What's kind of funny but kind of sad about your comment is that you say in 2007, Weber didn't have a 14" WSM in the warehouse, but I acquired a pristine Model 1880 in 2004, had documented it on the WSM History page, but no one from Weber ever reached out to me about it. Granted, I put most of the key measurements online, but if I had been asked to send it to Palatine so you guys could pour over it, take measurements, etc. it would have been a privilege for me to let Weber borrow it for a while. I guess it says something about the mindset at that time.
Having said that,
my visit in 2009 to go over the 22" WSM with Ernie and Gary and you (!) and Tony and Erich and Ben was a highlight of my barbecue career!
P.S. Is this you with the long hair behind the umbrella pole?
http://virtualweberbullet.com/weberhqvisit_photos/lunch2-1024.jpg
Haha! That IS me but my hair was much shorter at the time. I don't think my long-haired, energetic enthusiasm ever went well with my direct boss (not a Stephen family member). LOL.
Even back then I had been lurking on this and a couple other forums for a long time. Jim Stephen, Erich, myself, we had read up on this "minion method" and cooking with sand and foil and Jim set me out to "try it all" and look into reviving the WSM.
Weber (at least at the time) was very concerned and secretive of this invention called "fire" and didn't exactly know how to harness the power of forums, connections, the Internet and at the same time maintain and develop private, ethical, trusting non-disclosures, etc. It was the weirdest thing since I already possessed Secret Service clearance (when I designed currency counters and counterfeit detectors for Cummins-Allison) and FBI/Gaming commission clearance (when designing slot machines for WMS Gaming). I knew there was a great wealth of information that was available if done correctly. Instead it was a "we invented it so we know more and we don't need them" mentality.
Your visit was definitely a highlight for me as well because many people had been developing their own 22s, I had been following this forum, clearly there was The BBQ Movement "Hey Weber, just because YOU don't know about it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist!" To see your face and excitement as a true fan and expert and be on location, I know it was something special for you after all your hard work. Certainly it had really meant something to all of the people here, so having you at Weber... well -You were there!
Once in a while someone would show up with an old grill in an odd color, a first gen Genesis -something. Weber would offer them a new grill in exchange for a old one just to complete the collection. While the various names like The Statesman, Caribbean, Galley Que, there seemed to be those examples in the "museum" and around the office, it was things like the 1880 and the electric Kettle of the early 70s and the more oddballs that they never kept. I was never in the inner, inner circle, so I never was in the "museum" beyond looking through the door. I think they had someone maintain the cars and dust things off once in a while. So perhaps they had one in there buried next to the Sequoia. Maybe it is cataloged.. I don't know.
While the cooking was fun, many of the people were very nice like Erich, Ted, Gary G., Stan G., it was also odd in many ways and a throwback in time. As a motivated individual, it was aggravating and frustrating, HIGHLY micro-managed, politics and well... That's why it's called work and they pay you to come in. In contrast, that's why you pay to go to Disneyland! I'm much more suited to the tech industry and with those who are more current and progressive.
I've had a lot of good fortune being an engineer and worked on some really cool stuff. Every time I get a piece of mail with that skinny white barcode label, that goes back to a machine I designed for Bell & Howell going back to 1995. I've done tons of microphones for Knowles who sell MILLIONS in a month -cellohones, headphone drivers, hearing aids. In all likelihood your cellphone has one of mine inside -not to mention the joystick of the Nintendo 3DS.
Funny story. When I started Weber, Erich showed me where to go to the outlet store on the property for some parts. We're waiting for a break in the customers that were there and at the time Kevin K was still working behind the counter (he was such an enthusiast, this was before he was moved to marketing). He was trying to count some bills from the cash transactions but something was amiss. I asked him to hold on, I popped open the device, made an adjustment and all that and it worked fine. He asked how I knew what to do and I said, "Oh I designed that about 4 years ago..." So Weber was just a blip in my crazy career. Good times!
Ok.. I just totally hijacked this thread.
