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    Re: Manufacture new Bygraves?
    From: Gary LaPook
    Date: 2009 Jun 17, 11:33 -0700

    I have made a dozen hand made recreations using the same scales as for
    the flat Bygrave and they are difficult to make come out right and I
    have had to abandon many and start over again. But they work well in
    the end and are easier to read than the flat version. That is the
    advantage of the flat one, that it is so easy and inexpensive to make
    even if it is a little more difficult to use.
    
    gl
    
    On Jun 17, 7:28�am, Brad Morris  wrote:
    > Hi Gary
    >
    > I have toyed with the idea of constructing some other mechanical objects 
    which have little modern utility, but remain interesting in their own right. 
    �Developing a set of prints and manufacturing the parts in anticipation of 
    orders is a tremendous outlay of cash. �And if the orders don't come (a very 
    reasonable outcome) you are stuck. �On the other hand, if the orders come, 
    you need sufficient numbers to account for the labor injected and then a 
    profit. �This is fundamentally what has stopped me from proceeding, 
    economics. �Probably the same reason that Ken does not think it viable 
    either.
    >
    > Consider this, while the Bygrave (and all its variants) still function, it 
    will never surpass a programmable electronic calculator. �The only reason it 
    exists is that electronic calculators did not at the time. �Yes, it is 
    relatively fast, but not as fast as a calculator. �Nor a computer. �The 
    electronics have obsoleted all of these mechanical calculators. When doing 
    critical work, when was the last time you didn't generate and check your 
    mathematics via electronics.
    >
    > Who uses a typewriter anymore? �Still works, and Christopher Latham Sholes' 
    invention changed the way we communicate. �We still use his keyboard layout, 
    just look down! �But is it commercially viable? �Alas, no. �The same will be 
    said of a modern reproduction Bygrave.
    >
    > --------------------
    >
    > All that being said, would I buy a new Bygrave (hopefully with the MHR-1 
    locking mechanism)? �Absolutely. �Then my antique can go into the hands of 
    collectors who will pay dearly for it. �I am cognizant that every time I use 
    it, just a little bit more is degraded, be it wear or the addition of 
    contaminants from my hand. �I wouldn't be worried if it was a new (and 
    therefore replaceable) unit. �You could count me as customer #1.
    >
    > There are other firms that have become viable doing just this. �Lee Nielson 
    Toolworks manufactures obsolete Stanley hand planes (for smoothing wood). 
    �They have quite the catalog now and have succeeded when Stanley themselves 
    said they were done. �Somebody probably told Lee it wasn't viable. �Good 
    thing for him he didn't believe it.
    >
    > Best Regards
    > Brad
    >
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: NavList@fer3.com [mailto:NavList@fer3.com] On Behalf Of glap...@PACBELL.NET
    > Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 8:14 PM
    > To: NavList@fer3.com
    > Subject: [NavList 8662] Re: Manufacture new Bygraves?
    >
    > I ran the idea past Ken Gebhart and he didn't think it was a viable idea and 
    I respect his knowledge of the market for celnav.
    >
    > gl
    >
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    >
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