PSI TBC Mandrel System...not happy

[TattooedTurner]

From what I've read here I'm sure PSI will replace it without a problem, but I really wanted to use it for a pen this weekend. Sorry for the poor photos, my phone didn't want to focus on the mandrel, but you get the idea.


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[hanau]

is it rust?

 

[TattooedTurner]

is it rust?

Rust with some light pitting. I slid a bushing on and there's just the tiniest bit of wobble.

 

[turncrazy43]

were you just turning a blank when it happened or applying a finish of some sort?

 

[magpens]

I think it is disgusting for a company to ship you a product looking like that !

 

[Curly]

I think it is disgusting for a company to ship you a product looking like that !

It pains me to come to their defence but it's unlikely PSI will inspect each and every item they import. Especially after the first batch comes in. Way too expensive. Think about all the pen kits you have received with corrosion spots on and in the brass tubes.

A hot humid country of manufacture, employee with sweaty fingers bags the unprotected parts and when they get to you weeks or months later they are rusted. Try it yourself. Put a piece of steel in the lathe and machine it smooth. Eat a few salt and vinigar potato chips. Touch the metal with your fingers. It won't be long before it is corroded. Might even start on the same day.

I do think the OP should have talked to PSI first before posting here to see what they will do to remedy the situation.

 

[Woodchipper]

Eat a few salt and vinigar potato chips.

I was thinking more in terms of soy sauce which is loaded with salt.

 

[TattooedTurner]

were you just turning a blank when it happened or applying a finish of some sort?

Unfortunately this is fresh out of the box.

It pains me to come to their defence but it's unlikely PSI will inspect each and every item they import. Especially after the first batch comes in. Way too expensive. Think about all the pen kits you have received with corrosion spots on and in the brass tubes...

...I do think the OP should have talked to PSI first before posting here to see what they will do to remedy the situation.

I agree, I'm sure they import far too much inventory to inspect each piece when stocking their warehouse... BUT... how long would it take whoever pulled/packed the order to look at the items? 10 seconds? 30 seconds tops?

As for the second statement, sorry but I completely disagree. In no way did I slam the company and in fact made a blind statement based on what I've read about their customer service that the problem will be remedied. I see nothing wrong with posting my opinion of a new product when I receive it be it good or bad. I could see it being wrong if I ranted and raved about poor QC, etc, but such is not the case here. When the mandrel is replaced, as I'm sure it will be, I'll be giving kudos for their customer service.

 

[Curly]

It was only a day or two ago that a thread started with praise of PSI and commentary started about how bad they are. Same kind of people will remember the criticism here but not any response you get later.

 

[Woodchipper]

Part of the thread and posts show that there are hiccups in anything. It is good that this one was caught and now let's sit on the sidelines and wait to see how this is resolved.

 

[Dehn0045]

I think the criticism is fair. I have made several purchases from PSI, and will again in the future. That said, I have gotten several kits with various flaws, but for a $6 kit I am disappointed but just carry on. But I'd be quite upset if I was shipped a $30 kit with such an obvious flaw. Just because it doesn't make sense for PSI to inspect each item they produce, doesn't mean they aren't responsible or shouldn't be held accountable. Just because they will likely replace the item, doesn't mean there wasn't any loss to the consumer.

 

[TattooedTurner]

It was only a day or two ago that a thread started with praise of PSI and commentary started about how bad they are. Same kind of people will remember the criticism here but not any response you get later.

Unfortunately you're right, but that's their loss. I was also one of the folks that praised them in that thread.

 

[TattooedTurner]

Part of the thread and posts show that there are hiccups in anything. It is good that this one was caught and now let's sit on the sidelines and wait to see how this is resolved.

I called today but the guy I need to talk to was gone - the time difference, taking a very late break, and no phone policy at my job saw to that. I'll take an earlier break Monday to call and when it gets resolved I'll be sharing how it went.

 

[WriteON]

No items or work done should ever be sent out from any company, craftsman, mechanic, etc. Yes PSI has flaws...they also have good customer service that speak good clear English to back things up. If you do not like the product you received simply return it. Excuse my bad analogy ...but I'm more PO'd about the $2800 refridge I bought that died a day after the warranty expired and the central A/C coils that leaked as soon as the warranty expired.
I'll speak for myself...Turning is not my livelihood so I can handle the hiccups. I buy plenty of stuff from PSI and get a few bad apples but not many. They have been replaced or refunded with no hassle what so ever. They have my support as a first class company to deal with. Bashing/flaming/nit picking gets nothing accomplished.... Let PSI know about it ...they'll make good. Nobody is stuck with junk or a bad deal. That's worth a lot.

