A really positive experience with a great company

**Ron0909** · #1 11-01-2011, 03:00 PM

Hi Everyone

I just had a positive experience with a company that I wanted to share with you. Currently I have 2 models on the go. One is Marek's Sopwith Snipe and the other is Shipyard's 1:96 HMS Bellona. I wanted to follow in the footsteps of some of the great ship builders here and use wood veneers on the decks and one step further on the hull. Lee Valley Tools sells cherry veneer strips pre cut to 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4". I went over to their retail outlet here in Ottawa and picked up some maple veneer blank business cards that I will cut and use for the decks and 3/16" cherry strips which I will eventually use on the hull and for other things. The 2 foot long strips come packed in a mailing tube. They say aprox. 225 strips in the tube but I bet there is more! Anyways, I had to catch a bus home and one of the caps came off the end. Long story short, half of them ended up on the floor of a busy bus! I wrote Lee Valley suggesting that they tape up the tube ends. They promptly wrote back confirming the problem and to say they rectified it with their remaining stock. The Customer service rep asked how much I lost and would be more than happy to send another tube of veneer or anything else instead. He was concerned that should I get more of the same I would be saddled with too many! I now have another tube on the way, postage paid and the next size up. If you haven't done any business with Lee Valley, have a look at their site. It's a carpenter's, carver's, fine cabinet maker's, hobbyist's, tool collector's heaven

There are now 2 companies that all others should be modeled after...Lee Valley and Ecardmodels! Lee Valley Tools - Woodworking Tools, Gardening Tools, Hardware

**whulsey** · #2 11-04-2011, 11:37 AM

Always good to hear a positive experience. Might have to check and see if they ship south of the border. That's sort of wierd living in AZ and saying that about yourself.

**rickstef** · #3 11-04-2011, 11:43 AM

Lee Valley is an American based company

**whulsey** · #4 11-04-2011, 11:45 AM

It is? Cool will have to check it out better. Just saw the store map that popped up and it was all Canadian locations so didn't look any further.

**Ron0909** · #5 11-04-2011, 02:33 PM

Sorry guys, it's a Canuck company through and through. Founded here in Ottawa in 1978. They do ship worldwide though and I've never, ever seen a better run company! I got my replacement veneer strips yesterday. Another can-do example is that I changed my mind on what I wanted at 1:00am the day before it shipped and wrote my customer service guy asking if it was too late to change it up. I had a reply that morning saying 'No problem, it hasn't gone out yet. Happy to do it!"
Lee Valley Tools - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**airdave** · #6 11-04-2011, 05:38 PM

correct, Lee Valley been around for a while with a proven track record.
...and Canadian.
(we still get their mailed catalogues every few months)

although I believe there is some sort of US connection?
(myabe I am just thinking about the mail order though)

very nice to hear the words of praise for that other company too...
whats it called? e-carded-models?