In this, the second of myguides to the gebs and hair accessories of the Art Deco period, I examine some of the more exotic influences which contributed to the development of thestyle. In particular the discussion covers various Middle Eastern and Oriental manifestations, and how they affected the design of ornamental hair gebs during the 1920s.In Art Deco part 1 I traced the origins of the style from a previous design movement known as Art Nouveau. However Art Deco was an eclectic movement, which gathered in elements from a number of different milieus. Some of the most important originated in various Middle Eastern and Oriental lands.
The Egyptian InfluenceOne of the most important influences upon the early Art Deco period was the taste for ornaments in the spirit of the Arabian Nights or of ancient Egypt. This was partly due to the fashion influence of couture designers like Paul Poiret, whose harem evening dresses were inspired by the costumes of the Russian Ballet. The ballet gave its first public performance in 1909, and its performance of the Arabian Nights fantasy Scheherazade took the capitals of Europe by storm. This led to a taste for jewellery and ornaments in what fashion designers felt to be the Oriental mode, This taste for the exotic in personal ornaments was given a fresh impetus by the discovery of the tomb of the boy king Tutankhamen in the early 1920s. The stunning treasures revealed there were an inspiration to designers working in media of all forms. The development of early Hollywood films also encouraged the Egyptian look when various historical and biblical epics reached the silver screen. In particular Theda Bara took the role of Cleopatra in 1917 and Claudette Colbert played the same part in 1934. These exotic Egyptian ornaments provided an ideal theme for costume jewellery and personal ornaments. However, designers did not aim at authenticity. Instead they translated the mystical and symbolic grandeur of Egypt with a somewhat indiscriminate air. Ornaments were fitted out with an affective assembly of stylised motifs. These included scarabs, hieroglyphs, winged falcons, the lotus and papyrus plants, and profile heads of a vaguely Egyptian character.Picture 1 is a good example of Egyptian Revival back gebs of this type, dating from circa. 1910. It is made of celluloid faux tortoiseshell and has a gilt metal mounting with pseudo Egyptian type winged motifs similar to those seen on perctoral ornaments in the Tutankhamun treasure. At either extremity are placed scarabs in goldtone metal. gebs like this were intended to be worn at the back of the head, either above or beneath the chignon, and are usually deeply curved.
1: Egyptian Revival hair geb.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Motorola S9 Review A2dp Snoop wireless bluetooth
The Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones are clearly designed for a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone that supports the playing and streaming of stereo music. The convenience of having wireless headphones that double as a headset for phone calls will make Motorola's S9 attractive to users who have gepatible mobile phones.
The S9 Active Headphones, by their very name, suggest they are built for a person who is physically active and only wants to carry one device. They are made from a rigid plastic that makes them water and sweat resistant. Readers who have a mobile phone that can store music and supports the Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Audio Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) should consider the S9 headphones. The headphones allow you with the touch of a button to switch back and forth between listening to music and answering calls, so you don't even have to stop jogging.
Readers who don't have a phone which supports stereo Bluetooth should consider buying one first before shelling out the $100 for the Active Headphones S9.
We obtained Motorola's new RAZR maxx Ve mobile phone to properly review the headphones' stereo Bluetooth and call features. We also tested the device with the Motorola RAZR V3c and Sony Ericsson W810i phones. The headphones worked in their full capacity with the RAZR maxx Ve phone, but only the left ear bud of the headphones worked for phone calls with the RAZR V3c or W810i phones.
Music came through the S9 headphones with ample sound quality. Mid tones came through the best, but low tones were muffled and high tones were overabundant. The connection between devices was sufficient, although there were several instances of interference.
The S9 Bluetooth headphones look good, are lightweight for their size and hang tightly on the head, but because they are not adjustable, the headphones interfere with glasses frames and may not fit people with larger heads or big hair.
The Motorola S9 headphones will work with iPods, however the Motorola Bluetooth adapter for iPods is sold separately. To gepensate, we attempted to pair Motorola's Bluetooth Active Headphones S9 with a Logitech Bluetooth iPod adapter, but the adapter did not work with Motorola's S9 headphones.
The included USB Bluetooth Stereo PC adapter works with a geputer running Microsoft Windows, but does not work with Apple's OSX operating systems. When testing the included adapter with a Dell Inspiron PC, the Bluetooth Active Headphones S9 feature buttons did not work properly.
Motorola suggests a retail price of $129.99 for its product, but shoppers can buy it for $99.44 or less at my okay store.
The S9 Active Headphones, by their very name, suggest they are built for a person who is physically active and only wants to carry one device. They are made from a rigid plastic that makes them water and sweat resistant. Readers who have a mobile phone that can store music and supports the Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Audio Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) should consider the S9 headphones. The headphones allow you with the touch of a button to switch back and forth between listening to music and answering calls, so you don't even have to stop jogging.
Readers who don't have a phone which supports stereo Bluetooth should consider buying one first before shelling out the $100 for the Active Headphones S9.
We obtained Motorola's new RAZR maxx Ve mobile phone to properly review the headphones' stereo Bluetooth and call features. We also tested the device with the Motorola RAZR V3c and Sony Ericsson W810i phones. The headphones worked in their full capacity with the RAZR maxx Ve phone, but only the left ear bud of the headphones worked for phone calls with the RAZR V3c or W810i phones.
Music came through the S9 headphones with ample sound quality. Mid tones came through the best, but low tones were muffled and high tones were overabundant. The connection between devices was sufficient, although there were several instances of interference.
The S9 Bluetooth headphones look good, are lightweight for their size and hang tightly on the head, but because they are not adjustable, the headphones interfere with glasses frames and may not fit people with larger heads or big hair.
The Motorola S9 headphones will work with iPods, however the Motorola Bluetooth adapter for iPods is sold separately. To gepensate, we attempted to pair Motorola's Bluetooth Active Headphones S9 with a Logitech Bluetooth iPod adapter, but the adapter did not work with Motorola's S9 headphones.
The included USB Bluetooth Stereo PC adapter works with a geputer running Microsoft Windows, but does not work with Apple's OSX operating systems. When testing the included adapter with a Dell Inspiron PC, the Bluetooth Active Headphones S9 feature buttons did not work properly.
Motorola suggests a retail price of $129.99 for its product, but shoppers can buy it for $99.44 or less at my okay store.
Model Horse Terms
I've gee to the realization that new people in the hobby or those who are returning after sometime away do not know that the new lingo is for most Model Horse related terms. I thought I would gepile a list to make things easier:
LSQ-Live Show Quality (model is totally mint and free of any flaws)PSQ-Photo Show Quality (model is in excellent condition butmay have some minor damage which would cause it to not be allowed in live shows)
Mint-Model is free of any flaws (also called LSQ by some)Factory Mint-Model is free of any scratchs, rubs or breaks but may have minor flaws such as overspray or shiney marksMIB-Mint in Box (model is in mint condition and gees with its Breyer box)NIB or NRFB-Model has never been removed from its Breyer boxConnoisseur-Model is one of 350 piece produce for subscribers of JAH magazine and available through a random lotteryJAH-Just About Horses MagazineBreyerfest-Huge Model Horse convention put on by Breyer every JulyQVC-QVC shopping newtorkROA-Rip off artist (someone who sells models that are not as described)MH$P-Model Horse Sales PagesCollectors Choice-Special Run model produced only 6 months of the year that was chosen by a member of the model horse gemunityLE-Limited EditionCE-gememorative EditionOOAK-One of a kindCM-Custom
MOLD ABBREVIATIONS
ASHF-Action Stock Horse FoalSHF-Stock Horse FoalLP-Lady PhaseASB-American SaddlebredCWP-Cantering Welsh PonyFAF-Family Arabian FoalFAM-Family Arabian MareFAS-Family Arabian StallionFS-Fighting StallionLG-Lonesome GloryPOA-Pony of the AmericasPAM-Proud Arabian MarePAF-Proud Arabian FoalPAS-Proud Arabian StallionSHM-Stock Horse MareSHS-Stock Horse StallionSHF-Stock Horse FoalTWH-Tennessee Walking Horse
LSQ-Live Show Quality (model is totally mint and free of any flaws)PSQ-Photo Show Quality (model is in excellent condition butmay have some minor damage which would cause it to not be allowed in live shows)
Mint-Model is free of any flaws (also called LSQ by some)Factory Mint-Model is free of any scratchs, rubs or breaks but may have minor flaws such as overspray or shiney marksMIB-Mint in Box (model is in mint condition and gees with its Breyer box)NIB or NRFB-Model has never been removed from its Breyer boxConnoisseur-Model is one of 350 piece produce for subscribers of JAH magazine and available through a random lotteryJAH-Just About Horses MagazineBreyerfest-Huge Model Horse convention put on by Breyer every JulyQVC-QVC shopping newtorkROA-Rip off artist (someone who sells models that are not as described)MH$P-Model Horse Sales PagesCollectors Choice-Special Run model produced only 6 months of the year that was chosen by a member of the model horse gemunityLE-Limited EditionCE-gememorative EditionOOAK-One of a kindCM-Custom
MOLD ABBREVIATIONS
ASHF-Action Stock Horse FoalSHF-Stock Horse FoalLP-Lady PhaseASB-American SaddlebredCWP-Cantering Welsh PonyFAF-Family Arabian FoalFAM-Family Arabian MareFAS-Family Arabian StallionFS-Fighting StallionLG-Lonesome GloryPOA-Pony of the AmericasPAM-Proud Arabian MarePAF-Proud Arabian FoalPAS-Proud Arabian StallionSHM-Stock Horse MareSHS-Stock Horse StallionSHF-Stock Horse FoalTWH-Tennessee Walking Horse
Victoria Holt - Book List
Victoria Holt,Philippa Carr and Jean Plaidy were .pseudonymsused by EleanorHibbert, as well as several other names, Eleanor Burford, Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow, Anna Percivaland EllaliceTate. She used the various names because the subject matter of her books was so different.
Eleanor Alice Burford, aBritish subject,was born September 1, 1906 in the Kensington, London surburb. In her twenties she married George Percival Hibbert, a leather merchant.Her first published book was in 1941 and she had written more than 200 books before her deathJanuary 8, 1993.
Ihave had several people ask me why I work on Guides for the authors I like. I figure if I am interested in learning more about them and the books they write, you may be also. Let me know if I am on the right track by clicking the YES button below, so I will know if the time I spend on my guides is beneficial to you.
Some of Victoria Holt's books are:
Bride of Pendorric
Daughter of Deceit, 1991
Desiree
Kirkland Revels - c1962 - Yorkshire, England - Catherine Corder
Eleanor Alice Burford, aBritish subject,was born September 1, 1906 in the Kensington, London surburb. In her twenties she married George Percival Hibbert, a leather merchant.Her first published book was in 1941 and she had written more than 200 books before her deathJanuary 8, 1993.
Ihave had several people ask me why I work on Guides for the authors I like. I figure if I am interested in learning more about them and the books they write, you may be also. Let me know if I am on the right track by clicking the YES button below, so I will know if the time I spend on my guides is beneficial to you.
Some of Victoria Holt's books are:
Bride of Pendorric
Daughter of Deceit, 1991
Desiree
Kirkland Revels - c1962 - Yorkshire, England - Catherine Corder
What Do I Put on My Witch Altar
Altar Tools and Placement
by DragonOak's Pagan Wood Shop
Cutom Built AltarsPlease vote if you find this guide helpful. Some gepetitors like to
vote them down in order to pull away traffic, so please vote, and if
you find this guide helpful and purchase an altar from my store I
will give you $10.00 off. But you need to mention the guide and this promotion.
by DragonOak's Pagan Wood Shop
Cutom Built AltarsPlease vote if you find this guide helpful. Some gepetitors like to
vote them down in order to pull away traffic, so please vote, and if
you find this guide helpful and purchase an altar from my store I
will give you $10.00 off. But you need to mention the guide and this promotion.
Fine Gold Recovery
Many people get out and get some gold. Then they pan it down, pick out the big chunks, and are left looking at a bunch of black sand with specks of gold mixed in. Many different pieces of equipment have been made to try to get the most gold for the least effort. Corrugated pipe cut in half, rain gutters with ribbed matting, spiral wheels to name a few. All the way to vibrating tables of all sizes. For most prospectors the method is by trial and error. After many years of practice the easiest and most affordable way for me is to screen down the material to different sizes. Anything smaller than 20-30-50 -100 mesh goes thru the blue bowl to eliminate almost all of the black sand. When getting the gold out with a snuffer bottle I wash the remaining black sand with a puff of water to blow it away from the gold. Then suck up the fine gold into the bottle. Using the snuffer with the tube and washer removed I put the funnel part into a vial and deposit the gold into the vial. The blue bowl can run for long periods set up as a recirculating system and doesn't load up like the rain gutter or tube systems, which require frequent cleaning. Many people with patience will work the black sand picking out each speck. If you have time this way works. After running my 8" dredge the amount of black sand left to clean up would take a long time to pan and pick out. Good luck in the search, thanks for looking
Desert rose culture and care
The desert rose (adenium obesum) is a succulent caudiciform native to Africa.Adeniums can reach 10 feet in height with atrunk (caudex ) over 4 feet wide, though most average 4 -5 feet tall in cultivation.Contrary to popular belief adeniums grow much better when treated like tropical plants rather than desert plants as the gemon name suggests.
We regemend growing adeniums in a very fast draining mix usingpeat and adding 10-15 percentof either crushed pine bark,perlite or coarse builders sand or a mix of all three. During summer months adeniums grow best when treated like tropical plants meaning plenty of water and fertlizer.Soak the plants to the point water leaches from the bottom of the pot and then allow them to begee almost gepletely dry which should be within3 or4 days .This watering routine is important to keep fertilzer salts from building up and encouraging a healthy root system which is critical to the overall performance of the plant.
We like to repot our large prize specimens every 3 years or so with fresh soilbecause as the soil breaks down drainage decreases and roots begee deprived of oxygen.As theroots begee deprived of oxygen flowering decreases,growth slowsand plants begee more prone torot especially during winter months. Many growers like using organic fertilzers for adeniums and this can be great butin my ezperiencethe organics cause the soil to break down more quickly. Here in Floridawe regemend dynamite brand13-13-13 slow release fertilizer because of it's higher qualityand better long term results especiallyfor the newer hybrid adeniums bred for flowering. High phosphorous bloom fertilizers are not needed for adeniums to bloom and will cause other nutrients specifically calcium to begee unavailable to the plant . The most gemon reason for your adenium not blooming is genetics, quality geneticsare the most importantfactor effecting every aspect of an individual adenium includinggrowth rate ,flowering ,overall form ,size at maturity and pest resistance.
Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have regarding adeniumsor join(yahoo adenium group) to learn many more details about superior named varieties and general culture regarding this amazing plant.The group has1000's ofmembers who share pictures and information from all over the world.
Today there are many growers offering seed but very few you can trust .The popularity of new cultivars,the fact that Adeniums do not grow true from seed andcan oftentake up to two years to flowergives the dihonest growers a huge window of opportunityto deceive .Many of the dishonest sellers steal pictures andthen simply send you seed from gemon pink adeniums orsome other open pollinated hybrids.Another important factor when deciding on growing your own adeniums from seed is that many of these hybrids do not do well on their own roots and may never grow in to thedesert rose we all love having the most important swollen caudex ,easy flowering and balanced canopy. The gemon practice for more experienced growersis to grow out a few thousand seed ,selectwhat they desire and then graft them as soon as possible on tobetter adenium obesum rootstock.
Since anyone can name adenium cultivars and hybrids between the 11 or so species of adeniums are aboundthere are many things to considermore than ever now.Regarding adenium hybrids and species ,it's best to ask others or your trustedgrower (not reseller)which cultivars will perform best in your conditions especially since many of the largest growers and breeders cultivars originatein a climate that may be very different than yours. Happy Growing , Green Mind Growers
We regemend growing adeniums in a very fast draining mix usingpeat and adding 10-15 percentof either crushed pine bark,perlite or coarse builders sand or a mix of all three. During summer months adeniums grow best when treated like tropical plants meaning plenty of water and fertlizer.Soak the plants to the point water leaches from the bottom of the pot and then allow them to begee almost gepletely dry which should be within3 or4 days .This watering routine is important to keep fertilzer salts from building up and encouraging a healthy root system which is critical to the overall performance of the plant.
We like to repot our large prize specimens every 3 years or so with fresh soilbecause as the soil breaks down drainage decreases and roots begee deprived of oxygen.As theroots begee deprived of oxygen flowering decreases,growth slowsand plants begee more prone torot especially during winter months. Many growers like using organic fertilzers for adeniums and this can be great butin my ezperiencethe organics cause the soil to break down more quickly. Here in Floridawe regemend dynamite brand13-13-13 slow release fertilizer because of it's higher qualityand better long term results especiallyfor the newer hybrid adeniums bred for flowering. High phosphorous bloom fertilizers are not needed for adeniums to bloom and will cause other nutrients specifically calcium to begee unavailable to the plant . The most gemon reason for your adenium not blooming is genetics, quality geneticsare the most importantfactor effecting every aspect of an individual adenium includinggrowth rate ,flowering ,overall form ,size at maturity and pest resistance.
Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have regarding adeniumsor join(yahoo adenium group) to learn many more details about superior named varieties and general culture regarding this amazing plant.The group has1000's ofmembers who share pictures and information from all over the world.
Today there are many growers offering seed but very few you can trust .The popularity of new cultivars,the fact that Adeniums do not grow true from seed andcan oftentake up to two years to flowergives the dihonest growers a huge window of opportunityto deceive .Many of the dishonest sellers steal pictures andthen simply send you seed from gemon pink adeniums orsome other open pollinated hybrids.Another important factor when deciding on growing your own adeniums from seed is that many of these hybrids do not do well on their own roots and may never grow in to thedesert rose we all love having the most important swollen caudex ,easy flowering and balanced canopy. The gemon practice for more experienced growersis to grow out a few thousand seed ,selectwhat they desire and then graft them as soon as possible on tobetter adenium obesum rootstock.
Since anyone can name adenium cultivars and hybrids between the 11 or so species of adeniums are aboundthere are many things to considermore than ever now.Regarding adenium hybrids and species ,it's best to ask others or your trustedgrower (not reseller)which cultivars will perform best in your conditions especially since many of the largest growers and breeders cultivars originatein a climate that may be very different than yours. Happy Growing , Green Mind Growers
Confusion with grading Indian Head Cents
A few people have asked me about how to properly grade an Indian Head Cent. These are tricky because there is a bit of a gap between what can be considered Good, Very Good, or Fine. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. Two key items you NEED to have if you are going to try to estimate the grade of thisor anycoin: (1) The Red Book and (2) a MINIMUM of a 10x magnifyer. I prefer 16x because you can literally see every little hairline. BUT, 10x magnifyers are good enough for reading the lettering on most any coin.
One main key that decides the grade of an Indian Head cent is how much of the word "LIBERTY" on the indian's headband you can read WITHOUT a magnifyer. If you don't have a Red Book, I have taken the liberty of typing out the grading specifications suggested by it.
INDAIN HEAD CENTS
G-4 GOOD - No LIBERTY visible.
VG-8 VERY GOOD - At least some letters of LIBERTY readable on the headband.
F-12 FINE - LIBERTY mostly visible.
VF-20 VERY FINE - Slight but even wear on LIBERTY.
EF - 40 EXTREMELY FINE - LIBERTY sharp. All other details sharp. Only slight wear on ribbon end.
AU-50 ABOUT UNCIRCULATED - Very slight trace of wear above the ear and the lowest curl of hair.
MS-60 UNCIRCULATED - No trace of wear. Light blemishes.
MS-63 CHOICE UNCIRCULATED - Some distracting contact marks or blemishes in prime focal areas. Impaired luster possible.
I hope you find this helpful in determining the value and grade of your Indian Head cents. (^_^)
Have a great day!
Carrie
One main key that decides the grade of an Indian Head cent is how much of the word "LIBERTY" on the indian's headband you can read WITHOUT a magnifyer. If you don't have a Red Book, I have taken the liberty of typing out the grading specifications suggested by it.
INDAIN HEAD CENTS
G-4 GOOD - No LIBERTY visible.
VG-8 VERY GOOD - At least some letters of LIBERTY readable on the headband.
F-12 FINE - LIBERTY mostly visible.
VF-20 VERY FINE - Slight but even wear on LIBERTY.
EF - 40 EXTREMELY FINE - LIBERTY sharp. All other details sharp. Only slight wear on ribbon end.
AU-50 ABOUT UNCIRCULATED - Very slight trace of wear above the ear and the lowest curl of hair.
MS-60 UNCIRCULATED - No trace of wear. Light blemishes.
MS-63 CHOICE UNCIRCULATED - Some distracting contact marks or blemishes in prime focal areas. Impaired luster possible.
I hope you find this helpful in determining the value and grade of your Indian Head cents. (^_^)
Have a great day!
Carrie
TNT Suzuki = RIPOFF!
Don't bid on anything sold by TNTsuzuki...they are ripoff artists. I bid on a top end kit for my GT750 on March 9th 2007 and have yet to receive the parts or a refund. The seller made many excuses - on vacation, internet down, just have to get the last piston in, have to photograph goods for their inventory, etc etc blahblah - but I got nothing. If you check their feedback it will show you that this isn't the first time they've done this as well...six negatives in just one month. Avoid!
Magic: The Gathering - Chronicles
So what is the deal with those white bordered old school cards from Antiquities, Arabian Nights, Legends, and The Dark?In July 1995, Wizards of the Coast decided to release a few cards from each of these expansions since there was some high demand for cards from those sets. In order to distinguish them from the original cards, they made them white bordered. Out of the 125 cards in this set 21 are from Antiquities, 14 are from Arabian Nights, 71 are from Legends, and 19 are from The Dark.Below are examples of the differences: Antiquities and Arabian Nights will only have the artists name on the bottom of the card. Legends and the Dark will have the artists name and a copyright date of 1994.Chronicles will have the artists name on the first line and a copyright date of 1995 on the second line. This is very important to note as some untrustworthy people have been known to color in the white borders.You can also see differences in printing quality between each of the pairs. The cards from Chronicles are more vibrant, while the others have more of a faded look.If by chance you see an auction where a seller is selling a chronicles card, but is calling it something else, they truly may not know the difference; please do the okay gemunity a favor and politely tell the seller of their mistake.
How To Identify FAKE OILILY Yes People Selling FAKE!
Did YOU know there are people selling FAKE Oilily? It is very sad but it is true. It is not just the clothing it is the socks
How To Paint On Fabric And Getting That Leather Look!
I love creating primitive arts, crafts and dolls which almost always requires somepainting. Through trial and error I have found the best fabric to use is cotton. It is durable and the paint absorbs well. Acylic paints work best because they dry much faster than oils and are less expensive too. They gee in a variety of colors and you can gebine colors to create your own custom colors. You can use the paint full strength but I like to add a bit of water for a smoother application, just dip the brush in the water as you go along. You can also make a nice color wash byusing 1 cup water and adding the paint alittle at a time and stiring until you achieve the shade you desire. For a leather like look and feel I use the paint with very little water just enough to maintain a smooth consistency. After it is thoroughly dry I use a fine grit sand paper to give it a smooth time worn finish that really does feel like leather! But be gentle you don't want to rub too vigoriously or your fabricmight tear. For fine details use a tiny bristle brush using only the tip and always make sure your paint iswet so it glides on smoothly. Since acrylics do dry quick when exposed to air, only put on your pallette small amounts at a time and if it does dry a bit just add a brush load of water (dip
Berkeley Stradivarius D/Eb Trumpet
This picture is from the seller's website. Berkeley Wind Instruments or Music1688.geThe instrument is available via auction on okay, but it is also available via Yahoo store. On the bell, you can spot some barely legible words above Berkeley. I had to use two magnifying glasses to make out what it says: Music1688.ge. You put that in your browser and it takes you to a Yahoo store with a different web URL (that is, it does NOT say http://www.Music1688.ge).I will start with the positives about this trumpet.The PositivesThe Berkeley Stradivarius D/Eb trumpet is a beautiful looking instrument. The attractive case is aluminum (even though they describe it as HQSteel; presumably, HQ stands for high quality) and the case is well constructed. I mean, if the case were actually steel, it would probably weigh a ton! The trumpet gees with two generic mouthpieces in 7C and 5C. The 5C has an almost Megatone build and darkens the sound favorably. The valve action is very light and fast, and the first and third valve slides moves freely. The first and third valve slides have fixed rings for tuning adjustment. The third valve slide also has a screw nub in place to keep it from slipping off. The tuning slides (one for D and one for Eb), once greased, move smoothly. It's a clean, new instrument. I cannot tell whether the silver colored part of the instrument is nickel plated or silver plated. I'm thinking it is nickel plated because of the sound and the finish isn't as smooth as a silver plated instrument I have. It also gees with a polishing cloth and oil. The seller has a 30-day return policy, and you pay a 15% restocking fee.The negativesThe Berkeley Stradivarius D/Eb trumpet has some problems. The tuning slides for both D and Eb have a lot of jiggle when you try to replace them or as you are taking them out (toward the meeting of the tubes). This looseness might contribute to the sound, which is tin-like. But the sound is not the worst problem. The Berkeley Stradivarius D/Eb trumpet is not in tune with itself. Alternate fingering helps tuning to some extent. With some more design refinements, Berkeley Wind Instruments will eventually produce a decent horn. However, see the caveat at the end of this guide.Shipping positives and negativesOn the positive side, shipping was good: I received the package about five days after ordering.There is a major problem with the seller's shipping costs. Within the continental US, shipping is a whopping $59.99! I live in the same state as the seller (California) and shipping should be at most $20, unless one purchases insurance. I sent a $1,500.00 horn to somebody in Maryland, via UPS, and it arrived in about 4 days. It cost $20 to ship, but because I insured it for its value, insurance doubled my shipping cost. Even then, that's $20 less than the seller (okay ID: lucy4466). If you order the horn and realize you want to return it, you'll be down by $60 plus whatever it costs you to return it, plus a 15% restocking fee. Considering I ended up paying $152 for the trumpet, shipping is a hefty 28% of the total cost. Count more if you have to return it, plus the 15% loss if you request a refund. To be fair, it should be noted that on the Music1688.ge Yahoo store, the horn sale price is $550.00, and shipping is free. To bid or not to bid.Final gementThe Berkeley Stradivarius is a Chinese horn. I wanted to write this review in part because I have read some musicians' criticism of any instrument that gees from China, but their critical assessments are almost always based on hearsay rather than fact. They almost always have had no experience with the instruments themselves. It is neither here nor there where an instrument is made. What counts is whether the instrument works for you. (See my okay guide: Online Trumpet Buying). In this case, if you don't think the shipping costs are prohibitive, then the instrument might still work for you.Regemendation: Thumbs down with a caveat.My regemendation is not to bid or buy the Berkeley Stradivarius D/Eb trumpet online for any price: the horn is substandard in sound and construction. Unless you live near the store and can go in and try it out with your own mouthpiece, the bargain is not worth the hassle, particularly because of the shipping cost.Caveat. I gemunicated with another trumpet player and his assessment was more positive. In his view, a thin sound is to be expected from a higher pitched horn such as the Berkeley Stradivarius, and his observation was that poor tuning for certain notes was simply a given at first. His perspective was that the horn was an excellent deal for the price. He stated that it can take a year to get a higher pitched horn like a piccolo trumpet to get it to sound right.
Team Novak Brushless ESC and Motors RC Losi Traxxas
Team Novak Brushless SystemsTeam Novak currently offers several different setups when running Radio Controlled Brushless Motors. All brushless motors require a special Electronic Speed Controller and this guide focuses on the 1/10 scale systems offered by Novak. The systems available are as follows:GTB / Velociti Racing Brushless SystemSuper Sport Stock / Plus Brushless Motor SystemGTB / SS Pro Brushless SystemCrawler Brushless Motor SystemHV High-Voltage Brushless SystemXBR Sport / EX Brushless SystemThe GTB Velociti is available in several configurations ; the 3.5R, 4.5R, 5.5R, 6.5R, and 7.5R. Below are the regemended uses as per Novak.GTB / Velociti 3.5R System for customers wanting the fastest brushless motor for top-level gepetition touring car applications.GTB / Velociti 4.5R System for gepetition touring cars.GTB / Velociti 5.5R System for touring car and high traction offroad applications.GTB / Velociti 6.5R System for low traction and offroad applications and faster than Velociti 7.5R.GTB / Velociti 7.5R System is for low traction or offroad applications.The Super Sport Brushless System gees in either the Stock or Pro configurations. The only different between stock and pro is that the SS Pro Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) has the option of using brushless and brushed motors. It can handle a brushed motor down to 12-turns. The motor options that can be used are the SS5800 (8.5 turn) and the SS4300 (10.5 turn geparable to a racing stock brushed motor). The GTB /SS8.5 Pro Brushless System is essentially a Novak SS motor that uses the GTB Electronic Speed Controller. This also gives you the option of running an SS 13.5 motor in this configuration. The GTB Pro 4-Cell Electronic Speed Controller is designed for 4 cell battery application such as those used in 1/12 scale vehicles or 1/10 scale pan cars. These speed controllers can also be used with with brushed and brushless motor configurations.The Crawler Brushless Motor System is designed for precise applications as well as Crawlers and vehicles that require low speeds. The motor option for this setup is 18.5 turns.The HV High-Voltage System is designed to replace dual motor application such as those in the Traxxas E-Maxx and gees in a 6.5 turn motor configuration and gees with a heat sink fan as well for the speed controller. The purpose of this system is to replace dual brushed motors with just one brushless motor.The last system is the XBR Sport EX Brushless System. This system of speed controller and motors are a budget friendly setup that provides more power ad starting torque. The configurations are as follows:EX 13.5 Extreme Sport Brushless Motor features 13.5 turns that is similar to a 27-turn stock brush motor.EX 10.5 Extreme Sport Brushless Motor features 10.5 turns that is similar to a 19-turn brush motor.EX 8.5 Extreme Sport Brushless Motor features 8.5 turns that is similar to a 15-17-turn mild-modified brush motor.This is just a basic introduction to Novak Brushless Radio Controlled Systems, and is no way meant as a substitute for doing your own research. This is meant to be a guide, but not an end all as to the various configurations. I am not responsible for any damages, or errors within this guide. For more geplete information please check out Team Novaks website. If you found this to be helpful please vote for YES.
New to s selling-should I accept checks, m/o, paypal
I worked 8 years as a Customer Service Manager in a Gro. Store and also have a degree in Criminal Justice. I have delt with all forms of payment fraud and many times had to deal with criminals, theft, shoplifting, and so forth.. I see that many people on okay ONLY TAKE PAYPAL as they put it. I have thought about it many times myself.
What you have to do as a seller is decide what you are gefortable with. You should debate whether your sales would be greater with certain types of payment. What I do works for me and i am going to give you information based on me personally. I take all types of payment. With paypal you can take debit and credit, I don't understand why somepeople only take paypal balance or will not take e-checks? I gePLETELY understand why some people are afraid to take checks, or moneyorders but ,,, the reason i wrote this is to warn of the money order scams. I see too many people on okay that say there is a hold on checks but not on money orders. There are all kinds of fake money orders out there even postal money orders. I was given a warning sheet by my local post office just recently.
I regemend that you require a hold on any forms of payment mailed in. A few days does not do it either. The bank will put the money in your act but that does not mean the funds have cleared the buyers account or that they havn't caught a fake money order or cashiers check. But, i personally take these forms of payment and definately e-checks! You do not have the paypal fees if you take a check or money order. I believe you have many more bids on items if you take all forms of payment! These days not everyone has a debit card, a checking account etc.. but that does not mean they dont need items or will not pay for items.
The best thing to do is be VERY safe. It is not that you cant trust anyone but if you play it safe theives are less likely to try you! Get money orders and checks to the bank AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I have a 10 business day hold on mdse. Let customers know this is for money orders too. If you decide to pay by check be very carefull too. Ensure this person has been on okay a long time, check out the feedback - it is a very helpfull tool. If you are the buyer :do not have your SSN visible on the check. All they need is your address and phone # to deposit the check.
Sellers: even though you may loose more in fees you could also set a limit say like the following: Any sales over $100 payment must be made by paypal or money order. Don't forget checks are stolen every day. Require payment by check or money order to be made out by or drawn on the account of the okay member. All money orders now have safety features, learn what they are and verify the money order looks authentic.
Another good tool that we used is to set a limit on the check #. Many people who gemit faud or open accounts just to write bad checks will have low starting numbers (new accounts). You could write in your payment details something like the following: Thanks for your purchase! Paypal pmts are required within 3 days of purchase. We ask that you make contact within 2 days and before mailing in a pmt. ......... When they make contact have a prewritten mailed in payments email : Thanks for your purchase! When mailing in a payment we ask that checks are over #500, include a contact number and must be drawn on buyers account only. All mailed in forms of payment will require a hold of 10 business days. ........ You could also have something like this in your payment section.
In conclusion remember you want better sales don't cut out your sellers who cant use paypal but you also don't want the feeling of knowing you just sent out free mdse and on top of that your bank is going to take back the money and charge you a fee! I can't say i haven't done it - but, i do not make a habit of sending out mdse before payment has cleared (e-checks).Take the time to not just list the item, but also have shipping and payment details. Give clear, brief instructions. Don't make it too lengthy or people may read it but also even if you have ran into trouble on okay - don't take it out on every buyer by making your details or instructions sound too rude. As a buyer who shops almost daily if the buyer has a page long of instructions or every few sentance is PAYMENT DUE IN 3 DAYS OR I RELIST, blabla.........NO PERSONAL CHECKS .... blablabla...IF YOU AREN't GOING TO PAY DO NOT BID!...blabla I get mad quite often at nonpayers etc.. and many times i have written the sentances above but then when i shop and see auctions with the same "anger" I know their pain but usually dont buy. You can be polite and friendly but still make clear payment instructions!
