The 55 cranks have been shipped so it will be 6 weeks before they get here.
But they are on the way

Todd, were the in HE$$ are they shipping them from to take that long

Have you ever heard the expression " a slow boat from China"?

Yea,,,, I hear ya... By the way I really like Jim Beam and Water in school

These engines are made in China!!!!???? Even so, you would think that BME would front the money to air-ship the cranks from overseas, if that's the case, since it has already been 2+years in the making of this engine. I mean, there are customers eagerly awaiting this thing which was supposed to be here "very soon" three months ago, and they are tacking on another 6+ weeks when they could have cut it down to a few days...I don't get it.

Originally Posted by bodywerks

These engines are made in China!!!!???? Even so, you would think that BME would front the money to air-ship the cranks from overseas, if that's the case, since it has already been 2+years in the making of this engine. I mean, there are customers eagerly awaiting this thing which was supposed to be here "very soon" three months ago, and they are tacking on another 6+ weeks when they could have cut it down to a few days...I don't get it.

Keith said he wasn't going to "pre-advertise" new stuff he was building anymore. . I guess he should have listened to his own advice.

Now Bodywerks,,,, nobody said China

It is a difficult position to be in- you want to release some information regarding your new product to generate interest, but you don't want to have people waiting an unreasonable amount of time for it to be available. I am in the product development "business" and I know for a fact that 9 out of 10 times things take longer to go into production than estimated. It may be a problem with a vendor, a small tweak here or there, but it is understandable.

-Ryan

Originally Posted by RTK

Now Bodywerks,,,, nobody said China

They didn't??

Uh. . . two MAJOR engine manufacturers get parts form a place in. . Dare I say it . ."China". . be it Taiwan, Mainland China, or a province thereof. Cylinders, matched pistons and rings, and many other parts all come across the "pond" on a "slow boat from China". One company is American. . one is German.

How do I know. . I have a friend who imports ARF's and has contacts in that area of the world. . .He was checking out some things. . .for another friend . .and was given a walk through of a factory in "China" .. GEEE. . .will you look at ALL those Cylinders with the XX and YY logos on them ! ! !

C'mon guys. . get real. . you think an American foundry can supply these pieces for the same price? It's like 10 cents on the Dollar, even considering the shipping, to have the parts made "over there"


If I was going to build engiens the way these guys do. . I'd even be farming out the CNC produce crankcases to a company "over there".

We are already getting complete engines, produced in-country, from places like Brazil and the Czech republik. . Ever heard of Kroma, ZDZ, MVVS, Evolution, Evo, and a few other Gas engines that are being sold?? How long do you think it will take before BME and DA are having ALL their parts produced "over there" and just do the final assembly here in the USA? It's sound business practice, since you can make a PROFIT.

Ever stop to think how much a DA 150 costs DA to produce?? how bout any of the other engines out there like 3W, BME, or one of the ones I previously mentioned?

Kris,,,I have been told what a few of the parts cost on these engines, most people would be surprised. There is just something about China that always seems to rub me wrong. I guess it is in there business practices and forced labor that no country can compete with that bugs me.

Guys, I don't know where these parts are made. I was trying to make a joke with the "slow boat from China" line. I guess that I will have to be more careful with my working in the future.

Again, I hae no Idea there these are made.

Originally Posted by toddblose

The 55 cranks have been shipped so it will be 6 weeks before they get here.
But they are on the way

Unless I misunderstood this quote, it soulds to me like he is saying that the crankshafts will be here in 6 weeks. The only way it would take 6 weeks to get to Kieth's shop is if they are being shipped from overseas, i.e. not USA made? Unless he meant the cranks have been shipped and the engines will be here in 6 weeks -I hope I did read that wrong...
I don't care where they are made, really, but if I read this right the first time, then it truly IRKS me that an extra few hundred bucks weren't spent to keep the cranks off the boat and put them in a plane instead to get them here in 6 days instead of 6 weeks. The last time I spoke to Kieth, he said that the cranks were the only thing he has been waiting on. As a manufacturer, I wouldn't want to wait an extra 6 weeks, unnecessarily, to start making some money.

Perhaps you should offer your services, as Production Manager, to BME for a salary that will still allow them to make money .. . .Sayyy. . . . .$1/year?

All this great advice. . yet no one wants to step up and help out. . gotta love it.

It' more like 100-125 POUNDS of material when you are looking at a large number of crankshaft Assemblies. Probably not something the factory will ship air freight in the first place.

What can we do to help? I would have gladly paid an extra $20-30 to get the engine here 6 weeks sooner. I'm sure there are at least 20 people out there willing to do the same - that would have covered the extra charge to expedite the shipping, if in fact these cranks are on a boat somewhere right now. Do you know, Kris? I still haven't heard yeah or nay on that...

I really don't worry about when they will get here. But they are being shipped, which means that Keith is happy with the final design, and will be able to produce them en masse when the crank assemblies arrive.

6 weeks gives me just enough time to build another plane for the BME55. guess I should get started ..