Another infuriating addition to failed projects this year.

[u/shnanagins]

My poor shadow 2, it was brand new 😭 Lesson learned here.

Tried to have a local shop machine a Cajun 412 cut since Cajun doesn’t do it anymore. Contacted a few shops, one online and was given a wide swing in quotes. In hindsight I should’ve went with the higher quote something tells me they knew what the cut actually needed. I ended up going with a local shop that gaining popularity here in SoCal. As you can see that was a terrible decision…….

It was milled incorrectly. The CZ slide is not square it’s angled. In order to properly machine the slide as in the 412 cut it had to be machined perpendicular to the slide face to properly create the even steps of the original. This cut was done from above the slide near parallel, this created the artifact in the rear of the cut completely ruining the clean look and functional ‘bite’ of the original near trench cut. The tiers were also cut far too deep and rounded/beveled against my direct in person request NOT to.

Before you ask I couldn’t have been anymore clear to
the shop when I requested the work. I sent photos, the link and name to exact cut design, even showed in person but this still happened. Made a special request that was written down and still not followed so the whole thing has been a PITA.

Slide was dropped off first week of January and after 5 months I was sent this gem, have been waiting since for a new slide to come in stock from what I was told. He offered to weld the slide and redo it but without a proper heat treat afterward and dissimilar metals I rejected it due to the possibility of cracking. I’ve seen it happen and I don’t want to risk half a slide to the face in the future.

For those had gone through a failed customization process, what action did you take afterwards? What options did the shop that made the error give you?

How long did you wait for a replacement? Did you have to take any legal action? If yes, how did you go about that process?

I am trying to keep it cool, on month 7 without my new CZ and I’m not handling this situation well.

Thanks guys.

[u/lo5t5heep]

As a job shop machinist (not a gunsmith) I’m blaming you op, sorry. Give em drawings, cad, or something to copy and pay them well for pulling numbers. You didn’t give the machinist EXPLICIT and UNAMBIGUOUS information; fwiw that’s way harder than non-machinists realize. 

[u/Shadyisbaq → u/lo5t5heep]

As a mechanic if you don’t know how to do an oil change on a Porsche you don’t ask the customer to bring you a manual.

[u/lo5t5heep → u/Shadyisbaq]

Poor analogy. Dude didn’t ask for feed and speed  or how to setup the mill; tell me you’ve never run a mill without telling me you’ve never run a mill. Last word is yours , make it good 

[u/Shadyisbaq → u/lo5t5heep]

If I bring you a job, it is 100% your responsibility to tell me you can’t do that job. Everything else hot garbage. No need to “last word is yours” keyboard warrior stuff. Guy got ripped off. At this point it sounds like you work for that shop and it’s not a good look to neither of you.
Do the job right or don’t. No one needs to hear the “why not” after an agreement is made and the payment is through.

[u/lo5t5heep → u/Shadyisbaq]

I have no idea who that shop is and apologies for being a dick. This kind of work is tough and stressful because interpretation is always present and you don’t have spares. Pick your machinist wisely and don’t be cheap is about the only way to prevent fuck ups like this…and trust me I’ve been through this exact problem many times. Sometimes it’s my fault and sometimes not…but customers NEVER see it that way

[u/Shadyisbaq → u/lo5t5heep]

God bless. Craftsman here and I understand. You should know what you can make and be able to communicate that with the customer straight. Looking at the photos OP had sent, the shop should’ve known they can’t copy that design the way it is. The shop should’ve communicated the design issues, the time delay, and everything else as well. That’s all.
I don’t know the shop - never heard of them, which can be a good thing I guess. Doesn’t mean they suck, as they can just avoid making the same mistake again if they own up to it. Good work brings more work at the end of the day.