Hello

Greetings and thank you for signing up for our news updatesor Iron Partner. For the purposes of thanking each of you and bringing everyoneup to date, I have merged our two email lists for the time being.

2022 has been a very busy year for Appalachian Cast Iron. Inthe last 13 months, I have finished and seasoned well over 2,000 waffle makers,hundreds of skillets, and made hundreds of handle covers.  Thank you to those of you who have ordered ourwaffle maker and begun making memories with your family and friends. I reallyappreciate the emails you share with me about how much you like the product.The details are superb, and intricate. I still find myself mesmerizedoccasionally at the workshop.

Last November and December were wonderful and very long days,and we had a dozen or so friends help us to pack and ship out the firstthousand. Currently, the entire business is simply me, with occasional supportfrom my wife and oldest daughter. My wife occasionally goes to the warehouse toship iron when I am out of town. My oldest daughter is seen in a few of ourvideos and also dresses up like Rosey the Riveter to assist with seasoning onoccasion.

Many of you wonder about the inner workings of AppalachianCast Iron. So, I'll share a few details. I have been making waffles anddreaming of what my family's waffle maker would look like for several decades.A few years ago, I finally started working towards bringing it to life, so tospeak. After a couple of years of design and prototyping work, we finally receivedour initial deliveries last fall and winter. Despite the most detailed ofplanning, planned events sometimes develop differently. I investigated over 70foundries before I found a US based organization that could cast the detailsand provide the surface texture to make the product I envisioned. I'd love tosay that I designed it, but if you look at the drawings that I provided to the3D design team, you would give FAR more credit to them than to me. I am quitethankful to all involved. Prior to delivery, though, the foundry determinedthat they were not able to efficiently finish the ball joints to final dimensions.They were quite anxious about what was to be the final production test. I hadthem send me several samples so that I could determine if I could perform thefinish work in-house. That worked out quite well and the design was quiteuseable. From a foundry standpoint, a grinding operation should consist ofproducing a jig in which you can set the piece, then push the piece against thegrinder wheel until the jig meets a stop. The foundry could not "dial itin." The end result is that I machine finish each and every waffle ironpersonally. I also match up each pair of waffle paddles and test them for properfunction at the machining station. Each pair stays together through theseasoning process. and is tested again at the packing station. Due to a fewthousandths of an inch variation between bases, I sometimes take a paddle pairfrom the packing table back to the machining station to touch up a ball jointprior to packing. If you order a waffle maker, you should carefully inspect theflat interior face of the ball joint. If it is seasoned, it passed that finalcheck first time at the packing table. If the flat face has a shiny section, itdid not pass with your base socket joint, so I took it back to the machiningstation and made one last pass on the machine to dial it in for you. If I grindtoo much, the waffle maker flops over when in the open position. That is notthe intention, so I must be very precise, in a hand-controlled operation, toonly remove what is necessary. Fortunately, I have only over machined anddiscarded about 5 paddles. I have learned a great deal about my design while machiningover 4,000 individual paddles.

The details of our skillet are also quite amazing andpresent challenges as well. The raised diamonds are truly captivating when youare holding our skillet for the first time. The raised diamonds also pose quitea challenge for a high-volume production-based machining/ grinding operation.The foundry kindly asked if I would consider machining the gate marks off the skilletas well because the angle and sweep required made it too difficult to produce aproduction jig.

As a result of these challenges, each and every piece ofAppalachian Cast Iron cookware is finished by me, Tony Hester. Odds are I alsoperformed the seasoning. Although Perry Kate has likely sprayed about 20% ofthe pieces. Each piece is finished by me and as a result our production isquite limited. I hope to produce these pieces for the next 15 to 20 years andeventually pass the company down to my children or grandchildren. It will beinteresting to look back when I'm 75 and see how things turned out.

When I created these pieces, I did my absolute best to makea piece that would find a place in your sentimental heart so you would neverlet go. But I also know that every piece of cast iron does not remain with theoriginal owner forever. The cast iron will survive and serve far longer than Iwill, and far longer than its original owner. It will be interesting for my grandchildrenand great grandchildren to occasionally see a Jeweled Skillet or Great AmericanWaffle Iron show up on eBay, or whatever online marketplace may exist in 80 ora hundred years, and be able to show their children that piece was handled andfinished by their great grandad.

