How are your summer plans shaping up?
But as it is a Friday please feel free to discuss anything ring bound planner related.
05 July 2013
Free For All Friday No. 242
How are your summer plans shaping up?
But as it is a Friday please feel free to discuss anything ring bound planner related.
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Just curious to know, what makes the Gillio rings and the vintage Filofax rings so much better? What is different in the mechanism??
ReplyDeletePrice. It's like the difference between a precision Swiss watch and a mass-manufactured quartz version. Both tell the time, both work, but one is built to a price!
DeleteMy main binders are both fitted with Krause ring mechanisms reclaimed from old Time Manager organisers. www.krause.ch. The construction is much finer, operation smoother and a delight to use even after 20+ Years. Yes, they're Swiss!
Did you replace the mechanisms yourself?
DeleteYes! Krause (and other manufacturers) use a back plate that is fixed to the binder cover. The ring mechanism just slides and clips onto that. It's how Filofax rings used to be until maufacture was outsourced to the Far East in the early 1990's. It would cost pence to revert to this specification and would (I believe) improve Filofaxes credibility enormously.
DeleteTim, where do you buy the mechanisms?
DeleteI don't think you can. Not unless you ae buying in bulk from the manufacturer. The best way is to buy an old binder and remove it from that. Both mine came from binders I bought new in the 1980's/ early 90's.
DeleteAre they hard to diassemble?
DeleteI sound like Johnny Five now...
Gillio uses these types of rings - they also have a video showing how to replace them which looks pretty straightforward. If at any time your rings should stop working they will send you a new set. They obviously chose to go the quality way.
Deletehere is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAGCZWsDzgQ
DeleteI am thinking about selling my personal Cuban in chilli, but I keep changing my mind! What scares me the most is that it won't be easy to sell it because it's not really a popular binder. What should I do?
ReplyDeleteWhy are you selling? If you really need the money for something else sell. We all love filos but at the end if the day they are binders and not the most important thing in life. If you don't have to raise cash, hold on to it as you are clearly uncertain about the decision.
DeleteI agree with Helen. If you keep changing your mind, it doesn't sound like you're ready.
DeleteI've stumbled across planning nerdvana! I knew I wasn't the only one :)
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt when I discovered philofaxy, too.
DeleteIt was actually only yesterday that I made lists of places still to go, things to do during this summer. It is very clear to see once you get a visual sense of how much there is left of vacation and then it´s more fruitful to drop things along the days. Considering there is a large lump of responsibilities to operate, it is absolutely necessary to plan activities. I basically dump all this on my desk Malden (also known as the Brains) and then write down daily plans and lists to do as well on it.
ReplyDeleteI have a journal on the go as well to which I write down addresses and activities to do and lists to acquire- while on the go. There is a calendar section on the notebook as well so I´m never left in the dark, considering the days and commitments.
As long as the Brain operates in the home office, and I have my addresses and lists of things to do on the go written down on my notebook- I´m good.
It´s very easy to avoid chaos, planning is the key ingredient.
Of course, this is different to everybody but in our life situation, with all these things to do, this clears my head of the brainfog and I can pull it through with flying colours.
I've started planning for the meet up in September, the first bit will be the gathering together who will be attending of course... I don't want to be 'BillyNoMates' !!
ReplyDeleteI'm planning this one in personal size... not specific as to which organiser will get the nod on the day yet... plenty to choose from! But the reduction from A5 to Personal will give me more space in my small case I use for these short stay breaks, also lighter... got to leave a little spare capacity in the case for the odd purchase peut-être ;)
I also gather together a few small things to take with me as small gifts, props to show people little Filofax tricks and tips that are harder to explain in words and picture than they are to show some one face to face!
Really looking forward to this one... but we still have a few weeks to go first!
I"m wondering if I can justify a trip Daan Saaaf.
DeleteYou don't fancy coming to Edinburgh again?
I'm back in UK for another book launch in October/November, dates not confirmed yet. So I hope to get 'North of the border' again then!
DeleteSpoke to Margaret about it last night. At least I will know my way around a bit better this time!
I have a couple of shows in October but I'll sort out dates and let you know.
DeleteGlasgow works too.
Let me know if there will be another Edinburgh meetup and I'll plan to be there! :)
DeleteLaurie, maybe WE could organise a meet up?
