HP 41 Keyboard Overlays available finally!

[Dave Britten]

(10-26-2020 08:04 PM)Michael Fehlhammer Wrote:  

(10-26-2020 04:44 PM)Monte Dalrymple Wrote:  I am okay with acting as a distribution point for US customers. So, if Michael wants to accumulate a bunch of US orders and then ship them all in one package to me, I can do the individual shipments to people. Shouldn't be more than a dollar or so to ship first class within the US.

Thank you very much for that offer, Monte!
I think this is the best way to go, especially for people who want just 3 or 4 overlays.

Regarding overlays for other calculators, like DM41X, or HP 71b:
Sorry, but I won't produce these. It took a long time and many expensive test prints until we ( the print studio I found that accepted the challenge, after many refusals from other studios) had the blanks that exactly fit and knew how to position them for printing etc.. It is a loss-making business (of course it was never meant to become a business, but still the losses are quite high), and I doubt that order quantities for overlays for other calculators would exceed those for the HP 41.
By the way, it seems there is no mechanism that firmly holds overlays in place on a DM41X (holes, spring - clip), probably this calculator wasn't intended to be used with overlays?

There are three small slots down the left and right side of the keyboard area, much like the 48 uses for overlays. Probably not quite as nice as the spring clip on the 41, but it's hard to say, as I don't have any overlays for the DM41X.

[rprosperi]

(10-26-2020 08:04 PM)Michael Fehlhammer Wrote:  By the way, it seems there is no mechanism that firmly holds overlays in place on a DM41X (holes, spring - clip), probably this calculator wasn't intended to be used with overlays?

Thanks to both Michael and Monte!! I'll be ordering several (both old and new styles - will Monte be carrying old ones as well?) shall I send that info to Monte now, or wait for some call for orders, etc? I'm in no rush to receive them, but in somewhat of a rush to not forget to order them.

The DM41X (and the DM42 and forthcoming 43S) have small slots on the vertical sides of the calculator body the surrounds the keyboard area, I believe there are 3 slots on each side. SM has a template file available and several folks have made prototypes. One key difference is the space between the keys and the slots is relatively short, thus probably affecting both the overlay material selection and installation instructions. It seems unlikely there will be any 'quick installation/removal' options, but on the other hand, it's easier to provide what would appear to be a new keyboard bezel.

[Monte Dalrymple]

(10-26-2020 09:07 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  

(10-26-2020 08:04 PM)Michael Fehlhammer Wrote:  By the way, it seems there is no mechanism that firmly holds overlays in place on a DM41X (holes, spring - clip), probably this calculator wasn't intended to be used with overlays?

Thanks to both Michael and Monte!! I'll be ordering several (both old and new styles - will Monte be carrying old ones as well?) shall I send that info to Monte now, or wait for some call for orders, etc? I'm in no rush to receive them, but in somewhat of a rush to not forget to order them.

The easiest way for me would be to let Michael send the overlays that people ordered to me, along with the info about who gets what and their addresses. The I would just repackage stuff and forward it.

[rprosperi]

(10-26-2020 09:31 PM)Monte Dalrymple Wrote:  

(10-26-2020 09:07 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Thanks to both Michael and Monte!! I'll be ordering several (both old and new styles - will Monte be carrying old ones as well?) shall I send that info to Monte now, or wait for some call for orders, etc? I'm in no rush to receive them, but in somewhat of a rush to not forget to order them.

The easiest way for me would be to let Michael send the overlays that people ordered to me, along with the info about who gets what and their addresses. The I would just repackage stuff and forward it.

Thanks for clarifying Monte, I'll send Michael an email and then pay him when he's ready.

Once you guys decide who we pay for the final mile (well, the final leg from CA -> NY in my case) let us know.

Thanks guys!

[Mark Hardman]

(10-26-2020 09:42 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Thanks for clarifying Monte, I'll send Michael an email and then pay him when he's ready.

Once you guys decide who we pay for the final mile (well, the final leg from CA -> NY in my case) let us know.

Thanks guys!

Thank you Monte for offering to provide shipping in the US. I've placed my order with Michael and specified that it be shipped via Monte.

[Michael Fehlhammer]

Sorry for the broken links; the photos of WarpCore, PolynROM and PowerCL_White should be visible now.

