I sent my 68ci/3k tank to Hydrotest NW in Bremerton, WA. The results were not good. Below is my story:
I shipped my tank to the shop two and half weeks ago on a Wednesday. UPS got it there in two day. As promised, they had tested the tank and had it ready to ship by Monday. Here is when the experience turned sour.
I recieved a tank back from the shop on that next Wednesday. When I opened it, I discovered that it was some kid's tank from Houston, TX (I live in MT). I called the shop and the guy promised to fix it, and promptly hung up. An hour later, I called back to see exactly how he was going to fix it. He told me to ship the tank back to him, at my expense and he would get the kid from Houston to ship my tank back to him.
I shipped the tank back and waited... and waited. Five days later, I called to see what the situation was. He informed me that the kid hadn't recieved my tank and to "quit arguing" about the shipping situation.
I got my tank back on Friday. There were large scuffs around the bottom of the bottle that were not there when I shipped it out. I can only assume that this damage was done at the hydro place, since the packing both to and from was sufficent.
As for the shipping fiasco: In our initial phone conversation, I had asked Jim at Hydrotest NW to call me and let me know what was happening with my tank. I had to call him three times over two weeks to get the latest information on my tank. The only time he made contact with me was after those phone calls when he called to let me know it had shipped. The communication at that place really sucks. Jim is the manager of the shop and was an unpleasant fellow to deal with.
To his credit: He did get it back to me by the deadline I gave him. He shipped a t-shirt in the box to help "cover" my cost of shipping the other tank back to him.
Seeing it's a week from graduation and finals week, I'm going to issue that hydrotesting experience a grade:
Speed: A - the actual testing took the promised 24 hours
Efficency: F - shipping the tank to Houston was bad, bad, bad
Communication: D - can't flunk him because he did call... eventually
Treatment of equipment: F - the scuffs on the tank are nasty
Overall: D - I clearly wouldn't recommend this place
I shipped my tank to the shop two and half weeks ago on a Wednesday. UPS got it there in two day. As promised, they had tested the tank and had it ready to ship by Monday. Here is when the experience turned sour.
I recieved a tank back from the shop on that next Wednesday. When I opened it, I discovered that it was some kid's tank from Houston, TX (I live in MT). I called the shop and the guy promised to fix it, and promptly hung up. An hour later, I called back to see exactly how he was going to fix it. He told me to ship the tank back to him, at my expense and he would get the kid from Houston to ship my tank back to him.
I shipped the tank back and waited... and waited. Five days later, I called to see what the situation was. He informed me that the kid hadn't recieved my tank and to "quit arguing" about the shipping situation.
I got my tank back on Friday. There were large scuffs around the bottom of the bottle that were not there when I shipped it out. I can only assume that this damage was done at the hydro place, since the packing both to and from was sufficent.
As for the shipping fiasco: In our initial phone conversation, I had asked Jim at Hydrotest NW to call me and let me know what was happening with my tank. I had to call him three times over two weeks to get the latest information on my tank. The only time he made contact with me was after those phone calls when he called to let me know it had shipped. The communication at that place really sucks. Jim is the manager of the shop and was an unpleasant fellow to deal with.
To his credit: He did get it back to me by the deadline I gave him. He shipped a t-shirt in the box to help "cover" my cost of shipping the other tank back to him.
Seeing it's a week from graduation and finals week, I'm going to issue that hydrotesting experience a grade:
Speed: A - the actual testing took the promised 24 hours
Efficency: F - shipping the tank to Houston was bad, bad, bad
Communication: D - can't flunk him because he did call... eventually
Treatment of equipment: F - the scuffs on the tank are nasty
Overall: D - I clearly wouldn't recommend this place
Going there next time.
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