Birdsall Marine vs. Competition Looking at Afishionado's hot new Birdsall swingback leaning post just confirms what I've experienced with them - they do stellar work and deliver it when promised. Sadly, not every welder does.
Long story short, I was in a huge hury to get my a leaning post to install in the new boat, and Bob Birdsall pulled a leaning post he had built for a show and shipped it right to my builder so I wouldn't have to wait. I get as many compliments on the leaning post as the boat. Every weld is perfect. It was at the builder a week after I made the first phone call, just as Bob promised.
In contrast, I decided to test a local North East welder (who must, alas, remain nameless on this site) by having him fabricate a set of console mounted rod holders for me. They were special in that each holder needed one notched spin rod holder and one milled fly rod holder. I sent plans, a sample of the fly rod holder design in plastic, and my check (in full to expedite things) to the welder, who assured me that this was no problem and he would ship on Friday.
He didn't. In fact, after three promises, and many excuses he didn't ship for a month. When I got the rod holders, they were awful. They were scratched , the milled edges had burs and edges sharp enough to skin a caribou. They were also crooked and had scorch marks.
When I showed them to the builder, he laughed and refused to mount them on the boat.
To his credit, the welder admitted that he rushed them and agreed to "fix" them. So, I gave him a shot.
That was five months ago. I'm still waiting. He's claimed to ship them five times. He also refuses to give me my money back.
Disgusted, I called Bob Birdsall, who welded me up a set of notched spinning reel holders and sent them out. I've had some hot mobile inserts made for the fly rods.
I received the Birdsall holders in four days. They are perfect and they'll look great on the boat.
So, this post isn't so much to flame the bad welder as much to praise Birdsall. Yes, they charge a premium - but they deliver on their promises. |