100 years of Ruby Fluid

I was doing a bit of soldering and it suddenly occurred to me that my tin of Rubyfluid was older than some of my friends. It's dented yellow 4 oz tin that would fit inside a coffee cup. I got more curious and I found a few citations and I began doing research in earnest.  

I learned that Rubyfluid was originally a product of  the Ruby Chemical Company which was founded on November 21st, 1907 making it over 115 years old. [SOURCE]  My tin in particular is at least 40 years old. It's a common brand of soldering flux both in liquid and paste forms for use on wiring, stained glass, plumbing, and roofing, to name just a few. Older ads refer to it as a zinc chloride flux. But that may not be the modern formulation.  It's decent stuff and my dingy tin can attest to the shelf life.

1907 was before WWI, not a particularly notable year in radio. Marconi began a regular transatlantic radio-telegraph service literally a month earlier. It was a year after Reginald Fessenden had his famous Christmas broadcast. Lee de Forest was making experimental broadcasts from his lab in New York. It's very likely that some of the great founders of radio broadcasting personally used Ruby Fluid, just not from my little tin. 

 The actual patent for this soldering compound was filed in April 18th 1907. [SOURCE] It was granted on January 28th 1908. It was Orval Hoover's only patent. In the absence of a formal product or company history I put together a short timeline.

***TIMELINE***

1907 - Ruby Chemical Co. is founded. 

1908 Telephony Illustrated Journal, lists Chas. H. Hoover as Sales Manager located at Revere House in Chicago.  

The Iron Age describes an Ohio Hardware show in February attended by Ruby Chemical

RUBY CHEMICAL COMPANY, Johnstown, Ohio: Ruby Soldering Compound. Represented by D. L. Palmer and O. C. Hoover. ST. LOUIS CORDAGE COMPANY, St. Louis, Mo.: Mound City Binder Twine, Rope and Fodder Yarn. Represented by Will Cumback.

Chemical Engineer Monthly, lists patent 877,505 as a "soldering compound" by Orval.C. Hoover in a list of "recent inventions."  It describes it as below. Interesting to note that originally cochineal was used to dye it red.

"The compound consists of a solution of zinc in hydrochloric acid, neutralized by the addition of borax, rosin, and ammonium chloride, and containing also  cochineal, alcohol, and glycerin."

Chemical Abstracts Lists the formula somewhat more formally:

Orval C. Hoover, Johnstown, O. A soldering compound consisting of a solution of zinc in HCl, neutralized by the addition of borax, rosin and NH Cl and containing also cochineal, alcohol, and glycerol.

Columbus City Directory lists O.C. Hoover as a photographer located at 351 N. Washington Ave.

The Metal Worker reports for formation of Ruby Fluid in the Current Notes of the Trades column:

THE RUBY CHEMICAL COMPANY, Johnstown, Ohio, which was recently incorporated, has placed on the market a soldering and tinning fluid, invented by Orval C. Hoover, the secretary of the company

1909 - Telephony Magazine describes the new non-corrosive soldering flux in a full page piece also cites a new address at 54 North Clark St., Chicago.

.....An examination of the metallic fountain brush which forms at the same time a convenient vessel for holding, and handy instrument for applying the new flux, "Ruby Fluid," is enough to silence anyone who quotes the first two objections. When the brush is pushed tightly into the tube it forms a close-fitting stopper, so that it can be laid on a bench, or swung at the belt, by the hook shown in the illustration, without danger of leakage. Yet a pull on the bristles extends the brush to provide for a well regulated flow of the liquid, so that it can be lightly spread over just the spots where it will be useful...

1911 - The Automobile Trade Directory lists Ruby Chemical in a list of 38 makers of soldering flux. The list include Nokorode, which still exists and another 36 which do not.

1912 The Cincinnati Court Index, Electric Railway Journal  and other sources report Ruby Chemical relocating its offices

Ruby Chemical Company, Johnstown, Ohio, owing to the increase in its business, has been compelled to seek new quarters to better its business and shipping facilities, and its headquarters are now located at 157 West State Street, Columbus, Ohio. The company manufactures Ruby Fluid and Red Letter soldering flux. The company's main laboratory was at Johnstown, Ohio

The Canning Trade also describes the new offices but also their new Canadian operation:

They are also now building a Canadian factory at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, for the convenience of their Canadian customers. The firm name in Canada is The Canadian Ruby Chemical Co., Ltd., 603 Builders' Exchange, Winnipeg, Man., Canada.