 

[Gregory Hardy]

It's probably not reasonable to think they are going to inspect each of these. The pieces come sealed in plastic and then packed in a plastic slider box with directions packed inside. It is not a "thirty second inspection" for them. (It took me quite a while to get mine unpacked - to the point of swearing and throwing plastic around the shop!) It is a shame that you got a rusty one, but the customer service at PSI seems to outweigh the rare inconvenience of a bad "this or that," and it will be worth the wait for a new one. It's a great system and I have put all of my other mandrels in a drawer. Good luck with your replacement - I think you'll be pleased.

 

[Talltim]

Maybe it is my eyes but the one PSI pictures on their website appears to have some rust and a little pitting. Look at the bottom of the bushing spindle on the flat surface of the one with the bearing. Dark spot.


https://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/me...=PKMBCM2&Category_Code=pen-mandrels#ciq_ath12

It is not near to the extent of the one Jay received.

Normally a nice light coating of oil or grease prevents this on things that are manufactured abroad and freight shipped.

I may be over analyzing it.

All of that said I have been thinking about ordering one myself as my live center that we use for TBC is about at the end of its life cycle.

 

[TattooedTurner]

As expected PSI had no problem with me returning the TBC mandrel setup. I was planning on just getting it replaced but I decided to test it out first. The live center got pretty hot in a short amount of time, and of course there was vibration but it was a LOT more than it should have been. I lined the two mandrels up and they were quite a bit off from each other, about 1/32", maybe a bit more. I opted not to chance it with another and ordered a set of TBC adapter bushings from BTW. I wanted to use PSI's setup since it involves less parts, ergo less opportunity for tolerances to be off, but it wasn't meant to be. I think I just got a dud, but I prefer to play things safe these days.

 

[Dehn0045]

Another option is to get 7mm TBC bushings like these https://pengeapens.myshopify.com/collections/bushings/products/tbc-bushing-7-mm

You can then mount the standard bushing on the 7mm and then put the whole thing between centers. This would run about half the cost of the PSI TBC mandrel.

 

[Woodchipper]

Having a background in manufacturing and QC, I would toss the problem back to the manufacturer of the items in question. As mentioned, if something was coming from overseas, there should have been some sort of protective coating to prevent rust or corrosion. Receiving would maybe only check a random sample before accepting the order. It could be that some bad items slipped through the crack.

 

[TattooedTurner]

Another option is to get 7mm TBC bushings like these https://pengeapens.myshopify.com/collections/bushings/products/tbc-bushing-7-mm

You can then mount the standard bushing on the 7mm and then put the whole thing between centers. This would run about half the cost of the PSI TBC mandrel.

That's pretty much what I ordered from BTW. The adapter bushings go on the centers and the bushings for the kit slide onto them.

 

[magpens]

Having a background in manufacturing and QC, I would toss the problem back to the manufacturer of the items in question. As mentioned, if something was coming from overseas, there should have been some sort of protective coating to prevent rust or corrosion. Receiving would maybe only check a random sample before accepting the order. It could be that some bad items slipped through the crack.

I totally agree. . There is absolutely no excuse for items being received in such abysmal condition as pictured in the OP.

I have bought multiple arbors, and other lathe necessities ... items of less than half the retail price of these mandrels ... all made in China ... that have endured the sea transport without any degradation . . They were all shipped with a protective oily coating in sealed plastic bags inside their individual boxes/plastic sleeves. . Somebody is obviously cutting costs at the inconvenience/disappointment/expense of the end user, and somebody is cutting off their nose to spite their face.

 

[Dehn0045]

Another option is to get 7mm TBC bushings like these https://pengeapens.myshopify.com/collections/bushings/products/tbc-bushing-7-mm

You can then mount the standard bushing on the 7mm and then put the whole thing between centers. This would run about half the cost of the PSI TBC mandrel.

That's pretty much what I ordered from BTW. The adapter bushings go on the centers and the bushings for the kit slide onto them.

It looks to me like the BTW set has longer posts, which is probably beneficial: Bear Tooth Woods - Between Center Bushing Adapter Set . The Lazerlinez ones are stainless steel, which may or may not be beneficial (shiny must be good, right?). I've only tried LazerLinez TBC bushings and really like that they fit the tubes extremely snug. I use the bolt action set to turn down all of my 3/8" kits and then mount between centers and turn to size with calipers.

