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dolan tools

updated tue 14 sep 10

 

Lisa Molburry on sun 9 feb 97

I've been using Dolan tools for years now and love them. Recently,
however, one of my thinner Dolan tools snapped while I was working on a
less than leather hard piece. Does anyone know if Dolan guarantees their
tools? Also, where can I reach them? The town I'm currently living in
does not sell Dolan tools, and I need to purchase more.

Any replies would be much appreciated!!

Thank You.

Lisa Molbury
email:lmolbury@indiana.edu

Karen Gringhuis on mon 10 feb 97

Lisa - they probably do guarantee their tools but some of the tiny ones
simply do wear out.

DOLAN PRECISION TOOLS
12612 N. 60th St.
Scottsdale AZ 85254
1-800-624-3127
AZ 602-596-6931
FAX 602-991-4509

This ifo off old '95 catalog.

Ellen Baker on mon 10 feb 97

I found Dolan Tools very supportive regarding breakage of the "mini series"
tool handles. I suggest you contact them directly in regard to your
specific loss. They suggest that you specify "heavy duty" if you order
directly from them.

TIP: I now reinforce the narrowest sections of new, thin-handled tools
with epoxy-type glue when they're new. I've considered using shrink film
sleeves, but suspect they wouldn't be as tough as the epoxy overcoat is.
With a strengthened joint at the ferrule, thin handles have been outlasting
the metal.

Regards.
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I've been using Dolan tools for years now and love them. Recently,
> however, one of my thinner Dolan tools snapped while I was working on a
> less than leather hard piece. Does anyone know if Dolan guarantees their
> tools? Also, where can I reach them? The town I'm currently living in
> does not sell Dolan tools, and I need to purchase more.
>
> Any replies would be much appreciated!!
>
> Thank You.
>
> Lisa Molbury
> email:lmolbury@indiana.edu
>

William C. Melcher on tue 11 feb 97

Hi Lisa Molburry

The address you nees is:

Dolan Tools
12612 N. 60th Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85254-4408

The telephone is 602-596-6931
FAX 602-991-4509

Bill in Tucson, Arizona

BobWicks@aol.com on tue 11 feb 97

You can get Dolan Tools from Steve Branfman at THE POTTERS SHOP. He is
always listed in Ceramics Monthly. Good luck.
Bob

SBRANFPOTS@aol.com on tue 18 feb 97

Regarding the question of whether the Dolan's guarantee their tools, the
answer is absolutely yes. However, keep in mind that the Dolan's have
designed their tools for specific applications. Anyone who is familiar with
the various styles of the tools understand this as some are very small with
delicate handles while others are very substantial. Before taking advantage
of their generous guarantee please be sure that you have not abused the tool
or used it in an application for which is was not designed.

I'm sure that the Dolan's would not question a request for a replacement and
they would certainly not be offering the caution that I am offering here.
They are wonderful folks who produce handmade tools from the heart.

Steven Branfman
The Potters Shop

Vince Pitelka on sat 14 nov 09


I have received a number of posts off-list from people who love Dolan tools
but bought the K----r rip-offs of Dolan Tools after Dolan temporarily
disappeared from the market. They bought them in the hopes that the tools
would be as good as the original Dolans, but of course they are not. There
are obvious differences in the craftsmanship and quality, and the cutting
edges do not last as well. If you are going to pay extra for a tool that i=
s
supposed to be a hard carbon-steel edge, it damn well better be properly
tempered and of the finest carbon steel. The Dolans are, and they hold an
edge longer than the rip-offs.

Again, support domestic tool-makers, and buy the real Dolans, not the K----=
r
rip-offs.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka

Jennifer Boyer on thu 9 sep 10


Sorry if this is old news, since I don't follow Clayart as closely as I use=
d
to, but I just got off the phone with the Dolan Tool company and they are i=
n
business. The daughter has taken over the business under the guidance of th=
e
parents and they are up and running after some problems with another family
member getting unexpectedly busy with other projects. I'm so relieved! I
bought a new batch of my favorite 555's. They said some of their old clay
supplier distributers have started ordering again.

They also said that the OTHER company that started making copies of their
tools actually never had permission to do that. I thought the Dolans had
sold their designs to the other company....shady.
Apparently if you change more than 10% of a design of a product it doesn't
count as stealing. So they changed the # of rings on the end of the handle,
and eliminated 1 letter of the ID code, keeping the Dolan #'s as is....hard
to imagine.

So if any of you are using the newer knockoffs, go back to the Dolans. They
make the best tools...
Jennifer

Lee Love on thu 9 sep 10


On Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 3:49 PM, Jennifer Boyer wrote:

> Apparently if you change more than 10% of a design of a product it doesn'=
=3D
t
> count as stealing. So they changed the # of rings on the end of the handl=
=3D
e,
> and eliminated 1 letter of the ID code, keeping the Dolan #'s as is....ha=
=3D
rd
> to imagine.

