Horrible Dremel days experience

[EvilJester]

For the past few weeks, my wife and I have been working with the managers at our local Lowes. They were to have employees their to help, instruction video, templates, Dremel's, various other tools to help the kids shape their cars and last from 11am - 1pm. This is what both managers led us to believe.

Upon arriving, we find an elderly gentleman sitting at a 6' folding table. On the table is 1 packaged up dremel, 1 packaged up hacksaw, 1 derby box kit, a stack of flyers with a car template on the back and a small stack of patches. To the left of the table was a folding chair with a 13" tv playing a dremel instructional video playing.

The gentleman starts to explain to the kids, how they should polish the axles with the buffing pad attachment. Then shows them all the attachments that can be used to shape the body. He then tells them that the shape of the body doesn't matter or make the car faster . He followed that up by telling them to place all their weight as close to the front axle as possible but still in the middle of the body behind the wheels.
At that point, I had enough. I politely let him know, everything he said following "hello" was incorrect. I asked if they planned on letting the kids shape their cars? He replied, no, we don't do that. I asked to speak to a manager. Of course, he was busy and unable to help me at this time but I was assured he would call me at his first convenience.

I will continue attempting contact with them to find out what changed between our conversations and today but have a feeling it really doesn't matter much at this point.
Has anyone else had a bad experience with them like this? Now I have kids with no way to shape their cars and we're given horrible advice. Looks like I'll be at the saw and loaning out my dremel's for the ones who need help.

 

[Skywalker Racing]

Wow.

I tried to get our Pack out to one last year. One Lowes said they don't do them, and the other said they only hold them if they get a group who's interested enough to call.

The second guy did actually volunteer to come out to our Pack, but we never had a day that worked for everyone. I have to assume he'd have done more that what you experienced.

 

[Ballistic Racing]

There's a reason I'm a Home Depot guy...
Last year our district race was cancelled on account the guy running it was transferred out of state. I stepped in to keep it going & visited the Lowes store where he had help in race prizes the year before. Well, I couldn't even get a manager to come out & talk to me. I tried four different stores & all with the same result. They wanted an official BSA letterhead with the request, that was enough for me to say never mind. On to Home Depot! I went to five different stores & ALL with the same result.
"How can I help you? What do you need?" I ended up with seven Dremel kits, one being a delux set. These we're all given out to the scouts in a raffle I had after the race & I'll tell you what, I've never seen so many happy dads in one place! Lol! Guess where I'm going this year???

 

[LightninBoy]

I don't want to minimize your bad experience with Lowes - they promised you one thing and delivered something much less. You are right to be upset.

However, the folks on this forum are in the top 1% - probably top .1% - in PWD knowledge of both build and speed techniques. To expect some random employee in a hardware store to know 10% of what we know is - IMO - setting yourself up for disappointment. I always thought the whole dremel days concept was ripe for this kind of bad experience.

So this is definitely one area where, if you want it done right, prepare to do it yourself.

 

[EvilJester]

I don't want to minimize your bad experience with Lowes - they promised you one thing and delivered something much less. You are right to be upset.

However, the folks on this forum are in the top 1% - probably top .1% - in PWD knowledge of both build and speed techniques. To expect some random employee in a hardware store to know 10% of what we know is - IMO - setting yourself up for disappointment. I always thought the whole dremel days concept was ripe for this kind of bad experience.

So this is definitely one area where, if you want it done right, prepare to do it yourself.

I get what your saying. I think the frustration got the best of me. I was more upset with the fact that they told us one thing and didn't deliver. My wife and I made sure to ask all the right questions to make sure the kids and parents knew what they should expect when they showed up.
Then when it wasn't even close to what they said and having 15 kids and their parents looking at you, I guess that just mounted the frustration. I ended up sending out an apology email to the parents and offered to help anyone that needs it. I'm sure in hindsight, I could have handled it better.

 

[Pinewoodguy]

We no longer rely on outside help when it comes to teaching our scouts! I've taught the class for 4 years and 2 different pack's and they all enjoy the class! They all have access to the same tools and speed secrets. It's their effort that now separates 2nd and 6th place! You can look for donations but why allow miss information and the lack of basic knowledge ruin your race? My first class had 5 cubs and the older kids said "we didn't need it" . We'll all 5 kids placed in the top 6 and all went to districts. I even did a pre districts class on fine tuning and reworking wheels and axles. Our 6 kid all placed in the top 9 out of 145 scouts ! We took 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th & 9th. My son taught beside me at the classes and he felt the pride of our pack dominating the districts for 2 yrs now! I now have other pack wishing to book a time that I could help them teach the class. We use a lot of STEM in the teaching part and instill a rule that if we have 1 boy is goofing off then the entire class stops till he's done. I might happen once or twice but more. The kids self police! I break the classes into 2 six hour classes with a 3rd for districts. Just so you know my last class had 45 kids and adults show up. I had to split them into different days. So I did 2 separate classes each weekend they were held.! Carpe Diem, meaning to seize the day!
Best of luck.

