Woodcraft of Madison — Attraction in Monona

I've been holding off on this review because they eventually fixed my problem but decided to go forward because I think people should know what they're getting into. I've been making woodcuts and linocuts for six years now. I was an art major in college and worked primarily in relief, making woodcuts for my senior thesis. Basically, I know the process and I know the tools. TLDR; I'm sorry to say the people who work here are condescending, rude, and probably sexist -- avoid unless you want a headache. I dropped my tools off at Woodcraft to get them sharpened by their outside company and picked them up a week and a half later. I didn't receive a call letting me know they were ready for pickup.

When I took my tools home, they were unusable. The angle was completely useless for working in relief so that the only way the tool would cut at all was at a 75 degree angle, giving me no versatility and no way to make shallow cuts. That's not how woodcutting tools should work.

The next day I called the store and was told that I must be mistaken because the people who sharpen tools know what they're doing and they only follow the existing angle. The guy gave me the number of the company they use and I left a message. The company called me back and said the same thing, they only follow the existing angle. I called customer service for the company and they were much more helpful, saying I could return the tools to the store and get them sharpened for free.

Even though this meant waiting another week to be able to use my tools, I took them back to the shop. At this point I'll mention that I'm a small, feminine woman and I arrived at the shop in flimsy nail salon flip-flops, having gotten a pedicure across the street. I tried explaining my conversation to the guy working the register, "hi, the company you guys used expletive my tools and I was told I could bring them here to get them resharpened free of charge." I used a curse word but my tone was pleasant. I was yelled at, "the people who sharpen the tools can't have made a mistake" and told to leave if I was going to have such a bad attitude and return when the manager was working. I said no, I don't live by here and I work so I won't be able to come back during that time. He eventually took my tools but the experience was humiliating. He treated me like a child as customers stared and the other staff member looked on without helping or stepping in to diffuse the situation.

My tools were sharpened but one was ruined and had to be replaced. Eventually, the owner of the store contacted me and was very understanding and helpful. My tool was replaced and the money I spent sharpening the tools was refunded but the process was frustrating, demoralizing, and it took about three weeks.

My point: go somewhere else to sharpen your woodcut tools, they don't know what they're doing and, on top of that, the people at the store are rude and unhelpful. Actually, just avoid this place...

I purchased a drum sander along with the infeed outfeed tables, I asked if they would run the 10% savings birthday coupon I had, (which would have been around $20 savings on the tables), now I know they can't be used for a lot of things but I used it at the woodcraft store in Appleton for the infeed outfeed tables and it took the 10% off. Salemans said it won't work, I explained to him I just bought the exact tables at the Appleton woodcraft store and it work there, he suggestion, just go to Appleton and buy them there. After thinking about all this and the rudeness of the salesman I wish I would have walked out canceling my $2000 plus purchase and taken the salesmans advice and made my complete purchase at Appleton, which I will be doing from now on. It just wouldn't have done any harm to scan the coupon and the worst thing you should tell a customer is to shop somewhere else, as there are plenty of woodworking stores that know the value of their customers. I wish I had names because I would surely use them. This was all...

I contacted Woodcraft of Madison because I need to buy supplies for school and it was recommended by my teacher. Unfortunately I had to deal with Randy who was rude every single time I spoke with him. I called on a Wednesday and he rudely told me that they did not have what I needed and was told to stop in on Friday or Monday because they were getting a shipment in and might have what I need then. The way he talked to me seemed as if he was blaming me because they did not have the supplies in stock. I called the following Monday to see if the supplies were in and was told he was on lunch and that they would have him call me back. Hours went by and no call from Randy. I ended up stopping into the store and Randy again, rudely told me that they did not have all of the supplies in stock. Every encounter I had with Randy was terrible and it ruined my first and only experience with this place. It is unfortunate because it does seem like a nice place and every other person I talked to...