questions about our company, products/services, policies, and more
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our FAQ page, where you can find answers to the most commonly asked
General Order Questions
Draft Beer Drip Tray Questions
Draft Beer Tower Questions
Technical Website Questions
Contact Questions
Policies
1. General Order Questions
How Long Does my Order Take To Process?
Lead times vary by product, metal selection, and popularity of the draft beer drip tray or draft beer tower. Please look at the writing in GREEN/ RED on the product you are inquiring about. If the product says 1-2 days, then we have the product in stock. We try to ship orders the same day if we have them on the shelf. If we do not have the product in stock, then we will manufacture the product within the 1-2 days and ship it out to you in that time frame.
For products that have a two or three-week lead time, this is not the case. Those products are made per order. If your deadline is closer than our lead-time, you can always call 951-943-1495 or contact us for a possible rush charge. Since we do offer a rush charge.
We may also be on top of our orders where we will ship out the item faster than the three-week lead time. Please always contact us to see if we can assist you further.
If I do not see my product, can I have it made?
ABSOLUTELY!!! We specialize in restaurant and bar equipment; we know that standard items do not always meet requirements or look of what a customer needs/wants/deserves. We have a team of our fabricators who just work on specialty designed draft beer towers and draft beer drip trays all day! Please contact us or submit an online quote for a draft beer towers or draft beer drip trays or all other special quote inquiries.
What are our shipping rates and their calculations?
We have free shipping on orders over $100 for the continental United States, see more details here.
We believe in bringing the best prices available to the draft beer industry. Our products are 100% made in the USA and they are built out of metal. Metal is heavy compared to a lot of objects that get shipped. We have discounted rates through our shipping providers by ShipStation and through our company profile. Our shipping rates are calculated through ShipStation when an order is placed online.
If you believe you have a shipping method, or way to get a label cheaper, we will be more than happy to use that label you create and refund your money for the shipping paid for through your credit card.
Custom order shipping costs will be discussed prior to shipment packaging, to ensure your deadline is met.
If you have any other questions, please contact us.
Do we offer a Rush Charge?
We offer rush orders for products with 2 or 3 week lead times. If your lead time in red/green meets those requirements, please add the rush charge. The rush charge is 60% of the cost of the product/cart. If you choose this option, the order will have a 7-working day in process lead time.
If your product has a 1–2-day lead time, this means your product is in stock or can be made quickly and will ship within 1-2 days. A rush order for 1–2-day products is not necessary.
Please see the below video on how to add a rush order. If the rush order does not appear in the cart, then the rush order option is not available online.
We may still offer it for phone orders if you call us at 951-943-1495.
One of the reasons for the rush order to be turned off is our work/order volume is too high or metal demands.
Remember you must still choose the best shipping option for you. A rush charge does not mean the shipping will be expedited.
If you have any other questions, please contact us.
Can I pay with a VISA gift card?
Yes you can! There are a couple of ways to make this happen…
1. If the order is less than or the same amount as the Visa gift card balance, then you can process your payment as normal on the credit card page. Since we use Shopify as a payment/online store provider, using two credit cards is not yet possible.
However, there is a loophole.
2. You can first buy a Gift Card from our online store for the amount on your Visa gift card. Once you buy a gift card from us, our system automatically emails you a code. This code will be entered when purchasing a product at checkout. The code will deduct from the item price (acting as if you inputted the Visa gift card). Then you will checkout with the remaining balance on a normal credit card or other payment option we offer.
There have been a few instances where gift cards have not worked due to zip code issues. Depending on the Visa gift card and how it was activated. If this problem persists, we suggest using step 2, or reaching out to us directly to run the card/order manually.
Do we offer local pick up?
We offer pick up for your items if you live within Southern
California. Your pick up will arranged upon us receiving your order. Please
view the lead time on the product page in green.
If 1-2 days lead time, you may even receive pick up for that
same day. For anything longer than 1-2 day lead time, the lead time will be met
and followed. Arraignment for pickup on these products will most likely be set
up 1-2 days after the order is placed.
Remember, we do offer a rush charge if you want your item
within 5 working business days for products with 2-3 week lead times.
2. Draft Beer Drip Tray Questions
What are the differences between the different types of Draft Beer Drip Trays?
Surface Mount Drip Tray Series
Surface mount drip trays are the easiest to install. Only one hole is required through the countertop for the drain line. The drip tray is secured with a nut and washer attached to the drain pipe. Surface mounting means it is mounted on top of a surface's face. This means if you ran your hand along the surface, your hand would run into the object that was mounted.
