What's The Story With This Builder?

[GS455]

I did a search for AZEX on here and and they are permanently banned. Anyone know the story or feedback about em? Was thinking of contacting them about refinishing+build. Good feedback elsewhere.

[LaConservationist]

Simple......contact Moses, he will take care of ya....

[Thorack]

Well,

Arizona Expert Arms (AZEX) is run by a fellow, Derek Huffman I think, that used to work for gunplumber (Mark Graham). AZEX does good work, I sent them a Romanian SAR 2 to rebuild and refinish it looks and functions great, customer service is good as well. I can recommend them but not over gunplumber. You cant go wrong with gunplumber.

Please do your own due diligence! I have been burned by other builders that were highly regarded here on the Files.

Thorack

[hagar]

If I tell you the reason he was banned, I'd probably get banned as well. But he is a darn good riflesmith, so don't be afraid to send him work.

[J. Armstrong]

No experience with either, but if I were spending bucks, the choice based upon recommendations of those whose opinions and experience I trust makes GP a slam dunk.

[jugrunner]

I certainly would not discount, in any way, several of the Excellent builders around here ...

Namely: ... Glen Riddle @ Magnum Gunsmithing ... goes by the name here as "187" & Randy Kline ... also a board member here by the name of "sledgehammer" ...

I've also had issues with some of the so called "FAL Gods" here on the files ...

BUT Not these 2 guys ... !!!!!!!!!

[mitchellh]

AZEX has built 2 FALs for me, Court in FL has built 2 FALs for me, Moses has built 1 FAL, and worked on a Daewoo DR200. I've purchases several of Gunplumber's AKs and they are flawless. They are all excellent smiths, it's just some voiced their opinion, too much, on delicate topics.

Don't rule out Randy Kline, Sledgehammer Arms. He's worked on a lot of Mausers for me, and I've always been happy.

[J. Armstrong]

I should have mentioned that Randy has done work for me, I can certainly recommend him highly.

[gobbler]

Originally posted by jugrunner
I certainly would not discount, in any way, several of the Excellent builders around here ...

Namely: ... Glen Riddle @ Magnum Gunsmithing ... goes by the name here as "187" & Randy Kline ... also a board member here by the name of "sledgehammer" ...

I've also had issues with some of the so called "FAL Gods" here on the files ...

BUT Not these 2 guys ... !!!!!!!!!

+1 on these two for sure.....can't beat them with a stick!

gobbler

[emcroy]

Can someone explain to me why an individual would be banned from an internet forum?

I mean seriously WGAF, did someones feelings get hurt?

I thought ggiilliiee's posts were quite entertaining but I guess we won't see him here again!

[AZ Dave]

I know Derek Huffman at AZEX. Met him years back when he had an open house at his shop in Flagstaff Az. He is opinionated and we dont see eye to eye on everything but he does top notch work. He is fast, his builds look great and he stands behind his work. I've built my own fal's for years now ( it aint rocket science) but Derek does my refinishing and chops a barrel now and then for me. I'd send him work without hesitation....

[BC]

Originally posted by emcroy
Can someone explain to me why an individual would be banned from an internet forum?

Same here.

[Super B]

I've used both Gunplumber and AZEX. They both do top notch work and have superb attention to detail.

I apologize that this post will not help you pick one over the other, and it has been a meaningless shuffling of electrons.

[GS455]

Originally posted by Super B
I've used both Gunplumber and AZEX. They both do top notch work and have superb attention to detail.

I apologize that this post will not help you pick one over the other, and it has been a meaningless shuffling of electrons.

Actually all these comments have been very helpful. I can use one but I cannot use the other.

[gunplumber]

Derek is a liar, a cheat, and a thief. He was banned for his racist postings and other disgusting material after being warned. He was permanently banned for stealing from the board owner. He bragged on another forum on how he was using software to mask his ISP and fake user names so he could continue to shill his company and steal services from the owner while posting disgusting Libel.

When he came to me he was selling steaks out of the back of a truck. I took him on as sandblaster and eventually trained him in gunsmithing. He was a big help and had a knack for tinkering.