1913 - Columbus City Directory, Lists Ruby Chemical Co. staff: Fred H. Perfect as Mgr, Orval C. Hoover as "supt." at 157 W. State.

1916 - Industrial Commission of Ohio. reports business statics including the employee count at Ruby Chemical as a total of 6.

1918 - Columbus City Directory, Lists Orval C. Hoover as the VP of The Ruby Chemical Co. and a photographer located at 351 N. Washington Ave H2409 Indianola Av.

1919 - Hardware Review publishes a lengthy review under new products. Ads display wooden boxes.

RUBY FLUID SOLDERING AND TINNING FLUX
     The Ruby fluid is a non-explosive, non-poisonous and non-corrosive fluid compound, designed as a flux for soldering and tinning on all metals without destroying, damaging or tarnishing either the metal or the coating, and is a complete substitute for acids, zinc chloride, salmoniac and other mixtures commonly used as a flux. Is is in every way a practical commercial product, the quality of which is not affected by age, temperature or exposure in open vessels.
     The claim of the manufacturer, the Ruby Chemical Co., of Columbus O., is supported by the fact that they ship it in tin wood jacketed shipping cans, ready for use.  It is also used from their It is also used from their "Ruby Fluid Fountain Brush," a receptacle made from tin tubing, in a convenient form to enable electricians or roofers to carry the fluid in their pocket or belt.
     Experiments in chemistry and metallurgy have proved that it is not necessary to "cut" or dissolve the surface of metals in order to cause solder of tinning metals to unite with them; also that metals coated with acids, or zinc chloride or other corrosive mixtures, and heated to the high temperatures necessary to fuse the solder or tin, will absorb certain elements which cause rust to form on iron and steel and verdigris on brass and copper, even though apparently washed and polished out.
     By special methods of filtration and distilling employed by the manufacturer of Ruby Fluid, these poisonous elements are entirely separated from the elements necessary in a perfect soldering flux, only the essential  properties being retained, which are neither poisonous nor corrosive. Therefore metals on which Ruby Fluid has been used are not affected with rust or tarnish.
     The Ruby Fluid flux appeals to the mechanic because it has no fumes, either poisonous or otherwise.  It is not poisonous to the hands or person. It is quick acting and shipped ready for use, and leaves the finished product clean and without tarnish.
     It appeals to the manufacturer because it makes a tight joint with a very thin film of solder, thus saving many times its cost in solder alone.  It is harmless to the finest of metal, thus avoiding the necessity of washing or buffing out the work, at a waste of time. When used in soldering machines it does not gum, and when used by hand it will not "pit" or "eat" the coppers, and will retain the tinning much longer than any other flux. Ruby Fluid flux has been on the market for the last nine years. It's fame among brass bed makers, art glass workers, electricians, auto factories, and sheet metal workers is unequaled.

1921 EMF Electrical Year Book lists both Ruby Chemical and Ruby Fluid Alphabetically:

RUBY CHEMICAL CO., THE -  68-70 McDowell, Columbus, Ohio. Manufacturer of soldering flux. Business established 1909. President, Dr. A. P. Taylor; vice president, H. A. Bishop; secretary, treasurer and general manager, Fred H. Perfect.  

RUBYFLUID.-Trade name for soldering flux manufactured by the Ruby Chemical Co., 68-70 McDowell, Columbus 8, Ohio

1941 - RadioCraft Magazine lists Ruby Chemical at the address 68 -70 McDowell St., Columbus, Ohio, "Rubyfluid " as a maker of solder, flux and solder paste.

Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office lists serial 441,747 as a patent filed in March 20th for Ruby's stainless steel soldering fluid. They claim use since June 1937.

1946 - Radio Magazine -  Ads display large tins with screw caps. But the address is now 61 McDowell Street, Columbus, OH.

1951 - Hardware Age, advertisement list Ruby Checmical is listed at 56 McDowell Street.

1956  Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office lists registration 144,038 filed by Fred H. Perfect for a Rubyfluid logo.

1971 -  World Aviation Directory lists the Ruby Chemical Co at 68-70 McDowell St. , Columbus , Ohio 43216 ( Tel . 614 221-3055) and Dale F. Baker General Manager.

1975 - Directory of Ohio Manufacturers lists the same address as above for Ruby Chemical as in 1971 but Dale F. Baker now as treasurer.

