[SEL] Fm. plates
Jerry Evans
jerrye at databak.co.za
Fri Dec 18 16:25:24 PST 2009
Hi Jimmy,
I did get your mail sent "Thurs, 17 Dec 2009 23:39:48 -0800" (this
is our time zone - 19 minutes before "our midnight" - (I was already in bed
and snoring) confirming that you wanted 3 plates. Then I got this rather
sarcastic mail from you 11 hours later (Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:03:53 -0800 -
again, "our time zone" - 10:03 am).
I have mentioned to you previously that I do this as "part of the
hobby" - IT IS NOT THE WAY I EARN MY LIVING!!! At 10:00am I am busy with my
"Daytime Job". I usually only have a chance to respond to "hobby related"
e-mail at night and then only if I've got enough "energy" left after the
"Daytime Job". (Even then, it may take a few days).
I usually do my very best to point this out to fellow collectors
that - my service "stinks" - I KNOW - it is not a "business" and I've never
offered "great service" - Not Ever! I refer you to a letter I sent you a
few weeks ago:
*****"Cut and Paste starts" *****
From: Jerry Evans [mailto:jerrye at databak.co.za]
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 2:55 PM
To: Jim O'Hagan
Subject: Re: Fm. plates
At 08:08 PM 23/11/2009, you wrote:
>Hi Jerry,Ive sent you two Emails asking for FM. Vertical plates with no
>response from you? What did I say to piss you off? Jimmy
Hi Jim,
Please accept my apologies - I have a lot of e-mail needing
responding to. You have not P-eed me off in any way and I feel very guilty
that I have not responded yet. It's 11:45 pm here at the moment and I'm
tired and want to go to bed but I'll do my best to explain anyway,
As, I've always mentioned, making plates is "part of the hobby" -
not my "daytime job". I have just been under a tremendous amount of
pressure these last few weeks from both hobby and "daytime job" as well as
other sources. Please read this page on my website (linked to my "plates"
page) and you should be able to understand my situation:
<http://www.oldengine.org/members/evans/plates/dis/index.htm>.
The only reason that I have not yet responded to you is the
following: I've made about 40 of these (big) FM plates in the last 6 months
or so and have to admit that I'm losing money on them. I need to review my
costs, time taken and everything else related to my cost of producing them.
Since I started making plates (in 2005) my prices have not changed
but I need some time to work out new prices due to the fact that "foreign
exchange" rates have changed so much in the last few years.
Please bear with me. I Just need to get a little time to work
these things out.
Keep the revs up (or down)
Jerry Evans
Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa.
Etched Brass Engine Plates made to order:
<www.oldengine.org/members/evans/plates/index.htm>
****"Cut and Paste Ends" *****
Apart from what I mentioned in the letter, did you ever visit the
link I provided? I cannot do more than this to explain my situation!!!!! I
personally feel that I explained everything quite clearly in the above
letter - not to mention the link to the webpage that I supplied. (it
actually took time to write that "webpage").
O.K. I think that the above does explain my situation (again).
Now to answer your comment that (cut & paste again)
*******
With all due respect are you REALLY going to make them? Some of the guys
tell me it's been over a year since they ordered some plates.
*********
I challenge you to prove that "some of the guys" have waited over
a year !! I (as mentioned above) do not offer lightning fast service but
"over a year" is stretching the imagination to it's limits and a GROSS
EXAGGERATION - probably the result of someone's over fertile imagination.
(Could it be yours?). 3 to 6 months (after I've received a picture that I
can use) is more like the truth!!
Bear the following in mind regarding the Fairbanks Morse plates:
i) In about September 2008 I had an enquiry from a local collector
to make a plate for his "Jack of all Trades" (which actually turned out to
be a "N" or a "T" - I cannot remember exactly but that is not important
right now) but he had no sample to work from.
ii) I wrote to the SEL and Oldengine e-mail lists asking for pics
of the plate to copy. I got a few replies as well as a few pics (yours was
one of them) but unfortunately nothing of a quality that I could use (I did
reply to your post and explain - that was when you mentioned that your
camera was antiquated - that your pics were of too a low resolution for me
to use). I DO need a good high resolution picture to work from - as I
ALWAYS mention).
iii) Then another collector (No names - No pack-Drill but not a
list member) supplied me a pic in March 2009. Although not perfect, I could
work from this pic.
iv) Now, if you read my linked webpage, you will notice that I do
NOT charge for doing this "artwork", I do it as a service (or my
contribution) to my fellow collectors. This in spite of the fact that
artwork for a simple plate can easily take me 18 hours or more. (In the
case of this "Fairbanks" plate, due to all the "patent dates" I probably
spent more than 45 hours (of MY "spare time") - without charging anyone -
remember that I DO NOT use modern "computer fonts" - I actually redraw
each and every letter to match the original - but you already know that
because you did follow the link to my webpage (didn't you) ??
v) I did the "artwork" for this person and submitted it to him and
he approved it (the "artwork" always includes measurements). I did have a
"strange feeling" that he approved it too readily (Looks good etc.) but
went ahead and made and mailed him the plates anyway (my mistake). (10
plates @ US$ 35.00 each - quite lot of money to me!)
