Hows the start of 2012 for you?

Here at Steam Traction World Towers, we’ve had probably one of the worst starts to the New Year in living memory.

First of all we had to dismiss our CNC turner. Then Ian who handles all our sheet metal and manual work was off with some serious long term health issues. He’s back now part time but I’m sure he won’t mind me saying that’s he’s well short of firing on all four cylinders.

The 2 tons of steel channel for our new 6” Foden came in wrong. All the angles were cut on the wrong face. To rub salt into the wound, whilst they admit they got it wrong, we had to pay for it. Why, because they had sent Isabel an obscure attachment showing how they intended to make the cuts. They then went on to cut it wrong again and took one more attempt to get it right. Thankfully we were not charged this time.

What happened next? Ah yes, kit 23 for the DCC. The bevel gears came in all wrong. The gear cutting was okay but practically everything else about them was wrong. The boss was 6mm too bid, they were too thick and the boss on one of the bevels varied in length by 5mm! Under normal circumstances we would have throw them back to the supplier for them to correct but that would have meant a substantial delay to the kit delivery. We therefore started to correct the problems ourselves. Then we found that the bevel with the boss, had been fabricated and two items had been welded together. Not a problem in itself but it made the steel glass hard. A nightmare to machine. It took a complete carbide insert for each gear. We couldn’t correct the entire error because it would have made the gear too weak by removing too much of the weld. Next came a 2mm variation in the diameter where the Winch Drum will go, so on to a lathe they had to go. Remember how I started this diatribe? No CNC turner, so whilst trying to train up Mark on the lathes, he’s had a bit of a ‘baptism of fire’ with all these problems.

And if all that wasn’t enough, we have to pay a sizable amount to Mr Osborne for our Corporation Tax and our VAT payment is due next month.

Where’s the Valium, sod it, the whiskey bottle will do.

Happy New Year

Regards

Steve

Steve

That sounds very negative, and it's not even Friday yet......do you need Isabel to give you a cuddle? (well it was her or Craig)

All your work and efforts are greatly appreciated by all us builders! And the quality is always to a high standard....but always remember it could be worse and despite everything you are quite fortunate that you are in what seems to be a strong position for 2012 with a strong forward order book, although dealing with staffing issues is always difficult with a small team such as yours where everyone has such a major part to play in the process. I bet there are a lot of your competitors who would love to be in such a position at the moment

As for corporation tax and VAT .....in the old days this "capital" was good for cash flow and for putting on deposit earning interest (when there was good rates about) on short and longer term loans, always hurts to pay out even though you are doing quite well at the moment.

Chin up and remain positive, just think in a few months there will be the first of several STW engines out there on the rally field to show the world just what a small engineering firm with a dedicated staff can actually achieve....and remember though you have a big part to play in staff moral and in the external perception of the business.

Remember 82%of a bottle of whiskey is tax. Vallium does not give the tax man so much. There again the whiskey taste better.

You and your team should know that us builders do very much appreciate the hard work and total lunacy.... sorry dedication. I for one has gained a number of friends through your activities and support.

I have now waffled on enough for tonight. Just back in after getting my front breaks replaced. One pad had separated from its support plate and the disk on the other side had split round the air vents. So one half was free floating on the hub.. interesting times when that happens 200 miles from home.

Where can I buy the 18% that's not subject to tax, I'm sure that will taste much nicer?

Onward and upwards Steve, we all appreciate STW efforts at keeping a first class set of products leaving the factory each month.
Its good that you post these things so that the builders realise that you dont have a massive storeroom full of items ready to be sent out !!!

Keep up the good work, the government needs your money LOL

Frostie