How it all Began

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Let it begin!!

Some of our plans have changed and we didnt have much time to get our things together. We are tapping our own trees this year, instead of just helping out on others. I couldnt decide which heat source I wanted to go with, propane or wood. We are only doing 20 taps and aren't going too crazy. I did end up deciding this week we are doing wood and made a simple cinder block arch today. If we had known all along that we would be tapping our own trees. I would have made myself one of the sweet arches that I made for sale last year. We tapped yesterday and checked this afternoon. Not much doing but weather wasn't prime either. We ended up with a gallon or so of sap so nothing worth cooking. We did want to do a test boil on the arch to see how it was and what we need to tweak before the real stuff is on. We had a good boil in about 25 minutes and hard boil in 30-35. This being said, I am not the best fire starter and some of that time was me trying to get the fire going. Gasket for the top is in order this week. Flue slots on the front plate, and dividers in the pan are also called for. Overall I'm satisfied with the start and look forward to the fun we will have this season.

Shop pics

A good friend of mine designed this label for me and we just received them back from printing. We are excited to have these on our pans from now on!!

I got this idea from another blog of a fabricator who also works with stainless. Thought the concept was great. Saves paper, laquer thinner wipes it clean.

This pan is for the same friend who designed the logo. He is a photographer and I thougt he would like the perspectives and abstract pics of this phase of the pan. Its a 3 x 4 continuous flow pan with a draw off box.

A little fun
Thought I'd post a fun picture. This fall I tried my biking skills in Cyclocross and found it to be one of the most exciting type of bike racing that I've done so far. European influence in this sport is proven through the ringing of bells. You've probably heard them in the Olympics when held in European countries. Well the size of the bells is typically small and have a mid to high pitch sound. A friend of mine and I had the idea, while watching our first cyclocross race, to make the MEGA BELL. I acted on that and came up with this. The common sized bell is pictured in front of the bell I made. My family rang, as best they could, as I raced in Milwaukee and man is it loud!! It turned some heads and got some serious attention. It measures 22" tall and weighs 15lbs. Made of 14ga stainless and then grained by hand.

Finishing pans/ hydrometer cups
Things have been steady around the shop and its been a while since I've posted pictures so here we go.

Stack of 15 x 15 finishing pans waiting to be polished and have fittings welded in. There's another stack behind but I was trying to be creative with the best angle(trying not to catch the shop clutter in the picture)

Showing one of the stages of a partial order of some hydrometer cups for a customer. These are 1.5 x 9 that this customer prefers. I do also offer the 2 x 8 cups. These will all have handles welded on and be polished before shipping.

New Year Sale
I have run specials on a couple of my pan sizes and now its time to run the 2 x 2. From now til January 8 I am offering them for $230. Normal price on the 2 x 2 is $250. Be sure to mention this post to get in on the deal. I do also have stainless valves available for $25 each. I found a new supplier this year and these are even better than last year's valves. Both are good quality but I like these better.
Recovery
Happy new year...early. Well anyway, I hope you had a great Christmas with families and friends. I know it is usually hectic trying to fit all the visits in.

My wife is still in the hospital recovering and we are hoping she will be home today or tomorrow. Praise the Lord the surgery went very well and the doctor was very pleased with the results. Luckily I have some great friends who have been available to help in the shop while I was away with my wife.
Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas to everyone!! I hope you enjoy this season with friends and family. Remember what this season is for and that Christ is Christmas.

We did enjoy our day yesterday with my mom, dad and brother. Lots of traveling and eating...good combo. Dylan and Parker will be in the Christmas morning program at our church then off to Grandma and Grandpa's house for yet another Christmas. This year we are really enjoying the time with family and relaxing before Abby's surgery on Tuesday. Thank you for your notes and emails letting us know you are praying. They have been encouraging. God has been good to us through everything!!

Time to finish my coffee and get going.... have a great day everyone.

Well December has proven to be a busy month so far!! I love this time of year when we can look forward to snow, seeing family, and being together. Can't wait to see the reaction on my boys faces Christmas morning. We are keeping things smiple this Christmas and focusing on the real reason why we celebrate.
My youngest is having his tonsils,adnoids removed and tubes put in his ears on Wednesday so please pray for him. My wife will also be having a major operation on the 27th and will be recovering for 4-6 weeks. Please keep her and me in prayer at that time. One of the things I love about the people I have had the oportunity to meet and talk to in the maple syrup community, is that I have been encouraged from other Christians, and hopefully was an encouragement also. We know that God will provide, and take care of us according to how He sees fit. I'm good with that.

I finally was able to fix some pricing, picture, and product things that needed to be addressed. I added the 16 x 30 pan set, and 2 x 4 pans to the product listing. Updated a few pictures, and prices on the upgraded design that we implimented for the upcoming season.
We are shipping to Canada
I've had several emails lately asking about shippments to Canada. We will happily ship our smaller pans via USPS to Canada. Although we are unable to ship our 2 x 3's or larger. Email for a quote on shipping prices if interested. Andy@wegnermetalworks.com
2 x 4 flat pan
As of today Sunday, December 4. I'm down to my last 2 x 4 flat pan. These have sold better than my predictions this year. $350 + shipping will buy you a pan that you will love the look and performance of.

