The selection is poor. But worse than that the quality has been horrible. I made a beautiful roller ball for my wife, a Newport. A week later the cap wont screw on because the threads ripped out. She did not turn it hard, and I had noticed after assembly the cap was going on, but just not as smooth as I hoped for. I made myself a Newport and before assembly , there was metal flashing protruding from the center ring I had to trim. The mechanism on a Pencil I got from there quite a weeks after I gave her the pencil. Today I finished a "Comfort Pen" and found none of the ends match the diameter. I double checked , had my wife double check and I had the correct bushings, measured the diameter of the bushings, measured the diameter of the barrels, and they were correct to the bushings and according to the Rockler instructions. BUT...not to the hardware when I went to assemble! The instructions called out for a pen measuring 8.5 mm , 10.5 and 10.5 mm. BUT, the hardware was for a 7 mm. I could tell e few more stories about poor stuff from there...but I already feel stupid enough for buying there!
Am I The Only One Frustrated By Rockler?
- Thread starter rodtod11
- Start date
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keithbyrd
Member
Take it as a lesson learned! There are some great online vendors who are on here that you can use and feel comfortable that they will stand behind the quality of the products
nativewooder
Member
Any time you feel that you have to go to a store to see, touch, and feel a product, you have to realize that the store owner is going to spend as little as possible and sell it for as much as possible (msrp). That will happen in every case where the customer does not know the products.
If you can learn to satisfy yourself with looking at pictures and talking to the sellers, then you can use your computer and do your shopping without ever leaving your comfy abode! The cost of shipping, which is included in what you purchased at the store, any store, is really quite reasonable considering the cost of your gasoline and wear and tear on your car/truck. Check out the vendors above and you might be in for a good time!:biggrin:
If you can learn to satisfy yourself with looking at pictures and talking to the sellers, then you can use your computer and do your shopping without ever leaving your comfy abode! The cost of shipping, which is included in what you purchased at the store, any store, is really quite reasonable considering the cost of your gasoline and wear and tear on your car/truck. Check out the vendors above and you might be in for a good time!:biggrin:
I've been to about a half dozen Rockler stores around the country & I'm generally not impressed with their selection of turning tools & supplies - pen making in particular. They are a good general purpose woodworking supply house & like the big box stores, concentrate on max dollar & max profit -- can't blame them a it's very expensive to operate a store front.
Woodcraft stores generally seem to have a much larger selection of turning supplies but I've been to a few WC stores too that weren't very impressive. I drive right by a very good Woodcraft every day & I stop in quite often to buy tools & supplies but I buy almost all my pen kits from our on line IAP vendors.
Woodcraft stores generally seem to have a much larger selection of turning supplies but I've been to a few WC stores too that weren't very impressive. I drive right by a very good Woodcraft every day & I stop in quite often to buy tools & supplies but I buy almost all my pen kits from our on line IAP vendors.
Penultimate
Member
I started this hobby by purchasing kits from Rockler that was before I knew about IAP and the online vendors here. Rockler had a penturning reset and the kits took a huge quality dive. I haven't been back since, I only buy from vendors and members on IAP.
Holz Mechaniker
Member
Only Rockler around me is the one associated with Johnson's Workbench in Charlotte, MI. I don't go there for the pen hardware, I go for the wood.
turncrazy43
Member
Never been impressed with any pen turning kits or supplies at Rockler. Buy my kits and supplies from IAP vendors here. Quality and service are superior. Just my $.02.
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Everyday I'm vertical is a great day
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Everyday I'm vertical is a great day
Tim'sTurnings
Member
I buy from Rockler and haven't been disappointed yet. I usually just shop for their clearance items though.
Tim.
Tim.
courtlt
Member
I have not had any issues.
Parson
Member
Woodcraft is far superior here in Houston
PSNCO
Member
My son has had a couple newports that didn't press together right. It's just a Jr Gent 1.
Their Coronado has been just as good as an Atlas or Polaris. (Probably the same manufacturer)
Their Cubans are Cigar pens. (Probably the same manufacturer as other places)
Their Manhattans are just a Sierra. (Probably from one of the same manufacturer)
Their Ceres Jr are basically a Jr Gent II. (Probably from one of the same manufacturer.)
I could very well be wrong, but Woodcraft and Rockler and many of the online stores probably get their kits from the same manufacturer.
Their Coronado has been just as good as an Atlas or Polaris. (Probably the same manufacturer)
Their Cubans are Cigar pens. (Probably the same manufacturer as other places)
Their Manhattans are just a Sierra. (Probably from one of the same manufacturer)
Their Ceres Jr are basically a Jr Gent II. (Probably from one of the same manufacturer.)
I could very well be wrong, but Woodcraft and Rockler and many of the online stores probably get their kits from the same manufacturer.
vtgaryw
Member
I've used Rockler for years for general woodworking supplies and tools. During the winter/spring they've had some great clearance sales on certain select pen kits. I bought a bunch of their "Coronados", even the Titaniums were $ 2.99 (now $ 10.99!). I wish I had bought more. They're a great style for steampunk style pens. I also bought some Manhattan Gold/Titaniums at a great price. These were as nice as any Sierra stye pen from anywhere.
Gary
Gary
thewishman
Member
Rockler used to buy from a long-established pen supplier. A couple of years ago, they started to source their own kits.