Now there are enough orders so that it is economically justified to send a package to Monte; I will propose this way of distribution also to those who didn't explicitly ask for it; I think it's better (quicker, cheaper, safer) for everybody.
I will post the package at the beginning of next week; if someone (who lives in the US) is still pondering on the purchase of a few overlays, he should know that shipping will get more expensive or he will have to wait quite a while once he missed this collective order.

[Sylvain Cote]

My last bunch of overlays was received last week, it took six weeks to reach Canada from Germany.

As usual these new overlays are fantastic, thank you Michael and Ángel.

HP-41 Overlays bought from Michael Fehlhammer

Code:

16C Emulator                    (x2)
16C Emulator Martin-McClure     (x3)
Assembler / Classic / David     (x2)
Assembler / Modern              (x2)
AutoComplete XEQ+               (x2)
CCD Module                      (x3)
Diagnostic C/CV   ET-11966      (x3)
Diagnostic CV/CX  00041-60937   (x3)
Formula Eval                    (x2)
Plotter Module                  (x2)

Code:

Polynomial Calc                 (x2)
Polynomial Calc v2              (x2)
PolynROM                        (x2)
PowerCL Launcher Black          (x2)
PowerCL Launcher White          (x2)
PowerCL Launcher Extreme Black  (x2)
PowerCL Launcher Extreme White  (x2)
RAM Editor - RAMED   / AMC-OSX  (x3)
RAM Editor - RAMED   / HEPAX    (x3)
ROM Editor - HEXEDIT / HEPAX    (x3)

Code:

WarpCore                        (x2)
ZenROM Alpha                    (x4)
ZenROM MCED                     (x4)

HP-41 Overlays bought from Ángel Martin (2013 ed.)

Code:

3D-VECTOR Calculator            (x2)
41Z Keys / matte                (x4)
41Z Keys / shiny                (x4)
AECROM Program Generator        (x2)
Diagnostic C/CV  ET-11966       (x1)
Diagnostic CV/CX 00041-60937    (x1)
SandMath / matte                (x5)
SandMath / shiny                (x5)
SandMath-2                      (x2)
SandMatrix                      (x2)

[Monte Dalrymple]

For those of you that are waiting for your overlays from the bundle that Michael is sending to me to forward, please know that I will put them in the mail within 24 hours of receiving them. Michael put the package in the care of DHL in Germany on November 3, 2020. Three days ago the tracking number showed up in the USPS system as "Origin Post is preparing shipment"

I think that means that DHL finally put them in a rowboat headed across the Atlantic.

[rprosperi]

Of all mail traffic between US and Europe, to/from Germany is by far the slowest. I've sent and received mail with Netherlands, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Germany (3 times) in the past several months; all others take 2-3 weeks max (some much quicker), but Germany takes 2+ months. This has also been reported by several other members here and other places.

My own pet 'black helicopter' theory is Germany's Government is deliberately throttling mail delivery between us as an attempt to keep Euros in Europe, rather than coming here, as the delays don't seem to affect other countries (including Canada).

Informed opinions are welcome, but please note that I already have a wife to tell me I'm crazy...

[Sylvain Cote]

(01-03-2021 07:07 PM)Monte Dalrymple Wrote:  I think that means that DHL finally put them in a rowboat headed across the Atlantic.

The question is, did they put the oars in the boat!

(01-03-2021 07:47 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  My own pet 'black helicopter' theory is Germany's Government is deliberately throttling mail delivery between us as an attempt to keep Euros in Europe, rather than coming here, as the delays don't seem to affect other countries (including Canada).

for once ... but I would not say that 6 weeks is a lot faster than for USA either.

edit 1: used the wrong word for oars, corrected, thank Michael

edit 2: nobody gonna dies by receiving the overlays later than expected, this is not your fault Michael, we just have to live with the extra delay everywhere.
I was expecting to receive the package somewhere between mid January and end of February, I was actually surprised to received it last week.

[Michael Fehlhammer]

Thank you Sylvain and Monte for your thoughts and updates regarding the extreme delay of the shipment of the overlays.
I am very sorry about that, I never would have expected that to happen, I was very sure that the overlays would arrive at my US customers well before Christmas.
And now ... well, I don't know how fast rowboats are, especially those without oars ...
My theory is that somebody thinks that goods from Germany should better be retained in quarantine for some weeks; especially calculator overlays are well known to be an ideal hotbed for dangerous viruses on which they can survive for years ...

[Monte Dalrymple]

Notice from USPS this morning that the parcel was "processed" at a USPS facility in New York, whatever that means.

So maybe the boat had an engine instead of oars. My mistake.