2010 - Superior Flux purchases Ruby Chemical, the makers of RubyFluid Liquid Flux and RubyFluid Paste Flux, located at 6615 Parkland Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44139

 

I did find one anachronistic reference to Ruby Chemical (above).  All reputable sources cite the formation of the Ruby Chemical company as 1907.  But I found another, earlier reference in a July 1891 issue of Pharmaceutical Era.  It's in st. Louis, MO instead of Johnstown, OH. Disambiguation is difficult on 100+ year old citations but I found a J. C. Grant Chemical Company which moved to East St. Louis from Chicago in 1902 at the same address. They're separated from each other at that address by at least a decade, and to our Ruby Chemical by some 400 miles.

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I write about radio history. History can be dry, academic even boring for some. But my background was in rock music and radio so sometimes a bit of blasphemy or profanity, creeps in; maybe even a little dash of slander. I've been writing this blog for almost 20 years and all that colorful language has passed with little notice.  But that changed recently. I received the below message.  Apparently of all the things I've ever written it's an LGBT radio programs which are the most objectionable.  Oy vey.

I'm mostly amused that it's KRAB causing trouble all these years later. I did reach out to Charles Reinsch, KRAB historian to let him know.  He was unshaken of course. History is immutable. What happened already happened. My 2019 post and it's subsequent censoring changes nothing. But I'm sure Lorenzo Milam would be proud.

I requested a review, but I'm not optimistic in the current environment. AI in all reality is heavy on the Artificial and pretty light on the Intelligence.

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TAB Books

Technical Author's Bureau Books was based in Blue Ridge Summit, PA on the Maryland border about halfway between Gettysburg, and Hagerstown. It's s small town, even today the population is just 1,089.  That's fewer people than TAB released titles. 

TAB was founded by Verne M. Ray and Malcolm Parks Jr. in 1964. Some sources report that Technical Author's Bureau became TAB Books Inc. in 1980 but use of the TAB logo precedes that by at least a decade. 

Their bibliography is a highly varied assortment of technical books ranging in size from pamphlets to large compendiums; ranging in topic from radio, to computing, electronics, aviation, and into pure engineering. Some books are from anonymous teams of magazine editors and other authors appear dozens of times. 

The TAB Books name appears on all of these titles alongside either the TAB logo, the G/L logo or the Foulsham-Tab  F/T logo. The G/L stands for Gernsback Library. Early editions of some G/L marked texts preserve the known TAB book numbering but do not bear the TAB Books like Ex. Rapid Radio Repair by G. Warren Heath and Oscilloscope Techniques by Alfred Haas. The overlap goes through at least book #83, Fun With Electricity in 1967.

In 1988 TAB acquired Highmark Publishing. It was was acquired by the McGraw-Hill Inc.in that same year and their release schedule fell off sharply. the latest release I've found was in 1997.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of titles. I starting working on a list, compiling by author from the books listed on the inside pages of other texts. The list ballooned to absurd proportions and I had to scale-back my ambitions for now. After the McGraw purchase and numbering seems to have stopped. You can find some of these titles in Google Books, and on the World Radio History site of course. [LINK]

