I originally paid for this bundle in
December 2012 (around
December 10th) and the first major development on the run came with Neil announcing on
December 25th that the list was full. The next big update came in on
January 20th, showing off the rivets, bolts, washers and L-Brackets for the Packs and the ten motherboards that'd been cut for the customers on the run. At this point in time there had been a few minor delays, but these were due to Neil going through the process of relocating to Arizona with his family. He further elaborated that his son would be born some time in March.
-Overall the updates through January were fairly regular, and we'd been given some options regarding the choice of screws and protective padding which tided us over until Neil was ready to begin work on the shells.
With Neil posting on
February 2nd that their move to Arizona was complete, he indicated that he'd start casting the shells the week of
February 4th-10th. Neil also mentioned that he'd be modifying the top of the Power Cell, and filling in the platform next to the Clippard valve, both of which were welcome modifications.
The next project update arrived on
February 25th, missing a intended update for the weekend of
February 2nd-rd, at this point it still didn't bother those who were following the thread's progress. In his update Neil mentioned that a blizzard, and lack of adequate heating in his workshop were causing delays... and that an incorrectly made guide for the Power Cell windows would also lead to another delay - but that he planned to post pictures of the cutting process for the Power Cells once the correct guide was sent to him. To make up for these minor delays, Neil also produced his offer for the protective foam.
By
February 26th, the replacement Power Cell had arrived, and temperatures were beginning to rise in Arizona, it was also here that Neil announced that he and his wife would be heading off to the hospital for the birth of their son.
-The updates through February were more sporadic compared to the previous month, although this could easily be explain as being the knock-on effect of getting the house and shop together, and the inclement weather.
The next major update appeared on
May 13th, featuring the protective foam. Although there had been sporadic updates during the March-April-May period, those that were updates on the Pack shells included occasional promises of more detailed updates which never materialised. It was around this time that the other customers and I were starting to have to post in the topic asking for updates.
May 21st brought a significant update, featuring photos of Neil cutting out the Power Cell and Cyclotron windows, full shots of one of the completed shells, assembly shots of one of the motherboards and another photo showing five completed motherboards... this was an update that was long overdue and welcome.
In answer to a question about shipping dates, Neil stated he should have a better idea by Memorial Day (
May 27th)
link -We understood that some of the delays/lack of updates from the previous three month period were due to issues relating to Neil's son, and on them coming to grips with becoming parents.
On
June 10th Neil announced that he had finished the last of the motherboards, and that he was working on casting the rest of the shells, although he noted that the high temperatures Arizona was experiencing were causing issues with the quality control of the shells.
As of this update there was no clear indication how many shells had been completed, nor was there an indication of when he would start shipping the completed shells.
- There was only one update for the entire month of June.
On
July 2nd Neil updated to say that the installation of the climate control in his shop had been postponed, and that the various weather conditions with heat and projected thunderstorms might cause further delays. He continued to relay assurances of regular updates which did not occur. It was becoming common for various customers on the shell run to ask for updates as Neil hadn't stopped by the topic.
- July also only featured one update, and was a fairly minor one at that.
Neil posted a photo update on
August 17th, featuring a full shell/motherboard/bumper bundle that was recently completed (although he didn't mention whose bundle it was). Neil explained that his lack of updates for the July-August period were due to him having been hospitalised, and that the heat had been causing many of his pulls to be rejects.
It was also in this update that Neil had mentioned having produced two Pack commissions which taken to California on two separate trips, and that the project had overwhelmed him. He concluded his post with the usual promise of more photos to follow.
On
August 19th I asked Neil directly how many shells he'd completed, in answer he replied with the vague "a few". Subsequent attempts to find out how many shells were finished and how many were still yet to be pulled would result in further vague answers. In his response he indicated that
Michael Scott's shell would be the next to ship, followed by
Kevinj319 and then mine (Numbers 8, 4 and 2 on his original list respectively). He also mentioned that he'd taken on two additional customers prior to making the list, who weren't even listed on it.
-I found it extremely puzzling that he was shipping the shell bundles out of the order in which the interest was expressed in his topic's opening post.
On
August 28th Neil asked for clarification from
Ectofiend666 (number 9 on the list), Kevin and myself on a selection of details for our respective bundles. Neil indicated there would be a photo update on the 29th which came and went - Neil explained that the update hadn't appeared because he was having problems with his camera, and that they would be posted on the 31st, that promised update also didn't appear.
-August proved to be one of the most well updated months since the early half of 2013.