 

[Lucky2]

Well, I may be in the minority, but I appreciate Jay bringing this to our attention. And I don't see any problem with the way he broached the subject, he was just letting us know he was dissatisfied.He did mention PSI in his post, but he didn't fly of the handle and rant on about them. Now that we know about Jay's dissatisfaction, we can keep an eye out for other's level of satisfaction on the same item. This may not be much of an issue for anyone from the states, but it is for people from other countries. Yes, PSI does have a good warranty policy, they are great at trying to have satisfied customers. They have to, otherwise, they wouldn't be able to stay in business. Not with the way the internet is, the net can ruin a business. For us here in Canada, it is not worth the cost of the postage, to send an item back to PSI. Actually, it's that way for most items bought in the U.S., so we have to be sure before we make a purchase, that we really want the item. This posting has informed me of an issue, an issue that I wouldn't want to happen to me. So what it has done for me, it has made me to decide to ask to have the one that I ordered to be hand inspected before shipping. It hasn't turned me off PSI, and it hasn't turned me off of the product either. It has made me an informed shopper, and who doesn't want to be informed about something they might buy themselves? Thank-you Jay, personally, I appreciate your post.
Len

 

[TattooedTurner]

Having a background in manufacturing and QC, I would toss the problem back to the manufacturer of the items in question. As mentioned, if something was coming from overseas, there should have been some sort of protective coating to prevent rust or corrosion. Receiving would maybe only check a random sample before accepting the order. It could be that some bad items slipped through the crack.

I totally agree. . There is absolutely no excuse for items being received in such abysmal condition as pictured in the OP.

I have bought multiple arbors, and other lathe necessities ... items of less than half the retail price of these mandrels ... all made in China ... that have endured the sea transport without any degradation . . They were all shipped with a protective oily coating in sealed plastic bags inside their individual boxes/plastic sleeves. . Somebody is obviously cutting costs at the inconvenience/disappointment/expense of the end user, and somebody is cutting off their nose to spite their face.

The wierd thing is I could smell packing grease to high heaven when I opened the box, but not a dab of it was anywhere to be found.

Well, I may be in the minority, but I appreciate Jay bringing this to our attention. And I don't see any problem with the way he broached the subject, he was just letting us know he was dissatisfied.He did mention PSI in his post, but he didn't fly of the handle and rant on about them. Now that we know about Jay's dissatisfaction, we can keep an eye out for other's level of satisfaction on the same item. This may not be much of an issue for anyone from the states, but it is for people from other countries. Yes, PSI does have a good warranty policy, they are great at trying to have satisfied customers. They have to, otherwise, they wouldn't be able to stay in business. Not with the way the internet is, the net can ruin a business. For us here in Canada, it is not worth the cost of the postage, to send an item back to PSI. Actually, it's that way for most items bought in the U.S., so we have to be sure before we make a purchase, that we really want the item. This posting has informed me of an issue, an issue that I wouldn't want to happen to me. So what it has done for me, it has made me to decide to ask to have the one that I ordered to be hand inspected before shipping. It hasn't turned me off PSI, and it hasn't turned me off of the product either. It has made me an informed shopper, and who doesn't want to be informed about something they might buy themselves? Thank-you Jay, personally, I appreciate your post.
Len

Well put Len, and I agree. You're welcome, if my experience can save one other person from the hassle of having to pay a considerable shipping charge to return one then this thread did some good. I had to pay for return shipping, but without the TBC mandrel I wouldn't have received free shipping on my order, so I figure I broke even. My TBC adapter bushings were supposed to arrive yesterday but still aren't here. I've tracked them and they're in Phoenix so I should get them tomorrow. It's a busy time of year for the USPS and any other shipping company, so I'm not upset by the delay at all. I'll post my thoughts on that setup after I turn the two pens I have on deck.

 

[Talltim]

Since the original post I ordered one of the psi tbc Mandrels through amazon prime. Mine arrived in two days (yesterday). We did have one slight initial problem. The neighbors dog grabbed the ups box off the porch and my son had to chase him down to get it. ( I didn't even know the dog was interested in turning) Other than that when we opened it, it was in perfect condition, no rust. The Center spindles line up like they should. We turned a civil war pen and it all worked great.