TITLE	No.	AUTHOR	YEAR
Servicing Record Changers	59	Henry Mileaf	1956
Rapid TV Repair	60	G. Warren Heath	1956
Transistor Techniques	61	Radio Electronics Staff	1956
Transistor Circuits	63	Rufus Turner	1957
Elements of Tape Recorder Circuits	67	Herman Burstein & Henry Pollack	X
Electronic Hobbyist's Handbook	69	Rufus Turner	X
Electronic Puzzles And Games	70	Matthew Mandl	1958
Oscilloscope Techniques	72	Alfred Haas	1958
Model Radio Control	74	Edward L. Stafford	X
Transistors - Theory & Practice	75	Rufus Turner	X
Servicing Transistor Radios	76	Leonard D'Ario	X
Rapid Radio Repair	78	G. Warren Heath	1959
Designing and Building Hi-Fi Furniture	79	Jeff Markell	X
Fun with Electricity	83	Tom Kennedy Jr.	X
Installing Hi-Fi Systems	86	Jeff Markell & Jay Stanton	X
Transistor Projects	89	Radio Electronics Staff	X
Radio Control handbook	93	Howard McEntee	X
Transistors - Theory & Practice	94	Rufus Turner	X
How To Fix Transistor Radios & Printed Circuits	96	Leonard Lane	1959
Industrial Electronics	99	Tom Jaski	X
Basic Math Course for Electronics	100	Henry Jacobwitz	X
Practical TV Troubleshooting	102	Compiled by Gernsback Library	1957
Basic Radio Course	104	Paul Kenian	X
Basic TV Course	105	George Kravitz	X
Radio Servicing Made Easy	107	Leonard Lane	1961
The Oscilloscope	108	George Zwick	1963
Basic Transistor Course	111	Paul Rodget Kenian	1962
Learn Electronics By Building Easy-to-Build Projects	112	John Schroeder	1973
Getting Started With Transistors	116	Lou Garner	X
Electronics Data Handbook-Rev. 2nd Edition	118	Martin Clifford	X
TV Sweep Oscillators	119	X	X
Hi-Fi Troubles	120	Herman Burnstein	X
Advanced Radio Control	122	Edward L. Stafford	X
Color TV Repair	123	X	X
The Handbook of Electronic Tables	125	Martin Clifford	1965
Servicing AGC Circuits	126	X	X
Skill-Building Transistor Projects & Experiments	129	Lou Garner	X
Basic Oscillator Handbook	130	Norman Crowhurst	1966
Test Instruments for Electronics	131	Martin Clifford	X
Radio Control Manual 2nd Edition	135	Edward L. Stafford	X
Easy Way To Service Radio Receivers	429	Leo Sands	X
Amateur Radio Extra-Class License Study Guide	453	73 Magazine	X
VHF Ham radio Handbook	460	Edward G. MacKinnon	X
104 East Transistor Projects You Can Build	462	Robert M. Brown	X
6 East Home-IMprovement Projects	343	Steven Bolt	X
Electronic Hobbyist's IC Project Handbook	464	Robert M. Brown	X
Ham radio Projects For Novice & Technician	468	Bert Simon	X
Ham Radio Incentive Licensing Guide	469	Bert Simon	X
104 Simple One-Tube Projects	486	Robert M. Brown	X
Transistor Circuit Guidebook	470	Byron Wels	X
64 Hobby Projects for Home & Car	487	Robert M. Brown & Mark Olsen	1969
Semiconductors from A to Z	493	Phillip Dahlen	X
Audio Systems Handbook	494	Norman Crowhurst	1969
Tape Recording For Fun & Profit	497	Walter Salm	1969
CB Radio Operators Guide	499	Robert M. Brown	X
Working With Semiconductors	501	Albert C. Saunders	X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual - Vol. 1	502	Robert L. Goodman	X
How To Fix Transistor Radios & Printed Circuits	504	Leonard C. Lane	1969
Installing & Servicing Home Audio Systems	505	Jack Hobbs	X
How to Read Electronic Circuit Diagrams	510	Robert Brown & Paul Lawrence	X
Understanding Solid-State Circuits	513	Norman Crowhurst	1973
Philco Color TV Service Manual	522	Robert L. Goodman	X
Guide to Radio - TV Broadcast Engineering Practice	523	Edward L. Stafford	X
104 Easy Projects For The Electronics Gadgeteer	524	Robert M. Brown	1970
Amateur Radio Advanced Class License Study Guide	527	73 Magazine	X
Pulse & Switching Circuits	528	Jarvey Swearer	X
Handbook of Magnetic Recording	529	Finn Jorgensen	X
Basic Electronics Problems Solved	530	Donald Arnold Smith	X
Servicing Modern Hi-Fi Stereo Systems	534	Norman Crowhurst	X
General Electric Color TV Service Manual - Vol. 1	536	Robert L. Goodman	X
125 One Transistor Projects	537	Rufus Turner	X
Computer Circuits & How they Work	538	Byron Wels	X
Transistor Projects for Hobbyists & Students	542	Larry Steckler	X
TV Trouble Diagnosis Made Easy	544	X	1970
Electronic Musical Instruments	546	Norman Crowhurst	X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual—Vol. 2	562	Robert L. Goodman	X
Modern Radar: Theory, Operation and Maintenance	575	Edward L. Stafford	X
How to Use Color TV Test Instruments	577	Robert L. Goodman	X
Modern Radio Repair Techniques	580	Art Margolis	1971
199 Test & Alignment Procedures	593	Art Margolis	1972
199 Color TV Troubles and Solutions	595	Robert L. Goodman	1972
Basic Color Television Course	601	Stan Prentiss	1972
Japanese Monochrome TV Service Manual Repair	602	Charlie Buffington	X
How To Build Solid-State Audio Circuits	606	Mannie Horowitz	1972
