![\"VPS-Skokie](\"https:\/\/volareproducts.com\/new2024\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/VPS-Skokie-GG-nb-Kit.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
2016 has has been an adventure already.\u00a0 As I prepared for the long New Year’s weekend Thursday night, the 31st of December, I had a rude jolt about 8pm – my laser cutter stopped working.\u00a0 No cutting over that long weekend!\u00a0 and I had to wait until Monday afternoon to contact the west coast supplier of my laser cutter.\u00a0 I called and told them I thought the controller card was bad.\u00a0 They said “ok, we will run through some things to check that out, but first – your cutter is an older model, so we can only support you via email.” Lol, what?\u00a0 Yup.\u00a0 All future communication was done via email.<\/p>\n
After a few days, I mailed out the controller card for replacement.\u00a0 A new one was returned and I was back burning up the balsa – two weeks after it went out.<\/p>\n
That delayed some orders, but mostly, it delayed other plans.\u00a0 I wanted to upgrade my computer in January, but not knowing how much the laser was going to cost, I put that on hold.\u00a0 After awhile, I did buy a new computer, transferred the old one to light duty (printing shipping labels int he basement), and reinstalled all important software on the new one.<\/p>\n
Then – and this one impacts you, my customers, even more directly – the Post Office decided to raise their shipping rates.\u00a0 I have been a loyal customer of the USPS since I started, and I have always appreciated the fact that I can print postage right from their website and get a discount from the cost if I took the packages to the Post Office without a subscription fee.\u00a0 They also will pick up at my house, if I let them know the day before, so everyone is happy – until 18 January, that is.<\/p>\n
The USPS decided to drop the web site discount – that, combined with the price hike for postage gave me sticker shock!\u00a0 It forced me to jump over to a postal supplier that charges a monthly fee.\u00a0 However, because they still offer a discount, I was able to minimize the increase that I am charging you – states surrounding Michigan will see no increase.\u00a0 The rest of the country will see my flat fee only go up by 50 cents.<\/p>\n
While I did that, I thought it best to fully integrate hardware and software – now my postal scale is hooked to the computer and read by the postal software.\u00a0 Also, orders and addresses are imported from my website and updated as shipped when I purchase postage.\u00a0 I purchased a dedicated thermal label printer to print on rolled labels.\u00a0 All of this has really sped up the postage process of my shipping. \u00a0 I invested in technology to save that time and money for other things!<\/p>\n
Other than that, all is just the same as ever.\u00a0 I haven’t built since I finished the Elmendorf Special, but should have a new plane underway by this weekend.\u00a0 I have been working at the virtual drafting board to create new plans, one of which is “commissioned” and under deadline.<\/p>\n
I realized the other day that February is nearly here and my first contest is at the beginning of April – that’s only 2 months away!\u00a0 That’s good and bad:\u00a0 good because soon I get to fly again; bad because I don’t have the 16 models built yet!\u00a0 3.8 have been completed and 3 others have been repaired.\u00a0 I should have one or two others done by flying season – and I hope to have another “big” surprise for Geneseo in July (but I better start building!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Per a customer request, I’ve developed a new product, now available for all!\u00a0 It is a laser-cut Gizmo Geezer Nose Block Kit for the Jimmie Allen Skokie (BA Cabin).\u00a0 Just stack\/glue these together and add the 1\/64th plywood thrust plate … Continue reading