, regardless of the quality.
To answer my own question: The trouble is, once the frame has reached the workshop and work has begun, it is almost impossible to then get it back, until the work is complete, and there is always the danger that losing your rag over the phone with the people doing the work will only slow things down even more, so instead, we just keep quiet and wait..and wait...and wait....
Russell":3jkmvn7q said:Jb666 got a frame designed, built and fookin' copper plated in less than 5 months.
Make of that what you will.
How many man hours does it actually take to paint a frame.... 30? 40? So why should anyone have to wait more than a couple of weeks if they're dealing with a professional, organised company?
Russell said:Jb666 got a frame designed, built and fookin' copper plated in less than 5 months.
And it will be that long again before he has the balls to ride it...
sinnerman":ef1cuf76 said:NeilM":ef1cuf76 said:BB; Sorry, I hadn't spotted when the thread was started.
I share your interest, in this matter.
I know there are many custom builders who are skilled and therefore constantly busy, someone like Kevin Winter would be a good example, but it could just as easily be Dave Yates or any number of other 'artisan' builders.
These guys have pretty full order books, but at the same time can give a good idea of when the work will be done, even if that is three months away, then a customer can at least make a considered decision.
Personally, I think three to four months is a sensible time for a complex repair and respray. A little more than that can perhaps be excused due to other jobs running over. Where chrome is concerned, this can add time, but back when I used to build custom motorcycles, my local chrome plater could strip, polish, base and top plate motorbike bits in a week to ten days and my local plater recently stripped, cleaned and re-anodised a bundle of bike bits for me in three days.
In the case of my DB, I am just resigned to wait until it comes back. Needless to say, I would have to think long and hard before placing any further business with them, regardless of the quality.
To answer my own question: The trouble is, once the frame has reached the workshop and work has begun, it is almost impossible to then get it back, until the work is complete, and there is always the danger that losing your rag over the phone with the people doing the work will only slow things down even more, so instead, we just keep quiet and wait..and wait...and wait....
Neil, im sure im not the only one who has had frame repairs undertaken and similarly to yours.
I can only say this in defense of the case in question.
The man is scandalously modest, and i can assure you, if you went in with an old frame in person, with a problem he would want to sort it.
But he wouldnt want to just sort it out, (a quick easy fix so to speak, ie get a similar tube and that will do).
It would be restored as it was when it was first made. This in itself will cause potentially a massive delay.
Not all tubes are still avaliable, and can make a frame builders job much harder, but they go the extra mile and persevere untill they get the correct tube.
if they are still avaliable they might have to deal with a quantity too, which unless they have a need for several tubes will raise the cost, they wont want to have to increase the cost to the customer, which might also be cause for delays.
I am unsure if a tubing supply was the issue in your case, but this happens believe me. And the Man takes a personal Pride in everything he does, and he wouldnt have let that frame go untill it was right.
suburbanreuben":3sbst2sk said:Russell":3sbst2sk said:Jb666 got a frame designed, built and fookin' copper plated in less than 5 months.
Make of that what you will.
How many man hours does it actually take to paint a frame.... 30? 40? So why should anyone have to wait more than a couple of weeks if they're dealing with a professional, organised company?
Missing the point entirely.
:roll:
If that refinisher already has a few frames booked in ahead of yours, you wait, or go elsewhere.
The time you wait is inversely related to their reputation, whether deserved or not.
A thread of frustration can be found here: http://forums.mtbr.com/frame-building/a ... 02890.html