Basic Electricity & Beginning Electronics	628	Martin Clifford	X
Aviation Electronics Handbook	631	Edward L. Stafford	X
Simplified TV Trouble Diagnosis	633	Robert L. Goodman	1973
Modern Electronics Math	655	Martin Clifford	X
Fm Stereo-Quad Receiver Servicing Manual	660	Joseph Carr	X
Understanding & Using the Oscilloscope	664	Clayton L Hallmark	X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual -Vol. 3	668	Robert L. Goodman	X
Electrical Wiring and Lighting for Home and Office	671	Edward L. Stafford	X
Understanding & Using the VOM & EVM	672	John Cunningham	1973
Professional Picture Framing for the Amateur	674	Jack & Barbara Wolf	1974
Pictorial Guide to CB Radio Installation and Repair	683	Forest H. Belt	X
TV Tuner Schematic / Servicing Manual - Vol. 1	696	Robert L. Goodman	X
Electronic Measurements Simplified	702	Clayton L Hallmark	1973
Indexed Guide to Modern Electronic Circuits	706	Robert L. Goodman	X
Radio astronomy For the Amateur	714	David L Heiserman	X
Complete Guide to Outboard Motor Service and Repair	727	Paul Dempsey	X
The Complete FM 2-Way Radio Handbook	735	Clayton L Hallmark	1974
Vintage Airline Color TV Service Manual	741	Tab Editorial Staff	1975
Color TV Case Histories Illustrated	746	Robert L. Goodman	X
The Complete Auto Electric handbook	748	X	X
Auto Electronics Simplified	749	X	X
4 Channel Stereo From Source To Sound	756	X	1973
Troubleshooting with the Dual-Trace Scope	772	Robert L. Goodman	X
How to Make Jewelry Like a Pro	775	X	X
Op Amp Circuit Design & Applications	787	Joseph Carr	X
Microelectronics	794	X	X
Master Handbook of HAM Radio Circuits	801	Editors of 73 Magazine	1977
Flying Model Airplanes and Helicopters by Radio Control	825	Edward L. Stafford	X
Impedance	829	Rufus P. Turner	1976
The Complete Broadcast Antenna Handbook	833	John E. Cunningham	X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual - Vol. 4	838	Robert L. Goodman	X
Build Your Own Working Robot	841	David L Heiserman	X
CB Radio Schematic / Servicing Manual Vol 4.	862	X
Microphones - How They Work & How to Use Them	875	Martin Clifford	X
Color TV Case Histories Illustrated: Photo Guide to Troubles/Cures - Vol. 2	876	Robert L. Goodman	X
General Electric Color TV Service Manual—Vol.3	879	Robert L. Goodman	X
Do-It-Yourselfer's guide to chainsaw use & Repair	892	Charles Self	1977
CET License Handbook - 2nd Ed.	901	Joseph Carr	1976
Concrete & Masonry	902	Tab Books	X
How To Build Metal/Treasure Locators	909	Robert J. Traister	X
Servicing Zenith TV Modules	918	Robert L. Goodman	X
Practical Electrical Installation Repair & Rewiring	925	John E. Traister	1979
Servicing Medical & Bioelectric Equipment	930	Joseph Carr	X
Handbook of Marine Electronic and Electrical Systems	939	Edward L. Stafford	X
Mimeograph Operation, Maintenance and Repair	941	Howard Hutchinson	X
CBers Manual of SSB	959	Edward L. Stafford	X
Microwave Oven Service & Repair	962	Clayton Hallmark	1977
CBers Handy Manual of Base Stations	969	Edward L. Stafford	X
Miniprocessors: From Calculators to Computers	971	David L Heiserman	X
TV Tuner Schematic/Servicing Manual - Vol. 2	979	Robert L. Goodman	X
The Master Handbook of Still & Movie Titling for Amateur & Professional	1001	Elinor Stecker-Orel	1979
The Upholsterer's Bible	1004	Percy W. Blandford	1978
How To Repair Movie & Slide Projectors	1011	Robert Villastrigo	1978
How to Design and Build Electronic Instrumentation	1012	Joseph Carr	X
How to Repair Video Games	1028	Robert L. Goodman	X
How To Produce Slide Shows & Movies With Sound	1031	X	X
Hot To make Old Time Photos	1039	John McDonald & Melba Smith Cole	1981
101 Quality Wooden Toys You Can Make	1046	Hugh & Judith Ryan	1980
How to Install Everything Electronic in Cars, Boats, Planes Trucks & RVs	1056	X	X
Computerist's Handy Databook/Dictionary	1069	X	X
The Complete Handbook of Robotics	1071	Edward L Stafford Jr.	X
Radio Control Handbook - 4th Edition	1093	Edward L Stafford Jr.	X
Digital Interfacing With An Analog World	1070	Joseph Carr	1978
How To Build Your Own Vacation Home	1074	Charles R. Self	1978
How To Build Your Own Log Home & Cabin From Scratch	1081	S. Blackwell Duncan	1978
HTV Field & Bench Servicer's Handbook	1082	John Spillane	1979
All About Telephones	1097	Van Waterford	1978
How To Take Great Great Sports Action Photos	1098	X	X
How To Design & Build Your Own Custom TV Games	1101	David L Heiserman	1978
How to Cast Small Metal & Rubber Parts	1105	William A. Cannon	1979
Computerist's Handy Manual	1107	Clayton L. Hallmark	1979
Lasers, The Light Fantastic	1108	Clayton L. Hallmark	X
How to Make Your Own Lamps and Lampshades	1112	Bruce Mitton	X
