The Framers Forum

Found this in a garage rummage.

Got it from Origin Framing Supplies in Croydon about 1996.

I used it for a long time - too long, before getting pricing software. The bread and butter type and size of job though, was actually pretty well matched - that would be a square drawn in the centre of the chart

I enlarged it from A4-A3 and made a lot of adaptions, the extra charges below were about 5 times as many and the left vertical column was the actual price per ft, and could be easily amended.

So, what have you got, blast-from-the-past wise, framing related or not?

OK I'll see you and raise you

This is a "Standard Ready Reckoner". So if somebody wanted to buy 3 pictures at 7 pence 3 farthings each, the Ready Reckoner will tell you instantly that the charge is 1s 11d and a farthing.

It will also helpfully tell you how to work out the weight of hay, as well as working out your "servants' wages"

One of my relatives who had a shop used this Ready Reckoner until the mid 1960s!

Wow, have only ever heard of that, never seen one.

Old measurements and old money - my grandfather on my dad’s side always gave us a pound at Christmas, between three of us

6/8d. !!

Also found these

(Don't know about anyone else but even after rotating in edit, I can see second pic OK util I click it, the it's upside-down!)

The radio pictorial - Jan- May 1934

This, if you’re in to mountain bikes, is a blast from the past!

Our son bought it piece by piece in 97-98, the frame alone was £850. The groupset is shimano XTR and that today woukd set you back £1400.

He had everything bar suspension forks and then started a job in the farmers club, London, as a chef. Lodged with his grandparents in Lewisham and cycled to work, not on this, far too good, plus it was all in boxes. So he borrowed a pretty nice road bike of mine ……. and got that stolen instead.

He gave me this, we actually had a bike shop at the time (!) and I got the forks trade and had our guy build it for me.

It sat in our garage for the next 20 years, bar the odd bimble.

I put this photo on a retro bike forum and was told it’s a bit like finding an e type that’s not been touched since it came off the production line! “OMG - is that a real Kona Hot”!!

Bikes have moved on so much since then, disc brakes, 29” wheels (these are 26) and less but more efficient gears, but this weighs just over 11kg and to match that today you’d be looking at - well, the equivalent of what this would have cost 25 years ago, which was about 3.5 grand!!

I’ve been making forays in to the South Downs (almost literally on our doorstep) on it and after finding out several times, usually in midair, that I’m not as young as I used to be, I’ve tamed it a bit, a new stem to bring the handlebars closer and higher, and some seat adjustments.