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Many of our customers ask us similar questions. We
have placed the questions and our answers on this page
to give you immediate access to the information without
waiting for a response from one of our representatives.
If your questions are specific to your quotation, or
we have not provided an answer here, please feel free
to use the form on our ContactUs page
and we will respond as soon as possible.
This page uses JavaScript. If you have JavaScript disabled
in your browser, you will see one very long page. JavaScript
allows us to present a more user friendly page for easier
viewing.
If you already have a quote from us, just
view your quote and click on the 'Buy Now' button to
make your purchase at our secure store. Our on
line store is secure using SSL encryption and is open
24/7 for your convenience.
WHAT DOES YOUR PRICE INCLUDE?
In a word - "EVERYTHING". Once
we have provided a quote, there are NO ADDITIONAL
CHARGES. If you need to add additional
text when you see the proof, there are NO ADDITIONAL
CHARGES as long as it fits on the same size
plaque (see note). There are NO MOUNTING
HARDWARE CHARGES for standard mounting hardware
such as screws and rosettes. There are NO
HIDDEN SHIPPING CHARGES.
NOTE: We are happy to make changes to your
design after you make your purchase. We will send you
up to 3 changes at NO CHARGE. We
charge 5% ($25 minimum) of the plaque price for EACH
change we have to send you after the third change. PLEASE
review
your
proof carefully and try to incorporate all modifications
into one change to save us time and save you money.
DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS?
YES. We accept Visa, Master Card and AMEX. Credit
cards protect you (the buyer) from fraud.
ONCE I ORDER, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Our standard production schedule is to ship
in 3-4 weeks (except custom sculpted bas relief's - such
as a persons face). Some plaques on our standard schedule
go out sooner. This production time is NOT guaranteed.
We can ship custom cast bronze plaques - including
those with a custom bas relief, in a little as one week.
One week production doubles the price of a plaque (minimums
apply).
We strongly urge you NOT to schedule any ceremony involving
a cast plaque until you actually have the plaque in your
hand. Production times vary depending upon when in the
overall production cycle the plaque actually 'hits the
foundry floor'. Delays can (and do) occur that are out
of our control including ( flawed castings that must
be redone, shipping damage, lost or delayed shipments,
etc). Orders can not be canceled and refunds will not
be offered for plaques whose delivery has been delayed.
I JUST GOT MY PLAQUE AND CAN NOT FIND THE
HARDWARE. CAN YOU HELP?
This is the most frequently asked question.
Our plaques are carefully packaged in special shipping
crates or cartons. The hardware is attached to the back
of the plaque with tape. Sometimes, it can be found taped
to the carton behind the plaque, but THE
HARDWARE IS DEFINITELY THERE. Processing
an order to replace a "missing" set
of hardware can exceed $25 so we make absolutely certain
that your hardware is in the package. 99.99% of all reported "missing" hardware
is in fact found by the customer. Do the following;
Look for a brown tape imprinted "HARDWARE".
This tape is used to affix the hardware to the plaque
or carton,
Open the carton FLAT and look on both sides. The
hardware may have stuck to the carton in the tape,
Unwrap the plaque. Remove the clear wrapper from
the plaque. Go through the clear wrapper. Clear cellophane
tape can hide the hardware,
Carefully turn the plaque over and look on the back.
Most of the time, the hardware is taped to the back
of the plaque.
I JUST GOT MY PLAQUE AND IT IS DAMAGED.
WHAT DO I DO?
Damage can occur in shipping, but rest assured
that we will repair or replace any plaque that has been
received damaged. We need to know the specifics of the
damage so we can determine the best and fastest method
of correcting the problem. If you own a digital camera,
please take a picture of the plaque and a close up of
the damaged area and email these to us. If you have a
ceremony shortly that requires the plaque, if possible,
use the damaged plaque for the ceremony and return it
after the ceremony.
Most importantly, KEEP ALL SHIPPING MATERIALS.
If we instruct you to return the plaque,
KEEP ALL MOUNTING HARDWARE.
I JUST GOT MY PLAQUE AND I DISCOVERD AN
ERROR. WHAT DO I DO?
Hold onto the plaque and all packing materials.
Then call us or email us describing the error. DO
NOT RETURN A PLAQUE WITHOUT A RETURN AUTHORIZATION.
There are many options available for correcting errors
on bronze plaques, but almost all require grinding off
letters, casting and soldering on new letters, sandblasting
off the finish and totally refinishing the plaque. This
is a labor intensive process and can cost half the price
(or more) or casting a new bronze plaque. (Aluminum and
etched plaques can not be corrected in this
manner).
If we made the error, we will correct it at our
cost. If
it is an error made by the purchaser, we can only offer
a refund of the scrap value of the metal if the bad plaque
is returned to us. On larger plaques an additional
discount on recasting the same design, with the corrected
text may be offered.
We enjoy designing and selling cast plaques BUT we get
no pleasure out of selling a replacement plaque. PLEASE
- check all details before placing the order or approving
the final proof.