We also have surface mounted drip trays with no drain hole. This means at the end of the day or the end of your pour, then you would lift the surface mount drip tray from your surface and wash out the excess beer or other liquid.
Cut-out Drip Tray Series
The cut-out series is named for its design of following the flange of the tower. The advantage of this style is better drip coverage for the faucets. Only one hole is required through the countertop for the drain line. The drip tray is secured with a nut and washer attached to the drain pipe (if you are buying a cut out with a drain).
Our cut-out series also has an option for not with drain. This becomes like a surface mount drip tray with no hole. This means at the end of the day or the end of your pour, then you would lift the cut-out drip tray from your surface and wash out the excess beer or other liquid.
Flush Mounted "Recessed" Drip Tray Series
Recessed trays provide an uncluttered presentation for the bar top. The disadvantage for this drip tray is installing it. A rectangle needs to be cut into the counter top to match the size of the pan length. The tray is secured to the counter with silicon sealant. Recessed mounting “flush mounting” means that there is a hole that will allow for the drip tray to fit inside. If you were to run your hand along the surface in this case, your hand wouldn’t run into anything, but you would feel the texture change.
Bevel Edge Drip Tray Series
The bevel edge drip tray series adds a style of a designer to the bar top. The edges of the tray are slanted creating an awesome look near your draft beer tower.
Wall Mounted Drip Tray Series
Wall mount drip trays are an excellent choice for outside of a walk-in cooler. Shanks with faucets are mounted through the drip tray directly into the walk-in. We offer a variety of pre-drilled holes for an easy installation. A threaded drain is included for easy plumbing connections. We have a variety of drain options. Middle drain, left, right, and or both depending on the style you want.
Rinser Hole Drip Tray Series
Add some dispense excitement to pouring with our rinser hole drip trays. Simply turn over your beer glass and push down on built-in sprayer. Water is rinsed over the inside of the glass. A wet glass makes pouring the best glass of draft beer easier. Trays are constructed of heavy gauge stainless steel or brass with a Stainless Steel, Brass, and or Copper rinser. A water regulator is required for all rinser trays.
***Rinsers are not included with each tray. They must be purchased separately, as well as the regulator. We do this because some people want to use their own rinser and or want different material to fit the look they want. ***
Wrap Around Drip Tray Series
The Wrap Around drip tray mounts under the tower and close to the bar edge. A threaded drain is included.
DRIP TRAY PARTS
Replacement drains, draft beer rinsers, and water regulators. More coming soon…
If you don't see what you're looking for, or not sure how to choose the right drip tray to match your tower or installation, please contact us.
Our goal is to provide the highest level of service of quality, detail, and competitive pricing from the manufacturer (us…AKA ACU Precision Sheet Metal) for the best in draft beer drip trays & draft beer towers.
What are the differences between perforated and louvered screens for drip beer trays?
Louvered Screen:
The louvered screen drip tray has cuts that are straight in the metal. The louver acts as a hill for the beer (wine, water, coffee, ETC.) to drip down. The louvered screen will splash less than a perforated. The louvered screen is 3.5 inches on 1/2 inch centers for a 5 inch wide drip tray.
Perforated Screen:
The perforated screen covers the entire drip tray surface area. This allows more beer to be dripped down; however, where there is a hole, there is metal. Meaning, at times liquid may hit the metal and splash. The perforated screen is eye catching and has that décor look.
What are the differences between our metal finishes for our draft beer drip trays?
All draft beer towers and draft beer drip trays can be made of these three different types of metal. We can have our towers and trays PVD coated, but this is a special item. We also can have the metal tubing with no finish. This is called a Mill Finish. The following three types of examples are as follows: Stainless Steel #4 Brushed Finish. Brass # 8 Mirror Finish, Stainless Steel # 8 Polished Mirrored Stainless Steel.
Stainless Steel # 4 Brushed Finish:
Stainless Steel # 4 Brushed Finish is what is standard in the bar and restaurant industry. This metal is the easiest to keep clean and looking nice. The brushed finish is always what is used by our competitors; however, our finish is top quality compared to others.
Brass # 8 Mirror Finish:
Brass # 8 Mirror Finish is a polished finish, this finish is popular with retro draft beer bars or someone who is into the brass look. This is polished to a mirror, meaning a person can see themselves inside of the brass. Brass does tarnish and needs to be cleaned and maintained.