 

[jatofau1]

There's a reason I'm a Home Depot guy...
Last year our district race was cancelled on account the guy running it was transferred out of state. I stepped in to keep it going & visited the Lowes store where he had help in race prizes the year before. Well, I couldn't even get a manager to come out & talk to me. I tried four different stores & all with the same result. They wanted an official BSA letterhead with the request, that was enough for me to say never mind. On to Home Depot! I went to five different stores & ALL with the same result.
"How can I help you? What do you need?" I ended up with seven Dremel kits, one being a delux set. These we're all given out to the scouts in a raffle I had after the race & I'll tell you what, I've never seen so many happy dads in one place! Lol! Guess where I'm going this year???

Hi Bob, You did a great job stepping in with short notice. The event was great and your prizes were fantastic. I hope we get more kids to come out this year to race at the district race. Thanks for leading and organizing the event. I am looking forward to the district races in April.

 

[EvilJester]

We no longer rely on outside help when it comes to teaching our scouts! I've taught the class for 4 years and 2 different pack's and they all enjoy the class! They all have access to the same tools and speed secrets. It's their effort that now separates 2nd and 6th place! You can look for donations but why allow miss information and the lack of basic knowledge ruin your race? My first class had 5 cubs and the older kids said "we didn't need it" . We'll all 5 kids placed in the top 6 and all went to districts. I even did a pre districts class on fine tuning and reworking wheels and axles. Our 6 kid all placed in the top 9 out of 145 scouts ! We took 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th & 9th. My son taught beside me at the classes and he felt the pride of our pack dominating the districts for 2 yrs now! I now have other pack wishing to book a time that I could help them teach the class. We use a lot of STEM in the teaching part and instill a rule that if we have 1 boy is goofing off then the entire class stops till he's done. I might happen once or twice but more. The kids self police! I break the classes into 2 six hour classes with a 3rd for districts. Just so you know my last class had 45 kids and adults show up. I had to split them into different days. So I did 2 separate classes each weekend they were held.! Carpe Diem, meaning to seize the day!
Best of luck.

I was not so much looking for an outside source to teach but to have an alternative for parents that do not have the tools and could use some extra help. Unfortunately, I have minimal time to donate as my job consumes 6 days a week, 10 hours a day. I have to schedule days off in order to attend or help with scouting activities most weekends. I do what I can for our pack when I am able, even if I receive a call and have a scout and their parent over from 7pm to 10pm on week days and sometimes later helping them out.
It would be great if I had others step up to help but that rarely happens. I like the idea that you hold a class and would love to do that for our pack some time. Not sure I could do two 6hr classes but with enough time till next years race, i'm sure I could manage to schedule one Saturday or Sunday class. if you have any teaching tips or maybe something you feel that the kids grasp the most, Please let me know. I would definitely use the self police effort as some of our kids can get pretty rambunctious.

 

[Pinewoodguy]

I was not so much looking for an outside source to teach but to have an alternative for parents that do not have the tools and could use some extra help. Unfortunately, I have minimal time to donate as my job consumes 6 days a week, 10 hours a day. I have to schedule days off in order to attend or help with scouting activities most weekends. I do what I can for our pack when I am able, even if I receive a call and have a scout and their parent over from 7pm to 10pm on week days and sometimes later helping them out.
It would be great if I had others step up to help but that rarely happens. I like the idea that you hold a class and would love to do that for our pack some time. Not sure I could do two 6hr classes but with enough time till next years race, i'm sure I could manage to schedule one Saturday or Sunday class. if you have any teaching tips or maybe something you feel that the kids grasp the most, Please let me know. I would definitely use the self police effort as some of our kids can get pretty rambunctious.

The classes fly bye! Make sure you break them down it stations. The first is 30 minutes on aerodynamics, COG, design vr. function and weight placement. you have to have some other parents there to help man each station. They just rotate throught. I built a paint booth with power vent and everyone brought paint and sandpaper. I give them a list of things they'll need to bring. You actually are teaching the parents more than the kids. Throw gifts in, like a copy of Down and Derby, weights, stickers, ect...
They can work on their badges while doing this!
Make it fun but remind them that they have to take it seriously because of the tools. Instill some pack pride for being the representatives at Districts!
I understand the importance of work, I worked 80 hrs a week in downtown Chicago for years. I was a single dad and I missed my little girl growing up so I promised I'd never cheat my next child out of having their father there living their with them and not just be a bystander in it. YOU WILL NEVER GET THESE DAYS BACK! We have one shot at raising our kids so make a memory your son or daughter will relive with his kids long after we're gone.
Good luck