Beware of HL Clausing

I asked him to make the situation right. He quickly
got impatient and angry and told me my little job was not worth his time,
and he would return it uncoated! Again, ignoring the prior emails with my
correct address, he returned the

Hi:

If this is the way he's conducting business these days, maybe it's a good thing
he _didn't_ coat your mirror!

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

"Mike Linnolt" wrote in message
...
Recently, I had a bad experience with Clausing in coating my 10" mirror.
This was the first time I tried him, and I cannot recommend his services
to
amateurs.

Briefly, to summarize what happened: In late June I had my new mirror sent
directly there from the optician. This was to be a standard Beral coating
job, about $50. On July 7 I emailed him with my request and particulars,
shipping address, etc. I followed it up with a phone call the next day. I
spoke directly with Mr. Clausing himself. He took my order, by credit
card,
verified receiving the mirror and my email, and said the job would be done
that week and shipped by friday the 11th. Everything seemed cool. By the
22nd of July I had not received the mirror yet, so I emailed him. Mo
reply.
On the 24th, I called him by phone, spoke to Clausing himself (doesnt he
have a sct'y?) asking the status. I was shocked to hear that he hadnt even
started it yet! Not only that, he claimed the mirror had no instructions
on
what to do or where to send it. I reminded him of our previous call when
he
took my order and that my credit card had been billed 2 weeks ago. He
didn't
seem to know anything, just mumbled about the mirror having no
instructions.
(they were in fact placed inside by the optician). I couldn't help feeling
somewhat irritated, and I asked him to make the situation right. He
quickly
got impatient and angry and told me my little job was not worth his time,
and he would return it uncoated! Again, ignoring the prior emails with my
correct address, he returned the mirror to the optician, wasting even more
time!

Well, I have experience with other coaters and nobody has behaved in such
an
unprofessional and negligent manner as Clausing. I cannot understand his
attitude, other than my impression that he doesn't consider small amateur
jobs worth his time, despite his advertising indicating he is open to all
sizes...

Mike Linnolt


I'm not sure exactly what is going on, but I believe it is standard practice
to engrave contact info onto the back of the mirror before sending it to
be aluminized. Otherwise, one 10" mirror looks like another, and it
is possible to get someone else's returned to you, for better or worse.

Cheers,
Larry G.

On 10 Aug 2003 03:42:17 GMT, (Rod Mollise) wrote:

If this is the way he's conducting business these days, maybe it's a good thing he _didn't_ coat your mirror!

Rod,

I've received two excellent 10" mirrors that were beral coated by Clausing. One
is mine, and f/5.7, the other a customer's f/6.0 The second one had a briefly
delayed delivery, due to some equipment maintenance at Clausing, I am told.

I am very happy with the mirrors and coatings.

I hope the other buyer's bad experience was an aberration.
Mark Wagner
Compact Precision Telescopes http://www.astronomy-mall.com/cpt
Tele Vue inventory: Nagler: T5 -31mm & 26mm, T4 - 22mm, 17mm & 12mm, T6 - 13mm, 9mm & 7mm, 2" Big Barlow.

QSP now refuses to offer their excellent coating services to amateur
astronomers. Seems that we are too much of a pain for the few dollars that
they charged.

Perhaps a two week delay wasn't the end of the world. Spectrum is also slow
but they ended doing a fine job for me.

Del Johnson




"Mike Linnolt" wrote in message
...
Recently, I had a bad experience with Clausing in coating my 10" mirror.
This was the first time I tried him, and I cannot recommend his services
to
amateurs.

Briefly, to summarize what happened: In late June I had my new mirror sent
directly there from the optician. This was to be a standard Beral coating
job, about $50. On July 7 I emailed him with my request and particulars,
shipping address, etc. I followed it up with a phone call the next day. I
spoke directly with Mr. Clausing himself. He took my order, by credit
card,
verified receiving the mirror and my email, and said the job would be done
that week and shipped by friday the 11th. Everything seemed cool. By the
22nd of July I had not received the mirror yet, so I emailed him. Mo
reply.
On the 24th, I called him by phone, spoke to Clausing himself (doesnt he
have a sct'y?) asking the status. I was shocked to hear that he hadnt even
started it yet! Not only that, he claimed the mirror had no instructions
on
what to do or where to send it. I reminded him of our previous call when
he
took my order and that my credit card had been billed 2 weeks ago. He
didn't
seem to know anything, just mumbled about the mirror having no
instructions.
(they were in fact placed inside by the optician). I couldn't help feeling
somewhat irritated, and I asked him to make the situation right. He
quickly
got impatient and angry and told me my little job was not worth his time,
and he would return it uncoated! Again, ignoring the prior emails with my
correct address, he returned the mirror to the optician, wasting even more
time!

Well, I have experience with other coaters and nobody has behaved in such
an
unprofessional and negligent manner as Clausing. I cannot understand his
attitude, other than my impression that he doesn't consider small amateur
jobs worth his time, despite his advertising indicating he is open to all
sizes...

Mike Linnolt

LarryG wrote in message ...

