First of all! Thank you to everyone that has supported me and my efforts. For the past year and those of you going back many years. It was and is greatly appreciated.
Have really cut back on plan sales, Often the high bid did not even cover the cost of printing.
In my life I have been a mechanic ( auto and aircraft ) wood worker, 30 plus years as a jeweler, Done lots of metal work, forging, welding and machining, Worked on a few ranches, but never considered myself a cowboy, Worked for my grand father when he was a contractor and did a lot of cement work, framing & finishing.
When growing up many of the places we lived did not have Running water, electric or even butane. We carried water or hauled it, cut wood to heat and cook and had keosene lamps for light. Had never watched TV until after I went in the Navy in 1957.
For fun, started building and flying model aircraft in 1958, both RC an U control. Been at it off and on ever since. Ordered my first set of plans in 1958 as well. Got lost as Scooter Trash for a few years and put around 100,000 miles on Harley MC's. Raced motorcycles for a few more years, mostly desert races and a few Moto Cross. Mostly just go in the way of the Real Racers.
* Printed Plan Sales *
For the present time, I will no longer be printing plans and offering them for sale. Am not sure if I will ever start printing again. I will be offering plans that have already been printed. Some new and some old. Most of these plans will be a 1 time offer, so if you see one that you want, best to get it when offered.
* Original Plans & Old Plans *
I will be offering a large number of "Original" plans that were sent out by the publisher. Most all of these will be a 1 time offer as there are very few that I have more than one of. I will also be offering some really old prints, many of them going back to the days of "Ozlids" and "Blue Prints". Maybe a "Vellum" or 2 every now and then. Quality will be from near perfect to not very good. Sorry but "Special Requests" for this or that plan can not be offered. I will have to pretty much just offer them as they come out of the boxes. With well over 1,000 plans, not sorted in any order, finding one special plan is not practical.
* Printing & Mailing *
Cost of paper has doubled, ink has gone way up, overseas tubes now cost more, not mention postage is also up.
The closest Post Office is over 21 miles away. It is what they call a "Portable PO" and it may or may not be open. The closest "real" post office is another 12 miles. Gas alone costs around $15.00 to do a mail out.
My 42 inch printer, in spite of over $300.00 in new parts, is still not working correctly. HP has not even responded to my request for possible problems. There is a repair place, but is over 135 miles away. So in addition to what it costs (???) to fix the printer, there is around 500 miles of driving to deliver and go pick it up when done. "Up date on Printer 1/3/08, have it working again. But chances are that it will not last, as I replaced some of the "replacement" parts. So unless I had received bad parts it will soon start messing up again.
A few special requests for printed plans will be honored on a limited basis while the printer is functioning properly.
** Plans on CD or E-mail" *
I will be offering groups of plans on CD's that you can have printed at your local blue print shops. My plans are not the "Wimpy & often Ragged" 200 DPI. Over 99% were scanned at 400 DPI, Far better prints. That does create a problem for E-mail plans as the files are very large, makes sending very slow and not all E-mail systems will accept files that large. By request I will email plan files to those of you that can accept large files.
* Lots Of Work to Loose Money*
With sales of around $1,200 per month. Ebay has kept about $400, Pay Pal another 5%. 3 New computers had to be purchased, (The cheap $400 ones will not run the printer or scanners.) One old computer had to be repaired, Large flat bed scanner had to be repaired, new color laser printer was needed, it's on its second set of cartridges, DSL out here costs about $50 a month. Overseas PO's have lost or destroyed several packages and the USPO hasn't been much better. Another few hundred $ spent in reprinting and re mailing. Throw in several hundred hours, changing around 1,200 auctions, scanning, printing, packing, making mail trips and I would have been better off with a $7 an hour job. Ebay, Pay Pal, Post office, computer folks, ink & paper sellers have all made money and I did all the work.
* Health *
Not the kid I use to be or try to act like at times. No big or serious problems, just good days and bad days. An accident a few months back took it's toll on my left hand and arm. It is about 50% of what it was and does not work right much the time. Also at 68 years, I don't have quite the energy that I did a few years back. And am somewhat burned out after years of 10 to 12 hour days, often 7 days a week.
