Roller Recasting

I’ve had a stressful and irritating experience getting my rollers recast from Tarheel in NC…I sent them in way back on July 7th, thinking I’d get them back in early August, since they only do the recasting once monthly in the middle of the month. After I contacted them in early August because of my concerns with it taking so long (I was also trying to schedule the guy I bought the press from to come down one of these last 2 weeks in August to help me out when I run the press for the first time) they assured me they would get to me in time for the former owner’s visit. I emailed him again last night because here we are the 2nd to last week in August, and still no rollers. I got a response — they’re not going to be shipped until next Monday, so basically, there goes next week too!I’m so very frustrated and I want to get some suggestions on where you get your rollers recast and if there are any other places I should avoid in the future?Thanks!

I ordered rollers from NA Graphics in April, but never got them. I was hoping to get them by end of June for a demo I was giving in early July, and I got a few emails saying that they had shipped, but they never arrived. I called them in mid-July to tell them that I was moving at the end of July, and gave them my new address, but needless to say – they never arrived. All this, and they never returned my calls (or emails). I’m tired of trying to figure out why they won’t send me my rollers, and why they don’t want to talk to me – I called last week and canceled the order (waiting for five months is giving them plenty of time, right?).Anyways, right after I canceled that order, I called Tarheel to order from them instead. It took about a week for David to get back in touch with me, but he was friendly and actually helpful. I got the same time table, that they’ll be casting them in mid-September, so I haven’t gotten the rollers yet, but I’m staying hopeful that there’s an alternative to NA Graphics…

I just talked to Fritz at NA Graphics a little while ago and I think the problem was that he was sick for a while and had others who were less attentive dealing with his business while he was gone. He’s an older guy, so my inclination was to cut him slack on this (I was waiting on an order too). Always before this my stuff has arrived in decent time and Fritz is a great repository of information on Vandercooks – he’s been very helpful about giving me info when I’ve called and been trying to diagnosis a problem.

Maia, I’d heard the same thing, that Fritz has been sick and is recovering. Most people I know love Fritz and think very highly of him. I guess my problems with the roller order was with the person he’d hired to help out, who apparently wasn’t helping out very well. Hopefully they have things sorted out there and that Fritz is back at the wheel.I got my rollers a week ago, from Tarheel Rollers. It was an easy experience, and I even had a nice (and informative) chat on the phone with David. Overall, I’m appreciative that there’s still somebody out there casting these rollers at all, so that I don’t have to cast my own. It’s not an easy process, they’re working with outdated machinery, and we wouldn’t be able to order shiny new rollers at all if it weren’t for these guys who give a hoot. We should probably cut them all some slack.

My most recent rollers I had cast by advanced roller in Corona, CA. http://www.advancedroller.com/ I had 3 made for my 8×12 C&P and they were $150. For all 3. (not each) (I paid cash) And I got a free T-shirt. Well, my husband did. The rollers were PERFECT!

That is an amazing price! What are they made out of, and do they ship? 🙂

I got mine done via recommendation of Casey from Inky Lips. He recommended RotaDyne in Texas. THEY WERE AMAZING! I needed a second set (cores/rollers) for my press and they helped me locate another press owner near their plant, did measurements and recovered for 2 rollers for $450 (that way I didn’t have to send in the current set and have to stop work) Cores/rollers set are more expensive, I’m sure it’s cheaper for just recovering. They turned them around in 2 weeks + Shipping. I’m a customer for life. The rollers are perfect and print amazingly. Singing praises from the rooftops. Here’s their contact info. Tell them Adrienne from Dingbat Press sent you.John & Cheryl LaughlinRotaDyne817-424-3156 Ext: #152817-481-0863 Faxclaughlin@rotadyne.com

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