Every new machine that rolls out of Blockbuster Firewood Processors starts as an idea — and turns into reality because of the people on our floor and in our engineering department who bring it to life. The B16 was no exception. From initial design concepts to the final weld, dozens of hands touched this project before it ever reached a customer.
We sat down with the team members who designed, fabricated, welded, plumbed, and tested the B16 to hear what the project meant to them.
Jeff Huber, who worked on the design and overall layout of the processor, component placement, and hydraulic system testing, says the word that best sums up the project is “rewarding.”
“Blockbuster has always been known for its simplicity and reliable performance,” Jeff explains. “There are always changes that can be made, but making sure these changes are actual improvements to the overall performance and quality of the machine can be a challenge.” Balancing what different customers value — all while keeping the price point low and the value high — was no small task.
For Jeff, the payoff comes later, once machines are out in the field. “We are building long-lasting equipment for our customers that benefits them or their lives in some way,” he says. “Getting feedback from customers on how we were able to help them is definitely the most rewarding part of the job.”
Skyler Davis, Design Engineer, was responsible for designing and refining components, building models and drawings, and working hand-in-hand with the manufacturing team to keep everything functional and manufacturable.
“The biggest challenge was balancing manufacturability and cost while keeping the project on schedule,” Skyler says. “It required a lot of collaboration and problem-solving along the way, both in engineering and with production.” Watching a concept turn into a finished machine — and then seeing it start up and run for the first time — made it all worth it.
Chip Kindred managed parts planning through fabrication and kitting. Once Fab finished an order, Chip kitted it by weldment, checked it against the prints, and delivered everything to the right department. “The most challenging part was just the amount of parts and the amount of locations we had to deliver,” he says. Seeing the finished product over in weld made it all click into place.
Alex Gerleman built the main trailer for the B16, working closely with engineering throughout the process. The biggest hurdle? A new component the team calls the “Halo” — similar to a winch mount.
“Getting that to fit up was definitely a struggle, because the angles just didn’t want to hit right,” Alex says. “Engineering was out there every single day. That was frustrating, but also challenging in a good way.” Finishing the Halo ended up being the most rewarding moment of the build.
Alex also appreciates how Blockbuster approaches new product development compared to other places she’s worked: “The engineers are more willing to hear your side and your perspective.”
Justin Campbell tackled the new welding design on the B16. “Whenever I get a new design, fitting it up and being sure it works is the challenging part,” he says, “but it went pretty well.” Getting his parts done quickly and efficiently — and seeing the whole project move faster as a result — was the most rewarding part for him.
Ashley Fritz worked on hosing and decals, tracking down the right routes and connections to make sure everything worked correctly. Her favorite moment: “Watching it start up. Making sure that everything ran right.”
John Edgington handled the hydraulics, with hose routing as the trickiest part of the puzzle — figuring out where everything needed to go. John has a unique perspective on the B16’s development: he’s one of the team members who came to Blockbuster from Mount Pleasant. “To see the new things come out, it was pretty cool,” he says.
Across design, fabrication, welding, hydraulics, and final assembly, one theme kept coming up: collaboration. That’s what it takes to bring a machine like the B16 from a model to a customer’s woodlot — and it’s exactly what our team delivered.