[rprosperi]

(01-05-2021 05:57 AM)Monte Dalrymple Wrote:  Notice from USPS this morning that the parcel was "processed" at a USPS facility in New York, whatever that means.

So maybe the boat had an engine instead of oars. My mistake.

That typically means the pkg. has cleared the ISC customs process at JFK where many parcels from Germany enter the US. International parcels are typically not tracked on USPS until they enter US.

[Monte Dalrymple]

Tracking information as of today. At 3 weeks to cross the Atlantic perhaps it was a rowboat. And the pony express could have done better getting it across Germany.

January 6, 2021, 3:15 am
Inbound Out of Customs
Your item cleared United States Customs at 3:15 am on January 6, 2021.

January 4, 2021, 10:18 am
Processed Through Facility
ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)

Origin Post is Preparing Shipment

December 14, 2020, 4:30 pm
Processed Through Facility
FRANKFURT/FLUGHAFEN, GERMANY

November 4, 2020, 4:29 pm
Acceptance
GERMANY

[Michael Fehlhammer]

Actually I launched a lost parcel inquiry in December and was told that the package probably got lost. So I am very happy now that it reappeared and seems to have reached the shores of the promised land.
But we shouldn't celebrate to early. Who knows, may be at Frankfurt airport, during a routine check, an HP-41 addict opened the package, almost fainted with desire - and stole the overlays.

[Ángel Martin]

what an ordeal, I guess not entirely surprising given the circumstances and events happening in the last couple of months but still it's a shame. Hopefully they make it soon to Monte's home and from there to the purchasers...

[Monte Dalrymple]

The package showed up today. Apparently it spent some time in the gorilla cage at a zoo somewhere in Germany. It's so beat up that somebody put the whole thing in a clear plastic bag at some point. I only hope that all of the contents made it. There are six envelopes besides the one for me personally. Headed to the Post Office this afternoon.

[Sylvain Cote]

(01-12-2021 07:08 PM)Monte Dalrymple Wrote:  The package showed up today. Apparently it spent some time in the gorilla cage at a zoo somewhere in Germany.

LOL, mine spent some time in the crocodile pen, it had one hole in it and one side half opened.
I got very lucky that Michael thought to put the overlays inside an envelope and that the enveloppe was still there when I received the package.
Next time Michael, make sure that all the cracks around the shipping box is well tape.
For sure that will not prevent the box from being puncture, I got lucky here, but it should keep the envelope inside the box.

[Guenter Schink]

There's obviously some competition underway, to see who manages a longer time for shipping. By early December I asked Eric to send me an HHC/HPCC 2020 USB-Stick. Here is how that proceeded. Question: What did it do in Canada? Will I have to pay customs for the transfer through Canada too?

Günter

January 11, 2021, 7:58 am
Processed Through Facility
GERMANY
Your item was processed through a facility in GERMANY on January 11, 2021 at 7:58 am. The item is currently in transit to the destination.

January 11, 2021, 7:58 am
Held in Customs
FRANKFURT/FLUGHAFEN, GERMANY

January 10, 2021
In Transit to Next Facility

January 8, 2021, 3:51 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
JAMAICA NY INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER

December 21, 2020, 8:49 pm
Arrived at Facility
CANADA

December 14, 2020, 9:06 am
Processed Through Facility
CANADA

December 14, 2020, 9:06 am
Customs Clearance
CANADA

December 9, 2020, 5:19 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER

December 5, 2020, 6:40 pm
Arrived at USPS Facility
HOUSTON, TX 77032

December 5, 2020, 5:25 pm
Accepted at USPS Origin Facility
HOUSTON, TX 77005

December 4, 2020, 12:29 pm
Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item
HOUSTON, TX 77005

[Gene]

RANT :-)

Postal services are under an even bigger strain than normal this time of the year.

That said...

We signed up for a new service the US Postal System offered where they would auto-scan a picture of pieces of mail that came through for delivery each day and email it to us.

This allowed us to see what was coming...but...

We got a scan of four pieces of mail a week before Christmas. Nothing came in the mailbox. Nothing came the next day.

We filed a complaint with the post office, forwarding the images they sent to us! The post office marked it "RESOLVED" with this resolution: "Our driver will keep an eye out for it."

Not resolved in my opinion. Always remember, delivery is not guaranteed with the Post Office. Period. Even when they send you a picture of the items as they process it in the local building a short distance away at 5am.

We never did get that mail.

RANT OFF :-)