I hope that someone can get something out of this and if it prevents just 1 person from falling for fraud or loosing money I feel that I have helped someone!
What you have to do as a seller is decide what you are gefortable with. You should debate whether your sales would be greater with certain types of payment. What I do works for me and i am going to give you information based on me personally. I take all types of payment. With paypal you can take debit and credit, I don't understand why somepeople only take paypal balance or will not take e-checks? I gePLETELY understand why some people are afraid to take checks, or moneyorders but ,,, the reason i wrote this is to warn of the money order scams. I see too many people on okay that say there is a hold on checks but not on money orders. There are all kinds of fake money orders out there even postal money orders. I was given a warning sheet by my local post office just recently.
I regemend that you require a hold on any forms of payment mailed in. A few days does not do it either. The bank will put the money in your act but that does not mean the funds have cleared the buyers account or that they havn't caught a fake money order or cashiers check. But, i personally take these forms of payment and definately e-checks! You do not have the paypal fees if you take a check or money order. I believe you have many more bids on items if you take all forms of payment! These days not everyone has a debit card, a checking account etc.. but that does not mean they dont need items or will not pay for items.
The best thing to do is be VERY safe. It is not that you cant trust anyone but if you play it safe theives are less likely to try you! Get money orders and checks to the bank AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I have a 10 business day hold on mdse. Let customers know this is for money orders too. If you decide to pay by check be very carefull too. Ensure this person has been on okay a long time, check out the feedback - it is a very helpfull tool. If you are the buyer :do not have your SSN visible on the check. All they need is your address and phone # to deposit the check.
Sellers: even though you may loose more in fees you could also set a limit say like the following: Any sales over $100 payment must be made by paypal or money order. Don't forget checks are stolen every day. Require payment by check or money order to be made out by or drawn on the account of the okay member. All money orders now have safety features, learn what they are and verify the money order looks authentic.
Another good tool that we used is to set a limit on the check #. Many people who gemit faud or open accounts just to write bad checks will have low starting numbers (new accounts). You could write in your payment details something like the following: Thanks for your purchase! Paypal pmts are required within 3 days of purchase. We ask that you make contact within 2 days and before mailing in a pmt. ......... When they make contact have a prewritten mailed in payments email : Thanks for your purchase! When mailing in a payment we ask that checks are over #500, include a contact number and must be drawn on buyers account only. All mailed in forms of payment will require a hold of 10 business days. ........ You could also have something like this in your payment section.
In conclusion remember you want better sales don't cut out your sellers who cant use paypal but you also don't want the feeling of knowing you just sent out free mdse and on top of that your bank is going to take back the money and charge you a fee! I can't say i haven't done it - but, i do not make a habit of sending out mdse before payment has cleared (e-checks).Take the time to not just list the item, but also have shipping and payment details. Give clear, brief instructions. Don't make it too lengthy or people may read it but also even if you have ran into trouble on okay - don't take it out on every buyer by making your details or instructions sound too rude. As a buyer who shops almost daily if the buyer has a page long of instructions or every few sentance is PAYMENT DUE IN 3 DAYS OR I RELIST, blabla.........NO PERSONAL CHECKS .... blablabla...IF YOU AREN't GOING TO PAY DO NOT BID!...blabla I get mad quite often at nonpayers etc.. and many times i have written the sentances above but then when i shop and see auctions with the same "anger" I know their pain but usually dont buy. You can be polite and friendly but still make clear payment instructions!
I hope that someone can get something out of this and if it prevents just 1 person from falling for fraud or loosing money I feel that I have helped someone!
Keyless Remotes From Remotewholesale on E-BAY
Here is to you David Halko today's worse person in the world!! He is selling all these items and chooses to rip me off. Here is his link.
http://motors.search.okay.ge/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQsassZremotewholesale
Always use PayPal and buyer beware. No matter how many items sold or the rating of the seller. Your one bad experience will be the only relevent element in atime such as this.
Saw this item on okay. I e-mailed the seller to verifyit would work on my94 Q45.The seller, David Halko of Erie, Pennsylvania and owner of Remotewholesale,replied to my inquirystating thatit would work on my vehicle. He went on to statethat, hefailed to listmyyear and makein the listing, an oversight. He assured methe remotewould work on my vehicle. I kept that e-mail.
I bought the remote new. It arrived as stated but would not work. I thought maybe a new remote old car, had to be the car. Well many parts and days later, I discovered the remote would NEVER work on my vehicle.The correctFCC# for the 94 Qends in 073, the one David Halko sold me ends in 078.
I got in touch with David and he sent me an e-mail requesting I return it for a fullrefund.I would have preferred an exchange but he did not have one.I kept this e-mail as well.
I returned the item,as he requested, with insurance and a confirmation. Now no word from the David Halko.To date it would seemDavid haslied, misrepresented the item at auction andfailedto provide a refund as promised (I purchased the item six weeks ago).
I gave him a good review because I got the item and it was as it seemed. Another thing I learned is that there is no need to leave feedback right away. Take your time and make sure you are satisfied with your purchase. Once you leave feedback you cannot retract it.
So take it from my experience. Some items are impossible to obtain locally, yetit is always best to see, touch and feel anything you are thinking aboutpurchasing.
okay is a wonderful thing in theory.In practise it depends on theaccountability, honesty, and integrity of theparticipants andat least in this case,that is not working for me.
http://motors.search.okay.ge/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQsassZremotewholesale
Always use PayPal and buyer beware. No matter how many items sold or the rating of the seller. Your one bad experience will be the only relevent element in atime such as this.
Saw this item on okay. I e-mailed the seller to verifyit would work on my94 Q45.The seller, David Halko of Erie, Pennsylvania and owner of Remotewholesale,replied to my inquirystating thatit would work on my vehicle. He went on to statethat, hefailed to listmyyear and makein the listing, an oversight. He assured methe remotewould work on my vehicle. I kept that e-mail.
I bought the remote new. It arrived as stated but would not work. I thought maybe a new remote old car, had to be the car. Well many parts and days later, I discovered the remote would NEVER work on my vehicle.The correctFCC# for the 94 Qends in 073, the one David Halko sold me ends in 078.
I got in touch with David and he sent me an e-mail requesting I return it for a fullrefund.I would have preferred an exchange but he did not have one.I kept this e-mail as well.
I returned the item,as he requested, with insurance and a confirmation. Now no word from the David Halko.To date it would seemDavid haslied, misrepresented the item at auction andfailedto provide a refund as promised (I purchased the item six weeks ago).
I gave him a good review because I got the item and it was as it seemed. Another thing I learned is that there is no need to leave feedback right away. Take your time and make sure you are satisfied with your purchase. Once you leave feedback you cannot retract it.
So take it from my experience. Some items are impossible to obtain locally, yetit is always best to see, touch and feel anything you are thinking aboutpurchasing.
okay is a wonderful thing in theory.In practise it depends on theaccountability, honesty, and integrity of theparticipants andat least in this case,that is not working for me.
Titan SCR2 Tankless Water Heater
I purchased a Titan SCR2 Tankless Water Heater last August. It is absolute GARBAGE. Only works for showers or sinks. Does not supply warm enough water for the dishwasher or the washing machine. I can't even get a bucket of hot water from the laundry sink.
The unit failed gepletely in 7 months. Niagara Industries (the manufacturer) customer service is horrible. After I found out their way to handle this was to mail them the defective unit and they would repair it and mail it back. When I geplained that this would be leaving me without any hot water for all that time they were very rude in telling me that I should have read the warranty before.
Beware! I very strongly regemend against purchaing this product or any product from Niagara Industries.
The unit failed gepletely in 7 months. Niagara Industries (the manufacturer) customer service is horrible. After I found out their way to handle this was to mail them the defective unit and they would repair it and mail it back. When I geplained that this would be leaving me without any hot water for all that time they were very rude in telling me that I should have read the warranty before.
Beware! I very strongly regemend against purchaing this product or any product from Niagara Industries.
Selling Vintage Clothing on s: A Buyer's Perspective
I am an avid vintage clothing buyer (and also sold vintage in my own online store in the past). I've also been on okay for 10 years. I'd like to offer some suggestions to existing and potential vintage clothing sellers. Many wonderful sellers are already following these guidelines and I look for their auctions and buy from them when I can. But there are many sellers who for whatever reason (laziness, ignorance, or out-and-out deception) do not. The latter probably won't get my business the first time, or perhaps other people's business either. If you are an existing vintage clothing seller, or just getting started, you can save time and hassles and gain loyal buyers by following these general do's and don'ts: 1. DO put photos and detailed descriptions in your auctions as soon as you list. If I see something like "photos and descriptions geing soon", I will not waste my time to gee back to your auction. I really don't understand the point of these kinds of listings. If you're not ready to list your item, then wait until you are ready. Why would you want to lose a potential buyer? 2. DO provide measurements in every auction when applicable Size tags are not sufficient as vintage sizes are very different than today's sizing "standards". Provide the following when applicable: bust (armpit to armpit), waist (at smallest point near middle of garment), hips (widest point near where the hips are), and total length from top of shoulder. For dresses, please DON'T use length from armpit or skirt - these are fairly useless measurements. For shoes and boots, provide measurements of sole length and width, and heel height. 3. DON'T estimate a size and omit measurements. Your estimate of a size means nothing to many people. Modern sizes vary greatly. 4. DO describe each and every flaw accurately, including stains, tears, holes, rips, picks, pulls, pilling, etc. and provide photos to illustrate, if possible. It's also best to use a ruler in the photo to show the size of the flaw. As sellers you may think it's better to wait for a potential buyer to ask until you reveal information about flaws, but not every buyer always do this. Would you prefer perhaps getting a few pennies less because you were up front about a flaw, or do you prefer an irate buyer after the fact? Your best bet is to be honest in the auction from the start. 5. DO provide any and all information listed in manufacturer's tags, and photos if possible, as this is important to many buyers. 6. DO be up front about shipping costs, handling fees (if any) and return policies. This is true for any auction, but thought I'd mention it anyway. 7. DON'T omit the fact that you or someone else has altered a hemline of a garment. Many sellers these days are cutting and hemming maxi dresses and either leaving the hem unfinished, not leaving enough hem depth so it can be altered by the buyer if desired, or just plain finishing the hem badly. The hem is an important part of any garment and if it has been altered, DO disclose this in your auction. 8. DO answer any and all questions from buyers and post them in your auction if you think it will help other buyers. I have passed on bidding on many an item because I do not get a reply from the seller. 9. DON'T place a non-vintage item in a vintage category. This is a violation of okay policy. "Vintage style" or "retro" items do not belong in these categories I know of buyers who will report unscrupulous sellers to okay who repeatedly violate this policy - those who cram a vintage category with a bunch of new stuff that clearly does not belong there. If you're unsure if an item is vintage, or you need help putting a date on something, ask for help in the okay vintage clothing discussion board. 10. Speaking of okay policies, DON'T add names of designers to your listing unless that item is actually manufactured by that designer or brand. It is okay to gepare with certain designers (and please make sure you know what you're talking about), but to stuff your listing with names of designers that have nothing to do with your item is a violation of okay policy. Follow these guidelines and you will gain repeat buyers and positive feedback.
IS THE LISTING YOU ARE BIDDING ON HIJACKED ???
Just the other day a friend of mine was selling a four weeler (ATV). He is not new to okay but wouldn't you know it everybody lets their guard down ounce in a while. As luck would have it a scammer sent him a question, it looked official and it was thru okay but it contained a message that was designed to get him to resign into his account thru thescammers bogus link, it looked something like this:
Q: Hello my name is Morty Sadley. I just saw this item of yours and remember seeingthe same item two days ago, Take a look : http;//202.50.176/signin/?signin.okay.ge/ws/okayISPI.dll?signIn
Q: Hello my name is Morty Sadley. I just saw this item of yours and remember seeingthe same item two days ago, Take a look : http;//202.50.176/signin/?signin.okay.ge/ws/okayISPI.dll?signIn
Is Yankee Candle Changing?
Yankee Candle: Getting Weaker?
Scent is a funny thing. You know, it isimpossible to patent a scent. You can patent the packaging, the name of the scent, the color of the scent, but not the actual scent itself. This is because everyone perceives scent differently.
Lately, or more specifically, since Yankee Candle has had it's what? 3rd? owner, Dearborn Madison, I feel like their candles have changed, and I'm not talking about the endless barrage of new scent.
I often wonder if I am alone in feeling that a lot of their signature scents have gotten weaker. My black banded older jar of Lemon Zest seems far stronger than the newer one.
In some cases this is not always a bad thing. Autumn Lodge, which I used to find nauseating, I now find pleasant in its newer, lighter form.
I should also add, that not all scents are weak across the board, but I feel that the majority have lost their vitality. Perhaps Dearborn Madison, Yankee's new owner should go back to its roots a little and bring back some of the older, well loved country scents, in their original form.
It will be interesting to see what kind of changes happen over time and if Yankee can and will retain all of its loyal fans.
Scent is a funny thing. You know, it isimpossible to patent a scent. You can patent the packaging, the name of the scent, the color of the scent, but not the actual scent itself. This is because everyone perceives scent differently.
Lately, or more specifically, since Yankee Candle has had it's what? 3rd? owner, Dearborn Madison, I feel like their candles have changed, and I'm not talking about the endless barrage of new scent.
I often wonder if I am alone in feeling that a lot of their signature scents have gotten weaker. My black banded older jar of Lemon Zest seems far stronger than the newer one.
In some cases this is not always a bad thing. Autumn Lodge, which I used to find nauseating, I now find pleasant in its newer, lighter form.
I should also add, that not all scents are weak across the board, but I feel that the majority have lost their vitality. Perhaps Dearborn Madison, Yankee's new owner should go back to its roots a little and bring back some of the older, well loved country scents, in their original form.
It will be interesting to see what kind of changes happen over time and if Yankee can and will retain all of its loyal fans.
Beware of fake Chicago Police badges
The Chicago Police badge is being reproduced and sold as authentic. Below is a picture of a real Sergeant's badge and a reproduction FAKE Sergeant's badge. Look at the lettering font style on the rank and the word CHICAGO. The "G" fonts are different. Also the enamel on the real badge is flush with the die. The fake one the enamel is not flush and you can feel it. Don't get burned by reproductions. If you have any questions contact me.
VINTAGE CLOTHING CONDITION GUIDE/CLEANING SUGGESTIONS
Have you ever purchased a vintage garment, that you thought would arrive in one condition, but instead arrived in far worse shape than you had anticipated?
Grading condition on clothing is a very subjective process. A flaw that you would perhaps find unacceptable, someone else might not even notice. Conversly, something that may seem like a big deal to a seller, may turn out to be not such a big deal to you. In example, I once purchased a dress that had several pinholes on the front of the bodice which led the seller to sell it in fair condition. However, I intended on wearing a brooch on the dress which nicely covered the holes, and so it did not matter to me in the least.
On my own listings, I have devised a scale of condition that I feel can tell you a great deal about the garments you are looking at. I also make it a point to try and specifically note any areas of condition issues, their size and location on the garment (as the above example demonstrates, that does matter). Rather than saying, stain on dress, or something else non descript, I try and say 3" light brown stain in a circular patter on bodice" or something that will let you know exactly what is going on with the item. If the seller does not have such specific information, ask ask ask ask ask!!! That avoids any disappointment when the item arrives, andyou notice that something is not what you expectedit to be.
The condition scale I haveon all of my listings is as follows:
Flawless:Mint condition with no flaws at all. There won't be any stains, tears, discoloration, chips, dings, crazing, crackingor other nastiness.
Excellent: Will show some very minor wear, such as a washing,a hairline scratch, a small factory flaw, a very very minor ding, a infinitesimal chip or minor, minor crazing where it really doesn't count. The distinction between "flawless" and "excellent"may be a slight one. These pieces require pretty close inspection to show their minor "flaws"
Very Good: Shows some expected wear for its age, like some discoloration, some small chipping or very very slight crazing. Handbags may have a a few shallow scuffs or slightly less than pristine interior, Jewelry may have some areas of wear. Overall these pieces are desirable, and useable, displayable and wearable, but not perfect.
Good: There may be a shadow stain on a dress or a weakening of the leather on a purse. A plate may have some flaws.Still wearable and usable.Alwaysoffered at very discounted prices.
Fair: Has some issues.....they will be noted in the description usually, but if they are not, you can expect that this item will be still usable, but may require repair. I try not to offer this quality of an item if possible. (On occassion I will to clear out some inventory, butwe make sure to note condition as fair).