Stainless Steel # 8 Mirror Finish:
Stainless Steel # 8 Mirror Finish is a polished finish. This
is polished to a mirror, meaning a person can see themselves inside of the
stainless steel.
Surface mounted Drip Trays VS Flush Mounted Drip Trays
99.99% of people use rubber hoses when they are using the surface mount style drip trays on our standard Drain tubes that are 5/8-18. They are threaded like that because they are used to be secured to the countertop.
We created this method that is used in the industry today. If you look at many other standard surface mount trays like ours, from others, they are the same drain type and size.
The flush mount style is recessed down in the countertop and doesn’t need to be secured down like the surface mount, other than some silicone around the edge of the tray. This is usually needed because a 90 degree elbow is used with the flush mount because of the room under the counter-top with the drip tray.
Do I need a glass rinser to rinse out my glass on a draft beer drip tray?
Need is a strong word; however, beer should be enjoyed as one of the finer things in life! A glass rinser shoots water into the glass. A bartender will do this before pouring the beer. He or she will do this because it does a couple of things.
- It cleans the glass for dust/dish soap that maybe around the bar.
- Rinsing the beer glass allows less friction when the beer is poured in. This allows for better beer.
- Finally, it cools the glass down! No one likes a warm beer!
3. Draft Beer Tower Questions
What are the differences between the metal finishes in our Draft Beer Towers?
All draft beer towers and draft beer drip trays can be made of these three different types of metal. We can have our towers and trays PVD coated, but this is a special item. We also can have the metal tubing with no finish. This is called a Mill Finish. The following three types of examples are as follows: Stainless Steel #4 Brushed Finish. Brass # 8 Mirror Finish, Stainless Steel # 8 Polished Mirrored Stainless Steel.
Stainless Steel # 4 Brushed Finish:
Stainless Steel # 4 Brushed Finish is what is standard in the bar and restaurant industry. This metal is the easiest to keep clean and looking nice. The brushed finish always is what is used by our competitors; however, our finish is top quality compared to others.
Brass # 8 Mirror Finish:
Brass # 8 Mirror Finish is a polished finish, This finish is popular with retro draft beer bars or someone who is into the brass look. This is polished to a mirror, meaning a person can see themselves inside of the brass. Brass does tarnish and needs to be cleaned and maintained.
Stainless Steel # 8 Mirror Finish:
Stainless Steel # 8 Mirror Finish is a polished finish. This is polished to a mirror, meaning a person can see themselves inside of the stainless steel.
4. Technical Website Questions
Why do some of my pages look different on my computer and smartphone?
On the Left:
Responsive web design (RWD) is an approach to web design which makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes. This is our main website, made to fit on your screen.
The difference is the speed in which it responds to your
device. You may request the full site if you are looking at an AMP page. Go to
the bottom of the webpage and click on See Full Site (Non- AMP)
On the Right:
The Advanced Mobile Page (AMP) Project is an open-source initiative aiming to make the web better for all. The project enables the creation of websites and ads that are consistently fast, beautiful and high performing across devices and distribution platforms.
Google created the AMP to streamline mobile phones
technology to make sure web content was delivered as fast as possible to all
devices.
What happened to www.acubarequiment.com?
acubarequipment.com was ACU's transition to the E-commerce world. We were experimenting with having a online store while still staying true to our main website. Having two websites (www.acumetalfab.com) and (www.acubarequipment.com) was becoming too much to maintain between having two websites. We thought it would be easier for our customers and for ourselves if we combined them. Which is what we did in April of 2018. We appreciate your patience through the transition. Since our domain (www.acumetalfab.com) made us an industry name since our first website, we would benefit by leaving acumetalfab.com as our primary. The good news is if some people still have the URL's saved in their history, they will resolve to our primary domain.
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Our product reviews are curated by Judge.me Shopify Application. You can read about the Judge.me Shopify application here. Judge.me is an application where it automatically sends out emails in regard to the product that was ordered. We can moderate reviews through Judge.me if a review violates our company policy. Reviews may not be published if we can supply Judge.me with evidence the review is unfair, incorrect, and or spam.
5. Contact Questions
Call Us
Phone number: 951-943-1495
Representatives are available during operating hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 6am-4:30pm
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday: Closed
(Pacific Standard Time)
Visit our Contact Page
Contact Us page with multiple ways to submit a quote or get in touch
Visit our us in person
6. Policies
ACU Precision Sheet Metal is dedicated to fabricating quality products and providing prompt and timely service to our customers. We make every effort to guarantee the same level of service to all our customers. The policies below help guide us through our efforts.
