Chrome Plating in the Toronto Area

The guys at Desna Metal Refinishing near Keele and Steeles do nice work. I've had a number of things done by them and have always been happy. It is a small place that does one offs at a reasonable price.

Here is their contact info: http://www.profilecanada.com/companydetail.cfm?company=2462472_Desna_Metal_Finishing_Ltd_North_York_ON

DO NOT go to The Plating House! While the work they do is good they are expensive and the owner is shady. I caught him in a downright lie and he refused to admit he was full of it. Needless to say I have not gone back.

 

Dude ;
I brought a whack of stuff to John at the plating house and him and his wife are real stand up people! I have some stuff in production and some has already come back to me and the work is top notch !! Maybe you had a misunderstanding ?

Gary
espada
83904

 

There is no doubt that his work is good I just question his ethics. My problem stems back to 1994 (yes I do not forget). Long story short I was given a ton of excuses for my parts taking longer than quoted my favorite that I still laugh about being that 'it is not up to me it is up to the metal'. I got tired and went in offering to pay my full finished piece bill just to have my parts back on the spot. He refused telling me that he would only deliver me finished parts. Later I found out through other channels that he had never started the parts until after I paid him my visit. Sorry but I just cannot see where I was in the wrong.

 

I've known Rob ^^^ for many years and take him at his word. Undoubtedly, what he says is the truth.

 

point taken gents lets see how long the rest of my stuff takes

gary
8394

 

The Dude who owns the Plating House in Concord Ontario is really Fn nuts ! Do not take anything there to be done !! This is an urgent warning to all !!!!!!!!!!! I am not just a disgruntled customer wanting to vent there is more to it.....

I will explain all in detail upon my return this evening.......

Gary
espada
8394

 

more to follow on this later upon my return home. Meantime I urge you all to not engage with plating there.

Gary
espada
8394

 

LOL.

Sorry to hear, Gary; this entire ordeal just amuses me.

I need to get a couple door sills chromed... I'm guessing I should check out the Plating House in Concord?

 

WOW a full 180 degree turn. Might make for some good reading.

 

notice it was SO FAST that his post count didn't even change between the two posts!

But in all seriousness, I feel for you. It really sucks when people start dicking around when working with them.

GOOD LUCK!

James Simpson

 

Isn't this community supposed to be about community?

I'm amazed at how Rob's experience was overlooked.

 

see the thread above :chrome plating in toronto

gary

 

That's what she said!

 

In Jan I brought into the plating house every shiny bit off my 1971 espada thats being restored on the advice of a freind.
By the way this friend is a real stand up guy and would have no way of knowing this guy would eventually go nuts so I cannot blame him for the refferal ... nuf said on that.
So during the process Jan to feb I read this thread and had yet to experience anything unusual hence my previous comments on this thread. Espadas have push out handles for the rear side windows and John the owner of the plating house told me he would disassemble them and reassemble after he plated. So me never having plated anything before agreed. Now months later I looked closely at the reassembled handles and realized he assembled them incorrectly. Honest mistake i guess so back I went handles in tow. When I gently asked him if he could remove his stainless press rivets and rework he complied and said they would be ready in 2 days max. First however he insisted he was right and I was wrong and went so far to say " well this is just stupid!" I just smiled at him in agreement LOL. After all how could I possibly be correct I just own the f'n car thats all!
So on the end of the second day I called and his wife answered the phone and strangley would not put him on the line . Not getting the answer I required or any answer at aLL I headed to his shop. He was noticably pissed that i showed up at all looking for my handles and flat out told me they would be ready whenever they were ready And .... are you sitting down ..................... that " now I was bugging him!" I told him I was there simply to secure a completion date . Two choices here gents, A, reach across grab throat and apply pressure wait for cops to arrive or B negotiate further ... I chose B.
So now finally he admits during his crack reconstruction he actually broke one of the levers FFFFAAAAAAAAACCCCCKMMMEEEE and had to reweld and rechrome and " whos knows when it will be ready" he proclaims . "And if you dont quit bugging me!" So know A and B come up again I choose B . 2 more days go by and now its today and I call and ask John if he is in a good mood and would like to actually talk to me as long as I posed as a customer! He then proclaims "How dare you make me leave the back of my shop and walk all the way from the front of my shop to answer the phone" I told you a thousand times already I don't know when you will get your parts!!!!!!!" now F off and dont call Back" In retrospect bad phrasing on my Part .... He hung up! So I call back and asked his flunky to have all the bits and peices ready on the counter I will be there in 30 mins. I was expecting a confrontation for sure but to my surprise the door was propped open and the handles were on the counter all there but battered. I scopped them up and gotthe hell outta Dodge before the shootin errupted! So now they are in my car , bruised and battered and looking for some TLC from a freindly neibourhood plater. wow what a day .

DO NOT GO TO THE PLATING HOUSE FOR ANY OF YOUR PLATING NEEDS

Gary
espada
8394

 

Not sure if I made my point clear earlier but DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See the thread Chrome plating in Toronto area

Gary
8394

 

Wow Gary, shocking. How long has this guy been in business? Not a couple of weeks I assume, so being in business a long time things don't always go perfectly smooth without a hitch which is why I can't understand how someone with this type of customer attitude still has a business to go to. Just be fortunate you got your parts back. (too bad we have to think that way though) Sometimes stories like this end up where the parts are lost or never returned. You did the right thing take your parts and get the fk out as fast as you can.
It's too bad that guys like this will never change and should never have been in business serving the public to begin with.

Learning all the time.

 

Gary, that sucks. Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

Ive merged you two rant threads from last nite to this one. I think this one is enough.

 

Gary, I don't know how a small business can survive in this economy with such poor customer service !

sorry to hear about your ordeal but hey...look at the bright side in that it's just another chapter in your long book of the Espada restoration and one day you will look back and laugh at it

 

Gary, How bad did he screw-up your parts? Can you remove the rivets and re-install yourself? Pics..

I'm gonna go thru it soon. I have just sent my rear bumpers out, (to another shop) had to negociate that he not over restore them, hey these were handbuilt cars. Will post my pics and satisfaction when they return.

Denis

 

Denis :
good news is one is alreafdy done so the next plater wil have something to go by> 2 peices need replating then rivets installed .
what are you driving?

Gary
espada
8394

 

Sorry no F-car yet. I have a Mangusta. Chrome is minimal and from some of the items examined on 4 cars, much of it was never SHOW quality - at least the later carts. Car is hand built (400 units, less than 200 survivors) and items have only been partially plated ie tailight surrounds are plated only in the areas that you can see when car is assembled.

 

I heard they have handling problems ? of course that could just be one of many italian car myths.
Incredibly cool car however. I have some pics from the early 90s of one of the early prototypes with its orgiginal chevy engine and a very discreet chevy bowtie on the back > turns out for a time they were uncertain about which powerplant to use....
You know you cannot get away with talking here and not showing any picks


Gary
espada
8394

 

Haven't figured-out how to post an avatar yet.

As to the handling, over the course of 3000km last summer can't say I have had any scares with the car execpt for one day when I was going from the the 417 to the 174 at a high rate of speed and I found the front skipping sideways on gravel on the ramp. Just took my foot off the gas, the car stabilised and I re-accelarated. Funnnn. I can only asume that new style radial tires make a difference and I haven't pushed-it hard enough, know test drives with the Muira also complained, these are early mid-engined cars.

I am in the process of tring to find a good spot to try-out the cars to their limit (not in a strait line but with cones, water and g-tests; on something like an airfield. Rockliffe just replied they wouldn't.

ps hey there we go!
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