I know you will be satisfied when you open that brown box. Due to my work schedule and my wife having major surgery at the end of December I most likely have all my stock premade for the season. We have a full inventory of all my stock sizes 2 x 3, 2 x 2, 16 x 30, preheaters, and 15 x 15 filter/bottling pans. Email me or call for order info andy@wegnermetalworks.com, 920-660-6646
Email
I apologize if any emails have been kicked back to you. In this day and age of mobile technology, I've been doing most of my emailing on my phone, and not on my webserver. Well anyway, my email box was full of 900+ emails. So I emptied and tested, and we are good to go. If you have received an email kick back, please re-send and I will reply promptly.

Thank you
Andy
Holiday special 16 x 30 pan sets
We will be selling our 16 x 30 pan sets for $300 from today until the end of the month.

The set includes a 16 x 30 x 7 main pan with 1/2" Npt fitting for drain, and a 16 x 10 x 6 feeder pan with 1/2" npt fitting for drain.

(stainless ball valve are available seperately for $25 ea)

Winter fun
Well we've been busy plugging away in the shop. We have a good inventory of standard pans, and have wrapped up a few custom jobs as well. We've been receiving great feedback from our customers on the improvements we've made to our design. I'm very satisfied with how things are looking for 2012 sap season.

Those who know me, know how much I love racing. Well this year was a good year of racing. I started with running the Bellin 10k. Then I ran the Tough Mudder which lived up to its claims of "probably the toughest event on the planet". That was 11 miles up and down ski hills with 25 military obstacles. The week after I ran the Lambeau 5k, which was cool because it had us run through the Packers tunnel and around the football field to the finish line. Then to Cycling. The reforestation ramble was a 24 mile cross country mountain bike race. We use that as a gauge to what shape we were in for the Fat Tire 40 which was a 40 mile point to point cross country bike race. I felt like dying during that one. I raced the last of the 2011 WORS series race in Sheboygan about a month ago. Somewhere in the middle there was the ALMS races at Road America. I had the opportunity to participate in an awesome fundraiser called the Tour de Road America. We got to ride the race track for a few hours and proceeds went to the Livestrong, and Austin Hatcher foundations.

Cyclocross season kicked off and I did my first race in that series in Milwaukee at Estabrook park. Next is the Wizard cross in Madison on December 4. That should cap off the cycling race season. Then my sole focus will be on our pans and syrup season. Well that and staying in shape for next racing season.

My next experiment will be including some pieces that will have some smiliarities to this....

Putting things in full swing
Things are in full swing in the shop, and I believe seeing the progress being made is giving me more entheusiasm for the upcoming season. We are working on a few new things, but don't know if it will make it for spring 2012. Thank you for following. I hear weekly from people who have been watching us grow, and like where we are going. Another great thing is hearing from customers who purchased last year or the year before, wanting to expand and purchase larger pans. I'm looking forward to a new prospective place to boil this coming season. I know the boys will love it too!!

Please refer to our pricing on the blog for current pricing. I'm not too tech savy and trying to get around to new pictures and pricing on the website.
Coldstone Creamery pan
I've been busy trying to juggle, overtime,family and the buisness. I've been in the shop as much as possible, and trying to keep up with orders. I apologize for any delays in shipments. I'm looking forward to what the next season will bring. My syrup is getting low and can't wait to get some more fresh. I'm still limiting custom orders until I feel more comfortable with my stock sized pans.

While working on stock size pans and inventory for the 2012 season I also have done a few custom stainless pieces. One I just finished is a Freezer drain pan for the Coldstone Creamery.

Our own private label coffee!!
I love great tasting coffee, and I guess I'm spoiled to have a small, locally owned, coffee shop in my back yard. So while I was working the other day(maybe under the influence of welding gas, and fumes) I thought about approaching the coffee house about roasting a custom taylored blend for Wegner Metal Works. Something that would taste great while sitting next to the arch, or in the sugar shack. I met with Luna Cafe today and they are working on my blend. We will have the first samples on Monday, and will be offering a special sugarshack blend. It will be a medium to dark roast coffee. We will keep you posted.
This coffee shop roasts in house, and has been in business since 2000. They are a small business that I would like to keep going. Franchises can come and go, but I respect the small businessman who sticks their necks out to make a go of it. Mark is doing a great job!

On another note: We are running a promotion. Now til July 23rd( race day) we will be donating $10 from every sale to the Wounded Warrior Project. I am running in the Tough Mudder who is a supporter of this project, and I would like to make a bigger donation with your help. Call or email us to place these orders as they will apply to non-ebay sales only.