*Good & Bad*
I truly enjoy my place out in the country. Hate going to the city and rarely go except when a mail out is needed.
BAD: Phone service is pretty bad, it has gone out about 6 times in the last 18 months.
Pump on the water well went out not long ago. Got my left hand, thumb and wrist wound up in a cable, was working alone and hung there for over 1/2 hour. Took over 3/4 of an hour for ambulance to get here. Were I a convicted terrorist or illegal alien I would have had better care at the hospital. Over 8 hours of no care or treatment. Long story.
*GOOD or FUN*
Spend as much time possible out doors. Have done a lot of building, 6'X14' covered deck on back of house, put in an all weather drive way, (One of the few in this area.), built and hung 2 11.5' heavy steel gates, put in 400+' feet of new 1" water line, Have most of the yard cleared & cleaned, with a good layer of gravel. (Don't have to drive or walk through mud after a rain.) Built a 12'X 20' heavy metal shade over the outside work area. It had to be strong enough to stand in 65+ MPH winds. In addition to a torch and welder, I now have a "Forge" and have done a fair amount of "Blacksmithing", Some just for fun and some for needed items.
Almost ready is a 15"X 30+' culvert / yard drain. Ditch is dug, except across driveway and most of the pipe is welded together. Will be lots of "FUN" moving and setting 30+' of steel pipe. Think I have figured out how to do it?? Will See! *YES* This is work that I personally do. Bad left hand does slow me down some. Cleared and improved large drainage channel in front of my property.
*Visitors Welcome*
Any of you folks coming through or living in the Tucson area are welcome to stop by and / or spend a day or 3 if you would like. Bring a plane or 2 and try my flying field. It is a little tight and rough, old and slow planes are the best until you get use to the field. My left had is now good enough that I hope to start flying again and will have a plane (s) in flying condition soon.
MAIL Problems
The closest real post office is 35 miles away. I live 25 miles west of Tucson and the PO is near Tucson International Airport. I can mail a small quantity of prepaid items at a near by (about 5 miles) mail drop. What the PO lists as a PO only 23 miles away is only a sorting station for the rural routs.
Much Needed Improvements to new Home
First off was clearing enough for fire protection. Also needed several outside faucets for much the same reason. Next was some Flood Control projects. Yes this is the desert. It does not rain often or a lot during the year. But when it does rain it comes in bunches all at once. The big Hanger had had about 6 inches of water in at one time. I cut drainage channels around it on 2 sides and across the front. Next was 80 feet of 12 inch drain line across the yard with another 40 feet of trenching. Another 40’ of trenching to drain off more of the yard. All that worked fine most of the time. The big drainage channel in front of property backed up during 1 hard rain and that backed water up to the front porch. But I still had another 3 feet of safety before problems. Plan to work on the main channel before next monsoon season.
GOOD STUFF
Even with a few summer days at 120, with many more 110+ and some winter mornings down to 14 + several others close this is a real great place to live. If you should see the Tucson AZ weather on hot days it is usually near 10 degrees hotter here. In cold weather it about 10 degrees colder out here. In between there is near perfect weather for about 8 months. No heat or cooling needed.
Flying Field
Had planned an RC runway across the yard right by the house. May do that some time for small and slow planes. But it will be a little short and tight. So I have cleared, cleaned and leveled a little over ½ acre on the north end. Around 250 feet of runway with room to vary take off and landing in cross winds. U-Control Folks! If enough of you are interested in coming out to fly another tree and some brush cleared out will let you fly on 60’ lines. Currently 50’ lines can be flown, just a little tight. Field is fly able at present but all dirt. In the future plan to roll in some fine gravel that will make it close to a paved runway. Free Flight Folks: There are some great areas for you folks to fly in all around. For a few short quick flights about 200 feet out in front of the house is a former farm field. Still pretty clear with just a few small mesquite trees that are pretty well spread out. Near the Hwy. a good field (Good for RC as well.) With scattered grease wood and some large clear areas. Other fine places as well for free flight or RC.
Great Dog!
Got me a great dog. Sort of a runt for her breed (old English Mastiff mix) at only a 130 pounds. She does her best to run this place. One of the best and smartest dogs I have seen or had. Hates cats, loves to chase rabbits (Not our pets inside the yard.) and does a good job of keeping out folks she dosen‘t like. She loves kids and has done some funny and good things trying to take care of them.
