Q. I have questions and or photos I want to send you and get your opinions and recommendations on, where do I contact you directly?
A. Feel free to send everything to... AFrame1978Guy@yahoo.com
and I will do my best to help our. Just be sure to have read everything here involving cleaning, restoring and replacing before asking questions about those topics as most details are already here with photos, you just have to find the right post. Thanks!
Q. How do I clean and or renovate this house?
A. There are detailed instructions with photos throughout this blog, so just find the search box with the magnifying glass on it, search for whatever specific thing you need to research (clean, paint, assemble, replace, etc) and it will populate for you.
Q. Why does this website exist?
A. I would have been prefectly happy reading someone else's website/blog. When I searched for one, there wasn't any, so I decided to make one so everyone could enjoy it. Thanks to devoted fans, it comes up on the first page of search results.
Q. Why are you so passionate about this toy?
A. For several reasons. For starters, I have fond childhood memories of one. Also, I have always loved houses, architecture, (furniture) and floor plans. I was almost an architect but my math skills and design ability had different ideas. Additionally, I think the A frame house is one of those rare, exceptionally designed products that is a classic. Its the only plastic dollhouse (or smallhouse) I know of that is purely architecture, not stickers, cardboard or puffy vinyl, in fact it's 32 POUNDS and measures 4 feet by 3 feet. The new Barbie house has similar measurements, but there is no comparison (see the house).
Q. Where else can I find any info at all on this wonderful toy?
A. I have no idea, if you find a place please post it and I will investigate. There are lots of collector pictures on photobucket.
Q. Why are you so protective about it and hard on people who split up pieces, toss the rest, break off wall pillars, paint it funky colors, etc?
A. Because I view this product as an endangered species. No more are being made (at least the 1978 version), and every year a few are lost to uninformed sellers/people 'tossing' them, or shipping them improperly resulting in damage, repeated assembly and break down/breaking off window and door pegs and chipping post covers, bored housewives with spray paint and the illusion of talent, housecats jumping on them, the ravages of time, damp basements that rust the screws, oven-like attics/garages and other destructive forces.
Q. Why do you use blogspot and not a real interactive/flash website?
A. I stumbled upon blogspot, its free and easy to use. Facebook may have been better, but too late now!
A. I would have been prefectly happy reading someone else's website/blog. When I searched for one, there wasn't any, so I decided to make one so everyone could enjoy it. Thanks to devoted fans, it comes up on the first page of search results.
Q. Why are you so passionate about this toy?
A. For several reasons. For starters, I have fond childhood memories of one. Also, I have always loved houses, architecture, (furniture) and floor plans. I was almost an architect but my math skills and design ability had different ideas. Additionally, I think the A frame house is one of those rare, exceptionally designed products that is a classic. Its the only plastic dollhouse (or smallhouse) I know of that is purely architecture, not stickers, cardboard or puffy vinyl, in fact it's 32 POUNDS and measures 4 feet by 3 feet. The new Barbie house has similar measurements, but there is no comparison (see the house).
Q. Where else can I find any info at all on this wonderful toy?
A. I have no idea, if you find a place please post it and I will investigate. There are lots of collector pictures on photobucket.
Q. Why are you so protective about it and hard on people who split up pieces, toss the rest, break off wall pillars, paint it funky colors, etc?
A. Because I view this product as an endangered species. No more are being made (at least the 1978 version), and every year a few are lost to uninformed sellers/people 'tossing' them, or shipping them improperly resulting in damage, repeated assembly and break down/breaking off window and door pegs and chipping post covers, bored housewives with spray paint and the illusion of talent, housecats jumping on them, the ravages of time, damp basements that rust the screws, oven-like attics/garages and other destructive forces.
Q. Why do you use blogspot and not a real interactive/flash website?
A. I stumbled upon blogspot, its free and easy to use. Facebook may have been better, but too late now!
Q. Do you actively sell any A Frame related things on Ebay?
A. I occasionally flip a house, or sell off spare parts. Also, there are always people selling instructions either original, photocopied or scanned and emailed. I tried selling a large green grass playmat with photocopied isntructions for $15 and there were no takers. Theoretically I could sell a kit containing replacement screws (I finally found the right size at hardware stores), replacement flowers (aquarium plants, dollar store/michaels silks) home made closet (see replacement parts post), home made doors windows, etc. I just dont think there is the market for it. People want original parts and I explain how to make/replace/restore everything on this blog.
Q. What A Frame projects have you done so far?
A. I bought my first vintage A Frame in spring 2009, and reconditioned it. I bought a second one soon after for completing and upgrading missing and damaged parts. I reconditioned and sold the second one online to help pay for the cost of upgrading and completing the first one. As of now (summer 2014) I have since bought a 1982 Cottage and 1980 Pool, and 7 other A Frames. I kept the cottage (but sold the pool for space reasons), and am awaiting my latest A Frame score on evilbay for $40 plus $20 shipping. I can flip them for a razor-thin profit. Generally, if you do it properly (and its a lot of time and work) you can get an A frame for total $65, refurbish and sell for $165 plus shipping, netting you an extra $100 to buy your own house with the profit. UPDATE: 2012 I sold the last house for $109 with a profit of $20. Ouch! UPDATE: 2016 - the last few houses went that way, not netting much money for a week of cleaning, painting and packing (and no positive feedback on ebay) so I am over flipping for now. I just bought a house but am painting it alternate colors and keeping it.
Q. Why should I periodically review older posts after I already read them awhile back?
A. A few times a week I add more photos and captions to older posts. I prefer to update posts rather than to make a whole new one (to avoid redundancy).
Q. I desperately need instructions because I just bought my first one and I don't know how to put it together, HELP!
A. You can view/download/print instructions to the House and Cottage here on this blog. Just type "instructions" in the search box and that post will populate.
Q. I really want the furniture that goes to the house, where do I get that?
A. I get asked that a lot, but as usual, I refer folks to ebay, it's where I got mine (8 ovens and 6 desks at one point), so just keep searching for good deals using search terms of " 1978 dream furniture ".
Q. What can I do to help/be a part of the blog?
A. Everyone is encouraged to add comments to posts and email me pictures, ideas, comments and questions. The more you all contribute, the better the blog will be! =-)
Q. How do I contact you? (other questions, interesting/unusual photos, post ideas, etc)
A. You can leave a comment and when I log back in usually monthly I can see it there or if you want to send something like photos to me: AFrame1978Guy@yahoo.com
