Gunsmithing Input on Tornado Technologies?

[AZgunNUT]

I'm curious as to whether or not anyone on this site has used Tornado Technologies for barrel threading and what your experience with this company was. I sent my AR10 and a Rem700 to them for threading at the beginning part of March with a supposed turn-around time of 6-8 weeks, meanwhile here I am in week 20 and each time I call them I get the same reply of "we have your barrels are about to start working on them"

I don't even know how to resolve this issue with the company. On one hand I want to complain and get to the bottom of the delay, on the other I don't want to piss off a small company and have $2000 worth of gun jacked up by some angry machinist.

Thoughts???

 

[bsalbrig]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

I had a gun done there. I sent it in when there was a 45 day wait and when I got it back a week after they got it I was a little stunned. They mistakenly put mine to the front of the list. The work they did was excellent. Just call them be nice in telling them that they quoted a 6-8 week time and it has been 20 weeks. The key is to not be hostile toward the admin staff, they can tell the machinists to get it done.

 

[AZgunNUT]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

Thanks for the reply, I'm especially glad to hear that you were happy with the work they did. I'll wait another couple of days then give them another buzz.

 

[hdbiker1]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

I took my LTR into them for threading and to fit a FTE brake, last year. Picked it up in one week to the day. I am very pleased with their work. Btw, this is a one man shop with his wife as the receptionist and they are very busy.

 

[Hogshooter]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

I have had several barrels threaded by them. They do excellent work. They work in batches so if they are running Rem. 700s in 1/2 x 28 they do all they have then tool up for the 5/8 x 24. If you have an AR barrel you will need to wait until they they start running them. The last one I had threaded he woman on the phone gave me a call when they were setting up for the next run that matched what I needed. I sent it in and they turned it around quickly.

 

[AZgunNUT]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

Thanks for the responses fellers. It's great to hear that you are all happy with the work they do. I suppose I shouldn't get too worked up as I still have a 90-180 day wait for my NFA paperwork to come through, I just get a little antsy-in-the-pantsy when the girls are away from home for too long!

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

The work they did for me was nice....BUT, it took 6 months to get back 2 rimfire barrels and I only got them then because on call number something-hundred I told them to send my barrels back finished or not. Standard run around excuses one after another after a quote of 6 weeks when they were sent to TT. Still waiting on a thread cap for 1 and that was 2 months ago or 8 months after placing the order. Super nice lady answers their phone and I got to know her well. Wouldn't ever send them any business again!!!!!!! No complaint about the work or the people because both were great. I just couldn't justify the wait or the grossly misquoted time frame.

 

[In2b8u]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

Mike at tornado is Top shelf. He is an excellent machinist and perfectionist. He has done more than a dozen projects for me. He got really big really fast. Prior to his move, his turn arounds were reasonable. As of late his return schedule has become unacceptable for me. My last wait was around 20 weeks for 1 barrel. I was also given and charged for a thread protector that I did not order.
As usual, the work was really good. But now there are other options out there, with out the long wait time.
As for Goldie, yes she is nice and is starting to catch up to the business a bit better, but I liked it better when I had tech questions and could talk to Mike directly, and hammer out any issues or work orders I was sending there.
You will get your girls back, in good time, done right.

 

[In2b8u]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

double

 

[Ballistic308]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

Mike does AWESOME work! He does have quite a bit of backlog, but if you can wait you won't be disappointed.

You will never question whether the threads were cut incorrectly and either will the suppressor manufacturers.

 

[nohair]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

He is the BEST!!!!!!
He can do things that others say is impossible to do.
Yes, he has a backlog due to his ability, if it was easy for a "machinist" to thread a barrel, all the "machinists" would be threading barrels.
I have had several barrels threaded by "Machinists" and they were horribly wrong.
EVEN I, who is local to him, didn't want to wait so I had a "Machinist" do it, and guess what, it was not right, I threaded on a can 1/2 way and it just stopped - this can worked on all the barrels TT threaded perfectly - the "machinist" swears it is concentric because of the way it was done but I can tell you it is not right.

You can wait with confidence like everyone else does, if you were the best around at something you would be busier that all your competitors also
NoHair

 

[AZgunNUT]

Re: Input on Tornado Technologies?

I'm feeling much better about my decision to send those barrels to him, since I can't get that time back and there's no use crying over the amount of time I've already waited I might as well rest assured that I will be happy with the work. Yes the wait is, in my opinion, excesive and I may consider someone else for future projects but in the end my main goal is to have it done right.

Thanks again guys.