Perhaps these pieces will help slow the pace in your kitchenand create a pause for a great conversation. That truly is the inspiration andpurpose for our waffle maker and skillet.

I am writing to you to also share that we are facing thereality that 2022 has brought to all of us, inflation. I have resisted raisingprices, until now. Since you signed up for updates, I wanted to let you knowthat I will have to raise prices in January. Waffle makers will be priced atapproximately $170, our basic #10 skillet will be about $105, and when our #8returns, it will be about $79. This increase is not taken lightly, and I wantedto let you know ahead of time. If you are pondering a purchase, please go aheadbefore the end of the year.

So, one last big reveal. 2022 has certainly brought usinflation, but it also brought me another opportunity that I thought I wouldnever have. If you have been following our crowdfunding campaign, or Facebook,etc., you likely know that I flew in the military, as well as EMS for a localrescue organization. In summary, a friend I have known for over 20 years, (adear friend who had me provide his oath of office when he became a major in theUSAF), called me to tell me last spring about developments in the aviationcommunity. I will save you the long, long story. In summary, though, after a 17year absence from the flight deck, I was invited directly into a Boing 747program.  If you were to poll 1000commercial pilots about which aircraft they would LOVE to fly one day, 1100 ofthem would tell you the 747.  I assumedthat my commercial flying days were behind me and am still amazed at thisopportunity.  However, it has not beeneasy by any means.   Upon encountering challenges in training, acouple of the instructors reassured me that the challenges I faced were normal,and that the Boing 747 type rating was the most comprehensive and difficultprogram that they had ever personally endured. One of these gentlemen has 5 type ratings.   Due tothe years away from flying heavy aircraft, and flying in general, this has beena very challenging undertaking.  I amthankful to share that I am now flying the line and in the final phases ofcomplete certification to fly with regular captains, not instructors.   Ibegan the program knowing full well that there was a significant chance that Iwould not be able to complete the program. You know, though, that I am a fairly determined person that thrives on achallenge.  

How does this impact ACI? This new employment occupies my time completely for 2 weeks amonth.  This airline actually flies meout of my local airport on the afternoon of my 2-week assignment.  I operate the 747 for 2 weeks, then they flyme home.  During this time, I checkemails when I am at a hotel, correspond with customers, etc.  When I am home, I catch up on orders, paybills, etc.   It is no secret that ACI isa small company.  There are about a dozenother niche cast iron companies in the US. ACI is definitively a micro entity among the other players.  The airline work is exceptionally personallyrewarding, as well as financially beneficial. It also allows me to keep ACI lean and healthy. There are no partners,no business loans, no sharks.  Over thenext several years I plan to add several pieces to the portfolio.  For the foreseeable future, all pieces willbe hand finished and pre-seasoned by me. I get to steer the ship and re-invest into additional patterns.  Patterns are quite expensive.  The molding process our foundry uses is veryunique to the industry in the US.  Theirmolding process provides an exceptionally “as cast” surface that is a joy tocook with.  I have actually made waffleswith an UN-seasoned waffle maker, and it worked perfectly.  With our skillet, I can drop shredded cheeseon a cold skillet, bring to temperature / doneness, flip, and enjoy a crispyfried cheese snack with zero sticking.  Ihave even scrambled an egg on a dry skillet with little to no sticking.  I short, we have a superior product.  The company will be a small and responsivecontender for years to come.   Our price increase is a direct result ofmaterial costs, business service costs, and development costs increasing.   Whenyou look at the details, complexity and weight of our pieces, I still believe ACIprovides the best value, hands down.  

For those of you that have purchased an item or two, thankyou so very much.  If you are debatingjoining a small group of ACI users and fans, I encourage you to do so by theend of 2022.  If you have read all theway to the end, thank you for your persistence. I look forward to updating you more frequently.

Kind Regards,

Tony

‍