When it became clear he had a severely compromised character, I rationalized that what he did outside of work was none of my business. Really, it was because he was making me some good money. This is a decision I regret. His moving on to start his own company ended up being a good thing for me.

[AzDak42]

I can't speak to his character or any of the issues here on the files, but I will say the man does pretty top notch work. The price was fair and he turned it around on the timeline we'd agreed upon.

He built up a Yugo underfolder for me that was exactly as I'd asked for. Finish was great and it runs flawlessly. (I wanted the existing wood cleaned up without losing any of the character it had.)

[kfranz]

Originally posted by BC


Same here.

Because the owner decided to ban him. Private property and all, no explanation required.

[BC]

Originally posted by kfranz

Because the owner decided to ban him. Private property and all, no explanation required.

So it's random.

[URBAN ASSAULT]

Originally posted by BC


So it's random.

'bout as random as a big 'ol retarded kid chewing on a TONKa truck covered with lead paint!



-urban

[Blast]

Derek has done a number of guns for me in the past and all were very nice...no problems. I don't know ARS (Mark) personally but I understood Derek left because he was being cheated on...AZEX is gto for gunsmithing. I'm sure ARS is as well but they are so far from me I have never used them.

[kfranz]

Originally posted by BC


So it's random.

Sure, if by random you mean something other than what random means. Perhaps you meant something more like arbitrary?

[BC]

If someone says there's no standard, what does that tell you?

[kfranz]

Who told you there was no standard? Were you here then, or away? Your member number is certainly low enough that you were a member when it all went down. Did you do a search? Did you read gun plumbers post? Random is when the owner decides to ban someone today, for no reason. She pulls up the member list, closes her eye and points to a name and then bans that member. Arbitrary is when you come to my house 5 times and all goes well. The 6th time you show up we have some problems, and I ask you to leave. After a time away, you come over again and this time you shit on my floor, and I tell you to never come back. No posted standard, no verbal standard, but damn sure not random. Derek is a big boy and he made big boy choices here on this particular board. I suspect he's doing fine in spite of the ban.

UA, I don't know what you are tonking about. I though it was Maglites that had lead paint.

[goosebrown]

@Gunplumber. Mark. I always find you speak your mind without reservation. I don't reckon I'd like to work with you, but I would sure has hell buy anything you worked on because I know you are going to back it up way farther than anyone else I have heard of would.

Thanks for letting us know what you think.

[URBAN ASSAULT]

Originally posted by kfranz
Who told you there was no standard? Were you here then, or away? Your member number is certainly low enough that you were a member when it all went down. Did you do a search? Did you read gun plumbers post? Random is when the owner decides to ban someone today, for no reason. She pulls up the member list, closes her eye and points to a name and then bans that member. Arbitrary is when you come to my house 5 times and all goes well. The 6th time you show up we have some problems, and I ask you to leave. After a time away, you come over again and this time you shit on my floor, and I tell you to never come back. No posted standard, no verbal standard, but damn sure not random. Derek is a big boy and he made big boy choices here on this particular board. I suspect he's doing fine in spite of the ban.

UA, I don't know what you are tonking about. I though it was Maglites that had lead paint.

-urban

[uglyguns]

Originally posted by gunplumber
Derek is a liar, a cheat, and a thief. He was banned for his racist postings and other disgusting material after being warned.

But perhaps he is not openly hostile to strangers (in writing and by phone). This one apparently has an issue whispering in peoples ears and taking long warm showers with them. Seems to mention it a lot.


#1 From Customer to GP

Hello,

I just called you and you hung up on me. It pretty much went like this. I guess you were on a speaker phone or a head-set or something and I could not hear you. You finally picked up. I thanked you and I said I learned about you from the FAL files. . . . no response. I asked Hello? Are you there? You answered with an extremely irritated "yes". I was pretty confused at your demeanor and further said "well I was thinking about talking to you about a build." . . . . no response. Again, I said "hello?" Then as you hung up on me you mumbled "this is going nowhere. Get to the f__kin point. CLICK !!!