77 Furniture Projects You Can Build	1122	Editors of Family Handyman	1980
The Complete Bed Building Book	1124	HyDee Small	1979
Building Fiberglass Ship Models From Scratch	1127	Richard V. Humphrey	1981
The Complete Handbook of Leathercrafting	1129	Jane E. Garnes	1981
Radio Control Manual - Systems, Circuits, Construction	1135	Edward L Stafford Jr.	X
How To Build Your Own Working Robot Pet	1141	Frank DeCosta	1981
How To Repair Old-Time Radios	1148	Clayton L. Hallmark	X
The Complete Handbook of Centrifugal Casting	1153	Philip Romanoff	1980
Practical Troubleshooting with the Modern Oscilloscope	1162	Robert L. Goodman	X
The Complete Handbook of Sewiong Machine Repair	1163	Howard Hutchinson	X
77 Weekend Kitchen Projects You can Make	1165	X	X
Model Radio Control-3rd Edition	1174	Edward L Stafford Jr.	X
The Complete Handbook of Lampglass Art	1175	Nadine H. Roberts	X
Practical Troubleshooting with Modern Electronic Test Instruments	1177	Robert L. Goodman	X
Troubleshooting Microprocessors & Digital Logic	1183	Robert L. Goodman	1980
The Master Guide to Electronic Circuits	1184	Thomas M. Adams	1984
The Master IC Cookbook	1199	Clayton L. Hallmark	1980
The Complete Microcomputer Systems Handbook	1201	Edward L. Stafford	1979
Basic Drafting	1202	Martin Clifford	X
Make Your Own Gemstone Jewelry	1208	X	X
44 Weekend Plastic Projects You can Make	1215	X	1081
How To Troubleshoot & Repair Electronic Circuits	1218	Robert L. Goodman	1981
Advanced Radio Control, Including Rockets & Robots - 2nd Edition	1222	Edward L Stafford Jr.	X
Master Handbook of Electronic Tables & Formulas 3rd Ed.	1225	Martin Clifford	1980
Practical Knots & Ropework	1237	Percy Blandford	1980
Electrical Wiring Handbook	1245	Edward L Stafford Jr.	X
Playing the Stock and Bond Markets with Your Personal Computer	1251	L.R. Schmeltz	1981
234 Wooden Wall Decoration Projects	1252	E. R. Huckleberry	1981
Giant Handbook of 222 Weekend Electronics Projects	1265	Raymond A. Collins	1981
How To Build, Maintain, and Renovate Your Home	1287	Edward L Stafford Jr.	X
99 Fun-To-Make Electronics Projects	1288	Cy Tymony	1981
Giant Handbook of Electronic Circuits	1300	Raymond A. Collins	1980
The Master Craftsman's Illustrated Woodworking Manual - With Projects	1315	Lewis H. Hodges	1981
The Second Book of Electronics Projects	1317	John E. Traister	1981
The Typewriter Repair Manual	1336	Howard Hutchinson	1981
49 Easy-To-Build Electronic Projects	1337	Robert M. Brown & Tom Kneitel	X
101 Easy Test Instrument Projects	1339	Robert M. Brown & Tom Kneitel	X
49 More easy-To-Build Electronics Projects	1347	Robert M. Brown & Tom Kneitel	1981
The Giant Book Of Hobby Projects	1359	Robert E. Ostander	1982
The Giant Book of Electronic Projects	1367	Editors of 73 Magazine	1982
Radio Communications Receivers	1391	Cornell Drentea	1982
Handbook of Advanced Robotics	1421	Edward L. Stafford	1982
Build a Personal Earth Station For Worldwide Satellite TV Reception	1409	Robert Traister	1982
Building Free-Form Furniture	1440	Charles W. Durney	1982
The Complete Handbook of Woodworking Tools and Hardware	1484	Charles Self	1983
Electronic Databook	1538	Rudolf Graf	1988
Sign Carving	1601	Garrit D. Lydecker	1984
The Homesteader's Manual	1629	Editors of Farmstead Magazine	1983
ABCs of Building Model Railroad Cars	1635	Wayne & Mary Cay Wesolowski	1985
Build-It Book of Digital Clocks	1683	Robert Haviland	1986
The Countryside Book of Farming Lore	1952	The Editors of Countryside Magazine	1985
Working with Acrylic Plastics	1959	Jack Wiley	1986
Electronics Math	1962	R. Jesse Phagan	1986
Car Design: Structure and Architecture	2104	Jan P. Norbye	1984
The Learjet	2246	Joe Christy	1979
How To Take Great Photos From Airplanes	2251	Frank Kingston Smith	1979
Low-Horsepower Fun Aircraft You Can Build	2267	Don Dwiggins	1980
Cold Weather Flying	2273	Jeff Griffin	1979
Maintenance/Overhaul Guide to Lycoming Aircraft Engines	2277	Joe Christy	1979
The Complete Guide to Aviation Photography	2281	Peter M. Bowers	X
The Complete Guide to Single-Engine Mooneys	2283	Paul Garrison	1980
Flying As It Was True Stories From Aviation’s Past	2403	Gerry A. Casey	1987
The Complete Shortwave Listener's Handbook	2655	Hank Bennett, Harry L. Helms, David Hardy	1986
Home Butchering and Meat Preservation	2713	Geeta Dardick	1986
The Packet Radio Handbook	2722	Jonathan L Mayo	1987
Principles and Practice of Impedance	2725	Rufus P. Turner &  Stan Gibilisco	1987
62 Home Remote Control and Automation Projects	2735	Delton T. Horn	1986
Practical Blacksmithing and Metalworking	2894	Percy Blandford	X
Experiments with EPROMs	2962	Dave Prochnow	1988
50 Powerful Printed Circuit Board Projects	2972	Dave Prochnow	1988

