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Discovered! 505
Odd Enterprises

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How to Make
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You Can Own
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Almost everyone battles the problem of remembering little odds and ends. "Now where did I put that list or check?" is often the opening volley of a full-scale family tiff. How to remedy the situation is a consuming interest with Mrs. Helen C. Biggs and John F. Glubay of Boise, Idaho.

As a former history teacher for seventh and eighth grade pupils at South Junior High school, Mrs. Biggs noted that school rooms always seem to lack enough space for displaying all the notices and posting all the illustrations or examples for the lessons being studied. She recalls, "Every inch of bulletin board was crammed and around the walls I used friction tape to take care of the overflow. At home the problem was the same. Never a spot for current reminders, bills, and clippings. When we moved into our new house on Clover Drive, I determined to do something about the problem."

Designing a board that would meet a variety of needs, Mrs. Biggs prevailed upon her husband, Stanley, to copy her plan. From her drawings he built a rectangular bulletin board having a narrow pine frame, much like picture molding. On the inner edge of the four lengths that constituted the frame, he made a groove into which he could fit a piece of insulation board, ideally suited for thumb-tacking or pinning notices. With the insulation or face snugly in place, he used glue and nails to join the frame at the four corners.

ALMOST AT once, neighbors and friends began to exclaim over Helen's ingenious idea and to ask for duplicates. Since Mr. Biggs was too busy with his work as a car salesman, Mrs. Biggs approached Mr. Glubay, with whom the Biggses were formerly associated in business. Glubay is a skilled woodworker and has built much of the furniture in his home as well as all the lawn equipment. Together they agreed, upon sharing a spare time activity that would serve both as a hobby and eventually might develop into a profitable venture. Helen's Handee Boards became their project.

For meeting most practical purposes, they worked out four standard sizes for the boards: 49 by 16½ inches; 25 by 16½ inches; 20 by 16½ inches; and 16½ by 16½ inches. For greater adaptability the range of styles includes: a bulletin board, both sides of insulite; a half-combination with one side of insulite, the other side divided, one-half being hard board (similar to blackboard), the other half of insulite; a full combination with hard board on one side, insulite on the other; the fourth, both sides of hard board.

Getting under way was facilitated by Glubay's having most of the necessary tools in his combination garage-workshop. In constructing the boards, he uses an electric table saw, an electric joiner, a vibrator sander, and four gluing jigs which he designed and built himself. A dado head represented the only sizable outlay.

Materials are purchased as the orders come in. For the frames Glubay buys 1-by-12-inch pine boards in No. 2 shop grade, the price varying from 8 to 13 cents a foot, depending upon the quality. To obtain the most from each board, Glubay carefully measures them to avoid knots and then cuts the lumber in the standard sizes. By cutting a supply of lengths ahead of time, he can easily assemble orders on short notice. Along one wall of his garage are cubicles for storing the various lengths. Running the lengths through the joiner, he smooths them down to ¾-inch width by ¾-inch thickness. Tilting the table saw to a 45-degree angle, he sets the miter gauge at zero, and then cuts the ends at a 45-degree angle, so that when the strips are glued at the corners the frame is a perfect rectangle.

To make the groove on the inner edge of the frame, he removes the blade from the power saw and replaces it with a dado head, using as many chippers as needed to give the required ⁵/16-inch groove.

The insulation or hard board used for the center or face of the boards is cut on the electric saw and smoothed on the joiner until it slides neatly and firmly into the groove. When the hard board is to form one-half of the face, Glubay first inserts the insulation board and then glues the hard board to it, using tile adhesive. In the full combination board—that is, one side of insulation, the other of hard board—the groove is widened to ⁷/16 inch so that both thicknesses slide into place at one time. The hard board is given two coats of blackboard slating, each coat needing thirty minutes to dry sufficiently for handling.

Fitting the hard board or insulation into the groove, Glubay glues the corners of the four lengths, using a casein glue, which is not affected by changes in weather and will dry inside of twenty minutes.

Then the boards are placed in a jig and adjusted to make the frame tight. At intervals on two sides of the jig are stationary wooden cleats. Glubay next drives wooden wedges between the cleats and the frame, so that the whole is held firm. While the glue is setting, he nails the four corners, using two 1-inch brads and one 1¼-inch brad on the other side. Use of the jig assures an uniformity of size.

Glubay estimates that he could make twenty-five boards in eight hours, if he were free to work continuously at the project. At present, he has only a short time when he gets home in the evenings and on Saturday.

WHENEVER A customer asks for a different size or style, the boards are made to order, for Mrs. Biggs stresses that each is to be personalized to fit the home and the uses to which the buyer plans to put the board.

