A while ago I posted an inquiry about a possible group buy for the Hammerly hitch. Many of you were interested, but now I can't find the thread. Anyway, you may remember my last post was to the effect that Harrold would not be able to do this for a while. On Friday, I got the following message from him:

"Hello Bill,
Just a quick update on the hitches, I got the final drawings back from the engineer today and have several shops lined up for quotes on cutting and bending parts, I will be emailing the prints this weekend and will be making a test hitch as soon as I get the parts made.
I will have a price by the end of next week.

Harold"

I wrote back thanking him for the update and asked him to also let me know what the group-buy price would be and how many orders we would need to get the group-buy price. So there may be hope yet. Stay tuned!

Bill

PS. I don't know how the new design will be different from the old, but I asked him if he could tell us.

 

Do you know why he's redesigning the old hitch?

 

Not really sure. I think it had more to do with ease of production than problems with performance.

 

Bill, thanks for staying on top of this.

Let Harold know pics will tell us a lot of things and we really want info on the new design.

 

From my reading of the email above, it doesn't look as if Harold is redesigning the hitch, just farming our the metal fabrication. Or maybe I can't read

Bill, did he mention something in a conversation or thread which makes you comment on a redesign?

 

Yes, in e-mails he said he was working on the design. Now, it could just be working out all the details for production purposes. I hadn't though of that. I don't really know who made his hitches up to now. If he was doing it himself, he may have had some steps and techniques that had to be reduced to drawings for a third party.

 

Ok, here is the latest from Harold:

"Here is a copy of one of the preliminary drawings, I had to send it back for some small changes, the hitch is very similar to the old design but it has fewer parts, I'm outsourcing some of them that have to be laser cut and bent. By the way I still have one left from the last batch if you know of someone looking for one now.
I still don't have a price but I have sent out the drawings for pricing, and I will give you guys a discount but let me see where I am before I give you a price.

Harold"

Sorry, I don't know how to cut and paste drawings. (computer dunce!) BTW, I told him I have first dibs on his last remaining old hitch, as I would like to get my hitch/trailer/tire issues resolved this month for the first event in April. Even if I buy his old one, I'll keep working with him on the details for this group buy.

I'm thinking that once the new hitches are being made and the pricing is set, I'll post the sale details here. If Harold requests a minumum number, then I'll keep track of committed buyers, and when we reach the required number, I'll notify Harold of the names of the buyers and provide the buyers with Harold's payment and contact information. It will then be up to the buyers and Harrold to deal with payment and shipment and any warranty issues. I hope nobody minds, but I don't want to be responsible for taking money and delivering product.

 

I am in for one also. Please keep us updated.

 

I bought his very last 1st generation hitch, so I am out of any group buy that may happen in the future. His new hitch is not in production yet. He doesn't even have an acceptable bid from the metal workers yet. I do not know when his new hitches will be available. When they are, I will let you know by posting here. It will be up to Harold to take and fill the orders.

Please know that this isn't "my" group buy. I'm not sure how this is going to turn out, and I really don't know anything about the new design. If you are interested in this, make sure you do your homework.

 

Is there a best way to get in contact with him?