Today I went to the post office to pick up some Priority mail boxes. I like to ship Priority mail because it only costs a little more than regular parcel post and they supply the box for my lazy convenience. Just starting yesterday or today, the post office is now offering a new service that will be great for those that eBay and want to know what shipping costs will be prior to going to the post office. It is a flat rate of $7.80 if it will fit into one of 2 box sizes. One box has an inside dimension of 11" X 8 1/2" X 5 1/2". The other box is the old available size of 11 7/8" X 3 3/8" X 13 5/8". It has "FLAT RATE BOX" printed in a round circle and under those words it says, "One price regardless of weight for delivery anywhere in the U.S." Remember that no matter what the size of the box, bicycle parts made after 1983 don't fit.
This was perfect timing for me because on the framebuilders list I had just posted that I have some old bottom bracket shells, fork crowns, seat lugs and dropouts (lets tell Dale they may have been made before 1983 although I am suspicious they were made later.) that I was selling off at a buck or two apiece for those wanting some brazing practice. I am donating the proceeds from this small sale to our Ukraine Bicycle Project and figured the limitation on what others would want would be based on shipping weight. Now I can just load those suckers up and have the USPS wonder what is inside. Of course anyone on this list that is interested in this offer, please contact me. We are having bicycles made (lugged of course) in Ukraine for our pastors there. My friend Tim took over a couple of weeks ago a frame jig and other supplies. He didn't have time to go to Independence square and check out the demonstrations before he left. We are all pretty nervous about the political events going on right now. Every year we do a bicycle ride somewhere in Ukraine. We go from church to church which provides food and lodging (www.neocm.com/Ukraine_bike_tours/). It is a group of about 20 with 6 or 8 Americans. In the 5 years we have been doing this, we have converted a lot of Ukrainians to the sport of cycling. In the evening we listen to the stories of how the church was established and sometimes how the pastors had to live in Communist times. They are awful and very inspiring at the same time. We take our freedom for granted in the west but everyone there feels like it hangs by a very thin thread. That Russian backed winner is not looking to expand any liberties. I am supposed to go over there soon to follow up on Tim's work.
This hunt for brazing practice stuff reminds me that I have collected from England some really neat framebuilding supplies from long ago. Hetchins style 3/4" (instead of the regular 7/8" or 22.2mm) stays with sand-cast bottom bracket shells to match. Sand-cast lugs for integrated headsets and seat stay top eyes that hook onto seat lug ears. I am not sure when this stuff was made but it most of it must have been made in the '40's. Don't confuse this stuff for what I was offering for sale for brazing practice. I also have a good size box of really old braze ons. This might be of some interest for those that are repairing really old British frames.
Please be advised that I offer this information only for shipping parts that are within the timeline of this list. If you have to ship some C Record stuff, you are on your own to figure out what to do.
Doug "having come to terms with Lance getting paid more in one minute by the
USPS than I have made in an entire lifetime making and painting beautiful
frames" Fattic
Niles, Michigan
269-684-6761