Since the emphasis is upon matching color schemes within the home, the frames are not painted, though Glubay will apply clear varnish to an order of six or eight, if desired. Often Mrs. Biggs is asked to make suggestions as to the color which should be used.

To the back of each board is attached a brown paper envelope containing two screw-eyes with a ³/8-inch opening and two 1¼-inch screw hooks for hanging the board. Thus the boards can easily be reversed, so that either side faces outward, and the boards may be hung in any position desired by the home-owner.

The largest board made so far was a forty-five-inch square which was custom-made to fit exactly into a wall. Glubay suggests that heavy boards, such as this, be permanently fixed to the wall by wooden screws driven through the frame at top and bottom.

The boards range in price from $1.35 to $2.25, depending upon the style and size. So far the partners have not been able to make an overall estimate on expense; but they are keeping books so that they will have accurate figures.

The designs created by Mrs. Biggs are carried out by Glubay, while she takes over completely the merchandising of the boards. On occasion Mr. Biggs sits in as business advisor. Although they have been selling less than six months, already they have fully justified the hobby as profitable. The first sixty days brought orders for more than 100 of Helen's Handee Boards and they have not yet touched the possibility of large scale institutional orders. Almost every day Mrs. Biggs runs into new requests or needs. Working out personalized boards to fit certain rooms or to fulfill a specific need is her forte.

FOR MRS. BIGGS the selling presented a real challenge which she met with an exuberance that is contagious. Driving along the streets of Boise, she puts herself into imaginary situations, debating the possibilities for use that her boards might have for business firms, churches, schools, or homes. Behind the facade of a real estate company or a physician's office, she could see how her Handee Boards might fit into the scheme.

Keeping abreast of the news, she was quick to seize upon timely opportunities—the burning of a church with resultant loss of all supplies, the opening of a new furniture store, the advance notice for terms of kindergarten or Bible schools. Her contacts as a former teacher and as an established resident proved of inestimable value in securing hearings. Further, she made it a point to introduce herself to the pastors and educational directors of churches, to public school officials, and all sorts of business representatives.

Of her initial merchandising Mrs. Biggs says, "Without the help of friends I would never have had the courage to start. In talking with them I was continually on the alert to see if they registered enthusiasm, to feel them out on styles, and to catch the suggestions or cues they might offer. It was wonderful the way they began to publicize the boards, to call and to mention prospects.

"My husband proved to be one of the best advertisers of all. He told his business associates of my boards and they, in turn, came to me for more information."

Frequently out-of-state business men, whom the Biggses meet in a social way, have offered to take the boards back home with them and to explore the sales possibilities.

Many customers have said in effect, "Why that is so simple, my husband could build one." But many husbands fall into the Fibber McGee class of handy men with tools. Husbands have remarked, "I could make it, but when you do the job for such a reasonable price, why bother?"

PERHAPS THE most common household use for the boards is in the kitchen. Here one can easily pin a cereal coupon, a recipe to follow, the newsboy's card, the slips for the dairy, bills, grocery lists—the usual clutter found on top of the refrigerator.

Popular for playrooms or nurseries is the forty-nine inch board, utilizing insulite for one side and hard board for the other. Hanging flush with the wall, this makes an ideal place for the younger children to draw or scribble on rainy days. When that pastime palls, the board is simply reversed and they can arrange colorful cutouts from magazines.

For the music room one mother uses the board to mount sheet music from which her budding musician can play without requiring a stand or the turning of pages.

Instead, of quietly going crazy over the jumble of collections in her teenagers' room, one mother has ordered twin boards to be placed above their twin beds. The insulite face is fine for mounting match covers, miniature toy license plates, or school banners. If a hobby show is to be given at school or at Boy or Girl Scout functions, the display is ready for exhibition without a last-minute rush. By using both sides of the board, the entrant has an added advantage.

At least one housewife thinks that the members of her family need a "pep-per-upper" to tickle their funnybones at intervals of the day. Mrs. A. G. Blair tacks cartoons on her board, which hangs just above the breakfast table. "The first thing Mr. Blair does on entering the house is to look for the latest posting," she says.

The boards are handy for reminders of the chores assigned to each child. In the bedroom they may hold a bit to memorized as you work or dress, or a lesson for the child to review.

Interior decorators are enthusiastic about the possibilities to be found in the boards and are arranging special uses for them in their decorating schemes. Prior to the opening of a new furniture store recently, the owners purchased boards to be featured above twin beds.

The boards are particularly effective for mounting pictures or prints. One buyer has put her board to use in displaying a very fine picture recessed in an elaborate frame. Those who like to vary their prints often find the boards an inexpensive background.

