December 24, 2007 - The design has gone through 18 iterations over a four month back-and forth between Tom (the designer) and the company that will manufacture the steel parts.
A check has been sent to the manufacturer to cover the cost of their tooling design and construction. More back-and-forth will occur as the manufacturer's designers begin their work. Upon completion of the tooling, another check will be sent for manufacture of 1000 units.
We expect delivery of the metal parts around February or March.
Meanwhile, several hundred of the delrin small gears will be ordered, and a number of Veeder-Root counters in both five and six digit models. With all the parts in hand, Tom will begin assembly of the finished units.
Updates will appear here as information becomes available.
Pete Riegel will be the contact person until counters are available for sale. At that time contact will pass to Tom.
January 8, 2008 - Tooling is scheduled for completion on 08-01-18. We need to pay for production before it is scheduled.
Prices on the Veeder-Root 5-digit counter just went up $3, and $4 for the 6-digit. We are working on pricing. We want to keep it low enough to be attractive but with enough profit built in to recoup the substantial initial investment in stamped parts.
January 13, 2008 - Note from Tom: "I've talked to the tooling engineer a couple times, and I think he's on the right track, time and product. Next week should see progress on the metal bits."
January 21, 2008 - The counter project has three phases. The first, the design and development phase, is now complete. A small amount of redesign has been completed, and Tom and the fabricator have reached agreement about what Tom wants to be done and what the fabricator can do. The design work of the fabricator was paid for earlier. Questions of quantity and parts finishing have been decided. Tooling work has begun.
Phase two has now begun. A check was written yesterday for fabrication of 1000 units. Fabrication will begin as soon as the punching tools have been made, which is in progress. Estimated delivery is not known yet, but will be reported when we know something specific.
February 11, 2008 - Tom talked with the parts fabricator today. He reports: “Tooling has been taking a bit longer than expected, but will be complete on or about 2-27. Material has been ordered, and is to be received next week. I explained the necessity for delivery in mid-March, and was told that late March can be expected. It will be close to making London, but as it looks now I think it'll be a go. I also touched base with the Waterjet operator, and he can work in an order for a few hundred gears on the same schedule.” Upon delivery of the parts, phase three, assembly of the units by Tom, will begin and units will become available for sale.
February 13, 2008 - A 12x24x1/4 inch piece of Delrin has been ordered and is on the way. It will be used by the waterjet cutting outfit to make about 250 to 300 of the small gears.
February 27, 2008 - 50 five-digit, and 100 six-digit Veeder-Root counters have been ordered, and we hope to have them next week. 150 Delrin gears have been fabricated and will be picked up on February 29. Tom will work on putting the gears on the counters when they are received. This will slightly shorten the time needed to fill initial orders once the chassis parts are received.
Tom reports: "The metal stamping is still scheduled for 'late March'. Tooling has not been completed as scheduled, but metal is in stock. They have received/processed the payment, and I was told they will schedule production as soon as the tooling is received.
Once I have all the pieces, it will probably take me at least a week or so to assemble a few for testing, and tweak the assembly process. After a suitable run-in period to see if anything shakes loose or needs to be adjusted, I'll be in production."