The wizard was created to design the SMALLEST
practical cast plaque. You can achieve the smallest plaque
by using all UPPERCASE letters (harder to read) and setting
the size to 1/4". If the wizard will not make the
plaque smaller, it is unlikely one of our designers can
make it smaller.
The wizard does not allow me to add graphics
to the plaque.
The wizard was created to allow customers
to design cast plaques with text only. Adding graphics
can be tricky since line widths and spacing are VERY
critical. Therefore, graphics requires the assistance
of one of our designers.
HOW LONG WILL YOUR PLAQUE HOLD UP UNDER
DIFFERENT WEATHER CONDITIONS?
Our plaques hold up for many years under
ALL conditions. Our plaques are located every where from
Iraq, to Alaska, to underwater reefs, to the beach in
Puerto Rico. Clear coat finish comes down to personal
preference. In most outdoor locations, I would recommend
the high gloss polyurethane
clear coat. This will protect the plaque and it will
maintain its 'like new' finish for years. Low gloss lacquer
is available, but does not withstand the elements nearly
as well as the polyurethane clear coat. For salt
exposure locations such as the beach or undersea, my
personal
preference would to have NO FINISH (OR BACKGROUND COLOR)
AT ALL on the plaque and let the salt air turn it green
(patina) over the years (it is 88% copper). Periodically,
you can restore it to bright bronze by using copper cleaner.
Either way, 100+ years is reasonable for the plaque itself.
WHAT IS YOUR PRODUCT WARRANTY?
Our products are warranted to be
free from defects in craftsmanship and material for
life. The warranty on coatings is 1 year.
Our obligation under this warranty is limited to repair
or replacement, at our option. No other warranty expressed
or implied is granted. We are not liable for any incidental
or consequential damages associated with use,
removal or installation. We shall not be responsible
for any
costs or damages caused during installation. We will
not pay for the removal and installation of plaques
returned for warranty.
WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF YOUR BRONZE ALLOY?
Our bronze alloy is equivalent to "Copper Development Association Alloy C92200" which is 88% copper, 6% tin, 4% zinc and 2% lead.
We only accept purchase orders from the
Federal Government (typically using SF1449). We
prefer payment using government purchasing
card (IMPAC) as opposed to WAWF.
WE ARE A STATE OR CITY AGENCY, WILL YOU
ACCEPT OUR PURCHASE ORDER?
Most state agencies, etc. have access to
purchase cards - please ask your purchasing agent. If
this is not available, we will invoice you for the order
and commence production upon receipt of payment - you
can mail a check of call with a credit card. If
your organization is concerned about fraud, we recommend
you
use a credit card as credit card
companies offer 100% protection to the purchaser.
WHY DO YOU NO LONGER ACCEPT PURCHASE ORDERS
Purchase orders are expensive for us to
process partly due to bureaucratic paperwork
imposed by some organizations. We have experienced
delays of 60, 90 and 120 days in receipt
of payment.
DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS?
YES. We accept Visa, Master Card and AMEX. Credit
cards protect you (the buyer) from fraud.
We only collect sales tax on orders shipped within
The Commonwealth of Virginia. For
shipments outside
The Commonwealth of Virginia,
your state or municipality may require payment of Sales
or Use Taxes by you,
the consumer. In purchasing from us, you agree
to be responsible for reporting and paying taxes on these
purchases directly to your state tax department, if
required.
WHAT ABOUT IMPORT DUTY?
Import duty and / or VAT on orders shipped
outside the U.S.A. are the
responsibility of the purchaser. We are not responsible for delays caused
by customs officials delaying shipments pending payment of Duty and VAT.
Not any longer. We consider our company "environmentally
responsible" and do not send out hard copy catalogs.
Our web site accomplishes what printed media can not
accomplish; it is updated in real time and does not add
to global pollution.
If you need a price quotation, please fill
out our on line form or send
us an email ( see our ContactUs page)
describing what you want. If you want a small plaque,
try your hand on our design wizard where
you can design your own bronze plaque and purchase it
on line.
DO YOU HAVE STANDARD ITEMS FOR PURCHASE?
Yes. You can see them with prices at our on
line store. When at our store, just click on the
links on the left navigation pane to see specific items
and prices such as memorial plaques, veterans plaques,
service emblems, etc.
I DO NOT SEE THE TYPE OF PLAQUE THAT I WANT.
CAN YOU HELP?
ABSOLUTELY. All our products
are custom designed. Just give us an idea of what you
want. It is always a good idea to have a budget range
in mind so check out the products on our on
line store for some idea of prices.
WHY CAN'T YOU CAST WHAT I LAY OUT IN MY
WORD PROCESSOR?
Our products are produced using a sand casting
process. In this process, molten bronze is poured into
a mold. Sufficient room must be left around letters to
permit the mold to remain intact as the molten bronze
is poured. Look here for more
technical information about our artwork requirements
or try our design wizard which
is 100% accurate.