Let’s get something straight right off the bat: there is no science to diecast. While some people would like us to peer into a crystal ball and predict the availability of certain items with the utmost of certainty, the fact is that there is a lot of grey area in this business, complicated by the fact that this is a relatively small industry continually affected by the vagaries of trade squabbles, big business dealings, private “don’t quote me” discussions and, dare I day, a lot of hocus pocus. There are no conspiracies, just people who would like to believe they exist to better help them understand why things happen the way they do. There are things I feel comfortable discussing with the public-at-large and other minutiae better left for my memoirs, provided I ever get around to writing them.

We’ve been doing this for almost twenty years and the one thing I can predict with certainty is that every day is unpredictable. We wake up every morning — sometimes well before 6am — pour ourselves a cup of coffee, read our e-nail, poor out a second and oftentimes a third cup of Joe, and wonder what each day will bring despite our best planning the day before. Now I know this sounds a bit amateurish in today’s world of “get it to the customer in a heartbeat” but the fact remains that the world of diecast is not governed by the same laws of physics that rule the real world. Its a “catcher’s catch can microcosm” where we sometimes have a handle on things based upon what those in-the-know tell us only to be confounded by things we never saw coming by those that think they know better.

So, as we close out the first half of the year and begin looking at the all-important third and fourth quarters, I just wanted to remind everyone that it helps to be patient, read and re-read our posts, and generally keep a smile on your face if you hope to enjoy this hobby as much as we do. While we admit we aren’t perfect, we strive for perfection each and every day. When I was a young lad, maybe no more than six or seven years of age, I fondly remember my grandparents pulling me aside one day, looking me straight in the eye and telling me the following which has stuck with me to this day: “You are of German blood. Always remember that. Persevere when other falter. Achieve when no one thought it possible.” And with that, have a happy Fourth of July.