Deletenatalie, yes! It would be fun if Steve could be there again, but if not we could certainly meet up without him. Or maybe a mini Deeside meetup?
DeleteI read Natalie's comment in Linda Robson's voice. :)
DeleteActually, this whole subject of planning makes me so content. It was only yesterday and the planning of the rest of this summer that I figured out that next month I´ll start planning for the next Yule and festivities surrounding the time.
ReplyDeleteI think I´ll use the personal size binder my son bought me. I also have "projects" on my A5 for such activities but there´ll be a lot of planning and shopping and acquiring of things and there´s no point in writing same things down twice, since one can do it just once and have a portable binder to the purpose.
I usually carry a MidoriTN- hack with me 24/7 (I butchered some vintage leather briefcases for the cause) as a, well... notebook. It is my journal, calendar to-go and there´s watercolor papers in it as well. However Yule is an engine of its own and requires keeping all the various relatives (fighting with themselves)happy, remembering my son´s therapeutic possé, shopping, making and baking foods and gifts and school activities to keep anybody awake and alert. I usually opt to start the preparations anytime in August and I´m done with everything by the end of Nov. Just last week bakings will be left but all of the ingredients will be readily in the pantry by the end of Nov.
Hi WRS - I don't consider mysel a "hack" but I too am halfway through converting an old Filofax A5 Kendal into a Midori style travellers notebook, inspired by Ray Blake (My Life All in One Place). Dissecting old Filofaxes reveals much about their construction. In the case of the Kendal, I assumed it was one piece of fairly thick leather. It's actually 3 separate and very thin pieces plus a lot of cardboard!
DeleteI suppose that's what gives it the slightly padded look and makes it seem softer.
DeleteHi Tim, I made my Fauxdoris from these really sturdy old briefcases. Mine were thrifting treasures and they cost e together only a couple of euros ( I also made my son a set of original as well as A6 size notebook. They were just so easy to do and I love using them. Papersize matches the covers- NO RING ISSUES and writing space is fantastic. So pleasant to use and carries beautifully. I´m so used to have an A5 Filofax on my desk but I don´t see it as an impossible idea to make an A5 sized notebook for deskpurposes either. It´s not like I can use much these Makden rings, either. But when it comes to portability, I don´t see going back from Midori´esque notebook. Just too much portable pleasantness, it´s flexible, it takes very little space, it invites writing and notes.
DeleteHave you checked out You Tube and flickr yet? Great ideas there. Just sayin´...
It's staggering how much useful stuff there is to watch! I don't know how some people find time to work!
DeleteI've not only got an A5 v Personal debate going on but also a rings (Filofax/ Time Manager) v ringless (Flex/ Moleskine/ Midori/ homemade etc.) And then there's passport size Midori to consider - that looks cool too!
Tim, that´s why some people plan the recreational time. But I too realize how overwhelming it can get, to think of all 573645 prospects of anything.
DeleteWhat I can recommend is the Fritz Charleston video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kPPu1q6mL4 and then just wing from it from there on.
I resolved my problems with Malden rings by simply not opening them anymore. Luckily I have decades using FF behind me so I already have a system. I need to resort the system come 2014 but we´ll just need to see if I´ve managed to snatch another handsome old briefcase or a messenger bag by then... See, I just can´t get past the easiness to just snap another signature on a flippety RUBBER BAND, DUDE!
I also can´t wait to prop up my personal size ring binder to Yule- planning. The smoooothest rings evah and I´m not complaining. It´s portable, it´s lovely to just flip through and notheng ever snags anywhere, no way no how.
5th July 2013
ReplyDeleteDear Sir,
Today I ordered my 2014 Month on One Page Diary from Filofax.
Is this a record?
Yours Sincerely,
Natalie
(For non-UK Philofaxers, a similar letter regarding the first cuckoo is printed each Spring in The Times newspaper.)