DJ Claud Pettit

 

There is something oddly endearing about this tiny book with it's awkward idioms on the inside and rear cover. I was most taken with this one, a true product of the 1950s: "The insects must be laughing at man. We developed DDT for them but saved the H-Bomb for ourselves." 

This began with the above songbook of shapenote music. There are no call signs anywhere on the booklet. So despite the radio towers drawn on the cover, it was a struggle to find information on Claud Martin Pettit. Unusually, the sacred harp material and the time period this printing appear to have no connection with the Stamps-Baxter company. Stamps appears as the publisher on a few hymns and that's all. But on the inside page I got my first hint. Under his name was noted "Arvada, Colorado". That was enough to find a memorial page on the broadcast pioneers of Colorado  webpage.

Claude started in radio before he was even a pastor. In 1943, while still in high school he worked Sundays for KFKA at their Record Stockman studios. His pastoring began in 1952 but the two careers intersected more formally in 1952 in 1955 when he became known as "The Country Parson" on KLAK in Denver. It was a country gospel music formatted program of a type that's quite rare these days.

Most of his obituaries are about his church, and bible college, almost nothing is said about his radio career despite lasting 60 years and including at least 8 radio stations. In 1960, Claud and his wife Margaret bought 1290 KEOS-AM in Flagstaff, AZ as partial owners of CLEM, Inc with another couple: Edythe Walker and Lee Walker. The walkers were owners of KLAK so you can see the connection.  But The Pettits' sold their shares in 1961. 

In 1965 they bought KWIV in Douglas WY. In 1974 they applied to build a station in Brush, CO which was granted as 1010 KCMP-AM in 1976. A 1979 directory refers to the format as "Beautiful music, relig, spec prog: farm 12 hrs; Spanish 4 rs." Sounds like a hodge podge. I also found a slightly  incongruous citation for Claud Pettit as chief engineer on the Western Bible College owned KWBI on 91.9 in Morrison, CO.

