Angelo of EH Schwab working on the chimney. I took a lot of pictures, but forgot my ISO setting was too low - this is one of the few that came out.
Last week I took a trip across town to check in on the progress at the shop making the Boilers. They’ve really kicked it into high gear now and are putting the finishing touches on their process for mass production. Making sure they stretch the material enough, getting the seam at the bottom right – the same things I was working through this summer.
I think something that took both them and me by surprise was the work it has taken even the pros to get everything right with the Boiler. Never underestimate what an amateur laboring away on his back porch can accomplish – a lesson I in particular should have taken more account of. The bad news is that production is behind the schedule I, the shop, and certainly you all had been hoping for. The good news is that these guys are pros and are now tackling the project full on. Just as I worked through the kinks, I’m confident they can do the same. Once they do, it should provide for much more reliable production than I could offer working in my spare time. :)
For me, it’s bookkeeping and sewing this week. Updates to come with progress on all fronts.
[ 4 comments… read them below or add one ]
Happy New Year Devin- thanks for the update!
Thanks Doug! You too! Progress is slower than expected, but I’m (and now really “we” are) working on it. Even in 2011, I hope to prove that I am nothing if not persistent. :)
Any updates on a projected weight for the production boiler?
Hi Jake – the ones that have come out so far, without any intentional stretching, are too heavy. It’s part of what they’re working on. But those have been done by hand, and the production boilers will be done on a CNC machine that should allow for more controlled thinning. I will update once it’s nailed down.
The guys at the shop know that weight is the name of the game and they’re working with me on it. I dropped off my postage scale with them when I visited. :)