Brilliant! Another one which probably only Brits or people living in the UK will get, is "Dear Sir, Am I alone in thinking........". I think one of the Broadsheets has now published a book of the best of these Readers' Letters. This entry put a smile on my face today :)
DeleteJust thought I'd share the fact I've converted my friend into filofaxes :D she saw how much I used mine and how useful it was and ended up buying it yesterday. Not long until she ends up on philofaxy cus she was already planning how she was going to decorate :D
ReplyDeleteI just want to rant for a minute about an ebay experience I've just had. I won a bid for a personal size Finchley in Vintage Pink which the seller described as "lovely." When I received it I discovered not only was it not lovely, it was downright grubby and had some kind of hard lump inside the front cover of the binder which was not nice at all. Luckily the seller accepted returns, and she refunded my money but minus the shipping cost, so not only did I have to pay to receive the nasty thing but I had to pay to return it too. At this point I'm just happy to be done with the whole thing and I don't feel like fighting over a few pounds for the shipping, but it has really put me off ebay. I don't want to name and shame the seller publicly, she was very nice and polite through the whole thing, but if anyone sees a vintage pink Finchley back on ebay that they are considering, email me to make sure it's not the same seller!! (Laurie at plannerisms dot com).
ReplyDeleteTo balance this rant, I've had a couple of wonderful Filofax swap and non-ebay purchasing experiences recently and I'm thrilled to say I'm very happy and content with my current Filofax collection!
Poor you, Laurie - That is the biggest problem with eBay. You rely on the seller's description and a couple of photos. You're fortunate that she accepted it back. Most sellers don't - or won't! I've certainly been caught out before now!
DeleteYou paid a decent price for the Filofax, so it should have been good! To be fair, she described it as "lovely pink" - not necessarily that the Filofax itself was lovely! It clearly wasn't!
I'm also sorry to hear about your recent eBay experience, Laurie.
DeleteOverall, I've had a mixed bag of buying filos there & sadly over time the less good ones have started to increase. I think some people's opinion of what counts as 'good condition' varies quite from my own!
I've also done 2 swaps with fellow Philofaxers (or is it Philofaxians?) & they were fantastic :)
Laurie - So sorry to hear about your eBay experience. I hope to purchase soon via Adspot.
ReplyDeleteThis comment is a sort of test, because just this morning, Steve was helping me sort out what an OpenID is. Thanks, Steve! If I'm able to post, I'll be back.
KerowynA
It works... :)
DeleteSteve
Hi Laurie,
DeleteeBay is okay if you are careful, I got a new personal zipped Lyndhurst for £20.50, a decent slimline Finsbury for £6, it means I can have them rather than not. Just look out for new or unused and really scan the photo for defects. Saying that I have had same experience as you before now, overall I have purchased loads of stuff from eBay.
I have a Q. Do people treat their leather filofax with leather cream? I started to use Clarks premium leather cream, it's quite good, but if there is something better I would like to know. Also, I have read in ads no ring problems, I have not experienced any ring probs with mine, so what is the concern?
Sorry for long post.
Deborah ( also mother to a Laurie too)
In all fairness, I've also had great ebay experiences. I bought my fantastic vegetable-tanned leather Franklin Covey binder from ebay last year and it was in absolutely perfect condition. I think it's more a case of whether the seller is being honest about what you're getting. This seller had listed the binder as used, but "lovely." If she had said "signs of wear/ use" or "could use a cleaning" I would have known what to expect. I've bought used binders that were in great condition, and this one definitely was not.
DeleteI should have introduced myself! I am new to this site, so pleased I found it, I had the guilts over owning more than one filofax until I found this site! My name is Deborah, I live in Birmingham UK and have some Guildfords, and ochre Malden and grey one too. My first filofax was a lovely soft red non leather, I have been using a canvas type pocket day runner for years, I just switched to the guildford pocket. I have my eye on a red Holborn but I have enough for now!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Philofaxy community! :)
DeleteHi Deborah, I'm in Birmingham too so I just had to say hello!
DeleteHi Deborah & Amanda. I'm Leicester based so not too far away.
DeleteMy summer is shaping up well. I am going to be in London for two weeks at the end of this month for work, fun, shopping and (yes!) a Filofax mini-meet. Am planning all of this in my Ebony Personal Deco which is doing briliantly. Will also probably be bringing an A5 with me - either a Gillio or a Malden.
ReplyDeleteHello all,
ReplyDeleteI recently joined the FiloFax community (as did my mom)and could not be happier. However, I have started to want more filofaxes (haven't decided if that is a good or bad thing yet) and I am torn between the Malden, Dakota and Saffiano lines. I am a full-time graduate student and will be finishing up next year to be a teacher so I am looking for something that will last for a long time and have that "adult" look.
I would like to hear what others do with respect to using a computer-based PIM for appointments, addresses, etc., and how they are able to print to their personals or other size Filofaxes.
ReplyDelete