Very helpful supplier

[polygonum]

A few weeks/months ago someone fitted a couple of doors here (I have always been crap at that and time was pressing). Unfortunately they messed up on the handles. We had bought Urfic handles from Toolstation (also sold by John Lewis, Wickes and others under various branding and altered model names). Nothing fancy but fine for our purposes. But when fitting it, the chippie had to cut down the M4 50mm bolt so it would fit. (It fits right through from one handle to a sleeve that fits the other handle. Like some kitchen cabinet connectors.) He cut it to around

42mm - which is really too short. And messed up the thread.

I fettled up the mess but that shortened it even more and so it simply did not reach the sleeve. Hence replacement needed.

Internet offered up none. Looked like a Hafele product that has been discontinued and is unavailable.

Phoned Toolstation who answered quickly and helpfully - no they had none but supplier's number is 01767 nnnnnnn.

Urfic answered on second ring and immediately offered to send not one, but four. And in the appropriate 45mm length so they do not need to be cut by me at all. And didn't even mention a charge. And wished a happy Christmas.

For something that was not exactly top of the range, from a very competitive supplier, I was very pleased to be treated so well.

[Dave Liquorice]

products on their web site you need flash and javascript.

[polygonum]

Damn - didn't look at their product pages! I too am sick of flash...

[Mark]

Flash just won't die.

[Man at B&Q]

I needed a new cutter assemblt for an Avery paper trimmer. Rang the helpline number on the trimmer "No problem, I'll put on in the post. No sir, there's no charge".

Companies like that get personal recommendations.

MBQ

[Bob Eager]

Apropos the cat flap thread - Pet Mate are very good at either FOC or very cheap spares.

[Mark]

Reminds me when some ancient Blum parts in my Kitchen broke. I phoned them up on the off-chance I could still get spares and they sent me the bits FoC. Can't do much better than that.

[Phil L]

joiner here, 'he cut it too short and messed up the thread' You bought the wrong item in the first place, he was merely trying to help out.

[polygonum]

The handles come suitable for a range of door thicknesses with the expectation that they will need to be cut down for many.

He cut the screws with, it appears, a hacksaw but messed up the thread for about 5mm from the end so it would not properly screw into the sleeve. There was a step where one side of the screw was around 2mm longer than the other side.

Even had he cut it cleanly, he seems to have cut without measuring properly. Maybe he did not allow for the thickness of the handle backplate? Or the overlap where the screw needs to be within the sleeve?

Where he cut the square shank (or whatever you call it that connects the two turning bits), it was at about a 20 degree angle to square.

And he made the holes through the door for the screws in the wrong place and had to re-do them - so you have a situation where the two holes make a sort of merged figure-of-eight.

He actually did four of these - and the last one was not too bad. The first one was a real mess.

And he did not turn round and say "You got the wrong ones. Please get the right ones."

Yes harsh. But also fair, I think.

[robgraham]

Ummmm - I think that is why we DIY!!

[polygonum]

Agreed. But I am still crap at door hanging! Somewhat better at fixing handles though. :-)

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

I used to have a high opinion of Salter, until I needed one fixed under warranty. 15 year guarantee and I was sure I'd kept the box and receipt, as I usually do. I couldn't find it, and they were inflexible, so stuff them; I'm never buying another Salter scale.