I'm not sure exactly what is going on, but I believe it is standard
practice
to engrave contact info onto the back of the mirror before sending it to
be aluminized. Otherwise, one 10" mirror looks like another, and it
is possible to get someone else's returned to you, for better or worse.


The optician told me he labelled the mirror with instuctions exactly like
all the others he sent to Clausing. Regardless, it doesn't explain why Mr
Clausing would acknowledge everything with me on the phone, then totally
forget about the job until I called back... and not make up for his mistake.

I hope the other buyer's bad experience was an aberration.

Hi Mark:

Me too!

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

On 10 Aug 2003 13:09:50 GMT, ospam (Kevin Daly) wrote:

I wonder. Our club sent him our 17.5" to be coated. It came back with very
poor coatings (edges were missing, dark spots all over, etc.) so we had to send
it back. To make a very long story short, after a letter from a lawyer and 2
years we had the mirror recoated at another shop.

Hi Kevin,

That is distrubing. But, I recently heard a similar story from a friend with an
18" mirror, that had enhanced coatings that seemed to show odd coloration too.
My friend was able to take photos of the odd marks on the mirror, which he sent
to the mirror maker. The mirror maker wanted to inspect the mirror. What a
pain... but I guess it can happen to anyone. Thankfully, these sort of reports
seem to be infrequent. Still, I'm sorry to hear about your experience.

Hey... coming out observing at Sierra Buttes again? :-)

Mark Wagner
Compact Precision Telescopes http://www.astronomy-mall.com/cpt
Tele Vue inventory: Nagler: T5 -31mm & 26mm, T4 - 22mm, 17mm & 12mm, T6 - 13mm, 9mm & 7mm, 2" Big Barlow.

Mike, it sounds like the processing sheet (with your information) got separated
from your mirror. Damn, it happens. I wouldn't read it as anyone lying to you
or a misrepresentation implied. I understand that you are disappointed. If he
sounded irritated, it probably was with someone inside his company for loosing
your instructions, not at you. And I am sure that you did not sound irritated
with him and had a open mind to his explanation. Clausing has been in business
for 40 years and has tens of thousands of customers and has a good
representation. I am not sure that one incidence that can be interpreted in
many ways deserves a " Beware of Clausing"

Mike Linnolt wrote:

Recently, I had a bad experience with Clausing in coating my 10" mirror.
This was the first time I tried him, and I cannot recommend his services to
amateurs.

Briefly, to summarize what happened: In late June I had my new mirror sent
directly there from the optician. This was to be a standard Beral coating
job, about $50. On July 7 I emailed him with my request and particulars,
shipping address, etc. I followed it up with a phone call the next day. I
spoke directly with Mr. Clausing himself. He took my order, by credit card,
verified receiving the mirror and my email, and said the job would be done
that week and shipped by friday the 11th. Everything seemed cool. By the
22nd of July I had not received the mirror yet, so I emailed him. Mo reply.
On the 24th, I called him by phone, spoke to Clausing himself (doesnt he
have a sct'y?) asking the status. I was shocked to hear that he hadnt even
started it yet! Not only that, he claimed the mirror had no instructions on
what to do or where to send it. I reminded him of our previous call when he
took my order and that my credit card had been billed 2 weeks ago. He didn't
seem to know anything, just mumbled about the mirror having no instructions.
(they were in fact placed inside by the optician). I couldn't help feeling
somewhat irritated, and I asked him to make the situation right. He quickly
got impatient and angry and told me my little job was not worth his time,
and he would return it uncoated! Again, ignoring the prior emails with my
correct address, he returned the mirror to the optician, wasting even more
time!

Well, I have experience with other coaters and nobody has behaved in such an
unprofessional and negligent manner as Clausing. I cannot understand his
attitude, other than my impression that he doesn't consider small amateur
jobs worth his time, despite his advertising indicating he is open to all
sizes...

Mike Linnolt

Mike, it sounds like the processing sheet (with your information) got
separated from your mirror. Damn, it happens. I wouldn't read it as anyone
lying to
you or a misrepresentation implied. I understand that you are disappointed.
If
he sounded irritated, it probably was with someone inside his company for
loosing your instructions, not at you. And I am sure that you did not sound
irritated
with him and had a open mind to his explanation. Clausing has been in
business for 40 years and has tens of thousands of customers and has a good
representation. I am not sure that one incidence that can be interpreted in
many ways deserves a " Beware of Clausing"

Something happened here, not sure what but I agree, there are many
possibilities. For example, while the optician did say he attached the
instructions, it is also possible that he did not.

Someone made a error here, the issue is really how it will be resolved.

Jon Isaacs

Subject: Beware of HL Clausing
From: (Mark Wagner)
Date: 8/10/03 9:46 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

On 10 Aug 2003 13:09:50 GMT, ospam (Kevin Daly) wrote:

I wonder. Our club sent him our 17.5" to be coated. It came back with very
poor coatings (edges were missing, dark spots all over, etc.) so we had to
send
it back. To make a very long story short, after a letter from a lawyer and
2
years we had the mirror recoated at another shop.

Hi Kevin,
*********************
I had a few mirrors coated by them in the 70's and 80's! They did great work.
Guess they have gone down hill...

Chas P.