Holy crap man. Is it my fault I can't hear you on your speaker phone or you don't answer when spoken to? Is that all it took to piss you off? Based on your fantastic website and a referral I was ready to send you a build but I wouldn't send my car or other equipment to someone for service without at least a qualifying phone conversation. Our interaction couldn't have been more that 40 seconds. I was just a prospective customer. What the deal? My guess is you'll just delete this but gime a call or a reply email if you wanna try again or there's an explanation. I'm willing to consider the benefit of the doubt in case you were just having a REALLY bad morning.

Shrug, there are plenty of people out there ready to take my money.


-------------------------------------------

#2 From GP To Customer

I asked you three times what I could help you with and still didn't get an answer. As far as I knew, you were a telemarketer. When you finally got to "well I was thinking about . . but I don't think I like your tone . . . (or words to the effect) . . I'm done.

I offer great work at a fair price. I do not offer ego-stroking or babysitting. Now if you have a question you want answered - ask it. I answer a dozen calls and 50 e-mails a day and nobody else has any trouble hearing me. If you have crappy phone service, then maybe e-mail is better.

I have no problem communicating with 95% of the public. If you're part of the 95%, I'm sure I can help you. If you're in that five percent, then I wouldn't accept your work anyway - not worth the aggravation. I select my customers with the same care they select me. There are plenty of customers out there who don't expect me to whisper sweet nothings in their ear . .. they just want great, no bull****, work at fair price, which I've been providing for 20 years now.

---------------------------------------------

#3 From Customer to GP

I never said "I don't like your tone" By the time you so graciously made the effort to get off your speaker phone and I was able to explain why I was calling skepticism was in my voice as you sounded so frickin pissed off. So you thought I was a telemarketer and I wasn't even sure I called the right place cause I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND YOU. My phone is fine. Believe me I did not make a premeditated effort to yank your chain for 20-minutes like the latest crop of government/Obama fearing range troopers. I just picked up the phone to make a friendly inquiry about a possible build.

" There are plenty of customers out there who don't expect me to whisper sweet nothings in their ear " You have issues bro. You may be a great craftsman but you were done dealing with the public a looong time ago. Get a secretary.

" they just want great, no bull****, work " Pfff - that's classy. Again, get a secretary

During the time, frustration and attitude we both took to read and write these emails we could have had a friendly 3-minute phone conversation, you could have had another job in the pipeline and I coulda been looking forward to a nice rifle. Your right. We don't need to do business with each other.

Get over yourself, man, you’re no more important in the world than I am.


----------------------------------------------

#4 From GP To Customer

You're right - if you had just called, and asked a your question, everything would be fine. But you couldn't do that could you. You could have tried "gee, I'm sorry my phone sucks, let me try to call back" but no, that would be too easy . . . gotta make it my fault that you're incoherent and can't verbalize why you're calling.

Looks like I made the right choice. You're that 5% who think that waving a dollar bill in my face makes me your bitch - that vendors should be groveling for your dollar. Get over yourself. It ain't gonna happen. After doing this for 20 years, I can read a caller in 5 seconds. The way I do business has worked just fine for 20 years and thousands upon thousands of satisfied customers. I'm glad not to have you as a customer - you'd be nothing but a time vampire.

And the only reason I even bother to reply to your tripe is I'm stuck here at the computer waiting for the bank to come back on line and process more credit cards from another week of happy, satisfied customers who I "wowed" with my superior work; with whom I had great, effective communication; and none of whom wanted me to take long warm showers with them.

-----------------------------------------------

#5 From Customer to GP

Oh mi gosh this is entertaining; in a looking-at-a-car-wreck kinda way. Well, I guess you showed me.

I hope you find peace sir,
Good day.

[BC]

Originally posted by kfranz
Who told you there was no standard?

You.

I don't care the drama between those two people. Don't even bother to read it. I asked a question. Your answer gave me that impression.

[BC]

Q: Can someone explain to me why an individual would be banned from an internet forum?

A: Because the owner decided to ban him. Private property and all, no explanation required.

