My new boxes!!!!

[Ray (Flock Man)]

I have to thank Rob Barker and give him a little extra plug because not only is he an avid supporter of this whole project- he sent me some boxes in trade for reflocking and I have to say they are really
outstanding.

They are strong. The color is great. Just a overall fantastic job.

I'll actually just put a quote here from his email to me.

I make 1970's AT, the KFG AT boxes, as well as many of the outfit sets made into coffin boxes. I make the AT commander, Blk AT commander, MOA talker, and MOA KFG talker

1969 astro talker, all four branches, all four branches talker boxes.

I'm on ebay: thecat1963 for viewing.

Here's a pic of what he sent me. It just made my day.

Thanks Rob!!

[Ray (Flock Man)]

Oh and of course I have to fill them with some loose reflocked Joes!!!

[flockedraven]

I'd like a couple to round out the boxes for my standard four. I've got the Action Soldier, Sailor, Marine, and Pilot, but only the boxes for the Pilot and the Sailor.

I kinda wish the price wasn't 15 dollars though, seems a little steep for a box, albeit a custom homemade-to-order box, but a box nevertheless.

[Ray (Flock Man)]

I would agree when it comes to many custom items, but after seeing these in hand- they are really above and beyond. The only down side I do see is making the choice of which one to get. I tend to want them all. Thinking in these terms it's easy for me to get overwhelmed and price myself right out of ordering them.

This happens to me when trying to order stuff from Cotswold- I start with a few things and then the cart gets too big and I end up not ordering anything. Then the following month I may do the same thing.

It's only when I think in smaller terms, that I'm able to get some of the things I want or need.

To justify buying items I think in terms of a trade off. Say, I want one or two of these boxes? I then look for a trade off on something I do day to day or week to week. Stuff like, ordering a pizza when I could just as easily toss in a frozen one I already have in the frig or skipping some other "take out" nights. I'll say to myself, "If I skip eating some of this crud here and there, not only will I have that little extra to order something cool I want; I also, may avoid some extra calories." Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't.

Maybe another week I justify it by not getting a 2 or 3 dollar ice coffee each day. My point is I look for things to trade off to make it happen because if not the funds will still go and I'll be left with nothing in hand to show for it.

Truth be told, years ago before all this- I would get overwhelmed when deciding to send heads out to be reflocked. At the time a reflock was $25 and I would get the head ready and pack it up, but then say, "jee, I'd really like to send this one also." Now I'd be at $50 and wouldn't end up sending anything and my joes would remain bald.

I think this is why I designed my pricing structure to what it is. On the one hand you can say, "crap 30 heads will cost $164.99." But! In terms of GIjOE's you could justify it by saying, "Hell, I'll have 30 Joe's back in action for the price of one or two vintage flocked Joe's."

Then over time to stick some of them in these high end boxes, it's pretty cool. Take it from me, vintage boxes can drive you insane because they damage so easily. You can't open them too many times or handle them much.

It's just my quirky way of thinking about the hobby that developed from the days (pre- ebay) when a Black Talking Commander cost $800+ and I had to figure out how to get one without also getting a divorce...lol! I would just toss 5 or 10 bucks in the kitty until I had enough to hunt that sucker down in the old "Toy Shop" magazine.

Hey, on the flip side- collector made products, resellers, and Cotswold are all we have these days for things GIjOE. Joe's not like Barbie who has both sides of a toy isle still offering stuff.

If you bid and win a $30 Joe from ebay with some decent clothes, but needs a $8.49 reflock and a $15 box to look good in a collection, you've done pretty well.