But in 1981 they sold their station again. About then most print references to the Pettits' peter out. The last note I saw was about that sale in Broadcasting & Cable. But instead of actually retiring from radio, the Pettits' bought another radio station in 1989, and became owners  of KKDD and KKGZ in Brush, CO again.

At the time  KKGZ, and KKDD, so it was his second try on 1010 and 107.1. At that time the stations were owned by G-Z Broadcasting and were dark.and the stations in receivership according to R&R. It looks like a bit of a rescue mission. But a 2009 business directory lists Better Life ministries as owning 8 stations: KYNN, KHJR, KEHT, KOAH, KHTW, KHRX, KHUA, and KYHR across Texas, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. The citations appear to conflict.But various directories do list him as president through 2008.

Outside of radio Claud was a Trustee for Colorado Christian College (above, top center) which itself owned two radio stations and a TV station. He was the Chairman of the radio committee at Western Bible Institute. He finally retired from radio in 1991, but continued pastoring at Better Life Ministries until at least 2009 when the Denver Post profiled him [LINK]  He was 88 years old.

News and Reviews 2022

We are now in year 17, (a nice respectable prime number) and I stand by my statement from 6 years ago... "it seems both impossible and inadvisable to have gone so far down the rabbit-hole." This blog began in April of 2005. As of this date, that works out to more than 3,375 posts, a decade-and-a-half in the making. Clearly I still have too much free time. I did a radio show on WLOY, and I even managed to get published this year on old school newsprint aka dead-tree media, with thanks to The Slingshot Collective. 

 
Links to all 17 years of News & Reviews:

2020	2019	2018	2017
2016	2015	2014	2013
2012	2011	2010	2009
2008	2007	2006	2005

Best Posts:
I started off 2022 with a dive in to an old WECS radio schedule, and some antique radio repair. Then the tale of an illegal satellite launch and a quick piece on the Glaskarten archive. It wasn't a very productive year blog-wise but I still found time for deep dives into both Herman Darewski and Jack Ruby of all people.

 
Most Popular Posts:
My most popular posts haven't changed in years.  Since 2009 the most traffic has gone to a post about Peter Tripp.  This is what I call the post that Reddit built. It remains an aberration in my web-traffic with 96k+ hits. I did eventually collate a list of all Radio Wake-a-thon records here. My 2007 post on the Career Academy of Famous Broadcasters continues to get comments from it's legion of former students. It remains a top hit on Google. In 2022 My most popular post was the one-sentence post referring to my Quarantine Takeover show on WLOY. That probably has more to do with WLOY than myself but it's good motivation to do it again.

Best Zine
With thanks to Slingshot I got to read a lot of zines while under quarantine. The best hands-down was Dynamite Hemorrhage. I want to read every back issue, I a subscription. Jay Hinman contributes to the punk cannon in the same way that Koenig and Coley did back in the 1980s. Their original writings on commerce and art rock remain the foundation of the last 40 years of punk and indie rock music criticism.

Best Radio Show:
I'm still hooked on The Primitive Show on WVKR. I keep trying to make contact for an interview but no luck so far. On that topic I saw that Chimurenga also is now running a radio program and I'd really like to chat with them about it. Maybe I need a section on most-wanted stories.

 

Top 10 Records of 2022
Usually my top 10 is comprised of full-length albums, and is format agnostic. The definition of "full-length" is totally at my discretion as to number of tracks, or album length in minutes. But generally EPs, Singles, Re-releases, and demos get sifted down the the notable list. Aside from all that preface, our obvious descent into dystopian collapse has made for a great year in music.

1. Chat Pile - Gods Country
2. Pile - All Fiction
   
3. Society - Pollution
4. Gospel - The Loser
5. Cronies - Slow Wrist Grave Shift
6. Wire - Stepping off too quick
7. Idiot Child - Idiot Child
8.  Ken mode - Null
9. Nerver - CASH
10. Crowd of Chairs - Defluencer
    

 

Notable mentions: Ashenspire - Hostile Architecture, Weeping Hour - Drone (single),  Negative Capability - Negative Capability, Gilla Band - Most Normal, Chatpile - Tenkiller Soundtrack, Human Impact - Imperative (single),  Sppn - Lucifer on the Sofa, Russian Circles - Gnosis, Pyrithe - Monuments to Impermanence, Black Magnet - Body Prophecy, Melvins Bad Mood Rising (single),