The information here will help you when doing business with
ACU.
Quotes
- All jobs require a quote prior to fabrication, no matter the size or frequency of the job.
- Quotes do not constitute an order, see below for placing a valid order.
- All quotes for fabricated items constitute a time limited guarantee of price.
- All quotes good for 30 days from date issued, unless otherwise noted.
Quotes including special order material are good for 5 business days from date issued, unless otherwise noted.
- Quotes do not include the cost of shipping; the cost of shipping will be specified at the time the order is placed and confirmed.
Orders
No Verbal Orders.
An agreement must be made with A.C.U. concerning payment arrangements prior to A C U accepting any order.
A quote does not constitute an order but does guarantee a price as long as the quote remains in effect.
An agreement must be made with A.C.U. concerning payment arrangements prior to A C U accepting any order.
A valid purchase order number, check number or credit card number and a valid authorizing signature must be provided with each order.
All orders subject to a standard 2-to-4-week lead-time, unless otherwise noted.
Rush orders are subject to a premium charge of up to 60% of the price of the items affected.
A due date constitutes the date the item is due to ship from our dock. It is the responsibility of the customer to understand the time-line with which they will receive their order.
Special considerations concerning any order must be made clear prior to placing the final order.
All shipping details must be provided prior to placing the final order. The customer is responsible for the correctness and accuracy of each order they place.
Custom Orders (Orders that have 2–3-week lead times) are nonreturnable and nonrefundable.
Stock Items (1–2-day lead times) are subject to a 15% restocking fee. Shipping fees to customer and back to ACU are nonrefundable.
Payment Terms
- Payment is due at the time an order is placed.
- Payment and credit terms available only for select customers in good standing.
- Payment agreements vary by individual and organization and does not constitute policy.
- A.C.U. reserves the right to cancel any payment agreement with any customer for 'good cause'.
Shipping
Free Ground Shipping on Orders over $100 or more (Taxes and Fees Not Included). This only applies to the continental United States. Free ground shipping in the cart will be applied by default if it is an option for your location. Free ground shipping will be shipped via UPS Ground. This will be labeled as UPS Ground and the price will be set to Free (Zero dollars). Rinser Collection(s) are now included. Please give us time to make this transition correctly
- Our standard shipping handler is United Parcel Service and we offer the following shipping methods
UPS Second Day
UPS Overnight
- Orders will be shipped on their due date or when completed by fabrication, whichever comes first.
Any special shipping requirements must be specified at the time the order is placed.
Cost for shipping will be determined at the time the order is completed
Customers may specify or provide their own shipping method at their own convenience and cost.
All items will be packaged and protected from damage during shipping.
Shipping fees to customer and back to ACU are nonrefundable.
Returns
- Returns are handled on a per incident basis. We aim for complete customer satisfaction. Defects or errors due to manufacturing will be repaired or replaced.
- Returns are handled on a per incident basis
- Damage caused during shipping will be resolved between A C U, the customer and the shipper
- Inspect
all products as they are received and notify the delivery person immediately in
the case of damage.
Email photos of damaged products and box to acusheetmetal@gmail.com along with an explanation of the situation or call 951-943-1495.
Custom Orders (Orders that have 2–3-week lead times) are nonreturnable and nonrefundable
Stock Items (1–2-day lead times) are subject to a 15% restocking fee
Shipping fees to customer and back to ACU are nonrefundable
Online Orders/ Amazon Orders
- Most orders that are in stock that are purchased online will be shipped from the factory in 1-2 business days unless otherwise specified by writing in the red/green text.
- Any special requirements must be specified at the time the order is placed, either by filing in order notes and or contacting us to specify the special requirements. This must be done within a maximum of 15 minutes of the order being placed.
We ship all online orders with UPS, FedEx, or USPS. With our free shipping option, those orders will always be shipped with UPS, unless stated otherwise.
For Canada customers, FedEx and UPS may be interchangeable, no matter what shipping method you choose. This is for insurance and custom import fees.
This website and domain (www.acumetalfab.com) and (www.acubarequipment.com) are solely owned and maintained by ACU Precision Sheet Metal. All product content is proprietary. The sole intended use is for illustration and marketing of ACU Precision Sheet Metal. Any use of this content for reverse engineering, modeling, mock up or reproduction of any ACU product is strictly prohibited by law. For a listing of management personnel for ACU Precision Sheet Metal, see the contacts page.
**Specific item questions can be asked and answered on each product page.**