[hkshooter]

Originally posted by uglyguns


But perhaps he is not openly hostile to strangers (in writing and by phone). This one apparently has an issue whispering in peoples ears and taking long warm showers with them. Seems to mention it a lot.


#1 From Customer to GP

Hello,

I just called you and you hung up on me. It pretty much went like this. I guess you were on a speaker phone or a head-set or something and I could not hear you. You finally picked up. I thanked you and I said I learned about you from the FAL files. . . . no response. I asked Hello? Are you there? You answered with an extremely irritated "yes". I was pretty confused at your demeanor and further said "well I was thinking about talking to you about a build." . . . . no response. Again, I said "hello?" Then as you hung up on me you mumbled "this is going nowhere. Get to the f__kin point. CLICK !!!

Holy crap man. Is it my fault I can't hear you on your speaker phone or you don't answer when spoken to? Is that all it took to piss you off? Based on your fantastic website and a referral I was ready to send you a build but I wouldn't send my car or other equipment to someone for service without at least a qualifying phone conversation. Our interaction couldn't have been more that 40 seconds. I was just a prospective customer. What the deal? My guess is you'll just delete this but gime a call or a reply email if you wanna try again or there's an explanation. I'm willing to consider the benefit of the doubt in case you were just having a REALLY bad morning.

Shrug, there are plenty of people out there ready to take my money.


-------------------------------------------

#2 From GP To Customer

I asked you three times what I could help you with and still didn't get an answer. As far as I knew, you were a telemarketer. When you finally got to "well I was thinking about . . but I don't think I like your tone . . . (or words to the effect) . . I'm done.

I offer great work at a fair price. I do not offer ego-stroking or babysitting. Now if you have a question you want answered - ask it. I answer a dozen calls and 50 e-mails a day and nobody else has any trouble hearing me. If you have crappy phone service, then maybe e-mail is better.

I have no problem communicating with 95% of the public. If you're part of the 95%, I'm sure I can help you. If you're in that five percent, then I wouldn't accept your work anyway - not worth the aggravation. I select my customers with the same care they select me. There are plenty of customers out there who don't expect me to whisper sweet nothings in their ear . .. they just want great, no bull****, work at fair price, which I've been providing for 20 years now.

---------------------------------------------

#3 From Customer to GP

I never said "I don't like your tone" By the time you so graciously made the effort to get off your speaker phone and I was able to explain why I was calling skepticism was in my voice as you sounded so frickin pissed off. So you thought I was a telemarketer and I wasn't even sure I called the right place cause I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND YOU. My phone is fine. Believe me I did not make a premeditated effort to yank your chain for 20-minutes like the latest crop of government/Obama fearing range troopers. I just picked up the phone to make a friendly inquiry about a possible build.

" There are plenty of customers out there who don't expect me to whisper sweet nothings in their ear " You have issues bro. You may be a great craftsman but you were done dealing with the public a looong time ago. Get a secretary.

" they just want great, no bull****, work " Pfff - that's classy. Again, get a secretary

During the time, frustration and attitude we both took to read and write these emails we could have had a friendly 3-minute phone conversation, you could have had another job in the pipeline and I coulda been looking forward to a nice rifle. Your right. We don't need to do business with each other.

Get over yourself, man, you’re no more important in the world than I am.


----------------------------------------------

#4 From GP To Customer

You're right - if you had just called, and asked a your question, everything would be fine. But you couldn't do that could you. You could have tried "gee, I'm sorry my phone sucks, let me try to call back" but no, that would be too easy . . . gotta make it my fault that you're incoherent and can't verbalize why you're calling.

Looks like I made the right choice. You're that 5% who think that waving a dollar bill in my face makes me your bitch - that vendors should be groveling for your dollar. Get over yourself. It ain't gonna happen. After doing this for 20 years, I can read a caller in 5 seconds. The way I do business has worked just fine for 20 years and thousands upon thousands of satisfied customers. I'm glad not to have you as a customer - you'd be nothing but a time vampire.

