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Polymer80 Build Warning


jerryz

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I just learned a $100 lesson trying to build a Polymer80 "glock."

 

Their shtick is that they sell you everything you need to be successful, which, is mostly true.  The real value is the jig that holds the frame so all your work on it can be done exactly and correctly.

 

BUT, what I found out the hard way, is that some of their jigs will allow the frame to be held incorrectly.  Yeah, makes not sense to me either.

 

If you luck out and get the jig that allows for both right and wrong assembly, and you get it in wrong, like I did, then the holes you drill will be in the wrong place and your build is shot.

 

Yes, I should have noticed.  Yes, it's my fault.  Yes, I "assumed" that the purpose of the jig was to prevent this so I did not pay as close attention as I should have.  But, the people at Polymer80 just said that I drilled the holes wrong, and, that's just too bad for me.  They did sell me a "second chance" kit, that they advertise as "only" $90 plus $9 shipping.  Yeah, that was a red hot deal.

 

At the least, I really just wish that they could have admitted that this jig has a defect.  I know little about manufacturing -- if I was a machinist I wouldn't be buying their product in the first place -- but it's obvious to me that they have other jigs that won't allow that problem, probably because they realized this style has a defect.  I wish they could have at least admitted that.

 

Anyway, see the pics for details (if I can successfully upload them).

 

 

IMG_0705.jpg

IMG_0706.jpg

IMG_0707.jpg

IMG_0708.jpg

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Good info. makes you wonder?.... "They" must have known there was a potential problem with the jig design as it was later corrected. Smells like buyer beware. Looks like "They" need a lesson in marketing??.. Very poor!!!. Hardly customer satisfaction oriented. 

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Yeah. That’s the point I tried to make when I called them. I even sent emails and the pics. But they stood firm that their policy does not cover mis drilled holes — that’s on me. 

 

I emphasized that they were mis drilled because their jig allowed it. Then they said that if the tabs were still in place (on the top of the frame) then the frame could not be put in wrong and their directions say to drill the holes first. 

 

But there are no directions, or pics as also suggested above,  other than to go to their website, which I did on my first build. But this time I thought I had it figured out — cut off tabs and drill a couple holes. Easy. I don’t remember the online tutorial demanding that the holes be drilled first “or else.” And, if the jig was properly designed — as are their other ones — that shouldn’t matter. 

 

Again, I know I screwed it up and I’ll man up and take some blame. I just wish they would do the same.

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It’s a whole new kit at the ridiculously low price of $90 plus $9 shipping instead of the $135   Brownells charges for a new one. 

 

And, I’ll say that’s probably ok for most build errors. But I’m holding firm that since their poorly designed jig played a huge roll in this problem, I think they could have done a lot better for me. Since I learned my lesson on the jig I didn’t need a new one of them, and I didn’t burn up the drill bits on two holes in plastic, so I didn’t need new drill bits either.  I don’t know how much it costs to produce a frame but I’d guess $99 pretty well covers it. So, yeah, they could have sent a new frame for free. 

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Umm excuse me, but looking at those pictures, Id  have to agree with the MFG,, looks pretty simple, obvious cut out for the tab,,, frame rails area isnt touching.
 

Edited by Joe4d
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Well, Joe4d, first, let me thank you for editing your original post.  I started this thread to warn other members of a potential problem. I freely admitted the fact that I made a mistake.

 

But, maybe my pics were actually misleading as I never mentioned that these were pics of the inside of the jig when it is open.  Below is a picture of the assembled product, ready to drill the holes.  

 

My error was putting the frame in the jig wrong.  I just stuck the frame in and closed the jig.  YES, I DID NOT LOOK CLOSELY, because I assumed it could only go in one way -- the correct way.  And that is exactly the message I was hoping to pass  on to others to save them $99. 

 

I'll also repeat the fact that other jigs of theirs are designed to prevent this problem, so, I have to conclude that this is a problem bigger than me or they would not have fixed it in other designs.

 

In any case, the moral of the of the story is: double check how the frame is placed before you close the jig, because the frame can be put in right or wrong and once the jig is closed and completely assembled, -- as the picture below shows, -- there is no good way to notice that the frame is in wrong.

IMG_0714.jpg

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On 6/22/2019 at 10:34 AM, LAMIVGD said:

I've never had confidence in the guide rails on these things.  Does anyone have any positive or negative feedback on this?

I've only got ~700 rounds through my build, but the rail surface area is larger/longer than OEM, and I like it more.  No issues so far.

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