(May I add that I started my working life off in the printing
industry - proofs submitted and accepted are binding.)
vi) Anyway, when he got the plates, he wrote back and said that
the "hole centres did not align". Sorry - I made the plates to his
approved sizes BUT, being the idiot that I am I agreed to re-make his
plates!!!! I got "saddled" with a bunch of plates (actually, the pates did
not worry me - the US& 350,00 did worry me) that had been approved by the
buyer through his own lackadaisical attitude.
I'm not mentioning any names here (I do not think he is a list
member, but if he is then I'm sure that he will know who I am referring to!.
He is probably the ONLY person who has had to wait more than 6
months for his order and I'm sure that you, AS A REASONABLE PERSON, can
understand why.
So Jimmy, if you wish to send me "sarcastic" e-mails then that's
O.K. with me but please consider the facts before doing so.
I really do not have the time to reply to mails like yours - this
one, including the time taken to call up my "backups" to check my facts has
taken me more than 4 hours - time that could be better spent doing artwork
for more important stuff.
If you would like to cancel your order that is fine with me - just
let me know.
Jerry.
P.S. Re "Dave Traver's" plates and your "insuation" that "will you make
them at the same time as Dave's plates". Dave's plates
were made more than a month ago (as you well know) and I did write and let
him know - I have not had a reply (but do not blame him - or Denny Luce
whose e-mail he uses.)
I, as mentioned often to you, only do this as part of the "hobby"
and may be to blame that Dave's plates are still here but that does NOT
justify your sarcasm.
P.P.S Seeing as that you have chosen to put a sleight on my character I
feel that I am totally justified in protecting myself and copying this mail
to the S.E.L and Oldengine lists. You did mention, after all, that (and I
"copy and Paste")
"Some of the guys tell me it's been over a year since they ordered some
plates . Are you going to make mine when you make Dave T's?
May I ask that they or you provide some proof of your allegations!
May I also point out that I do not have the time to reply to
e-mails of the nature of yours but have made an exception in this case -
only to protect myself.
May I also remind you that I have NEVER promised "Lightning Fast"
service to ANYONE !!!! (You did read the webpage didn't you!)
Jerry,
At 08:03 PM 18/12/2009, you wrote:
>Hi Jerry, I'm just confirming that I'd like three[3] Fm. Vertical plates.
>With all due respect are you REALLY going to make them? Some of the guys
>tell me it's been over a year since they ordered some plates . Are you
>going to make mine when you make Dave T's? He's wondering what happened to
>his order. Thanks in advance, Jimmy O'Hagan, Novato, Ca. USA.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jerry Evans [mailto:jerrye at databak.co.za]
>Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 11:28 PM
>To: Jim O'Hagan
>Subject: RE: Fm. plates
>
>O.K. Jim,
> I'll wait for your mail.
> Payment will go to a friend in the USA but only after you receive
>the plates.
>Jerry
>
>At 03:16 AM 18/12/2009, you wrote:
> >Jerry, let me contact the other guy and see if he's still interested.
>What's
> >the easiest way to pay you? Jimmy
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Jerry Evans [mailto:jerrye at databak.co.za]
> >Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 11:23 PM
> >To: Jim O'Hagan
> >Subject: RE: Fm. plates
> >
> >At 01:11 AM 24/11/2009, you wrote:
> > >Jerry when you figure it out, I'd like three Fm. Vertical plates. Jimmy
> >
> >
> >Hello Jimmy,
> > At last I have worked things out. I apologise for the time taken.
> >As mentioned, I am forced to increase the price of these larger plates
> >rather drastically. (Is US$ 5.00 drastic ??)
> >
> > The old price was US$ 35.00 each and I must increase this to US$
> >40.00 per plate plus postage which will come to less than US$ 4.00 for the
> >3 plates.
> >
> > I do apologise for this increase but it is unavoidable. The
>prices
> >are also now on my webpage below.
> >
> > Let me know what you want - I am busy etching a batch of plates
>at
> >present so if you do want to go ahead with the order let me know and yours
> >will be done soon.
> >
> >Keep the revs up (or down)
> >Jerry Evans
> >Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa.
> >Etched Brass Engine Plates made to order:
> ><www.oldengine.org/members/evans/plates/index.htm>
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