I bought one Kemper knock off, before Dolans became available.
The angle on their edges are all wrong. They are in no way
replacements for Dolans. I am happy to have Dolan back again.


--
=3DA0Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi

Vince Pitelka on fri 10 sep 10


Jennifer Boyer wrote:
"Apparently if you change more than 10% of a design of a product it doesn't
count as stealing. So they changed the # of rings on the end of the handle,
and eliminated 1 letter of the ID code, keeping the Dolan #'s as is....hard
to imagine."

And Lee Love wrote:
"I bought one Kemper knock off, before Dolans became available. The angle o=
n
their edges are all wrong. They are in no way replacements for Dolans. =
I
am happy to have Dolan back again."

Jennifer and Lee -
I wrote about this in a recent Clay Times "Tool Times" column, and again in
my upcoming column. The ubiquitous clay tool-maker that ripped off Dolan
didn't really do anything illegal, but it was incredibly sleazy and
mercenary. In a school situation it is hard to avoid buying some of their
basic tools, but NO ONE should be buying those Dolan rip-offs marketed as
their "Professional" line. What a joke! Dolan is alive and well, and many
of the major ceramic suppliers are carrying Dolan once again. If you want
superior-quality carbon steel trimming tools, BUY DOLANS! You can get good
prices on Dolans from Bailey at
www.baileypottery.com/potterytools/dolantools.htm.

My last artist-in-residence, Melody Tiemann, left in August after the
maximum three-year term of the residency. She is the best resident I have
had, and the students really appreciated her. Before she left, we pooled
contributions and bought her $250 worth of Dolan tools from Bailey. It was
amazing how much stuff we got, and Melody was very pleased.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka

steve graber on mon 13 sep 10


that "10% change" thing is bogus - part of the classic urban=3DA0rumors we =
al=3D
l hear =3D0Aand pass on as real....=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0Aknock offs can happ=
en, and to=3D
fight it is a lengthy court process.=3DA0 assuming one =3D0Acan even affor=
d to=3D
go to court.=3DA0 i do believe however the pottery crowd is =3D0Aknowledge=
able=3D
of this and word spreads of these happenings.=3DA0 that other phrase =3D0A=
of "=3D
what goes around comes around" or "you sew what you reap" come to mind.=3DA=
0 =3D
=3D0Ai=3DA0like a phrase i read in ceramics monthly years back - "copy anyt=
hing=3D
you want =3D0Abut add to it".=3DA0=3DA0the better mousetrap is always inte=
restin=3D
g to see!=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0ASteve Graber, Graber's Pottery, Inc=3D0AClare=
mont, Cali=3D
fornia USA=3D0AThe Steve Tool - for awesome texture on pots! =3D0Awww.grabe=
rspo=3D
ttery.com steve@graberspottery.com =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AOn Laguna Clay's website=
=3D0Ahttp=3D
://www.lagunaclay.com/blogs/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A----- Original Message ---=
-=3D0A> Fr=3D
om: Jennifer Boyer =3D0A> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D=
0A> =3D
Sent: Thu, September 9, 2010 1:49:46 PM=3D0A> Subject: Dolan Tools=3D0A> =
=3D0A> S=3D
orry if this is old news, since I don't follow Clayart as closely as I used=
=3D
=3D0A> to, but I just got off the phone with the Dolan Tool company and the=
y =3D
are in=3D0A> business. The daughter has taken over the business under the g=
ui=3D
dance of the=3D0A> parents and they are up and running after some problems =
wi=3D
th another family=3D0A> member getting unexpectedly busy with other project=
s.=3D
I'm so relieved! I=3D0A> bought a new batch of my favorite 555's. They sai=
d =3D
some of their old clay=3D0A> supplier distributers have started ordering ag=
ai=3D
n.=3D0A> =3D0A> They also said that the OTHER company that started making c=
opie=3D
s of their=3D0A> tools actually never had permission to do that. I thought =
th=3D
e Dolans had=3D0A> sold their designs to the other company....shady.=3D0A> =
Appa=3D
rently if you change more than 10% of a design of a product it doesn't=3D0A=
> =3D
count as stealing. So they changed the # of rings on the end of the handle,=
=3D
=3D0A> and eliminated 1 letter of the ID code, keeping the Dolan #'s as is.=
..=3D
.hard=3D0A> to imagine.=3D0A> =3D0A> So if any of you are using the newer k=
nockof=3D
fs, go back to the Dolans. They=3D0A> make the best tools...=3D0A> Jennifer=
=3D0A>=3D
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A