On
September 1st Neil indicated that Michael's bundle would be posted on
September 3rd, he also indicated that
Ernest Reid (Number 1 on the list) would also be posted that week.
Neil updated on
September 5th with a
photo update, showing four completed motherboards and four waiting to be finished - something I didn't pick up on at the time but strange to see considering he'd said back in August that
"all motherboards had been mounted with brackets".
Along with this photo update, Neil indicated that Ernest and Michael's bundles were packed up ready to post, and that Kevin's shell was the one photographed on the work bench ready to be worked on.
On
September 8th Michael received his shell bundle[/b].
-September also proved to be a reasonably good month for photo updates.
Following yet more requests for an update, Neil posted on
September 20th indicating that he'd have a photo update for Kevin and I on the 21st, that update was eventually posted on the 25th. In the
September 25th update Neil featured Ernest's shell bundle, where he also indicated he'd been working on a set of Gozer Temple pieces for him. In the update he also posted pictures of what he indicated were Kevin's shell and mine nearing completion. Neil indicated that Kevin's bundle and Mine would be posted some time between
September 30th and
October 2nd.
In
October 3rd's update, Neil confirmed that he was still finishing Kevin's bundle and mine, now running behind schedule.
In response to Kevin's request for an update on
October 13th, Neil indicated that neither Kevin's bundle nor mine had yet been posted, now running over a week behind schedule.
On
October 20th Neil posted a photo update of two boxed bundles, indicating they were Kevin's and mine. I received a private message the same day which I got the tracking info from.
By
October 31st it'd become apparent that there was some issue with the postage of Kevin's bundle and mine. Neil indicated through similarly vague explanations that the issue related to the weight somehow, and that was holding up the packages... however it didn't explain why neither package had been scanned in upon being received at Neil's post office.
-October proved okay for updates, although with some large quiet gaps in between.
-November passed with no progress updates on any of the other shell bundles, meanwhile Neil had able to retrieve the two bundles, create new shipping labels and was ready to post them for a second time by the end of November.
On
December 5th (5 days shy of the first anniversary of the run beginning) Neil posts a minor update explaining the progress with posting Kevin's bundle and mine, and indicating that
cjm and
noslliT's (numbers 6 and 3) bundles were ready to ship, pending the outcome of Kevin's and mine, and that
ThePeferctDecoy,
Wiss and
Jessejames51's shells (Numbers 7, 5 and 10 respectively) were cast and just needed cleaning up.
On
December 6th Neil mentions the names of more buyers who weren't on the interest list.
On
December 12th (two days past the anniversary point) Neil posted a photo update featuring cjm and nosllit's shell bundles packaged up, as well as ThePeferctDecoy's and Wiss's unmodified shells. Jessejames51's shell was also pictured, still in the mould. Of interest, there were also three incomplete motherboards behind the shells.
In a minor update on
December 19th, Neil indicates that his internet router has apparently been on the fritz, leading to delays in posting photo updates.
On
December 28th Neil updated both Kevin and I to say that there'd been no movement on either of our bundles during the second attempt to post them, and that they appeared to have gone AWOL. Due to this Neil explains that he has replicated our orders and intends to post them on
December 30th.
Although Neil had said he'd
"done them up per their order details", Neil didn't drill out the holes in the N-Filter on the new shell like he had with what he'd indicated to be my previous one. He also supplied me with a set of 10/32 sized bolts for the Bumper, rather than the 1/4 screws I'd requested. Further to this, despite having alluded to
nuts being included with the bolts for the Bumper, none were included with my order.
Neil indicates that at some point in the following days, he intends to ship cjm's and noslliT's bundles, and finish Wiss's and Jessejames51's.
December 30th: 89 days after the earliest estimate that my Pack shell and Kevin's would start making their journey through the postal system, we both finally see our bundles moving and getting zapped as they make their way across the United States.
On
January 3rd Kevin received his Proton Pack bundle.
On
January 10th Neil informs me he forgot to include the bolts for my Proton Pack Bumper in my bundle, and that he'll be posting them off shortly. I receive tracking info the same day.
On
January 14th my Proton Pack bundle (minus Bumper bolts) arrives, although there was a customs charge it was a lot less than I was expecting, about £30.
On
January 28th the bolts for my Pack's bumper arrive, where after studying them a little I determine they're the incorrect size from the ones I specified months ago.
Neil posts on
January 17th that he's suffered a nasty burn to his foot. Undoubtedly this will have an effect on the remainder of the shells.
As of this account on
January 28th, 2014, so far only four of the ten packs on the interest list have been marked as posted.