As found: Generally, we avoid this type of thing. The only time we will consider listing an "as found" item, is if it is so unusual or unique that despite its problems, it may still be an interesting piece to own.
If your seller does not have such a scale on his or her auctions, or at least something that defines what their idea of condition is, you should ask them to do so. It takes no time at all, and really eliminates a lot of confusion.
If you get a garment, and it is really in need of cleaning, you need to know a few things before you try to address its' issues:
1. Vintage clothing should really never be machine washed. Even if the piece looks like it could take it, seams on vintage are innately more fragile than modern ones. Even the slightest pull on some seams can cause either the stitching or fabric to stretch and retract. Machine washing is especially bad, even on low agitation because the mechanisms can always pull on the fabric. If you must wash (i.e. cannot or do not wish to have item dry cleaned or professionally cleaned), do so by hand but only if you are absolutely certain that the fabric is washable (cottons, muslins, linens, nylons, polys, and other synthetics usually can take it, but you will likely ruin silks, satins and chiffons if you try it-unless you are very experienced with vintage fabrics).
2. If you are concerned about the fact that you would not want to wear something that someone else wore, and that is your motivation for washing it, try instead placing the garment in a mesh bag with a dryer sheet and putting it in the dryer for 20 minutes or so. As a nurse friend of mine always says " not much can live in a dryer for 20 minutes". So you would be doing a mini-sanitizing of the garment by doing so. Make sure the fabric is strong enough to withstand heat. Do NOT do this with anything that has fur or faux fur on it unless you are willing to roll the dice that it will be okay (for me a lot of the time, if I buy something cheaply I am much less fussy about how I handle it than if it was costly)
3. Dry cleaning is great, but you need to make sure the cleanerhas a spot/stain checking system where someone actually looks at the garment and what you are trying to get out.The cleaner I use does an inspection upon intake. Do not expect miracles from a drycleaner. Some of the stains on vintage garments have been there forever. They have had ample time to set and so maybenear impossible to remove. Also, they may have a held harmless liability policy when it gees to older garments. Ask about what they do if something gets ruined.
4. If your vintage needs ironing, use a steamer.Why chance a fabric burn or smudge. If youdo not have a steamer, try putting it in a bathroom while showering and having the door/windows closed and not using the fan. It is notnearly as effective as a steamer, but will help a little. Ilike the sharper image steamer (always readily available on okay). It is much cheaperthan others and has worked well for me, and it really makes the garment feel fresher.
Hope this helps! If it does please vote yes,so others can find it. If it does not, please let me knowhow I can improve it!
Thanks
Grading condition on clothing is a very subjective process. A flaw that you would perhaps find unacceptable, someone else might not even notice. Conversly, something that may seem like a big deal to a seller, may turn out to be not such a big deal to you. In example, I once purchased a dress that had several pinholes on the front of the bodice which led the seller to sell it in fair condition. However, I intended on wearing a brooch on the dress which nicely covered the holes, and so it did not matter to me in the least.
On my own listings, I have devised a scale of condition that I feel can tell you a great deal about the garments you are looking at. I also make it a point to try and specifically note any areas of condition issues, their size and location on the garment (as the above example demonstrates, that does matter). Rather than saying, stain on dress, or something else non descript, I try and say 3" light brown stain in a circular patter on bodice" or something that will let you know exactly what is going on with the item. If the seller does not have such specific information, ask ask ask ask ask!!! That avoids any disappointment when the item arrives, andyou notice that something is not what you expectedit to be.
The condition scale I haveon all of my listings is as follows:
Flawless:Mint condition with no flaws at all. There won't be any stains, tears, discoloration, chips, dings, crazing, crackingor other nastiness.
Excellent: Will show some very minor wear, such as a washing,a hairline scratch, a small factory flaw, a very very minor ding, a infinitesimal chip or minor, minor crazing where it really doesn't count. The distinction between "flawless" and "excellent"may be a slight one. These pieces require pretty close inspection to show their minor "flaws"
Very Good: Shows some expected wear for its age, like some discoloration, some small chipping or very very slight crazing. Handbags may have a a few shallow scuffs or slightly less than pristine interior, Jewelry may have some areas of wear. Overall these pieces are desirable, and useable, displayable and wearable, but not perfect.
Good: There may be a shadow stain on a dress or a weakening of the leather on a purse. A plate may have some flaws.Still wearable and usable.Alwaysoffered at very discounted prices.
Fair: Has some issues.....they will be noted in the description usually, but if they are not, you can expect that this item will be still usable, but may require repair. I try not to offer this quality of an item if possible. (On occassion I will to clear out some inventory, butwe make sure to note condition as fair).
As found: Generally, we avoid this type of thing. The only time we will consider listing an "as found" item, is if it is so unusual or unique that despite its problems, it may still be an interesting piece to own.
If your seller does not have such a scale on his or her auctions, or at least something that defines what their idea of condition is, you should ask them to do so. It takes no time at all, and really eliminates a lot of confusion.
If you get a garment, and it is really in need of cleaning, you need to know a few things before you try to address its' issues:
1. Vintage clothing should really never be machine washed. Even if the piece looks like it could take it, seams on vintage are innately more fragile than modern ones. Even the slightest pull on some seams can cause either the stitching or fabric to stretch and retract. Machine washing is especially bad, even on low agitation because the mechanisms can always pull on the fabric. If you must wash (i.e. cannot or do not wish to have item dry cleaned or professionally cleaned), do so by hand but only if you are absolutely certain that the fabric is washable (cottons, muslins, linens, nylons, polys, and other synthetics usually can take it, but you will likely ruin silks, satins and chiffons if you try it-unless you are very experienced with vintage fabrics).
2. If you are concerned about the fact that you would not want to wear something that someone else wore, and that is your motivation for washing it, try instead placing the garment in a mesh bag with a dryer sheet and putting it in the dryer for 20 minutes or so. As a nurse friend of mine always says " not much can live in a dryer for 20 minutes". So you would be doing a mini-sanitizing of the garment by doing so. Make sure the fabric is strong enough to withstand heat. Do NOT do this with anything that has fur or faux fur on it unless you are willing to roll the dice that it will be okay (for me a lot of the time, if I buy something cheaply I am much less fussy about how I handle it than if it was costly)
3. Dry cleaning is great, but you need to make sure the cleanerhas a spot/stain checking system where someone actually looks at the garment and what you are trying to get out.The cleaner I use does an inspection upon intake. Do not expect miracles from a drycleaner. Some of the stains on vintage garments have been there forever. They have had ample time to set and so maybenear impossible to remove. Also, they may have a held harmless liability policy when it gees to older garments. Ask about what they do if something gets ruined.
4. If your vintage needs ironing, use a steamer.Why chance a fabric burn or smudge. If youdo not have a steamer, try putting it in a bathroom while showering and having the door/windows closed and not using the fan. It is notnearly as effective as a steamer, but will help a little. Ilike the sharper image steamer (always readily available on okay). It is much cheaperthan others and has worked well for me, and it really makes the garment feel fresher.
Hope this helps! If it does please vote yes,so others can find it. If it does not, please let me knowhow I can improve it!
Thanks
Same scent, different name? You decide!
Separated At Birth?
Yankee has introduced a barrage of new scents, but it seems that, despite the new names and pretty pictures, we end up with the same candle after all.
You be the judge. Are the the same scents? Similar? Or am I just crazy?
COCONUT BAY-COCONUT COOKIE BAR
CAFE AU LAIT...A LIGHTER VERSION OF ROASTED COFFEE
SILVER BELLS-MEDITERRANEAN CYPRESS
GINGER SPICE COOKIE.....BROWN SUGAR AND SPICE
CHRISTMAS EVE.....SUGARED PLUMS
CINNAMON APPLEBERRY.....RED APPLE WREATH
HOME SWEET HOME.....HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.....FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
SWEET VIOLET.....WILD PANSIES
ROSES OF CLIFF WALK.....ROSE OF MOROCCO
RAIN WASHED.....EGYPTIAN COTTON
HARVEST.....AUTUMN WREATH
STARGAZER LILY.....SPRING BOUQUET
PLUMERIA.....PEONY PETALS
JACK FROST.....BOO
PATCHOULI.....WITCHS' BREW....PURR-CHOULI
Yankee has introduced a barrage of new scents, but it seems that, despite the new names and pretty pictures, we end up with the same candle after all.
You be the judge. Are the the same scents? Similar? Or am I just crazy?
COCONUT BAY-COCONUT COOKIE BAR
CAFE AU LAIT...A LIGHTER VERSION OF ROASTED COFFEE
SILVER BELLS-MEDITERRANEAN CYPRESS
GINGER SPICE COOKIE.....BROWN SUGAR AND SPICE
CHRISTMAS EVE.....SUGARED PLUMS
CINNAMON APPLEBERRY.....RED APPLE WREATH
HOME SWEET HOME.....HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.....FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
SWEET VIOLET.....WILD PANSIES
ROSES OF CLIFF WALK.....ROSE OF MOROCCO
RAIN WASHED.....EGYPTIAN COTTON
HARVEST.....AUTUMN WREATH
STARGAZER LILY.....SPRING BOUQUET
PLUMERIA.....PEONY PETALS
JACK FROST.....BOO
PATCHOULI.....WITCHS' BREW....PURR-CHOULI
Harry Potter World of Hogwarts AKA Polly Pocket
I admit I am just starting this guide, also just starting my collection, but I shall share what I have learned so far.The World of Hogwarts collection is a series of playsets produced by Warner Brothers around or about the first two movies. I believe 2000 is the year of the first set release. They lasted through the first two movies, but I can find no playsets for the third or fourth, so I believe the series has been discontinued. This does not stop my kids from loving them!At the center of the collection is a large Hogwarts castle playset. I say large, but it is about 12" tall. The base contains electronics and gears which operate the moving parts and sound effects. The castle folds out like a dollhouse to reveal many rooms. The center portion contains the owlery, Dumbledore's office, an owl landing room on the left with Hedwig in it and the girl's bathroom on the right with a large club in it and the great hall. Hedwig and the club move and make sound effects when a button is pushed. Similarly, the side panels each have a classroom and another room with a moving, sound-making item. In the bottom, two dungeons fold out with moving objects, but these don't make sounds. In the back, a folding door reveals an empty classroom with the Mirror of Erised on the wall.This playset came with the most figures - Harry with a lantern, Ron, Snape, a troll, and some tables. It may also have gee with a suit of armor and/or invisible Harry. The figures are only about 1" high.The lantern Harry is particularly important as he has a magnet in his base. It is this figure (and only this figure) that circles the great hall when placed upon the moving track.Other playsets can be enjoyed separately or connected to circular gears on the Hogwarts castle. If you connect them to the gears, the smaller playsets each have parts that move as well.The playsets include: - a smaller Hogwarts castle which represents the hidden area behind the third-floor corridor ... contains fluffy, a flying broom in the keys room and some other items. This set may or may not have gee with figures.- Ron Weasley's house from the second movie. This playset gees with Harry and Ron figures, dressed in street clothing, and a three-headed figure that is a pack of garden gnomes.- Hagrid's Hut. This set gees with Hagrid. Not sure what else.- Quiddich Field. This set came with a flying Harry and, I think, a flying Malfoy.- Platform 9 3/4. Not sure what this set came with, but it was half a train and a small platform.- Finding Them -Finding these sets is not easy. For some reason, most folks on okay list these as 'Polly Pocket' sets, even though they are clearly much smaller than standard Polly Pocket toys. Others know they are called 'World of Hogwarts', abbreviated 'WOH' but these folks have an inflated opinion of their worth.Most of the sets seem to be missing one or more figures and requests for figures through the Want It Now feature on okay have resulted in very few answers.Oddly enough, the packaged sets don't seem to sell for much more than the used sets, even though they contain all the figures. Then again, I have yet to see the original castle - the centerpiece of the whole system - sold as new in package.Good luck :)
Friday, September 9, 2011
2006 Vespa LX150
My Vespa has almost 7000 miles on it now and here is my review of performance, construction, quality and riding characteristics after months of use. Here goes.
I have to mention the selection process I went through in acquiring the Vespa LX150. I had my heart set on a new Triumph T100 last summer. I had been looking at it for months and I had decided to purchase one. My friend Paul suggested I try his Vespa ET4 over the Memorial Day weekend just to try out a scooter. I wasnt really interested but he offered enough times that I felt it rude to not take him up on his offer. I hadnt ridden it more than a mile before I was hooked. I thought I would hate not having a clutch and being able to run through the gears. The twist and go automatic transmission was a delight. Having both brakes at my fingertips was nice as well. The scooter was extremely nimble on the road with its small tires and I did not notice any stability issues at the speeds the scooter was capable of producing. During that weekend I dismissed any thoughts of the Triumph and decided on the Vespa.
I should add here that if you decide to purchase a Vespa (especially if you are a man) you had better be sure you have the courage to own one. It amazes me how many other men pick at the scooter, at me, at both together, as some sort of less than manly contraption that insults at a primal level. Or so it seems. Again, if you want one, you better be sure of your masculinity.
The Vespa LX150 has a 149cc Leader engine manufactured by Piaggio and has been a solid performer since I bought it. The only problem I had was at 12 miles the thing would not start and the dealer had to pick it up and take it to the shop. Turned out there was a tiny piece of rubber from the fuel line that must have been nicked off during assembly and clogged the carburetor jet. They removed the clog and the scooter has run flawlessly for the next 3000 miles. It starts immediately in all weather. Ive ridden down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. The engine runs smoothly and provides surprising acceleration for such a small scooter. The automatic transmission is smooth as well. Gas mileage is consistently around 68 miles per gallon. Top speed for me at 190 pounds is around 64 miles per hour on the flat with no wind. A bit faster if I tuck down. The brakes are exceptional with the front disc brake providing great stopping power. The body assembly is tight with no rattles or noises. The Vespa is a quality machine. The only geplaint that I can muster is I wish the glove box were watertight. I have not seen any leakage while riding in rain but when I wash it and spray the hose in that direction Ill find water inside.
The real positive points for me are the styling and the ride. The look of the Vespa LX150 is classic. Piaggio has done a fantastic job bringing the style to the new scooters and you either like them or you dont. I like the fact that it stands out and is not something you see everyday around here. The ride is pretty amazing. I feel as if I am flying through the landscape but at speeds where I can actually appreciate what Im seeing. Its not a cruiser or sport bike but it is fun. Ive ridden it on trips of 100 miles through back roads and farm lanes and I feel like Im aware of every sight and smell. It is not a freeway machine though I have ridden it on the Interstate at times when traffic is low but a good general rule would be to stay on two-lane roads. I would have no fear riding it for hundreds of miles; I just need to accept that the ride will not be the fastest. The scooter is a rambling and meandering machine.
The only accessory Ive added is a folding rear rack for $150. It allows me to add some luggage when the need arises. This spring I plan to add tent and sleeping back for a little scooter camping. Maintenance costs have been what I would have expected. At 600 miles and the end of the break-in period I had the dealer change the engine and hub oil and check all the other things they check. At 2500 miles I had a rear tire put on (those little tires wear fast), oil change, valve lash adjustment, check brakes, etc. Cost for that was a bit over $200 dollars. The next service will be in 1000 miles. I have put two more rear tires on the scooter, both Pirelli's and now have a Continental Zippy1 on order in hopes of better wear. I am now doing my own engine and transmission oil changes---quite simple and plan to change the drivebelt as well.
Final thoughts---- The Vespa is a well-built, solid performer. It is reliable and will last for years. It is not cheap as scooters go. Mine ran $4500 out the door with tax and license. The decision to spend on a Vespa for me was tied to styling. I wanted the Vespa look.
For more information on the Vespa and riding check out my blog----Scooter in the Sticks.
vespalx150.blogspot.ge
I have to mention the selection process I went through in acquiring the Vespa LX150. I had my heart set on a new Triumph T100 last summer. I had been looking at it for months and I had decided to purchase one. My friend Paul suggested I try his Vespa ET4 over the Memorial Day weekend just to try out a scooter. I wasnt really interested but he offered enough times that I felt it rude to not take him up on his offer. I hadnt ridden it more than a mile before I was hooked. I thought I would hate not having a clutch and being able to run through the gears. The twist and go automatic transmission was a delight. Having both brakes at my fingertips was nice as well. The scooter was extremely nimble on the road with its small tires and I did not notice any stability issues at the speeds the scooter was capable of producing. During that weekend I dismissed any thoughts of the Triumph and decided on the Vespa.
I should add here that if you decide to purchase a Vespa (especially if you are a man) you had better be sure you have the courage to own one. It amazes me how many other men pick at the scooter, at me, at both together, as some sort of less than manly contraption that insults at a primal level. Or so it seems. Again, if you want one, you better be sure of your masculinity.
