As a student I have used a Cavallin rolling mill, very nice, reduction 3 to1 and sturdy. Now, the time came to add a rolling mill to my jewelry workshop, and the choice, the best one, Durston... There it was the box of a brand new Durston 100 reduction with extension rollers. Beautiful machine, smooth operation, 1 to 4 reduction and nicely built, or that is what I thought. After 3 or 4 bars... "this is ummmm... too hard, it is annealed? ummmm oh no the gears donīt move, am I forcing the grears?? oh, yeah, now it moves, oh no, stuck again, this is not good". Called to the shop: "naaaah, you must be doing it wrong. Here is a link to a youtube video on how to use a rolling mill, you newbie". "Well no. The machine doesnīt really turn". I went back and forth with the seller, as I expected an impeccable service for a brand new machine (expensive). They directed me to Durston. "Hi Durston, I have this problem with my rolling mill...", pretty straigh forward answer: "Oh yeah, it happens to every 100 machines that comes out of the shop, it is an easy adjustment, take the gears apart, find these adjustment screws and turn them an 1/8 of a turn to the left, that should do it". So there I go, I follow the instructions, and a slight bump is heard. The rollers are now free, but thatīs it? would not be a horror story if that was it right?
I am thinking to myself that the quality control of the rather expensive brand rolling mills is poor, but at least their customer service is good. Or is it? Well, same trouble appears again, another 1/8 of a turn? now rollers are not straight, no pressure in the side rollers... and this time there is no answer for days. After a week an answer " I am busy, I will send you a video next week, when I am at the factory." And the customer service starts looking like the quality control of the machines... No video, no answer. I have to insist and oh yes, next week, I am in XXX now. Ok. The machine is not working, I can do it without it, but hell, I bought a state of the art machine, and it is sitting there, at this point 3 months have passed!
In the end after too many problems I decide to return this useless paperweight, this company is not for me. Too bad, everybody is praising it, but not in my experience. I call the shop, "oh well, if you tinkered with it is not under our responsibility to return this item". And this is the moment when I think, I got screwed, I am stupid, just trying to do my best... The story is not over yet, as I have to file a complain in the consumer protection office, but still I might end up with a big piece of junk, months of stress, disappointment, anger, and a hole in my pocket. Yeah, you guys can tell me all the turns I got wrong on this way, but the truth is that if the machine was built properly I would not be in this situation.
Everything said here is supported by email and whatsapp message evidence, I omitted most of the waiting, back and forth and ridiculous messages because are just way too embarrassing for Durston, but I can tell you something, in that company they are too busy to help their customers. I wonder if they wold treat me the same way if I was a company, but as far as my experience goes... total boycott to Durston. Now bed time.
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