Neighbors Good & Bad
Have 1 neighbor that I was calling "White Trash", but I had to quit. Found out the real white trash folks were upset by them being elevated to their status. Have some good neighbors, Dart and Harvey. Harvey was 1 of the first to move out to this area. Had never met him, but found out he had known much of my family for about 40 years. Even knew a few things none of the other family knew. Calls himself the "Town Drunk", usually funny when drinking. "Dart" spent 18 months in a wheel chair. Is now out and about and has been a lot of help with the projects.
The Road
On my first trip out here much of the road was nearly gone. Harvey had done quite a bit of repair before I moved here. Much, much more needed to be done. Had to build up 1 turn and take out some major humps before I could get the motor home here. Turn washed out first big rain. Did a better job the second time and made it wider to give me room to take my 20’ trailer around. Dart, Harvey and I hauled and spread around 30 yards of rock and gravel. Could use a lot more, but road is pretty fair now.
Off Road Vehicles
Have 2, #1 is my 45 horse tractor and #2 is a 1975 Dodge 5 ton truck. Have put over 1000 hours on the tractor, done a few jobs that paid and lots of road work. Truck has 39,000 original miles on it, was used on an Air Force Golf Course. No power steering, no AC and the 4 speed trans is 1 step up from a crash box. It will haul 5 yards of gravel across the desert, through major washes without a whimper. * Now have 3, New one is a 6 yard dump truck. It is a 1954 Chevy C-65 with a very tired 454 engine. Less power than the 318 Dodge,but using lower gears it will haul a full load and I work it a lot.
Smarter than a "Rock"
Out at the Gravel Mine there are some "Big Rocks". Had to have 1 of the biggest in my yard. The Rock wanted to stay where it was. First was to get it across a rocky, sandy dry wash. That was the first part of the fun. It weighs more than the tractor, just dragging it, had me up on 2 wheels more than once. Tractor would lift 1 end of it so I Tried to crib it up high enough to load on big truck. But cribbing kept breaking or falling over. Rolled it onto a large sheet of tin, got a chain around it and started dragging. That was lots of fun, at times it would take over and steer the tractor. If you think an "E" ride is a thrill, try getting a tractor up on 1 front wheel while it slides into a ditch. Managed to save it and got the big rock across, skidded up onto a trailer and home. Had to outsmart a couple of other rocks, but after this one they were pretty easy.
Wild Life & Free Flight
Have 100’s of Doves, Morning, White Wings and Inca Doves. Inca Doves a tiny little guys less than ½ as large as the others. Quite a few cardinals, real cardinals and AZ Cardinals, (pyrrhuloxia’s). Lots of Quail, Cactus Wrens, Orioial’s, finch‘s, Road Runners, Crow’s (Ravens), Wood Peckers, Grackles, + many others. Often have 50 to 100 birds of all types feeding just out the front door.
The big Crows (ravens) are the Free Flight Club. At times they look just like a glider coming in for a landing. Usually run a few steps on take off. Lots of fun to watch. Have had around 30 of them in the yard at times.
Lots of Cotton Tail rabbits in the yard. Some are almost tame and don’t run until almost stepped on. If I talk to them they often come closer. One little guy was busy trying to get through the garden fence. As I was standing by the fence talking to him, he stepped on my foot as he went by looking for a hole.
Killed 3 Rattle Snakes in the yard this year and 1 got away. Had several King Snakes here, 1 really big one and a few small ones.
Hop Toads by the dozen after a warm rain. From tiny little guys 9 (about the size of your little finger nail) to Big Fat ones, (larger than your whole hand). Had over a dozen on the front porch one night. Most were sitting in the bird water dishes.
All around are Antelope Jack Rabbits, Antelope Squirrels (Chipmunks), Gila Monsters, Coyotes, Javelina Hogs, Skunks, Hawks, Bald Eagles, Owls, Falcons and others.
Not Forgotten,
Ralph, Ross, William, you guys are not forgotten and I have some things that will be mailed to you in the near future. It should have been done long before now. Sorry for the delay.
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