The Vespa LX150 has a 149cc Leader engine manufactured by Piaggio and has been a solid performer since I bought it. The only problem I had was at 12 miles the thing would not start and the dealer had to pick it up and take it to the shop. Turned out there was a tiny piece of rubber from the fuel line that must have been nicked off during assembly and clogged the carburetor jet. They removed the clog and the scooter has run flawlessly for the next 3000 miles. It starts immediately in all weather. Ive ridden down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. The engine runs smoothly and provides surprising acceleration for such a small scooter. The automatic transmission is smooth as well. Gas mileage is consistently around 68 miles per gallon. Top speed for me at 190 pounds is around 64 miles per hour on the flat with no wind. A bit faster if I tuck down. The brakes are exceptional with the front disc brake providing great stopping power. The body assembly is tight with no rattles or noises. The Vespa is a quality machine. The only geplaint that I can muster is I wish the glove box were watertight. I have not seen any leakage while riding in rain but when I wash it and spray the hose in that direction Ill find water inside.
The real positive points for me are the styling and the ride. The look of the Vespa LX150 is classic. Piaggio has done a fantastic job bringing the style to the new scooters and you either like them or you dont. I like the fact that it stands out and is not something you see everyday around here. The ride is pretty amazing. I feel as if I am flying through the landscape but at speeds where I can actually appreciate what Im seeing. Its not a cruiser or sport bike but it is fun. Ive ridden it on trips of 100 miles through back roads and farm lanes and I feel like Im aware of every sight and smell. It is not a freeway machine though I have ridden it on the Interstate at times when traffic is low but a good general rule would be to stay on two-lane roads. I would have no fear riding it for hundreds of miles; I just need to accept that the ride will not be the fastest. The scooter is a rambling and meandering machine.
The only accessory Ive added is a folding rear rack for $150. It allows me to add some luggage when the need arises. This spring I plan to add tent and sleeping back for a little scooter camping. Maintenance costs have been what I would have expected. At 600 miles and the end of the break-in period I had the dealer change the engine and hub oil and check all the other things they check. At 2500 miles I had a rear tire put on (those little tires wear fast), oil change, valve lash adjustment, check brakes, etc. Cost for that was a bit over $200 dollars. The next service will be in 1000 miles. I have put two more rear tires on the scooter, both Pirelli's and now have a Continental Zippy1 on order in hopes of better wear. I am now doing my own engine and transmission oil changes---quite simple and plan to change the drivebelt as well.
Final thoughts---- The Vespa is a well-built, solid performer. It is reliable and will last for years. It is not cheap as scooters go. Mine ran $4500 out the door with tax and license. The decision to spend on a Vespa for me was tied to styling. I wanted the Vespa look.
For more information on the Vespa and riding check out my blog----Scooter in the Sticks.
vespalx150.blogspot.ge
Best way to AIR FAKE a can
AN EMPTY CAN WITH NO HOLES... IS IT POSSIBLE???... 10 steps HOW TO...I've been collecting cans for over 20 years now. Over the years I developped a way to empty a can without opening it with the pull-ring. At first I made several holes in the bottom. This was fast and easy, but somehow it felt as if the cans were badly damaged. It looked like gaping wounds in the bottom.Then, somebody told me to make a few tiny holes instead. This wasn't as fast as the big holes but it looked better. After doing this for a few years, I started to make just ONE HOLE...This hole is on the top of the can but under the pull ring. See picture below: HOW TO MAKE THIS HOLE:1. Slide the pullring a little to the left or right. 2. Make a small hole as close to the ring as possible using a hammer and a nail.3. Hold your can upside down above the sinc.WARNING!!! HERE geES THE STICKY PART...4. Shake as hard as you can!!! Coke will be spraying out. 5. As soon as you notice that the presure is getting less, shake again.6. Do this untill the liquid stops geing out of the canIF THERE IS STILL SOME LIQUID LEFT:7. Fill the sinc with 2 inches of HOT water. (don't burn your fingers)8. Hold the can upside down in the hot water. The air inside will expand and will gee out. The little bit of liquid inside will gee out with the air. 9. Repeat this if necesary...10. Slide the pull-ring back to it's original possition and nobody will see the hole in your can!!A lot of people all over the world empty their can this way, without me explaining this technique.So, there must be more genius people around !!! =DHave fun collecting and don't leave a mess in the kitchen... CLEAN UP!!! MORE GUIDES:RLNDS's shipping cost for shipping CANS within EUROPE RLNDS's shipping cost for shipping CANS to USA and ASIA
Flat rate shipping
If you have something heavy to ship you can use a flat rate priority box from usps once I shipped a box for over $14.00 later I found out I could have used a flat rate box 1 price no matter how heavy as long as it fits.Most flat rate boxes are $8.10
Buying a Dnepr or KMZ sidecar rig on s
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How Much Does This Bicycle Weigh?
There is tremendous interest in road bikes right now. Many people think that the most important question is How much does this bike weigh? We feel that we need to gement on this aspect of road bike performance, a factor that we feel is important, but maybe overrated. Lots of people are currently considering buying their first road bike ever, after years of mountain biking. Everyone has heard stories about the extremely lightweight road bikes that are currently being used by pro racers. Actually, the governing body of pro cycling, the UCI (International Cyclists Union) has set a minimum weight of 14.99 pounds for a race-legal road bike. We would wager that virtually all major bike manufacturers have the capability of building bikes that are even lighter than 15 pounds. Do you really want or need a bike that light?
Most road bikes sold in the U.S. cost less than $2,000. To mountain bikers accustomed to MTB price tags that are somewhat lower, sticker shock is the first reaction. It should be noted that both road and mountain bikes can exhibit incredible levels of engineering sophistication. Space-age materials and manufacturing methods yield wonderful performance enhancements, but this all gees at a price to the bike rider. On MTBs, we have seen improvements in suspension, frame designs and disc braking systems, and these improvements have trickled down into lower-priced bikes. On road bikes, the most obvious improvements are seen in better geponents, that are lighter in weight and that stay in adjustment; and in the creative use of carbon (even on entry-level bikes) for frames and forks, and every other part and geponent. (Carbon is light, stiff yet shock-absorbing, and very strong.) Finally, wheels are faster to accelerate and roll because of improved alloys, new aerodynamic construction designs, and fantastically efficient hubs.
Most road bikes sold in the U.S. cost less than $2,000. To mountain bikers accustomed to MTB price tags that are somewhat lower, sticker shock is the first reaction. It should be noted that both road and mountain bikes can exhibit incredible levels of engineering sophistication. Space-age materials and manufacturing methods yield wonderful performance enhancements, but this all gees at a price to the bike rider. On MTBs, we have seen improvements in suspension, frame designs and disc braking systems, and these improvements have trickled down into lower-priced bikes. On road bikes, the most obvious improvements are seen in better geponents, that are lighter in weight and that stay in adjustment; and in the creative use of carbon (even on entry-level bikes) for frames and forks, and every other part and geponent. (Carbon is light, stiff yet shock-absorbing, and very strong.) Finally, wheels are faster to accelerate and roll because of improved alloys, new aerodynamic construction designs, and fantastically efficient hubs.
MAKE A SPOOKY HALLOWEEN GHOST FROM HARDSHELL GOURD
This is a great halloween project to do with kids because you don't have to cut the gourd open. Thatmeans there is no gourd dust, or sharp blades to deal with. You will need:
Gourds with a "ghosty" shape, like club gourds or swan necks
Fine sandpaper
A tack, small nail, or small hand drill
An eye hook
Alength of nylon line (fishing line works great)
White exterior acrylic latex paint (get high quality paint with a hightitanium dioxide content so your gourds last)
Black acrylic paint for the features
Spray can of protective glaze varnish (Krylon triple thick glaze works well)
STEPS:
1. Sand your gourd lightly with the sandpaper so your white paint sticks.
2. Start a small hole in the top with your tack or small nail and then screw the eye hook in, tightening all the way down.
3. Cut a length of nylon line and insert through the eye hook to make a hanger.
4. Now give it a good first coat with your white latex paint and let dry (you can speed this up with a hairdryer).
5. Give it another coat of white and let dry.
5. Paint on the features using black acrylic. It's always good to practice your design on paper first. Let them dry then do it again to give the black depth.
6. Spray with 2 or 3 coats of protective glaze and let dry.
The whole process can be done in one afternoon depending on how fast the paint drys in between steps.
Take care of your ghosts in between seasons by wiping them off with a damp cloth and storing them in a dry place.
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN
Gourds with a "ghosty" shape, like club gourds or swan necks
Fine sandpaper
A tack, small nail, or small hand drill
An eye hook
Alength of nylon line (fishing line works great)
White exterior acrylic latex paint (get high quality paint with a hightitanium dioxide content so your gourds last)
Black acrylic paint for the features
Spray can of protective glaze varnish (Krylon triple thick glaze works well)
STEPS:
1. Sand your gourd lightly with the sandpaper so your white paint sticks.
2. Start a small hole in the top with your tack or small nail and then screw the eye hook in, tightening all the way down.
3. Cut a length of nylon line and insert through the eye hook to make a hanger.
4. Now give it a good first coat with your white latex paint and let dry (you can speed this up with a hairdryer).
5. Give it another coat of white and let dry.
5. Paint on the features using black acrylic. It's always good to practice your design on paper first. Let them dry then do it again to give the black depth.
6. Spray with 2 or 3 coats of protective glaze and let dry.
The whole process can be done in one afternoon depending on how fast the paint drys in between steps.
Take care of your ghosts in between seasons by wiping them off with a damp cloth and storing them in a dry place.
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN
What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah isthe Jewish New Year --
but it's not a night of revelry !!!
Rosh Hashanah (pronounced "ROSH-hah-SHAH-nah") is a time of introspection, reflection and repentance. It's a two-day holiday that always falls on the 1st and 2nd day of Tishri on the Jewish calendar, which is usually in September on the secular calendar. In fact, many secular calendars now have the first day marked. But be aware that the holiday, like the Sabbath, begins on the night before the calendar date! Why? Because in Genesis it says "there was evening and there was morning..." "Evening" is mentioned first, so Jewishdays begin at sundown.
Rosh Hashanahbegins a 10-day period of repentance and reflection known as the High Holy Days or Yomim Noraim (Days of Awe), ending with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (Read my Guide on Yom Kippur.) During this ten-day period, Jews try to make amends to people they might have offended, make resolutions to change their own lives for the better, pay off old debts, and generally make amends for any wrongs.
Traditional greeting
The traditional greeting for Rosh Hashanah is "May you be written for a good new year." The word "written" refers to the idea that, on this day, God opens the Book of Life, takes a look at all our deeds recorded there, and determines who shall live and who shall die in the geing year. So everyone wants to be "written in the Book of Life" on this day, and everyone wishes their friends, family, and neighbors the same. The most gemon Hebrew greeting is Shanah Tovah ("SHAH-nah-TOV-ah" or "shah-NAH-toe-VAH"depending on your regional dialect. Both are acceptable!) It is roughly equivalent to "Happy New Year."
Blowing the ram's horn
The ram's horn, called a shofar in Hebrew (pronounced "SHOW-far"), is literally made from the horn of a ram. It is often mistranslated as"trumpet," but the shofar is far more primitive than that! It hasa strong, visceral, ancientsound intended to say, "Awake, ye sleepers, from your sleep... and ponder over your deeds; remember your Creator and go back to Him in penitence..." (Hil. Teshuvah, 3:4)
The biblical gemandment for Jews to observe Rosh Hashanah is found in Leviticus:
"In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of rest, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of the shofar, a holy gathering.. You shall not do any labor ..." (Leviticus 23:24-25)
(Why the seventh month if this is the New Year? It's the seventh month on theagricultural calendar, but the first month on the liturgical calendar. Even back then, they had fiscal years!)
Traditionally the right horn of a ram is used, because the right hand side signifies the "Right Hand of Mercy" and we want to evoke God's mercy on this day. A Jewish legend says that when Abraham sacrificed a ram on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:13), the two horns were spiritually saved by God. The right horn was blown on Mt. Sinai when the Torah was given to Moses and the people. The left horn -- representing the "Left Hand of Justice" -- will be blown on the Final Judgement Day.
Wearing white clothing
In most Jewish gemunities, the cantor (person who chants the service) wears a long white robe called a "kittel." In some gemunities, all the men wear white yarmulkes (skullcaps). Still other gemunities encourage everyone -- men, women, and children --to wear white. The symbolism of white clothing is that we should repent of our sins and begee "pure as snow." Many people also have white flowers on the table, and white tablecloths are also used.
Dipping apples in honey
Greeting cards for Rosh Hashanah often depict an apple with a jar of honey. This is because of the tradition to dip apple slices in honey for "a sweet new year." Jewish gemunities around the world have many other food customs associated with this holiday. Some eat round loaves of bread, representing the shape of the Earth or the cycle of the year, because Rosh Hashanah is theanniversary of Creation -- the "birthday of the world." Others eat fish on this day because fish are regarded as sinless (they were not killed in the Great Flood) and because they are very fruitful and multiply -- representing the wish for many children. Jews of Eastern European descent often eat a sweet cooked fruit dish called a tsimmes. Middle Eastern gemunities eat round carrot slices representing coins -- fora prosperous new year. Sephardic Jews eat sweet dates and also pomegranates, because the Talmud says that even the worst sinner is still "as full of good deeds as a pomegranate is full of seeds."
Casting your sins into the sea
On the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, there is a tradition to go to a body of "living (natural) waters"and symbolically "cast your sins into the sea" (based on Micah 7:19) in a ceremony called tashlich. (Pronounced "TASH-leekh.") Water symbolizes purification and all water eventually ends up in the ocean, so a river, lake, or even a well is acceptable. In areas where there areJewish gemunities, you will sometimes see large gatherings doing this ceremony, often dressed in traditional garb,rocking back and forth as they chant prayers in Hebrew. The prayers askGod for forgiveness anda good year for the whole world.
Some searches to find items for this holiday:
Rosh Hashanah shofaryarmulkeJewish New Year Jewish food ram horn
but it's not a night of revelry !!!
Rosh Hashanah (pronounced "ROSH-hah-SHAH-nah") is a time of introspection, reflection and repentance. It's a two-day holiday that always falls on the 1st and 2nd day of Tishri on the Jewish calendar, which is usually in September on the secular calendar. In fact, many secular calendars now have the first day marked. But be aware that the holiday, like the Sabbath, begins on the night before the calendar date! Why? Because in Genesis it says "there was evening and there was morning..." "Evening" is mentioned first, so Jewishdays begin at sundown.
Rosh Hashanahbegins a 10-day period of repentance and reflection known as the High Holy Days or Yomim Noraim (Days of Awe), ending with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (Read my Guide on Yom Kippur.) During this ten-day period, Jews try to make amends to people they might have offended, make resolutions to change their own lives for the better, pay off old debts, and generally make amends for any wrongs.
Traditional greeting
The traditional greeting for Rosh Hashanah is "May you be written for a good new year." The word "written" refers to the idea that, on this day, God opens the Book of Life, takes a look at all our deeds recorded there, and determines who shall live and who shall die in the geing year. So everyone wants to be "written in the Book of Life" on this day, and everyone wishes their friends, family, and neighbors the same. The most gemon Hebrew greeting is Shanah Tovah ("SHAH-nah-TOV-ah" or "shah-NAH-toe-VAH"depending on your regional dialect. Both are acceptable!) It is roughly equivalent to "Happy New Year."
Blowing the ram's horn
The ram's horn, called a shofar in Hebrew (pronounced "SHOW-far"), is literally made from the horn of a ram. It is often mistranslated as"trumpet," but the shofar is far more primitive than that! It hasa strong, visceral, ancientsound intended to say, "Awake, ye sleepers, from your sleep... and ponder over your deeds; remember your Creator and go back to Him in penitence..." (Hil. Teshuvah, 3:4)
The biblical gemandment for Jews to observe Rosh Hashanah is found in Leviticus:
"In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of rest, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of the shofar, a holy gathering.. You shall not do any labor ..." (Leviticus 23:24-25)
(Why the seventh month if this is the New Year? It's the seventh month on theagricultural calendar, but the first month on the liturgical calendar. Even back then, they had fiscal years!)
Traditionally the right horn of a ram is used, because the right hand side signifies the "Right Hand of Mercy" and we want to evoke God's mercy on this day. A Jewish legend says that when Abraham sacrificed a ram on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:13), the two horns were spiritually saved by God. The right horn was blown on Mt. Sinai when the Torah was given to Moses and the people. The left horn -- representing the "Left Hand of Justice" -- will be blown on the Final Judgement Day.
Wearing white clothing
In most Jewish gemunities, the cantor (person who chants the service) wears a long white robe called a "kittel." In some gemunities, all the men wear white yarmulkes (skullcaps). Still other gemunities encourage everyone -- men, women, and children --to wear white. The symbolism of white clothing is that we should repent of our sins and begee "pure as snow." Many people also have white flowers on the table, and white tablecloths are also used.
