WORK REMAINING TO BE DONE
Tom has a design almost ready to be sent to the fabricator. It is slightly different from the design previously submitted. The tooling cost for the earlier design is OK. When the new design is submitted we will receive a new tooling proposal, and a cost for punching and assembling gear drives. We expect to submit the new design in a week or two.
If the costs are comparable to those previously received we will order a number of gear assemblies. It will take about two months for the assemblies to be fabricated and delivered.
We have obtained a domain name and are building a web page from which the counters can be ordered. While we are waiting for gears to be delivered we will finalize the web page design. Tom will also order a number of plastic gears (probably delrin), and a supply of Veeder-Root counters. When the gear drives are received the counters will be mounted to the drives by Tom.
Method of payment can be handled in two ways. A dollar check on a US bank, or a money order that will be accepted without a surcharge will be one method. A second method will be a valid credit card number. Payment must be received in advance. Sad experience has shown that this must be done. Some customers have been in a great hurry to receive their counters, but have lost their sense of urgency when it is time to pay.
If all goes well the name of the web page will be published in three months or so. This is not a promise – it is simply an estimate. The cost of tooling requires that we get it right the first time.
I am not sure whether Paul Oerth is still selling the counters with the plastic gearbox. Those who are desperate can try him.