Old appliances

[vernon]

You carry so much babbage around with you, Vern

I had to have my pockets enlarged to fit it in.

 

[raleighnut]

Recently had to repair a Quad 33 preamp and tuner for a member of staff where I work. He highly rates the stuff.

I think, from memory, his kit was from around 1972 from component date codes.

Nice to work on? I've always had any remedial work done on mine at the factory in Huntingdon.
I've owned one of my 303s since 1986 along with a contemporary 33 but went to two 2 channel 'monoblock' 303s about 10yrs ago and last year changed to a 44 pre (88/89 vintage, one of the last ones built in England)

 

[User33236]

Nice to work on? I've always had any remedial work done on mine at the factory in Huntingdon.
I've owned one of my 303s since 1986 along with a contemporary 33 but went to two 2 channel 'monoblock' 303s about 10yrs ago and last year changed to a 44 pre (88/89 vintage, one of the last ones built in England)

They are pretty good to work on. Easy to access, nice discrete components and easy to still get parts for. Nothing complex about them because, as you can imagine, it's all analog technology.

Makes a pleasant change from all these new fangled medical devices I usually work on

 

[Piemaster]

I had to have my pockets enlarged to fit it in.

Enlarged? Wouldn't taking some loose change out have freed up enough room?

 

[raleighnut]

They are pretty good to work on. Easy to access, nice discrete components and easy to still get parts for. Nothing complex about them because, as you can imagine, it's all analog technology.

Makes a pleasant change from all these new fangled medical devices I usually work on

I just wasn't sure how easy the access was, I only take the cover off mine to 'waggle' the 3 internal removable boards around (recommended every couple of years to stop em 'crackling') and they are pretty full in there. A lot of people recommend changing all the capacitors (they dry out) so I'd looked at having that done but for only a bit more I managed to get a pristine 44, soundwise not a lot different (other than the volume pot being a lot more reliable) but a lot better ergonomically.

 

[Pale Rider]

I have a Phillips fridge freezer which was old when the last owner left it when I moved in here about 15 years ago.

It has two compressors - most modern ones have one - and a switch which means I can use it as a fridge and use the freezer part as a cupboard.

 

[pplpilot]

Not really an household appliance but my Deardorff 5x4 large format camera dates from around the early 50's, the lenses I use are of course modern(ish) the camera is just a means of holding the sheet of film the right distance from the lens.

 

[User33236]

I just wasn't sure how easy the access was, I only take the cover off mine to 'waggle' the 3 internal removable boards around (recommended every couple of years to stop em 'crackling') and they are pretty full in there. A lot of people recommend changing all the capacitors (they dry out) so I'd looked at having that done but for only a bit more I managed to get a pristine 44, soundwise not a lot different (other than the volume pot being a lot more reliable) but a lot better ergonomically.

One of the recent repairs I had to do was replace a volume pot on the 33 tuner as the power switch on the back had gone extremely intermittent (the owner had caught it with his foot when passing). The recommended replacement was an upgraded pot / switch combination which remained the same size and electrically compatible. I suspect something else will go long before that new part does.

 

[vernon]

Enlarged? Wouldn't taking some loose change out have freed up enough room?

Nope. I also have to fit in the precursor to Google Translate.

 

[Hyslop]

There was a story in the news in the past week or so about a woman who lives life like she is in the 1930's!

http://metro.co.uk/2016/03/02/woman...nd-doesnt-mind-using-the-outdoor-loo-5728970/

Oldest thing I have at home is an old slide projector which I have no idea of it's age.

View attachment 121551

We have a slide projector in the loft which belonged to my Father,Aldis I think. Bargain Hunt,here I come!

 

[growingvegetables]

.... an old slide projector ....

Ah - those were the days! God damn Powerpoint!

 

[swee'pea99]

Anybody else use anything old? I love old kit, I clean the house with one of these electrolux machines, have a 40 year old Black and Decker lawn mower which still gives loyal service, and today I have just picked up an old Hoover twintub, just tried it and it does an amazing job - quickly!!

I don`t know if it`s nostalgia, but I find all this old kit lovely to use, and it does a superb job!

I used to sell those Electrolux's! I used to tell people it was worth the bit extra, because Electrolux stuff was top quality and would work really well, not go wrong, and last a long time. Looks like I was right!

 

[swee'pea99]

There was a story in the news in the past week or so about a woman who lives life like she is in the 1930's!

When my sister, just a bit older than me, bought her first flat, the ceilings were all scorched and filthy. Why? Because it still had gas lighting.

 

[tyred]

I drive a 20 year old Peugeot.
I still use Zenit E and Practica MT5 cameras
Virtually all of my bikes are older than I am. Some are older than my parents.
I have a working Canon BJ200 printer which I still use.
It's only recently I retired a very old NEC mobile.
I have 2 1960s tractors.
I have sets of Bah Humbug tree lights from the 1970s.
I have many old tool passed down the family.
I have a 1970s Krupps vacuum cleaner.
I use a 1960s alarm clock
One of my works PCs runs Win95 (to talk to old telephone systems).
I'm sure there are many others which aren't coming to mind just now.