ANDY@WEGNERMETALWORKS.COM 920-660-6646
Off Season
First of all I want to say thank you to all the people who have been following my work. I've been dropping the ball with posts, and thought I'd write an update. We changed our overall design a little this year and have been getting very positive feedback from our customers. I feel satisfied with the outcome. The quality is better than last year (last year was great also, but there's always room for improvement right?). Now that things have slowed, I'm taking time with the family and getting out more. I felt like a hermit crab in my shop shell for 6 months. My boys 4 and 7 are enjoying my time with them as much as I am. We are getting ready for the 4th and looking forward to some time on lake Michigan shore, and the Independence Day festivities.

I have also started training for some races. My wife and I ran in a 10k a few weeks back. A friend of mine talked me into running in the Tough Mudder. Haven't heard about it? Check it out, pretty intense. I also have a 40 mile cross country mountain bike race called the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 that comes in September. Trying to work off the flab I gained by not eating right, or not at all during winter busy time.

So during the off season I am working on next season's equipment. Feel free to call or email with any questions or orders. 920-660-6646, or Andy@wegnermetalworks.com

Enjoy our Independence this 4th of July and remember how God has blessed us with our freedom.
New design ,and pricing
We will be finished with lasering, and will be starting production on our 2012 season pans. We have made a few improvements to them. We have added an extra bend on the top lip to gived it a rolled edge. This will improve strength to the top and will eliminate all sharp edges. We have standardized our height to 8". Last season we had 7" flats and 8" divided. We found that the extra inch was an added benefit. Pricing is on the blog here and on eBay. We will be updating pictures, products, and prices on the website shortly.

We are accepting pre orders which we do incourage, to help eliminate some of the "last minute rush".

Call or email us. 920-660-6646, or Andy@wegnermetalworks.com

We're winding down with the pans for the season. I hope everyone has a good syrup season this year. We have a couple 2 x 2's and a few 2 x 4's left. We are excited to prepare for next season's improved design.
Finish pan Pics

I received the first of several pictures I had taken of my pans. Pictures were taken by Mark Hawkins Photography. 15 x 15 finish pan with lid and filter tray. This pan isn't pictured with optional 1/4" thermometer fitting.
Superbowl Sunday
Its superbowl Sunday and I'm catching up on a few orders(on the computer). No work in the shop today as with all Sunday. A guy needs to take one day off right? I have 2 new helpers this year. Dan and Ryan. Dan is a college student and does great work. Ryan was let go from his employer. We have been keeping up on orders better this year than last. We are still about a week out, but less stressful. We have 3 more 15 x 15 pans, and 5 16 x 30 pan sets left. Still have a few 2 x 3's and 2 x 2's also. Our evaporator is finished and ready for sale. See our Facebook page for some simple pictures i took with my phone. My photographer will be shooting it professionaly tomorrow for website pictures. Can't wait to tap and get some syrup!! We just ran out.

GO PACK!!!
Ready for the season?
As can be expected, we've been busy preping for the season. Customers have been giving good feedback on our facebook page, and it has been fun interacting on that platform. We have more stainless fittings available this season. If there are any fittings you need, send me an email and I will get you some pricing.

The Lord has been blessing our family and this business, and am thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the maple syrup community. It has been great dealing with you all, and I am enjoy it very much.

I will try to update the blog more frequently, but can only do it as time allows.
Custom pan

Been busy in the shop working on custom projects, and getting ready for the season. Almost finished with this pan for Doug in Michigan. It is a 2 x 2 with 3 dividers and 2 draw off boxes. It has the modified top that I have been putting on the custom pans. Sorry for the grainy photos, I took these with my phone on the way out of the shop for the night.

Finish/ Bottling Pan Giveaway on Facebook
Become a fan of WEGNER METAL WORKS LLC on Facebook and we will draw a name from the fans Jan. 1, 2011 and post the winner on our company facebook page. The drawing will be for one 15 x 15 finish unit.

Shop pics
Since this is a family business. I thought I'd get a few photos of the family helping in their own ways. Here Abby ( my wife) is helping to peel some of the laser film back before it gets welded.

Dylan is helping sweep up some dust.

Parker is being a good 4 year old and making us laugh.

Custom pan for Doug in Michigan.

Today we cut our front with the plasma cutter. Fits great and we are going to send in to get the rest lasered as soon as we fire this one up.

About Us

Learn about us and how we started.

Andy Wegner officially incorporated Wegner Metal Works LLC in November 2009. His "maple syrup" work, however, actually started in January 2009 when a friend, who wanted to get into sugaring, asked him to make a set of stainless evaporator pans... he did. From that favor the idea for Wegner Metal Works was born. In a little less than a year, Andy has gone from using equipment in offsite locations to having a fully operational in-house machine/welding shop. Also, during this time, God has blessed Wegner Metal Works with international sales as well as local sales.

We are grateful for the opportunities God has given us and look forward to what He will do in the future!