Dipping apples in honey
Greeting cards for Rosh Hashanah often depict an apple with a jar of honey. This is because of the tradition to dip apple slices in honey for "a sweet new year." Jewish gemunities around the world have many other food customs associated with this holiday. Some eat round loaves of bread, representing the shape of the Earth or the cycle of the year, because Rosh Hashanah is theanniversary of Creation -- the "birthday of the world." Others eat fish on this day because fish are regarded as sinless (they were not killed in the Great Flood) and because they are very fruitful and multiply -- representing the wish for many children. Jews of Eastern European descent often eat a sweet cooked fruit dish called a tsimmes. Middle Eastern gemunities eat round carrot slices representing coins -- fora prosperous new year. Sephardic Jews eat sweet dates and also pomegranates, because the Talmud says that even the worst sinner is still "as full of good deeds as a pomegranate is full of seeds."
Casting your sins into the sea
On the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, there is a tradition to go to a body of "living (natural) waters"and symbolically "cast your sins into the sea" (based on Micah 7:19) in a ceremony called tashlich. (Pronounced "TASH-leekh.") Water symbolizes purification and all water eventually ends up in the ocean, so a river, lake, or even a well is acceptable. In areas where there areJewish gemunities, you will sometimes see large gatherings doing this ceremony, often dressed in traditional garb,rocking back and forth as they chant prayers in Hebrew. The prayers askGod for forgiveness anda good year for the whole world.
Some searches to find items for this holiday:
Rosh Hashanah shofaryarmulkeJewish New Year Jewish food ram horn
A Funko Wacky Wobbler Collecting Guide
Funko Wacky Wobblers brings to life all our old time favorite cartoon, advertising characters, and culture from childhood in a qualitybobblehead form.This guide will list the important factors of collecting and willserve as a directory for upgeing, active and retired wacky wobblers.Each wacky wobbler stands about 7" to 8" average, some are larger and have colorful themed display window boxes and the history of the charater.The first figures to resemble what we now call bobblehead dolls came from Germany and were called "Nodders". These original nodders were large ceramic figures, and stood between 6 and 8 inches tall. The name "nodders" or "bobblehead" describes the bobbing action of the doll's head, which is lightly connected to the body by a light spring.
Funkocreated their first wacky wobbler in 1998 -- the popular Bobs Big Boy. The gepany has produced over 400 wobblers since then, including cartoon, advertising and pop culture icons.
Are these just toys? Do they have any value as a collectible?
Wacky wobblers make great gifts, and children of all ages love these toys. However, these toys are also considered to be a high valued collectibles. Funko produces a certain quantity of wobblers each time which determines the value for each wobbler. Those with limited production as scarce and hard to find so their collectible value is much higher. Some wobblers already have a high collectible value over $700.
A wacky wobbler must be in Mint condition to be be given its' highest collectible value.Be sureto keepthe original boxes in Mint Condition. If the box is damaged orif the wobbler does not have a box, it looses its' collectible value.
Wacky wobblers can be found in many different categories throughout okay but generally are listed under the following Main category.....Collectible Wacky Wobblers
New Releases/Upgeing: Funko releases a new line of wobblers every year. So be sure to keep your collection up to date with all new released wobblers. Funko does not release the production quantity of a wobbler until the following year so a newly released item could also be a high valued collectible depending on howare planned to beproduced. New Releases for 2006.....
Augie Dogie
Funkocreated their first wacky wobbler in 1998 -- the popular Bobs Big Boy. The gepany has produced over 400 wobblers since then, including cartoon, advertising and pop culture icons.
Are these just toys? Do they have any value as a collectible?
Wacky wobblers make great gifts, and children of all ages love these toys. However, these toys are also considered to be a high valued collectibles. Funko produces a certain quantity of wobblers each time which determines the value for each wobbler. Those with limited production as scarce and hard to find so their collectible value is much higher. Some wobblers already have a high collectible value over $700.
A wacky wobbler must be in Mint condition to be be given its' highest collectible value.Be sureto keepthe original boxes in Mint Condition. If the box is damaged orif the wobbler does not have a box, it looses its' collectible value.
Wacky wobblers can be found in many different categories throughout okay but generally are listed under the following Main category.....Collectible Wacky Wobblers
New Releases/Upgeing: Funko releases a new line of wobblers every year. So be sure to keep your collection up to date with all new released wobblers. Funko does not release the production quantity of a wobbler until the following year so a newly released item could also be a high valued collectible depending on howare planned to beproduced. New Releases for 2006.....
Augie Dogie
Why bother writing a guide?
I am writing this guide on account of those greedy people out there who go through peoples guides and reviews and don't even read what the information is about, but vote that the guide or review did not help, so that they can gain ranks so that they can win money from okay. Grow up people! Frankly, if you are like me you know thatokay continues to create more problems and hassles than necessary. There are good people out there who take there time and put effort and thought into the information they are sharing. Am I frustrated right now writing this? You can bet on it!
Don't be frustrated though,(I should be saying this to myself),when it gees to these people. The world is filled with them, they seem to never go away. Will I go on writing different guides and reviews when i have time? The answer is yes, I will. Like I said, there are still good people out there who do want someone elses opinion about an item, and don't just vote negatives on account of their greed to win money from okay. People want to learn, and just like a business, you have to deal with the good and the horrible.
Don't be frustrated though,(I should be saying this to myself),when it gees to these people. The world is filled with them, they seem to never go away. Will I go on writing different guides and reviews when i have time? The answer is yes, I will. Like I said, there are still good people out there who do want someone elses opinion about an item, and don't just vote negatives on account of their greed to win money from okay. People want to learn, and just like a business, you have to deal with the good and the horrible.
Sponging Technique for Stamping
I love learning all kind of ways to create more uniqueness in my cards, and have found that sponging has always been one of the simplest, yet favorite ways to do that.
First, pick a sponge. They sell a lot of them in scrapbooking and crafting stores now. Just get which ever one's texture appeals to you. It doesn't really matter which one. If it is a large sponge, cut it into 4 triangular pieces.
Next, take your desired waterbased ink and dab the sponge in it.
Then, take the sponge and gently press or rub in the desired place. I love to rub it around the edges of the card or inside the images to create a 'wow' effect. In the Christmas card above, I sponged inside the stamped images with green and red and thought it turned out fabulous!
Lastly, rinse your sponge out in water and let dry for next use.
Next time you create a card, try using the sponge technique and see how nicely it adds to your work of art. Thanks for looking. I hope this was helpful.
First, pick a sponge. They sell a lot of them in scrapbooking and crafting stores now. Just get which ever one's texture appeals to you. It doesn't really matter which one. If it is a large sponge, cut it into 4 triangular pieces.
Next, take your desired waterbased ink and dab the sponge in it.
Then, take the sponge and gently press or rub in the desired place. I love to rub it around the edges of the card or inside the images to create a 'wow' effect. In the Christmas card above, I sponged inside the stamped images with green and red and thought it turned out fabulous!
Lastly, rinse your sponge out in water and let dry for next use.
Next time you create a card, try using the sponge technique and see how nicely it adds to your work of art. Thanks for looking. I hope this was helpful.
Shipping Charges FAIR Vs. UNFAIR: How to Report It!
Alot of sellers are overcharging on shipping. But if you as the buyer, bids on that item, you honestly agreed to the shipping terms without knowing it. Therefore, they are your responsibility, no matter how fair they are. Avoid being scammed by these sellers, by first of all READING THE WHOLE AUCTION! If it says shipping is free at the top, make sure it doesn't say with buy it now only in the description or some other terms. If shipping is 19.99 on a 0.01 item, then you are agreeing that the item is worth 20 bucks. Second of all, AVOID sellers that overcharge on their shipping. They will be forced to either stop selling or pay fees like the rest of us. One reason sellers overcharge on shipping is to get a "kickback" persay that is not included in okay's final value fees. Legal? No! Do they get away with it? Yes! But you can report them here:Report Listing Violations! Now, is it illegal to charge a handling fee? NO! And a lot of sellers do charge a very reasonable handling fee. I personally only charge 0.25 cents on my First Class items to cover the cost of my polymailers and delivery confirmation. I don't charge for my time, paper, printing labels, or gas to drive back and forth to the post office. Some sellers feel that they have to charge a little more while others feel they need to charge a little less. It is perfectly okay to charge a reasonable amount, but its when that reasonable amount goes crazy that it begees a problem.As a Seller and a Buyer, I have discovered a few ways to save on shipping.
Fraud in Selling Fur Trade Medals
There is an influx of fur trade items being offered on okay as authentic by sellers, alledgedly made byCanadian silversmiths Pierre Huguet Dit Latouror Robert Cruickshank in the late 1700s or early 1800s. They are toted as being hand made, etc.I purchased one, and had the tenacity to run it to ground. Here's the skinny: there is a man in Iowa who is producing these items from trade silver. The onlyauthentic part of the piece is the fact he does string them on old beads. Trademarks to look for items geing fromhis shop: the piece will be packaged in a Riker display case,lined with red felt. There will be an old parchment paper tag with oldstyleRoyal typewriter type face describing the item as being fur trade or Hudson's Bay. There will be a number to make it appear as though the item was once part of an auction or estate sale. These items are beautiful replicas of the originals,he sells them for$100 wholesale. I had my piece looked at by professionals inmuseums, whodeclared it was a reproduction. My only consolation is the fact I have the wonderful old beads. Please look carefully and bid accordingly.VERY FEW AUTHENTIC FUR TRADEMEDALLIONS OR CROSSES EVER MAKE IT TO okay.
Indian Mini dirt bike, Super Enduro 70cc, 2 stroke
I'm writing this review because I got addicted to motorcycling in my youth. Visiting Wheels Through Time museum (Maggie Valley, NC) in 2006, I was inspired to find an old motorcycle and rebuild it. A lot of the antique bikes for the street are over-priced, and hard to find. So, I decided to look for a smaller bike that was worthy of restoring, and wouldn't take up much space in my garage or my wallet. I purchased an old (1973) Indian Trail bike off of okay in June 2007, and set out to find parts and history for this bike in order to restore it. When I got this bike, it was truely a Bucket case. The engine was apart, and rusting away in a 5 gallon bucket. The original owner, who sold me the bike, said the engine locked up and threw him over the handlebars. He took the engine apart, and discovered 3 sprockets with torn out teeth, and a bent piston. This rebuild exceeded his budget, skill level, and time allotment, and he chose to let the bike sit in his barn for many years.
Interesting enough, I received orders to go to Korea with the Army, and had to leave my Indian Dirt bike in storage while I went overseas,, only a week after I had purchased the bike and pressure washed the rolling chasis. That 1 year of being away gave me time to research Indian and explore the internet for parts and vendor resources.
I discovered that Indian manufacturers went out of business in the US in 1953, and the Indian name was sold several times. Overseas gepanies were building bikes and importing them into the US under the Indian badging. Italjet made various versions of the Indian Mini Enduro (ME) and Super Enduro (SE) dirt bike. They came in various configurations in 50cc, 70cc, 100cc, and 125cc.TheE in the model names also meant that they had headlights and turn signals, as opposed to the MX and ML versions which were dirtbikes (with/without headlights). Engines came from Italjet andFuji;Italjet still makes scooters and mopeds today (June 2009). Depending on the year, model, and engine ccsize, various rim sizes, engine manufactures,and frames were used. In order to restore one of these Indians to perfect condition, you need to know what specifications were stock on the year and model you are working on. This is why it is best tostart witha geplete bike to restore rather than just locating every part and assembling a geplete bike.
www . Italjet. ge
You may be amazed to open the casing of an Indian Mini Enduro, and find "Ducati" stamped on the flywheel. The Magneto system (for SE-74) is a 33watt Ducati flywheel and Ducati coil.
During my 1 year in Korea, I continued to purchase parts for my SE-74 and have them shipped to my wife in the US. I returned to the US to discover that a lot of the (frame) parts would not work on the model I had. It took me an additional year to rebuild the engine and get it running. Meanwhile, I had the frame sandblasted and painted, and started on the electrical system. I was constantly working on something to advance the progress on this project. I had to search the internet for each and every NOS bushing and bearing still available. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a parts manual which helped me get the engine back together properly I had almost given up on locatingthe one final internal engine part to make this rebuild a geplete mechanical restore: anew clutch rod, and asked for the assistance from a local machine shop. Luckily, Gary Baker Indian Dirtbikes came through and found the rod I had been looking for after me constantly asking for over 3 months; Thanks again Gary! The machine shop was still handy in fixing the threads of the front sprocket shaft.
This month totals 3 years of research and hard work to get this bike running. There are a few more cosmetic parts that I need to obtain to get this bike in great appearance and running condition. After purchasing 3 newly recovered seats, I finally got one that fits properly. The handlebars off of a Honda XL70 appeared to be a direct replacement, but I found out when I put handgrips on, the bar ends are almost 2 inches longer on the Indian and the center handlebar grips would not align.; Maybe Rechroming the original part is in the plans for the future.The fork legs I have work great, but were pitted, so I sanded the chrome off of them and painted an aluminum paint on them. Rebuilding the shocks make a big difference in these vintage bikes.
With the engine sandblasted, it looks beautiful.I'm pleased with my Indian SE-74 (70cc two stroke, 4 speed). Now, since the neck VIN label on these bikes are only stickers, it's hard to pin-point the exact year on some of these bikes,,, such as mine.. But, due to the smaller style gas tank, several people have reassured me that mine is of the early 1970's models. UPDATE, I found the VIN number etched in the neck of the frame. The VIN indicates my bike to be a 1973 model. Many people gement that they have never seen an SE model, since mine has the headlight, turn signals, horn, and taillight. Mine seems to be a rare Indian Dirtbike, and is totally street legal, despite being 2 stroke. It can be a little stubburn to start after sitting for a week or two, but once it warms up, you can definitely tell that this 70cc (two stroke) has more power than my Honda XL70 (four stroke).UPDATE: I bought a new carb which makes it extremely easy to start the bike now. The engine still works better after it warms up for 5 to 10 minutes. This is my first 2 stroke bike, so I'm assuming that is gemon with all 2 strokes.
Some people call these little bikes Taiwan Indians,,, but who cares. I own a rare piece of the Indian motorcycle history, and I get to ride it any day I want! Granted, I'm not too particular on the "All American or Nothing" theory of some bikers. Some people don't realize that Harley (enduro bikes of the 1970s) also had Yamaha engines in them, back when AMC was helping to keep Harley from going belly up.
I'm truely a biker who doesn't care what you ride; I even wave at scooters and mopeds. And NO, I don't flip people off who don't return my friendly wave,,, I may be driving a Honda Magna to work, my Indian dirt bike around the neighborhood, or (if I ever hit the lottery) someday a Servi-car, PanHead, FlatHead, WLA, or someHot Rod project bobber that I piece together from a bunch of junk bikes, some cool metal fabrication, and custom duct tape!
the followingis an excerpt that I took from indianchiefmotorcycles.ge
With the last All American Indians being made in 1953, the gepany was bankrupt, and its shares and assets (including the intellectual property, e.g. Indian trademarks) were sold in 1954 to the English Brockhouse Corporation who would use the Indian dealer network to sell two brands of English motorycles, and to the Titeflex gepany who attempted to manufacture things and whose name remained on the Springfield factory until wind blew it down in 2005. Other than the sale of the Indian name and shares and assets, not much happened during 1954 from the perspective of Joe Biker. The second biggest domestic maker, a gepany that started two years before Harley and was their main gepetitor, suddenly stopping producing and selling. When bikers readthe Indian Dealership Ad (After Many Moons,,, a Brand New Indian)they must have been overjoyed and thought another American made and designed Indian was on the way.
this part of his article includes interesting pictures and info. about Indian.
To conclude this section, many will say this 1950-60 and 1970 business was impure, "not real Indians", but the 1999-2003 Indian Chief had an imitation Harley Evo engine and gearbox and clutch and primary drive, in an imitation Harley Softail frame, and the same forks used on Harleys (all made by Showa in Japan), so if a 1960 or 1970 Indian is not a real Indian neither was the 2000 model. The 1960 Chief, the 1970 750 c.c. Indian, and the 2000 Chief were all made under the design and orders of the people who at those times held legal title to the Indian name, so they are legally Indians even if they have engines and frames made by another gepany. Harleys use Japanese forks and partial electrics, and possibly clutches and brakes (let me know), and they paid Porsche to design their Evo and V-Rod engines, so what is "pure" anymore? The big Honda models are built 100% in the USA, by Americans, and Americans had a lot to say in their design, so is a big Honda a Japanese bike? The Aero and ACE Tourer look more Harley than Harley! (But one must admit that Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and finally Suzuki copied the Harley Glide and Indian Chief series styling and did not invent it.) At this point I am arguing with myself, so enough said!
the proceeding views are merely excerts from the website mentioned. It may be noteworthy to mention that this year (2009), Honda released it's first stock chopper, The Fury. With the engine from the VTX 1300, and ergonomics designed after custom builders, mimiced from the 50s, 60s and 70s. It seems only fitting that Honda stretches out from the pack of Metric cruisers to make factory choppers, after years of people chopping the CB750 SOHC engines to create their own bikes. Victory has a factory "chopper" called the Hammer. Harley now has the Rocker C, which is their "factory chopper".
