First Ash Pan

[Idahawk]

I managed to come across a man who was at Weber from 1955 to 1959

His father who was also at Weber at the time pictured here on the left along side George was the President.

Photo 1953-54 International Housewares Expo Chicago

He was able to explain to me the early history of the kettles and one specific question I had was about the ash pans .

He stated that this style was in use when he arrived in 55 , and that they were made in house on a brake press a simple process


He left the company in 1959 and had not seen this style while he was  there


He explained that these were drawn and the company wasn't set up for drawing then and that style had came along after his time,  post 59'

[SixZeroFour]

Just an amazing story Idahawk - I hope you share more of it with us as well!!

To actually speak to someone who was there to witness the start of it all is incredible!

[mhiszem]

I agree, I love hearing about the progression of their design and how it got to where it is today.

[Idahawk]

George's father was the majority stock holder in the company and so George  was able to experiment with different products , looking for a " home run "The company at that time was what they called a job shop , they would build small runs of spun or stamped parts for various companies and they also produced a few products themselves . When we talk about the progression of the style were really talking more about having access to new tools to make the process faster and more cost efficient. As my source put it , " the tail started wagging the dog " and the company with all stock holders involved had to make a choice , invest serous capital for machinery to run with this idea or not . They took the safe road and subbed out most of the parts to other companies, a wait and see approach . After Georges fathers death he became the majority stock holder and as they say the rest is history. The waiting for George was over

By 1955 the only things that Weber were making in house  were the Ash pans( the brake pressed aluminum versions ) and vents.
Legs , metal handles , bowls and lids, wheels and tires as well as the porcelain enamel process were all done elsewhere and then assembled at Weber , this process was carried on to Wood Dale until the company could buy the equipment they needed to cut out the middle man as it were.

Edit( The Ranch Type ) it's thought that these were still being spun in house in 55" and not being drawn .

[MartyG]

This all reminds me I have an unwritten interview with one of Weber's early suppliers who helped them transition from spun to stamped kettles. I have it on tape, just need to transcribe. I'll try to get that done in the next week or so.

[harris92]

  Here are a couple interesting examples of rounded utility pans: 

Weber Bros Metal Works - this would pre-date 1959









Snipers 18.5" Sky Blue  - one of the oldest kettles we have seen so far (blank lid vent).

http://weberkettleclub.com/blog/2013/12/26/1956-57-sky-blue-18-5-kettle/

[SixZeroFour]

All good info guys - hopefully collectively we can finally pin down some exact dates on some of these older WBMW kettles.

There's so much uncertainty about the very early years so the more of the puzzle we can all put together the better. It would be awesome to eventually get hard confirmation of all design tweaks right from the start.

[Craig]

@Idahawk  Great stuff! This most definitely helps to get closer to nail down some dates for some 50s kettles. The wheels and the handles (metal bowl handles/lid handles) being supplied doesn't surprise me. I have seen tool boxes with the exact shape of the old Weber MBH/MLH shape. I know that into the 70s, the half rubber plastic/all plastic wheels were supplied from outside, still are I think? Between your interview and @MartyG 's this is a gold mine of info.

[mike.stavlund]

Fascinating.  Thanks to all of y'all for collecting this information that would otherwise be lost. 

[Idahawk]

Q&A  topic - Ashpan
Transcript of conversation regarding early ash pans with former employee and son of the president of the company at that time.

I sent him photos and allowed him to study them and then make comment , I'm calling him HK for privacy reasons .

First photo




HK - this picture of the bottom of a pan ...I don't think we made those , I think that was after they left ..*

HK-Because this is not a formed pan like the aluminum ones in  those earlier pictures *

Me - ok

HK- you see what I talking about here ? Rounded corners and its a drawn pan .

Me - like it was pushed out or stamped , you mean ?

HK - Yes

HK - so I don't anything about that  laugh .. that was after my time

HK - let me go back to the next one ..

Second photo



HK - laugh - I've never seen anything like that one *

But that's an old aluminum....bottom that we used

Me - did you make those ?

HK- We formed those... That was when it was still in Chicago ..we formed those , it was just an easy form on a press brake .

Me - ok


* earlier pictures - he's referring to several of the old demo cook photos I had sent him for review .

* after they left - here he's referring to when George along with the majority of stock in the company moved to Wood Dale , HKs father who was president and a minority stock holder at this time made a deal with George to purchase the job shop and the contracts they had , a few short years later HK became president of that company and he relocated it .

* Here he's referring to  looking at the repair done to my WBMW.

[Troy]

Great post Ida!!

I think some of these details conflict with other factoids that were already pretty solid.

Craig and the rest of the age team will have a fun time figuring all of this out, haha

[dazzo]

Thanks Idahawk!

So...

"...I don't think we made those , I think that was after they left .."

Does that make the rounded ones a little newer than the formed (straight) ones?

Or...

The round ones were possibly "aftermarket"?

I'm enjoying this thread!

Thanks!


Oh Yeah, go Pack!          

[Troy]

Thanks Idahawk!

So...

"...I don't think we made those , I think that was after they left .."

Does that make the rounded ones a little newer than the formed (straight) ones?

Or...

The round ones were possibly "aftermarket"?

I'm enjoying this thread!

Thanks!


Oh Yeah, go Pack!          

not calling the man's recollection crap here... BUT

It could mean that the man's memory isn't as good as he thinks it is.
OR
He really didn't pay enough attention to the parts, but he has a memory and his brain simply filled in the gaps. (all of our brains do this)

[SixZeroFour]

or he's right and the rounded off pans are newer...

My grandma's 94 and sharper than me

It would be awesome to finally get to the bottom of this!

[Troy]

right. i'm not saying that he's wrong.
i'm just saying that i'm taking his recollection with a heavy grain of salt.

we have a lot of data to work through. separating fact from fiction is difficult.
we've literally had countless encounters of failed memory. The guy that sold me the glen blue imperial swears he got it at sears. in 79.

The human brain is dangerous. We only observe a VERY small portion of what's around us. The rest is filled in by the brain.
When it comes to memory recollection, it gets even worse - especially when other emotions like pride, honor, and ego are involved

Unless the guy's job was using the brake press to make the pans, his memory is merely a suggestion.