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Missouri Meerschaum Factory Tour: Difference between revisions
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Henry's son, Antone Tibbe is responsible for the building and additions, and was the primary force in the scaling up of the company. Most of the third floor, once humming with activity is now used for housing an inventory of cobs (aged at least 2 years before being crafted into pipes). There is also ample storage for retired machines, which are often gleaned for parts to maintain the machines that are still in production. The second floor has more cob storage, as well as office space, and a wonderful museum and gift shop. The making of pipes, packaging, and the shipping and receiving area are on the first floor. There is an old freight elevator facilitating the production by transferring cobs and various parts and supplies between floors. It is driven by the original belt and cable system which was first powered by steam, and later converted to electricity. It is still carefully controlled using the same antiquated pulley system with a false move causing the unspooling of a large cable. Thankfully that is rare! | Henry's son, Antone Tibbe is responsible for the building and additions, and was the primary force in the scaling up of the company. Most of the third floor, once humming with activity is now used for housing an inventory of cobs (aged at least 2 years before being crafted into pipes). There is also ample storage for retired machines, which are often gleaned for parts to maintain the machines that are still in production. The second floor has more cob storage, as well as office space, and a wonderful museum and gift shop. The making of pipes, packaging, and the shipping and receiving area are on the first floor. There is an old freight elevator facilitating the production by transferring cobs and various parts and supplies between floors. It is driven by the original belt and cable system which was first powered by steam, and later converted to electricity. It is still carefully controlled using the same antiquated pulley system with a false move causing the unspooling of a large cable. Thankfully that is rare! | ||
Most of the older machines still in production were designed and built by a nearby machine shop, still owned and operated by the same family today--they still provide maintenance and repairs. Some of these machines date back to when the factory was powered by steam and Anton needed powered machines to meet the growing demand. Antone later brought electric power to Washington to replace the steam in order to keep the machinery churning out cobs. There is an old Tibbe Power Company building standing just up from the factory on the same street. | <revive zone="8" align="left" caption="An excellent selection of Missouri Meerschaum pipes is available at Pipedia Underwriter, The Pipe Nook, Eddie Gray, Owner" />Most of the older machines still in production were designed and built by a nearby machine shop, still owned and operated by the same family today--they still provide maintenance and repairs. Some of these machines date back to when the factory was powered by steam and Anton needed powered machines to meet the growing demand. Antone later brought electric power to Washington to replace the steam in order to keep the machinery churning out cobs. There is an old Tibbe Power Company building standing just up from the factory on the same street. | ||
At the time of my visit the company had approximately 35 employees, 5 were in the office, 2 work full time with growing, harvesting, and shelling the corn cobs across the Missouri river from the factory (I hope to visit that part of the operation at some point), and the other 28 or so employees were working on various stages of making the pipes. | At the time of my visit the company had approximately 35 employees, 5 were in the office, 2 work full time with growing, harvesting, and shelling the corn cobs across the Missouri river from the factory (I hope to visit that part of the operation at some point), and the other 28 or so employees were working on various stages of making the pipes. | ||