Warped Slabs?

[TheLiamSturgess]

Okay, that's ridiculous. If not the heat, then what? Surely they wouldn't mail those out aware of the warping.

[zosocane]

I got a slab last week (an ASM #7, 7.0) and it is visibly warped. Put it on a flat table and you can rock it back-and-forth like a baby in a cradle. The warping of the slab is putting inward pressure on the micro-chamber, which in turn is pressing on the spine of the book.

 

I don't buy the heat theory. I think this is a quality control issue at CGC.

 

I called CGC last week and they expressed ignorance on the issue. Anyway, I am bringing my slab in question to their submission desk this weekend at Florida Supercon. They said they would look at it there and see what the problem was. My expectation is that I will get a free re-slab when they see how obviously warped it is.

[Jaws1965]

Thanks all, I will call them Friday and let them know what happened. I'll post the results of the conversation here!! I also agree that it's disturbing that a book like this made it through their supposedly meticulous QC process. I noticed this as soon as I slipped it out of its bag (the lousy kind they ship them in).

 

They better realize that if they received a defective shipment of plastic cases from their manufacturer, they should return them rather than hoping all of us wouldn't notice. To expect detail-oriented folks like us--people that sweat minute spine ticks--not to notice??? C'mon, CGC!

[Jaws1965]

Also, my second big order of slabs just arrived at the post office, and I will pick it up Friday morning. There are some nice books in this shipment, to include:

 

ASM #238 9.8, 9.2

Secret Wars #8 9.8 (x2)

Uncanny X-Men #135 9.6, #138 9.8, #139 9.6, #140 9.8, #141 9.8, #142 9.4

Wolverine 1 (1982) 9.8

 

Now THESE books WOULD be affected by the degree of warping shown above! After the example above, I'm very nervous. Either way, I'll have eleven more data points Friday morning.

 

[maloney414]

Maybe the person who normally slabs them was out sick one day, and ours were done by a substitute slabber???

 

Hope your other books are normal.

[roulette44]

yeah, hope no more issues for ya (thumbs u keep us posted!

[rjpb]

Here, this might help.

 

Or you can always order this e-book for a more detailed explanation.

 

 

 

 

 

[zosocane]

I just came back from the first day of Florida Supercon and showed my recently-delivered warped slab (see my post above on this thread) to a junior person at the CGC table. She gave me a little push-back, but then a senior person intervened, and that senior person said no problem, they would reslab the book at no cost to me -- neither for the reslab nor for the shipping and insurance. I offered to show them my shipping receipt as proof that I only got it a week ago, but she said it wasn't necessary. That leads me to believe that they know this has become an issue that slipped through the quality control cracks. They placed the slab on the flat table and rocked it, and that was all they needed to see.

 

It seems to me that CGC is aware of the problem. I'm pleased they owned up to it relatively quickly and are doing right by their customers.

[Sqeggs]

I just came back from the first day of Florida Supercon and showed my recently-delivered warped slab (see my post above on this thread) to a junior person at the CGC table. She gave me a little push-back, but then a senior person intervened, and that senior person said no problem, they would reslab the book at no cost to me -- neither for the reslab nor for the shipping and insurance. I offered to show them my shipping receipt as proof that I only got it a week ago, but she said it wasn't necessary. That leads me to believe that they know this has become an issue that slipped through the quality control cracks. They placed the slab on the flat table and rocked it, and that was all they needed to see.

 

It seems to me that CGC is aware of the problem. I'm pleased they owned up to it relatively quickly and are doing right by their customers.

 

Good news ... but I wonder how many warped slabs are out there and how many will make it back to CGC for free reslabbing -- if, in fact, they decide to make it a general policy to remedy this defect at no charge?

[crazyhips]

Here, this might help.

 

Or you can always order this e-book for a more detailed explanation.

 

 

 

 

 

How long do books stay at cgc prior to being shipped? If shrinkage is 99 to 100% complete within 24 hours then it may not be the shipping.

[Underground44]

If heat is the reason it is has warped, has anyone tried just putting a blow drier on high heat (or a good heat gun) on their slab and try and flatten it back out with some heat and then put some heavy books on top of it to press it back flat? Seems like it should be an easy fix, assuming the book wasn't damaged due to the warping.

 

microwave the slab on high for 3 minutes

[Calamerica]

I have had warped slabs off and on the last 12 years. It does seem to be if you box them, and then lay the box sideways so the slabs are all facing down, this either slows down the warping process or eliminates it for MOST slabs.

 

PGX slabs have NEVER warped.

 

Go figure.

 

There IS a huge difference between the cheapish Styrene, versus the molds of Acrylic. All are petroleum based, by the way.

 

CAL

[Jaws1965]

UDPATE 1: I called CGC regarding my severely warped specimens. Although the gentleman in customer service was rather curt, he did say that they will accept returns for warped slabs that noticeably rock back and forth on a flat surface. You must still provide a reholder submission form, and in so doing, you need to scribble "FREE REHOLDER, WARPED CASE" on the submission form, and they won't charge you the re-holder fee. I forgot to ask about free shipping though. The CGC customer service rep also added this factoid...although they recognize some slabs have been warped, the book inside is not damaged in any way. Hmmm...

 

UPDATE 2: I received my invoice of eleven slabs today, and I'm pleased to report that although some are not 100% "true" (i.e., every so slightly bowed in the middle or on one side), they are all well within acceptable levels of variation and what I've seen in the past. (I've never sweated a slight separation in the outer casing because the inner well is still there.)

 

So, hopefully this will pass!!!