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Ruby from Technolux
>> This morning, I received a UPS shipment <<
Well John, that was your first mistake <g.> I avoid UPS for tubing shipments
like the plague. Your second mistake was not ordering a full box of Technolux
glass at once. My old school mate is Dave Ablon who is one of the owners of
technolux and he brags about how his packing method is UPS proof. It is also
a part of the cost. I must say that I never got a broken stick. And you also
have to figure that it got here from Italy. Tell THAT to the Teamsters.
As for any other glass shipped via UPS, I usually figure that up to a third
of it WILL be broken. I work with a lot of odd colors and sizes no one stocks
a distributors. I also insist on the glass being from one batch and I usually
have to have it yesterday. I have good luck most of the time with FMS glass (
Brillite ) which also happens to be my choice for powder stability and coat
adherence. They put foam on the ends of the cartons and that is usually the
problem area when they are dropped on end. Usually from shoulder height. Then
the broken glass scratches off the powder on the remaining good sticks of
glass. I get my glass delivered by the supplier when he makes his rounds
twice a week. If the glass is broken I give it right back. No one else to
blame here.
They tell me that the best way to ship delicate loads is Greyhound. That is
because they are not automated enough to have belts and they don't usually
pick up the boxes more than a foot ( just from the underbelly of the bus to
the cart ). I haven't tried it yet but I remember shipping a neon piece via
UPS AIR once and I told my brother to put a piece of foam at one spot and he
decided it didn't need it. The largest piece of glass in the container ( when
it came back ) was about an inch. I did insure it and got paid though. I
wonder what they did with the cullet shards?
As for the price of the ruby, I used to pay more for the German glass and I
still can't get my old buddy to help me out with the price. Something about
partners...<bg.> Although I have been known to find some of those Lebanese
olives from Brooklyn stashed in a box now and then.
>> What would YOU do in this situation: refuse to pay because the
shipment arrived dammaged (and poorly packed, IMO), or fork over the
bucks since they said "if it breaks it's yours"? <<
I'd tell the supplier that if they wanted my business then they'd better get
their packing act together. Hell, if you want to have it drop shipped from
New York, you could bill to any supplier. I'm sure someone would be willing
to bargain a bit. Also, you have to look at where the shipment becomes
yours. Usually, if you don't accept it they have to eat the shipping costs
and let them TRY to bill you for the glass or shipping. It only takes a
couple of those and the problem gets straightened out quick. ESPECIALLY with
the high buck glass!
The other thing I do is use the rare glasses as " spice ". In this way I
don't have to do the entire job out of rare glass and you still get that
saturation where you need it. If the job is all rare glass then it tends to
become monotonous again. ( Too much of a good thing ).
Just my $.02 ...
E-mail from: Tom Biebel, 27-Sep-1995
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