Don't know what else to call it, but here is an update what is going on here at the shop, and it's pretty exciting stuff.
Things have been pretty busy around here this year, so keeping up with orders in a timely fashion has been pretty tough. As most of you know, I am a one man show doing all the design, fabrication, welding, grinding, packaging and shipping, webdesign, accounting, etc. It's been pretty tough and the body is starting to show it. However, because the LOST community has been giving me so much business lately (selling about 10 to 1 over my XJ stuff), that I have been able to make a few additions to the shop to make productivity more efficient.
I get a lot of slider orders, and my current bandsaw takes about 3.5 hours to cut all the parts for one set of sliders. It was pretty expensive, which is why it has taken so long to get, but I will have the new bandsaw here in a few weeks. The new bandsaw is the same one my tube bender guy was using to cut my sliders for me for a little while. He was cutting seven full sets of sliders in 4 hours, so basically a 7 to 1 ratio to my old bandsaw productivity is pretty dang fast. So, I'm really looking forward to getting this thing in the shop so I can maybe start building an inventory and keeping up with orders with only a one or two week turn around (or less) instead of 6-8 weeks+.
My other addition to the shop I am most happy with and really is much more helpful than even a faster bandsaw. I have hired my first official employee, who is working for me part time for now until he gets out of the Army in a few months, then he will be my full time shop foreman. Many of you know him from the board. He knows a lot more than I do about KJ's, is a very hard worker, and fun to be around. I don't have a mug shot to post up, but a rig shot will probably be easily recognizable. Welcome Troy, tjkj2002, to the Rock Lizard Family:
With the current rate of business, I hope to be in a bigger shop the beginning of the new year, which means more room, bigger tools, more employees, and custom installs. Once we get all the current orders all caught up in the next couple weeks, the new front bumper designs will be top priority. I also have a few more new KJ products on the design board in the back of my mind that I plan to debut in Moab next year, so things are really starting to improve and grow.
I have an order for another batch of rear bumpers currently at my manufacturer. I'm on the schedule, but they haven't started yet. As I mentioned in the Vendors Forum, this is most likely the last batch of rear bumpers for the year, so if you want one in this batch, there is about one more week left to get the order in before I can't change the quantity in the order. I know $775 is hard to come up with on short notice, so I'm in a better position now where a few others paid their amounts in full, and I can take a small deposit to get your order in the batch, and the balance can be paid in full when completed. I will need a $200 minimum deposit to add another bumper to the batch. I will need this deposit by Aug 16. I know not everyone is made of money or can come up with a lot at one time, but would like to get one of these for Christmas or whatnot, but don't want to wait until next year for one, so think of it as a layaway plan. If you pay the deposit, the bumper is yours, even if it takes you a little while to pay it off even when it is completely built. However, two catches: I can't do the $700 prepay deal unless you pay in full before August 16th, that wouldn't be fair for those that prepaid in full when the batch order was made. Second, if you cancel your order, $150 will be non refundable, which shouldn't be a big deal, because I'm basically offering an interest free payment plan (just don't take forever
), and someone in a big hurry for a bumper would likely buy your place in line from you. So that's that on the rear bumpers.
For the front bumpers, I already posted the plans for the new Convertible Monitor Lizard bumpers. Those that already preordered the Monitor Lizard original non winch bumper design, you will get the new design, but the winch mount is a seperate piece. Those that preordered already are saving some money from those that preorder the new design, because prices will go up for the new design.
I know I'm running a little behind on some orders, and I apologize for that. Until the new bandsaw gets here, sliders are going pretty slow, but Troy's putting in some hours this week and next to help me get those all caught up. I have a few tire carriers and a rear bumper to finish, so I will be working on those while Troy is working on the sliders. So, everyone that currently is waiting on an order for something, I thank you for your patience. As I mentioned, just a few more weeks and all the orders currently on the board will be completely finished.
I would like to thank all of my LOST KJ customers and friends for your support. I'm very happy that I acted on those constant emails about making stuff for KJ's a few years ago, where many companies just hit the delete button.
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Cant wait to see whats coming up next in the RL Think Tank