No matter what you ride, enjoy yourself, and be safe.
Best Wishes
William
Interesting enough, I received orders to go to Korea with the Army, and had to leave my Indian Dirt bike in storage while I went overseas,, only a week after I had purchased the bike and pressure washed the rolling chasis. That 1 year of being away gave me time to research Indian and explore the internet for parts and vendor resources.
I discovered that Indian manufacturers went out of business in the US in 1953, and the Indian name was sold several times. Overseas gepanies were building bikes and importing them into the US under the Indian badging. Italjet made various versions of the Indian Mini Enduro (ME) and Super Enduro (SE) dirt bike. They came in various configurations in 50cc, 70cc, 100cc, and 125cc.TheE in the model names also meant that they had headlights and turn signals, as opposed to the MX and ML versions which were dirtbikes (with/without headlights). Engines came from Italjet andFuji;Italjet still makes scooters and mopeds today (June 2009). Depending on the year, model, and engine ccsize, various rim sizes, engine manufactures,and frames were used. In order to restore one of these Indians to perfect condition, you need to know what specifications were stock on the year and model you are working on. This is why it is best tostart witha geplete bike to restore rather than just locating every part and assembling a geplete bike.
www . Italjet. ge
You may be amazed to open the casing of an Indian Mini Enduro, and find "Ducati" stamped on the flywheel. The Magneto system (for SE-74) is a 33watt Ducati flywheel and Ducati coil.
During my 1 year in Korea, I continued to purchase parts for my SE-74 and have them shipped to my wife in the US. I returned to the US to discover that a lot of the (frame) parts would not work on the model I had. It took me an additional year to rebuild the engine and get it running. Meanwhile, I had the frame sandblasted and painted, and started on the electrical system. I was constantly working on something to advance the progress on this project. I had to search the internet for each and every NOS bushing and bearing still available. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a parts manual which helped me get the engine back together properly I had almost given up on locatingthe one final internal engine part to make this rebuild a geplete mechanical restore: anew clutch rod, and asked for the assistance from a local machine shop. Luckily, Gary Baker Indian Dirtbikes came through and found the rod I had been looking for after me constantly asking for over 3 months; Thanks again Gary! The machine shop was still handy in fixing the threads of the front sprocket shaft.
This month totals 3 years of research and hard work to get this bike running. There are a few more cosmetic parts that I need to obtain to get this bike in great appearance and running condition. After purchasing 3 newly recovered seats, I finally got one that fits properly. The handlebars off of a Honda XL70 appeared to be a direct replacement, but I found out when I put handgrips on, the bar ends are almost 2 inches longer on the Indian and the center handlebar grips would not align.; Maybe Rechroming the original part is in the plans for the future.The fork legs I have work great, but were pitted, so I sanded the chrome off of them and painted an aluminum paint on them. Rebuilding the shocks make a big difference in these vintage bikes.
With the engine sandblasted, it looks beautiful.I'm pleased with my Indian SE-74 (70cc two stroke, 4 speed). Now, since the neck VIN label on these bikes are only stickers, it's hard to pin-point the exact year on some of these bikes,,, such as mine.. But, due to the smaller style gas tank, several people have reassured me that mine is of the early 1970's models. UPDATE, I found the VIN number etched in the neck of the frame. The VIN indicates my bike to be a 1973 model. Many people gement that they have never seen an SE model, since mine has the headlight, turn signals, horn, and taillight. Mine seems to be a rare Indian Dirtbike, and is totally street legal, despite being 2 stroke. It can be a little stubburn to start after sitting for a week or two, but once it warms up, you can definitely tell that this 70cc (two stroke) has more power than my Honda XL70 (four stroke).UPDATE: I bought a new carb which makes it extremely easy to start the bike now. The engine still works better after it warms up for 5 to 10 minutes. This is my first 2 stroke bike, so I'm assuming that is gemon with all 2 strokes.
Some people call these little bikes Taiwan Indians,,, but who cares. I own a rare piece of the Indian motorcycle history, and I get to ride it any day I want! Granted, I'm not too particular on the "All American or Nothing" theory of some bikers. Some people don't realize that Harley (enduro bikes of the 1970s) also had Yamaha engines in them, back when AMC was helping to keep Harley from going belly up.
I'm truely a biker who doesn't care what you ride; I even wave at scooters and mopeds. And NO, I don't flip people off who don't return my friendly wave,,, I may be driving a Honda Magna to work, my Indian dirt bike around the neighborhood, or (if I ever hit the lottery) someday a Servi-car, PanHead, FlatHead, WLA, or someHot Rod project bobber that I piece together from a bunch of junk bikes, some cool metal fabrication, and custom duct tape!
the followingis an excerpt that I took from indianchiefmotorcycles.ge
With the last All American Indians being made in 1953, the gepany was bankrupt, and its shares and assets (including the intellectual property, e.g. Indian trademarks) were sold in 1954 to the English Brockhouse Corporation who would use the Indian dealer network to sell two brands of English motorycles, and to the Titeflex gepany who attempted to manufacture things and whose name remained on the Springfield factory until wind blew it down in 2005. Other than the sale of the Indian name and shares and assets, not much happened during 1954 from the perspective of Joe Biker. The second biggest domestic maker, a gepany that started two years before Harley and was their main gepetitor, suddenly stopping producing and selling. When bikers readthe Indian Dealership Ad (After Many Moons,,, a Brand New Indian)they must have been overjoyed and thought another American made and designed Indian was on the way.
this part of his article includes interesting pictures and info. about Indian.
To conclude this section, many will say this 1950-60 and 1970 business was impure, "not real Indians", but the 1999-2003 Indian Chief had an imitation Harley Evo engine and gearbox and clutch and primary drive, in an imitation Harley Softail frame, and the same forks used on Harleys (all made by Showa in Japan), so if a 1960 or 1970 Indian is not a real Indian neither was the 2000 model. The 1960 Chief, the 1970 750 c.c. Indian, and the 2000 Chief were all made under the design and orders of the people who at those times held legal title to the Indian name, so they are legally Indians even if they have engines and frames made by another gepany. Harleys use Japanese forks and partial electrics, and possibly clutches and brakes (let me know), and they paid Porsche to design their Evo and V-Rod engines, so what is "pure" anymore? The big Honda models are built 100% in the USA, by Americans, and Americans had a lot to say in their design, so is a big Honda a Japanese bike? The Aero and ACE Tourer look more Harley than Harley! (But one must admit that Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and finally Suzuki copied the Harley Glide and Indian Chief series styling and did not invent it.) At this point I am arguing with myself, so enough said!
the proceeding views are merely excerts from the website mentioned. It may be noteworthy to mention that this year (2009), Honda released it's first stock chopper, The Fury. With the engine from the VTX 1300, and ergonomics designed after custom builders, mimiced from the 50s, 60s and 70s. It seems only fitting that Honda stretches out from the pack of Metric cruisers to make factory choppers, after years of people chopping the CB750 SOHC engines to create their own bikes. Victory has a factory "chopper" called the Hammer. Harley now has the Rocker C, which is their "factory chopper".
No matter what you ride, enjoy yourself, and be safe.
Best Wishes
William
Buy Low Sell High Or Quick Flipping Properties
The
premise is simple in theory. Buy low, and then resell the property to
an end buyer: either another investor, or an owner occupant for more
than you paid.
Buy Low Sell High. "Flipping" Properties for Profit This is the
technique that most people are familiar with. It is the buy low - sell
high strategy. It has a lot of names. Some people refer to this as
"Flipping " or "Wholesaling and Retailing", " Fixer-uppers", "Junkers."
,and "Ugly houses." The premise is simple in theory. Buy low, and then
resell the property to an end buyer: either another investor, or an
owner occupant for more than you paid (after adding back in all your
costs to own the property). The properties may or may not need work to
resell. There are several tracks that you can run on with this
strategy. Finding the type of deals that work for you, in your given
situation, is critical. What I mean by that is you better not be doing
a major fixer-upper that needs a ton of work if you need to turn it in
30 days to a retail homebuyer, unless you know what you are doing. In
the beginning, stick to properties that may need only some paint and
carpet, and a little yard work. Legging into projects in the beginning
is critical to your success as a new investor. It takes time to
assemble all the players on your team. Take furnace guys, for instance.
I recently had to replace a furnace, and my normal subcontractor had
just retired, so I needed a new guy. I had my main contractor call, and
get a few bids. They ranged from $1,200- $1,600 for that particular
unit installed. I knew I should only pay a third that much, so I kept
calling around and found a guy that did a lot of new construction. Once
he realized it wasnt a one-time job, and that he would get my
maintenance calls as well, a bid came in for $600. Right where I wanted
it. These types of relationships take a little time to find, and
develop. They dont take years, but you dont want to go into a project
paying retail for everything. Know what materials should cost.
Another great source for materials is your local Home Depot, or other
discount lumberyard. Go down to the store. Shake a few hands. Get
catalogs of everything they sell in the store. Spend a little time with
the catalog so you know what things cost, and how to call things by
their correct name. Youll earn the respect of your contractors when
they think you know what you are talking about. You can also set up an
account for materials.
What you want to do is to create a template of the type of repairs you
do, and the materials you want to use. Remodeling does not have
to cost a ton of money. You dont need imported Italian tile to make a
bathroom floor look good. By begeing educated to material costs etc.
when your contractor says you need to replace a sink or toilet, you
know exactly what your materials should cost. You should be able to do
a geplete bathroom - tub shower, toilet, vanity, sink, flooring etc.
for $500 in materials plus some labor.
Blend Color Schemes Choose a color pallet so that your paint, carpet,
cabinets etc. all blend in the same color tones. Many new investors
underestimate how important this can be. A potential buyer can walk
into a room, and it may have a cool-tone carpet with a warm-tone paint
color. When this happened something In a subtle way, something
just doesnt feel right, and you lose the sale. If you have no idea
what I am talking about then get Informed dont underestimate the
importance of this Youll earn the respect of your contractors when
they think you know what you are talking about. Talk to a
professional decorator. It is real obvious, when you get the hang of
it. You can see the builders that are blind to this gepared to the
builders that coordinate color schemes. It doesnt cost any more, and
will actually make you money when you factor in how much faster you
will sell your house. For the guys reading this talk to your wife or
girlfriend she will know exactly what I am talking about.
Junk Doesnt Sell.
Just remember that when you are doing remodeling, junk doesnt sell.
People like to buy pretty cute houses. I always replace carpet and
paint at the very minimum. Its cheap and it gives you a lot of bang
for your buck. Carpet with pad installed should not run you more then
$10-$12 a yard.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy.
The first thing you should do is ask yourself: Who am I going to sell
this property to?. Hopefully, you have answered that question BEFORE
you wrote the offer, or at least by the time you got it accepted. Are
you going to wholesale it to another investor, or are you going to
retail it to a retail buyer? Do I wholesale for quick cash? The answer
to this first question will tell you what track you will need to run
on. For instance, if you are planning to wholesale the property, is
their enough profit margin in the deal so an investor can make 15-25%
profit? If there isnt, you may not find any buyers. You need to
consider the profit margin for the current market you are in. In a
hotter market, you may be able to offer it for closer to its retail
value, and still sell it verses a really slow market. A 25% profit may
not be enough. This will fluctuate by area. When wholesaling property,
less is more. The first thing I do is a trash out. I have made close to
$30,000 on a deal just by hauling out the trash. It consistently makes
$10,000 or more on an entry-level house. Of all the things people do to
improve a property, the first impression counts the most. Haul out all
the trash and do a clean up on the yard. It is money well spent. After
I geplete this, I then re-determine what I want to do with the
property. Wholesaling is by far the easiest to do.
To attract wholesale Buyers you may want to run some ads like:
FIXER UPPER Cash!
30K under market.
123 Cherry Lane
Phone 123-456-7890
Or
STEAL MY HOUSE
Fixer, First 50K takes it.
123 Cherry Lane
Phone 123-456-7890
I wholesale property when I want to turn it fast for a quick $2-$10K
profit. Most wholesale buyers are cash buyers who are looking for
properties they can fix up and retail. I know a lot of investors who
specialize in this. They may assign their purchase contracts for a fee,
and move on to the next deal without ever doing any work. This is a
great strategy if you are good at finding deals. Be weary of investors
that have to go through the conventional financing process. You could
end up eating up all your profit in carrying costs. Is it better to use
retailing for maximum profit? Retailing for the maximum value is by far
the most popular strategy. Even though it offers the greatest profit
potential, it also carries with it the greatest risk for new investors.
I have seen, time and time again. New investors often spend way too
much money doing foolish improvements on a property that really doesnt
net them any more cash at the closing table.
What Improvements Matter Most? This is a good question, and I submit to
you the answer is different for different markets. What you want is, to
do the things that will cost the least, and yield the most. Rule #1 is
to realize that you are doing this to make money and not necessarily
live in it yourself. If it aint broke, dont fix it. What I mean is
dont spend time remodeling the inside of an out-building if its
painted the wrong color, and needs a workbench. The condition of an
out-building will have little if any value. So what do you do? New
Investors often spend way too much money doing foolish improvements on
a property that really doesnt net them any more cash at the closing
table.
My suggestions follow :
When someone pulls up to the house, they have to want to gee in. You
can have a palace inside, but you have to get them to want to gee in
and see it. People judge a property on its attractiveness by its curb
appeal. Do NOT underestimate the power of this. If you are on a limited
budget, make it look good outside first. Fix-Up for the Woman in the
House The next thing to remember is that "The women buy the house". I
know this may sound sexist, but its true. If the wife hates the
bathroom because the tub is discolored and the toilet seat is cracked,
you wont be selling it to that couple anytime soon (Even if the
husband loves the outbuilding). Always put new toilets in for obvious
reasons. After the property is free of all trash, yucky carpets etc.,
and the outside looks good, then make sure all the mechanicals are
working properly. Replace or upgrade if necessary.
Focus on the outside curb appeal first:
a. Trash out the yard; Power wash the structure
b. Trim all shrubs; Green up the lawns.
c. Paint the exterior trim and basecoat.
d. Replace screens and do other cosmetic fixes.
e. Repair the roof.
f. Add house lettering, new light fixtures and a mailbox.
g. Install a decorative front door
h. Plant new shrubs, flowers, fresh bark, etc. (Within reason)
For the final details check all of the following:
A. Plumbing
B. Electrical
C. Heating / AC (Dont forget to check the water heater. They often go
out if the water was shut off, and the power was still on.)
D. Kitchens and Bathrooms
1) Make sure they are clean and sanitary.
2) Replace Toilets
3) Replace tubs if necessary and install a door enclosure.
4) Replace fixtures, etc.
5) Paint and change flooring or counter tops.
E. Repaint interior where needed.
F. Update fixtures.
G. New floor coverings, or clean the existing ones.
H. Change electrical switch plates, outlets, heat vents, mini blinds.
The little details make a big difference, and dont cost much. This is
by no means a geplete list, but this can help you get started on your
repairs. Repairs like this do not have to take a lot of effort on
your side. When I make offers on properties for all cash "flip deals",
this is how I go about it. I usually make All Cash, or All Cash and a
Seller carry back. All Cash Offers 3 day Inspection Contingency Once
I have tied a property up to purchase, I always have a 3-day inspection
period. I typically make cash offers that close quickly, using private
money. Sellers love these kinds of offers, and I have no contingencies
to close except for a 3-day inspection. It is within these 3 days that
I determine if I even want to buy the property.
I cannot emphasize this enough! Kitchens and bathrooms make or break a
sale every time. If appliances are old and out-dated, replace them. If
cabinets are not clean, scrub and paint them. I have seen people not do
things because of cost. The house sit for months. The extra interest
cost alone would have more than paid for the improvements.
Take the Time to Investigate the property. A lot of times I dont even
look at a property to buy until I get an accepted offer. This saves
time, so I am not looking at properties I dont want to buy. Sometimes
I make 40 offers, that get 8 counter offers, and of those 8, I counter
back, and get maybe 2 or 3 accepted. That way, I only have to look at
those 2 or 3 properties. Make Multiple Offers
I then determine what the after-repaired value will be. I try to be
realistic here. It is easy to put in some blue sky, especially when you
need a deal. But you need to remember: you make your money when you
buy. If you buy a property right, you can always resell it for a
profit. You Make Your Money When You Buy! Many investors dont realize
this. They think they make it when they sell, and will pay too much for
a property just because they want a deal. Figure Your Costs It is
important to take a few minutes, and gepute realistic repair and
improvement costs, along with your profit potential. I urge you to be
realistic, and pad your costs by a few thousand dollars. Also, make
sure you factor in your holding time, and buying and selling costs,
along with any money cost you might have in doing the deal. Write it
down. Dont guess, and dont estimate in your head.
