Mark Emig Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 So, I was looking at a used Lucifer heat treat oven, and I contacted the company to see if I could get a owners manual, and to see if the controls could be upgraded. Here's the reply- You will need to provide us with the 4 digit serial number on the furnace. Due to confidentiality and the fact that all Lucifer furnaces and ovens have been manufactured to each customer’s specifications…..all are quite different, we do not post information electronically. If you want to purchase an instruction manual, the cost for this is $150. Manuals are prepared per order and are not a stock item. Availability is 7-10 Days. The information you are requesting would be in this manual. Regards, Rosemary Sales - Lucifer Furnaces, Inc. Seriously??? $150.00 for a manual??? And I have to buy it to see if I can get them to upgrade the controls?? Wow, I'd think twice about buying a new furnace from them if they charge 150 bucks for a manual-in this day and age, a digital manual is quite easy for them to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 WOW and I thought the Lucifer part of the name implied a hot furnace, not customer service. Maybe you have to trade your soul for the parts. I'd be looking elsewhere or for a staggering discount. If you're still interested, print the Emails out and use them for a bargaining chip. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Emig Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 I sent an e-mail in return that I was not only looking at used, but new also and that cost of replacement literature is a concern. The president of the company sent me a note back basically saying "that's what they cost us to produce". I probably won't pick up the oven-or buy a new one from them. I'd like to see what would happen if a competitor got wind of this info. Oh, and the guy selling it knows what the manual cost-he said "that's why I don't have one"...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Not a company I'd do business with if I had a choice. Yeah, RIGHT the pres sent you an E-mail and if I bit on that one, I might, just might believe it costs THEM $150 to make a manual. If it's so, then they're so backwards they have monks transcribing them somewhere and are far too backwards to do business with. Sure one off manuals for one off pieces of equipment will indeed cost a bit more than a Yamaha 250 enduro manual but I find it impossible to believe they can't Zerox the one they have on file. Problem they have with a take or leave it attitude is it's so much easier to just leave it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Frosty you might be on to something with the Monks. Maybe they have artist inking illuminated pages in all the booklets. Little flames and temper lines in the margins. 150 seems a bit ridiculous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Sounds like they have a very bad business model that's focused on failing instead of succeeding. While they might need to offer a built-to-spec oven/kiln to serve a niche, there's no reason for each and every single build to require its own manual and even less reason for the manuals to cost so much. All they are succeeding in doing is losing money. Thanks for the heads up on them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 That niche market makes up many here and a few other places. Not the greatest places or ways to build up a report. E-mail them back a link to this thread and how we have no interest in their product now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 I spoke with Lucifer Furnaces concerning the request for the manual The forge in question is over 40 years old and they would have to research and build a manual for that specific forge. The time and research involved is the reason for the high cost of the manual. I told them I understood and appreciate how much time and effort it could take. I invited him to visit the site and to post explaining the company's position. He said he was busy, and abruptly terminated the call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Emig Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 The part that really baffles me, is in my inquiry to Lucifer I had asked about upgrading the controls (i.e. using ones purchased from Lucifer) along with asking about an owners manual. That is where the statement in the reply "the information you are requesting would be in this manual" is from. I started thinking--wait a minute, I have to purchase a 150 dollar manual to just find out if I can upgrade this thing to modern controls (ie ramping temps etc). Something is smelly about this...... I still might buy the thing-did a bit of research (on this site by the way) and found out about PID contollers-looks very staightforward to do. As to why Lucifer wasn't helpful about upgrading using their parts, who knows. Onward and upward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Did you tell him it was your birthday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Emig Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Too funny-maybe I'd get charged for the candles........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Furrer Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Several companies have the same procedure. I was looking at induction furnaces years ago and one company wants $5,000 to open an account and get you in the system....BEFORE they let you buy a manual...which is an additional $300-500 depending upon which one. The last manual I bought for the induction system I have with a different company was $400 and included a 150 page book (with info specific to the very unit I have with manufacture dates and signatures of those involved in testing) and two sets of large format blueprints. It thought is a high price, but what option does one have? You need one to fix it. As to lucifer upgrades....maybe contact a service rep rather than the company. You may get a look at a manual as well. Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I paid about $150 for a manual for my bender. I needed it because I needed it to hook up the electrical. There was an electrical schematic, but in general the manual sucked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry curtiss Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Hi I have been reading all the post, and just wanted to say I have the double chambered Lucifer furnace. It very large and is wired for 3/60/208.anyone interested PM me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Welcome aboard Larry. If you want to sell it you should list it in the Tailgating section. Read the tailgating rules first. Next it would help knowing where in the world you are located. This thread will help you get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.