And the only reason I even bother to reply to your tripe is I'm stuck here at the computer waiting for the bank to come back on line and process more credit cards from another week of happy, satisfied customers who I "wowed" with my superior work; with whom I had great, effective communication; and none of whom wanted me to take long warm showers with them.

-----------------------------------------------

#5 From Customer to GP

Oh mi gosh this is entertaining; in a looking-at-a-car-wreck kinda way. Well, I guess you showed me.

I hope you find peace sir,
Good day.

Wow.
This is your first post here? You can take this however you like but I don't think you are going to make any positive first impressions with posts like this, especially your first one.

[gunplumber]

I was thinking of putting it on my website as an example of the 5% who I'd rather not call me, as I won't accept them as customers anyway.

This dweeb still doesn't get that I'm better off without him - or is he just butt-hurt that it took me so little time to determine that fact?

[def90]

Originally posted by BC
Q: Can someone explain to me why an individual would be banned from an internet forum?

A: Because the owner decided to ban him. Private property and all, no explanation required.

Could be for any of these reasons?

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/annou...s=&forumid=150

[AZ Dave]

I think the post by ugly guns in totally relevent. He related his experience and that's ok in my book. U.G. if you want a fal built, you have many smith's to choose from here. I never did see where you posted that you wanted stuff whispered in your ear or needed a good scrubbing with a luffa in the shower, but if you want a quality build and want to be treated with respect, you found the right place. As I posted earlier, Derek at AZEX does a great job and Rich Saunders at CGW is excellent too. Moses has chopped alot of barrels for me and does great work from what I hear. Lots of others here as well.

[riffraff2]

Originally posted by hkshooter


Wow.
This is your first post here? You can take this however you like but I don't think you are going to make any positive first impressions with posts like this, especially your first one.

He made a good impression with me. He totally confirmed what I believed about gunplumber. Gunplumber will never get my business and I will be sure to inform anyone I encounter who may be in need of the type of services that gunplumber plays with to stear clear of the man.

[hkshooter]

I suppose everyone has their haters. GP can definately rub the fur backwards but from those times I've seen it the cat should've had much thicker skin. Personally, I don't need to be fluffed to get my wallet out. I just need to know the quality of the work.

[gunplumber]

Originally posted by riffraff2


Gunplumber will never get my business

And as I've told you before, THANK YOU! Except it is the other way around - you will never get my service, 'cause I don't accept work for dumbphuques and douchebags.

The question was why Derek was banned. He was banned because he is a racist, a thief, and a liar. Now given some of the other membership that is still here, that is not enough to get anyone banned , but he also stole from the board owner, and had the poor judgment to brag about it on another site.

My intolerance for idiots is irrelevant to the OP's question.

[riffraff2]

Originally posted by gunplumber


And as I've told you before, THANK YOU! Except it is the other way around - you will never get my service, 'cause I don't accept work for dumbphuques and douchebags.

The question was why Derek was banned. He was banned because he is a racist, a thief, and a liar. Now given some of the other membership that is still here, that is not enough to get anyone banned , but he also stole from the board owner, and had the poor judgment to brag about it on another site.

My intolerance for idiots is irrelevant to the OP's question.

You can continue with the potty mouth, even though it violates the "rules", it doesn't bother me. It only reinforces what I believe are the facts about your personality.

[kfranz]

No explanation is not the same thing as no reason.

[Lniceshot]

On a completely unrelated topic, L/FN also does great work, reasonably priced. My .02.

[AZ Dave]

I'm sending 2 pistols and an AK out for Derek to park and paint....

[Rimcrew]

Originally posted by uglyguns
[B]

But perhaps he is not openly hostile to strangers (in writing and by phone). This one apparently has an issue whispering in peoples ears and taking long warm showers with them. Seems to mention it a lot.

+1 on the nice first post. It smells like troll in here...

I purchased two complete rifles from Mark back in the 2001 time-frame. Both were/are gorgeous pieces. I recently try to remove the stock from one of them and could not get the bolt to turn, no matter what I did. I phoned Mark for advice and was treated very courteously. He even offered to let me come over on SUNDAY so he could take a look at it, since I am way on the other side of town and getting to him on a work day would be nearly impossible.