However, as you get better at buying properties, you will be able to
walk through a property and estimate repairs within a few thousand
dollars, in a matter of minutes. If you have a big enough profit built
into the deal, it wont matter if you are off a bit, or you have some
unexpected expenses. Always Know Your Exit(s) Before Your Entrance
Violate this rule, and you will pay for it. What I mean is that, if
your only exit strategy is to "Retail" for all cash, and you only have
a $10,000 profit built-in, I can almost guarantee it that you will not
be in this business too long. One of the hardest things to do over and
over is to have to retail property for all cash, because you failed to
structure other exit strategies. Its not to say it cant be done. Many
investors do extremely well with this Allot of times I dont even look
at a property to buy until I get an accepted offer. This saves time.
Make Offers Get a Good Deal Make a Realistic List Have a lot of Options
technique. They have taken time to develop, or implement systems for
getting properties bought, remodeled and sold in a timely fashion.
Build in "Terms" on Exit Strategies When you build some flexibility
into a deal, like paying the Buyers closing costs, or carrying a second
mortgage for 10-20%, and you can still make a decent profit, you wont
get caught sitting on property you cant sell. The more flexible you
are on "terms", the more options there are that will be available to
you. The easier it will be to sell. You wont want to take back seconds
etc. on every deal, because you will be giving away hard-earned profit
for no reason. If you have done your job, and made the property nice,
you will have people gepeting to buy them The approach you take
wholesaling, and retailing will be determined by the volume of deals
you are doing, the amount of equity you have and whether you are doing
real estate investing full, or part-time. One of the biggest deciding
factors on your exit strategy will be the type of financing you agreed
to in the purchase. Do you have to pay off your underlying loan fast (6
months or less)? Or do you have long term financing? Do you make
payments, or is interest accruing until the property is resold? Can you
"Wrap it", "Lease-option it", "Seller finance", or "Carry a contract"?
All of these are options and tools available to you as a creative
investor. Knowing and learning when and how to apply these strategies,
and others will make you a ton of money over time. Lots of Options Make
Quick Sales
premise is simple in theory. Buy low, and then resell the property to
an end buyer: either another investor, or an owner occupant for more
than you paid.
Buy Low Sell High. "Flipping" Properties for Profit This is the
technique that most people are familiar with. It is the buy low - sell
high strategy. It has a lot of names. Some people refer to this as
"Flipping " or "Wholesaling and Retailing", " Fixer-uppers", "Junkers."
,and "Ugly houses." The premise is simple in theory. Buy low, and then
resell the property to an end buyer: either another investor, or an
owner occupant for more than you paid (after adding back in all your
costs to own the property). The properties may or may not need work to
resell. There are several tracks that you can run on with this
strategy. Finding the type of deals that work for you, in your given
situation, is critical. What I mean by that is you better not be doing
a major fixer-upper that needs a ton of work if you need to turn it in
30 days to a retail homebuyer, unless you know what you are doing. In
the beginning, stick to properties that may need only some paint and
carpet, and a little yard work. Legging into projects in the beginning
is critical to your success as a new investor. It takes time to
assemble all the players on your team. Take furnace guys, for instance.
I recently had to replace a furnace, and my normal subcontractor had
just retired, so I needed a new guy. I had my main contractor call, and
get a few bids. They ranged from $1,200- $1,600 for that particular
unit installed. I knew I should only pay a third that much, so I kept
calling around and found a guy that did a lot of new construction. Once
he realized it wasnt a one-time job, and that he would get my
maintenance calls as well, a bid came in for $600. Right where I wanted
it. These types of relationships take a little time to find, and
develop. They dont take years, but you dont want to go into a project
paying retail for everything. Know what materials should cost.
Another great source for materials is your local Home Depot, or other
discount lumberyard. Go down to the store. Shake a few hands. Get
catalogs of everything they sell in the store. Spend a little time with
the catalog so you know what things cost, and how to call things by
their correct name. Youll earn the respect of your contractors when
they think you know what you are talking about. You can also set up an
account for materials.
What you want to do is to create a template of the type of repairs you
do, and the materials you want to use. Remodeling does not have
to cost a ton of money. You dont need imported Italian tile to make a
bathroom floor look good. By begeing educated to material costs etc.
when your contractor says you need to replace a sink or toilet, you
know exactly what your materials should cost. You should be able to do
a geplete bathroom - tub shower, toilet, vanity, sink, flooring etc.
for $500 in materials plus some labor.
Blend Color Schemes Choose a color pallet so that your paint, carpet,
cabinets etc. all blend in the same color tones. Many new investors
underestimate how important this can be. A potential buyer can walk
into a room, and it may have a cool-tone carpet with a warm-tone paint
color. When this happened something In a subtle way, something
just doesnt feel right, and you lose the sale. If you have no idea
what I am talking about then get Informed dont underestimate the
importance of this Youll earn the respect of your contractors when
they think you know what you are talking about. Talk to a
professional decorator. It is real obvious, when you get the hang of
it. You can see the builders that are blind to this gepared to the
builders that coordinate color schemes. It doesnt cost any more, and
will actually make you money when you factor in how much faster you
will sell your house. For the guys reading this talk to your wife or
girlfriend she will know exactly what I am talking about.
Junk Doesnt Sell.
Just remember that when you are doing remodeling, junk doesnt sell.
People like to buy pretty cute houses. I always replace carpet and
paint at the very minimum. Its cheap and it gives you a lot of bang
for your buck. Carpet with pad installed should not run you more then
$10-$12 a yard.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy.
The first thing you should do is ask yourself: Who am I going to sell
this property to?. Hopefully, you have answered that question BEFORE
you wrote the offer, or at least by the time you got it accepted. Are
you going to wholesale it to another investor, or are you going to
retail it to a retail buyer? Do I wholesale for quick cash? The answer
to this first question will tell you what track you will need to run
on. For instance, if you are planning to wholesale the property, is
their enough profit margin in the deal so an investor can make 15-25%
profit? If there isnt, you may not find any buyers. You need to
consider the profit margin for the current market you are in. In a
hotter market, you may be able to offer it for closer to its retail
value, and still sell it verses a really slow market. A 25% profit may
not be enough. This will fluctuate by area. When wholesaling property,
less is more. The first thing I do is a trash out. I have made close to
$30,000 on a deal just by hauling out the trash. It consistently makes
$10,000 or more on an entry-level house. Of all the things people do to
improve a property, the first impression counts the most. Haul out all
the trash and do a clean up on the yard. It is money well spent. After
I geplete this, I then re-determine what I want to do with the
property. Wholesaling is by far the easiest to do.
To attract wholesale Buyers you may want to run some ads like:
FIXER UPPER Cash!
30K under market.
123 Cherry Lane
Phone 123-456-7890
Or
STEAL MY HOUSE
Fixer, First 50K takes it.
123 Cherry Lane
Phone 123-456-7890
I wholesale property when I want to turn it fast for a quick $2-$10K
profit. Most wholesale buyers are cash buyers who are looking for
properties they can fix up and retail. I know a lot of investors who
specialize in this. They may assign their purchase contracts for a fee,
and move on to the next deal without ever doing any work. This is a
great strategy if you are good at finding deals. Be weary of investors
that have to go through the conventional financing process. You could
end up eating up all your profit in carrying costs. Is it better to use
retailing for maximum profit? Retailing for the maximum value is by far
the most popular strategy. Even though it offers the greatest profit
potential, it also carries with it the greatest risk for new investors.
I have seen, time and time again. New investors often spend way too
much money doing foolish improvements on a property that really doesnt
net them any more cash at the closing table.
What Improvements Matter Most? This is a good question, and I submit to
you the answer is different for different markets. What you want is, to
do the things that will cost the least, and yield the most. Rule #1 is
to realize that you are doing this to make money and not necessarily
live in it yourself. If it aint broke, dont fix it. What I mean is
dont spend time remodeling the inside of an out-building if its
painted the wrong color, and needs a workbench. The condition of an
out-building will have little if any value. So what do you do? New
Investors often spend way too much money doing foolish improvements on
a property that really doesnt net them any more cash at the closing
table.
My suggestions follow :
When someone pulls up to the house, they have to want to gee in. You
can have a palace inside, but you have to get them to want to gee in
and see it. People judge a property on its attractiveness by its curb
appeal. Do NOT underestimate the power of this. If you are on a limited
budget, make it look good outside first. Fix-Up for the Woman in the
House The next thing to remember is that "The women buy the house". I
know this may sound sexist, but its true. If the wife hates the
bathroom because the tub is discolored and the toilet seat is cracked,
you wont be selling it to that couple anytime soon (Even if the
husband loves the outbuilding). Always put new toilets in for obvious
reasons. After the property is free of all trash, yucky carpets etc.,
and the outside looks good, then make sure all the mechanicals are
working properly. Replace or upgrade if necessary.
Focus on the outside curb appeal first:
a. Trash out the yard; Power wash the structure
b. Trim all shrubs; Green up the lawns.
c. Paint the exterior trim and basecoat.
d. Replace screens and do other cosmetic fixes.
e. Repair the roof.
f. Add house lettering, new light fixtures and a mailbox.
g. Install a decorative front door
h. Plant new shrubs, flowers, fresh bark, etc. (Within reason)
For the final details check all of the following:
A. Plumbing
B. Electrical
C. Heating / AC (Dont forget to check the water heater. They often go
out if the water was shut off, and the power was still on.)
D. Kitchens and Bathrooms
1) Make sure they are clean and sanitary.
2) Replace Toilets
3) Replace tubs if necessary and install a door enclosure.
4) Replace fixtures, etc.
5) Paint and change flooring or counter tops.
E. Repaint interior where needed.
F. Update fixtures.
G. New floor coverings, or clean the existing ones.
H. Change electrical switch plates, outlets, heat vents, mini blinds.
The little details make a big difference, and dont cost much. This is
by no means a geplete list, but this can help you get started on your
repairs. Repairs like this do not have to take a lot of effort on
your side. When I make offers on properties for all cash "flip deals",
this is how I go about it. I usually make All Cash, or All Cash and a
Seller carry back. All Cash Offers 3 day Inspection Contingency Once
I have tied a property up to purchase, I always have a 3-day inspection
period. I typically make cash offers that close quickly, using private
money. Sellers love these kinds of offers, and I have no contingencies
to close except for a 3-day inspection. It is within these 3 days that
I determine if I even want to buy the property.
I cannot emphasize this enough! Kitchens and bathrooms make or break a
sale every time. If appliances are old and out-dated, replace them. If
cabinets are not clean, scrub and paint them. I have seen people not do
things because of cost. The house sit for months. The extra interest
cost alone would have more than paid for the improvements.
Take the Time to Investigate the property. A lot of times I dont even
look at a property to buy until I get an accepted offer. This saves
time, so I am not looking at properties I dont want to buy. Sometimes
I make 40 offers, that get 8 counter offers, and of those 8, I counter
back, and get maybe 2 or 3 accepted. That way, I only have to look at
those 2 or 3 properties. Make Multiple Offers
I then determine what the after-repaired value will be. I try to be
realistic here. It is easy to put in some blue sky, especially when you
need a deal. But you need to remember: you make your money when you
buy. If you buy a property right, you can always resell it for a
profit. You Make Your Money When You Buy! Many investors dont realize
this. They think they make it when they sell, and will pay too much for
a property just because they want a deal. Figure Your Costs It is
important to take a few minutes, and gepute realistic repair and
improvement costs, along with your profit potential. I urge you to be
realistic, and pad your costs by a few thousand dollars. Also, make
sure you factor in your holding time, and buying and selling costs,
along with any money cost you might have in doing the deal. Write it
down. Dont guess, and dont estimate in your head.
However, as you get better at buying properties, you will be able to
walk through a property and estimate repairs within a few thousand
dollars, in a matter of minutes. If you have a big enough profit built
into the deal, it wont matter if you are off a bit, or you have some
unexpected expenses. Always Know Your Exit(s) Before Your Entrance
Violate this rule, and you will pay for it. What I mean is that, if
your only exit strategy is to "Retail" for all cash, and you only have
a $10,000 profit built-in, I can almost guarantee it that you will not
be in this business too long. One of the hardest things to do over and
over is to have to retail property for all cash, because you failed to
structure other exit strategies. Its not to say it cant be done. Many
investors do extremely well with this Allot of times I dont even look
at a property to buy until I get an accepted offer. This saves time.
Make Offers Get a Good Deal Make a Realistic List Have a lot of Options
technique. They have taken time to develop, or implement systems for
getting properties bought, remodeled and sold in a timely fashion.
Build in "Terms" on Exit Strategies When you build some flexibility
into a deal, like paying the Buyers closing costs, or carrying a second
mortgage for 10-20%, and you can still make a decent profit, you wont
get caught sitting on property you cant sell. The more flexible you
are on "terms", the more options there are that will be available to
you. The easier it will be to sell. You wont want to take back seconds
etc. on every deal, because you will be giving away hard-earned profit
for no reason. If you have done your job, and made the property nice,
you will have people gepeting to buy them The approach you take
wholesaling, and retailing will be determined by the volume of deals
you are doing, the amount of equity you have and whether you are doing
real estate investing full, or part-time. One of the biggest deciding
factors on your exit strategy will be the type of financing you agreed
to in the purchase. Do you have to pay off your underlying loan fast (6
months or less)? Or do you have long term financing? Do you make
payments, or is interest accruing until the property is resold? Can you
"Wrap it", "Lease-option it", "Seller finance", or "Carry a contract"?
All of these are options and tools available to you as a creative
investor. Knowing and learning when and how to apply these strategies,
and others will make you a ton of money over time. Lots of Options Make
Quick Sales
General Signs to spot fake A Bathing Ape Bape hoody
Here are some general things to look for when determining if a bapehoody is authentic or a counterfeit. Not all fakes will have these signs.
Beware of items geing from HongKong, Seller from HongKong. There are too many knock offs that gee from HongKong. Check seller's registered location, and feedback.
Hoodies retail between $180 - $350, anything less is most likely fake. If it is too good to be true, then most likely it is. These hoodies are USD$180 - $350 retail at BAPE shops. It wouldn't make sense for a reseller to sell it for less than what it would go for in the resell market.
XXXL is the biggest but VERY RARE, Butif you see something over XL, it is VERY RARE. REMEMBER, IFIT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN MOST LIKELY IT IS. Be careful when buying any size over XL.
The colors or print look odd, for this, refer to picture listed below.
The bag or tags look off. Some people might use authentic bags and tags in pictures, BEWARE! But if you do see these fake tags or bags, then you should back off.
Green Chomper Hoody
The fake doesn't have red in the middle.
The counterfeit color looksslighly faded.
Purple Camo Hoody
The color of the camois obviouslydifferent. The fake onehas a bluish color to it. Some other fakes lack a pinkish color the real one has.
For some fakes, the words BAPE might be crooked or not lined up straight across.
The inside lining of the counterfeit might be white instead of purple.
Blue Kaws Camo Hoody
The colors are off. The real onelooks brighter.
It's not very noticeable. But the camo print on the fake is odd.
Thezipper line by the pockets which are not suppose to be visable. When it is zipped up authentic ones do not show the zipper
Pay attention at the bottom of thecounterfeit sweater, there isa small patch of camo at the bottom of the counterfeit. The camo print is not suppose to over lap into the waistband.
Shark CamoHoody
Beware of items geing from HongKong, Seller from HongKong. There are too many knock offs that gee from HongKong. Check seller's registered location, and feedback.
Hoodies retail between $180 - $350, anything less is most likely fake. If it is too good to be true, then most likely it is. These hoodies are USD$180 - $350 retail at BAPE shops. It wouldn't make sense for a reseller to sell it for less than what it would go for in the resell market.
XXXL is the biggest but VERY RARE, Butif you see something over XL, it is VERY RARE. REMEMBER, IFIT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN MOST LIKELY IT IS. Be careful when buying any size over XL.
The colors or print look odd, for this, refer to picture listed below.
The bag or tags look off. Some people might use authentic bags and tags in pictures, BEWARE! But if you do see these fake tags or bags, then you should back off.
Green Chomper Hoody
The fake doesn't have red in the middle.
The counterfeit color looksslighly faded.
Purple Camo Hoody
The color of the camois obviouslydifferent. The fake onehas a bluish color to it. Some other fakes lack a pinkish color the real one has.
For some fakes, the words BAPE might be crooked or not lined up straight across.
The inside lining of the counterfeit might be white instead of purple.
Blue Kaws Camo Hoody
The colors are off. The real onelooks brighter.
It's not very noticeable. But the camo print on the fake is odd.
Thezipper line by the pockets which are not suppose to be visable. When it is zipped up authentic ones do not show the zipper
Pay attention at the bottom of thecounterfeit sweater, there isa small patch of camo at the bottom of the counterfeit. The camo print is not suppose to over lap into the waistband.
Shark CamoHoody
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