With business firms the boards have a quick success. A sporting goods company considers the boards as ideal for showing pictures of local young people who are currently skiing at Bogus Basin, competing in bowling tournaments, or participating in intercollegiate sports.

Realtors acclaim the boards for their specific needs. The standard sizes seem made to order for carrying the notices of unusual bargains, data, and reports.

Filling station operators use the boards to note the prices on special grades of oil, lubrication and wash jobs, or instructions to employees.

ALREADY THE boards have attained wide acceptance as gift items, having been dispatched to New York City; Moscow, Idaho; Washington, D. C.; Santa Rosa, California; Newport, Oregon; Salt Lake City, Utah, and elsewhere. Harried last minute shoppers often telephone Mrs. Biggs asking that she send a board to some relative or friend. Her extra service in gift wrapping, enclosing appropriate cards, and mailing direct is an additional selling point. As birthday gifts for small children, the boards combine the appeal of a toy with a useful furnishing for his own room.

When local friends of Mrs. Biggs have entertained visitors from out of the state, she frequently gives Handee Boards as bon voyage gifts. This gesture has returned good in twofold measure. The new acquaintance often writes back for prices and follows with additional orders.

A big impetus followed Mrs. Biggs's appearance on Anne Schofield's Lady of the Day program over Station KDSH, Boise. Increased interest accrued from Mrs. Biggs's offer of boards as special prizes to winners of Anne's Woman of the Week quiz for a number of weeks.

Since the radio interview, many hearers have called the KDSH offices for more information. The cooperation of Anne and other staff members in referring these contacts has meant numerous sales.

By Christmas the working partnership expects to have boards equipped with erasers and chalk. They have designs ready now for chalk holders and materials are being assembled for erasers. Mrs. Biggs has readied a flannel board arrangement, too, and will demonstrate it for a church convention.

MRS. BIGGS is now preparing a brochure on the boards, giving description, uses, and specifications as to size and price. These brochures will be mailed to churches, business houses, schools, and individuals. In addition, they will furnish talking points for friends in other states who are helping to promote the boards.

Following up tips on prospects or using her own ideas, Mrs. Biggs telephones and asks to introduce her boards. She tries to schedule her appointments between 3 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon, Monday through Friday. Two to three evenings a week she goes out from 7 to 9 o'clock as well. During these hours Mr. Biggs or ten-year-old Billy can take over the care of the younger children.

By carefully routing her calls, so that she avoids overlapping or backtracking, she can average seven to ten calls in an afternoon or evening and can sandwich deliveries in between the appointments. However, Mrs. Biggs emphasizes that "it is better to spend an hour in one place rather than to speed through a presentation to make a quick sale." Occasionally she deems it necessary to employ a baby-sitter in the mornings and to arrange appointments or deliveries then.

Unless she finds herself with time to spare between appointments, Mrs. Biggs does very little random selling. On these rare excursions she prefers to introduce herself, describe briefly her product, leave a card, and wait for a call.

In dealing with the schools, Mrs. Biggs must first obtain a permit from the purchasing agent. Accordingly she furnishes him with specification sheets, giving the materials used in the boards, the workmanship, sizes, prices, kinds, and discounts on large orders. Sample boards are submitted for consideration in teachers' meetings. If the requisitions sent in by individual instructors call for bulletin boards, she may be asked to supply them.

With churches she generally communicates with the ministers directly, and they refer her to the proper officers. Often she suggests a trial order to test the merits of the boards.

Before leaving for an appointment, Mrs. Biggs arranges a display for the board. "I have to anticipate the needs of the individual ahead of time, for almost the first question I am asked will be 'How would I use a board?'" she says. "With properly arranged material, the board appears 'live' rather than dead." Before meeting with church representatives, she made up a board showing Sunday School pictures, poems, drawings, and like subject matter. Often, as she talks with the prospect, new ideas are germinating in her fertile imagination.

The most remarkable factor is Mrs. Biggs's ability to accomplish so much. The mother of four children, Billy, 10, Barbara, 5, and 21-month old twins, Kim and Kitty, she must budget every minute. She does all her own housework and still finds time to be a Cub Scout den mother and to work in the P.-T.A.

In a typical day she leaves the house at 3 o'clock in the afternoon for a two-hour stint of calls and returns around 5. Getting the twins out of their snowsuits and into the playpen, she finishes the last minute preparation for dinner, then drives downtown to pick up Mr. Biggs at his place of business. A dash home for dinner, wash the dishes, put the children to bed, and ready to go at 7 o'clock again. Her appointment book is filled weeks in advance and new contacts are constantly being suggested.