Now I don't want to interrupt a good piling on, but anyone who offers to look at something that I bought TEN YEARS ago, and to do it on his weekend is very GTG in my book.

[ce]

For some questions, the only answer is a sap.

[4x401]

Originally posted by riffraff2



You can continue with the potty mouth, even though it violates the "rules", it doesn't bother me. It only reinforces what I believe are the facts about your personality.

His personality, really

Although he`s never done work for me, I see Mark as a no non-sense person driven by a strong desire to produce the best product possible. He does that in spades. I have NEVER seen a SINGLE complaint regarding his work, EVER.

There are also touchy-feely gunsmiths happy to spend an hour on the phone with you placating all your fears and insecurities related to your build. More power to them if they have the time to spare, Mark obviously doesn`t.

If you need a reach-around included in your build, go to someone else.

[AZ Dave]

There's a big difference between wanting a reach around and expecting to be treated with respect. I dont know of a single smith who will "spend an hour placating all your fears and insecurities related to your build". The smiths I prefer to use will answer questions I have and deliver a first rate build at a fair price. That's all I want. No reach around,no whispering in my ear,and no luffa action in the shower please ha ha...

[Nomad, 2nd]

Originally posted by riffraff2



You can continue with the potty mouth, even though it violates the "rules", it doesn't bother me. It only reinforces what I believe are the facts about your personality.

Dude, Drop it.

People can see and decide for themselves what they want to do when many people have good reports vs someone's competitor who has nothing good to say.

And GP's attitude is well known.

Many of us choose not to use him and he says he's fine with that.
So leave it lay.

[FAL-13]

For some questions, the only answer is a sap.

Most of the new guys don't know that story....

But I remember SAP man...

[riffraff2]

Originally posted by Nomad, 2nd


Dude, Drop it.

People can see and decide for themselves what they want to do when many people have good reports vs someone's competitor who has nothing good to say.

And GP's attitude is well known.

Many of us choose not to use him and he says he's fine with that.
So leave it lay.

Dude, check the date on my post you quoted. You are the one who needs to drop it. I droped it a long time ago. Untill someone else posts a thread about strange dealings with the member.

[JohnnyReb]

I placed a small order the other day with DaewooRifleParts.Com and was surprised to see in the tracking notification that this Company is AZEX/Derek Huffman. Anyhow, I got fast shipping, great communications, nice as advertised parts, and he didn't try to shag my Wife. Derek, if you happen to be lurking, thanks and I will definitely use you again!

[Nomad, 2nd]

Originally posted by riffraff2


Dude, check the date on my post you quoted. You are the one who needs to drop it. I droped it a long time ago. Untill someone else posts a thread about strange dealings with the member.

Sorry, I blame a 2 AM Homework break!
(I finally got down about 4)

[GS455]

Originally posted by JohnnyReb
and he didn't try to shag my Wife.

Ooooookay. Maybe time for a brief pause on what has been an interesting thread. I am definitely a new member here and I guess I stirred up some kind of old dirt. Sorry for those that may be offended (in either direction) but this has been educational. I have gleaned as lot of knowledge from this board while being moderately entertained by a somewhat . . . . shall I say . . . direct or and overt membership. I LIKE IT !!!

On a separate topic probably for a different thread. I saw a few FALs on parade around Quadafi's after being pulled out of that storm drain and shortly before taking a bullet in the temple. Glad to know the best was presiding. Now the guy is in a supermarket freezer. Hah !!! So much for that vaunted Islamic respect for tradition. We shoulda done worse to Bin Laden.

What is SAP? Or what does that mean?

[gunplumber]

a black jack. Derek was talking shit about someone and when that guy went to confront him at a gunshow, Derek was all - "no problems sir". As soon as he turned his back, Derek tried to cold-cock him with a sap. Didn't work too well and he was beaten to the floor. Of course, he was so proud of himself for his courage that he would brag about it - leaving out the part where he was repeatedly beaten to the ground until security came to his aid. A real scumbag.