Beauty of old electrical and measuring things, etc.

[Janus]

A quick look at the Beseler website shows they sell mostly to schools; apparently film and wet chemistry is still a good path to learning.

My daughter took a photography class in High School (she graduated in "06), and they used film and wet chemistry. From that, she went on to be a photographer for the school paper.

 

[dlgoff]

I've spent a good part of the day cleaning up a lot of the things I've shown. It's amazing how much grit and grim can build up on stuff.

 

[Baluncore]

We have forgotten that dust sheets were once used to protect things.
A bed sheet is a low-cost investment to protect a static display from dust.
Dust sheets work well for machine tools and optical instruments.
If dust is critical to operation, use white sheets that will show the dust, then wash them regularly.
If it is just for a display, pick a nice pattern that will not show the dust.

 

[anorlunda]

It's amazing how much grit and grim can build up on stuff.

Once restored, things don't stay restored by themselves. Yes, that can be frustrating.

Try living on a boat in salt water. Everything deteriorates rapidly, unless you constantly renew renew renew. Even then, after a while the crew deteriorates.

 

[dlgoff]

Once restored, things don't stay restored by themselves. Yes, that can be frustrating.

Try living on a boat in salt water. Everything deteriorates rapidly, unless you constantly renew renew renew. Even then, after a while the crew deteriorates.

I'm learning. Glad my stuff isn't on your boat.

 

[dlgoff]

I've spent a good part of the day cleaning up a lot of the things I've shown. It's amazing how much grit and grim can build up on stuff.

Well, I've managed to get the top shelf cleaned up.

Now for the rest of the stuff.

Also, one of my neon sign transformers died so I waiting for one I bought on ebay.

 

[jedishrfu]

What a classic collection! It reminds me of the Disney Flubber movies of the 1950’s with Fred MacMurray And his lab.

 

[dlgoff]

Disney Flubber

I remember it like it was yesterday. Very cool, funny movie.

 

[dlgoff]

Also, one of my neon sign transformers died so I waiting for one I bought on ebay.

I've received the so called modern "high voltage neon sign transformer", but it'll be a while before I get a chance to rewire the display which it lights up. Will post a photo when I get it done.

 

[hutchphd]

I remember it like it was yesterday. Very cool, funny movie.

How can you not like Fred McMurray. The Absent Minded Professor
In the photo left of center is an glass sphere with a black box attached that looks suspiciously similar to my "plasma ball" from a later era. Said plasma sphere is a small tesla coil inside a low pressure He (maybe He-Ne) filled glass sphere which makes very nice coronal discharges. What is it?
I have one old piece of electronics: a 1921 Grebe AR-9 tabletop radio which I keep threatening to make workable (Type 201-A tubes), big barrel inductor and variable interleaved capacitor. It is amazing to look at.

 

[dlgoff]

(Type 201-A tubes)

It's similar to this Raytheon B-H vacuum tube, which I tested and still works (it's a little dirty until I get a chance to clean it up). What I think is cool is the 4-pin vibration proof socket:

 

[dlgoff]

glass sphere which makes very nice coronal discharges.

Yep.

It's also cool how it induces these flicker bulbs to light.

The one on the left is very old.

 

[dlgoff]

Just like my old friend Robby Steinhardt did.

Sad news
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/20/1018319039/kansas-member-robby-steinhardt-dies

 

[dlgoff]

Not electrical nor measuring, but still a beauty IMO.

It needs a little work; a new nose cone and a few holes.

 

[jedishrfu]

What about the plane?

 

[dlgoff]

Here's what the engine looks like. I'm not sure what the fuel is; will have to do some research.

 

[jedishrfu]

Something like glow fuel?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glow_fuel

 

[dlgoff]

Something like glow fuel?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glow_fuel

Thank you Sir. That will help with me finding some. However I'm not sure I really want to try to start it. Might take off a finger. :(

 

[jedishrfu]

I saw some items on Amazon and there are some videos on YouTube to help. Here's the first one that popped up after a quick search.



You might be able to contact the channel owner about your specific plane too.

Fuel on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=model+airplane+fuel&ref=nb_sb_noss

I remember the fuel having a kind of sweet smell like a mix of kerosene and oil maybe? I figured to oil is needed for this type of engine.

 

[dlgoff]

Fuel on Amazon:

Thank You

 

[dlgoff]

Here's a couple photos of one of my beauties, wood and onyx with no wires:

 

[dlgoff]

Here's an old beauty I've had put back for a while and it actually measures something fairly fundamental.

 

[anorlunda]

Beautiful. My dad was a clock collector, and he had a couple that looked much like that. Who was the clockmaker?

 

[dlgoff]

Beautiful. My dad was a clock collector, and he had a couple that looked much like that. Who was the clockmaker?

Only thing I can find is "Seth Thomas".

 

[dlgoff]

@arnorlunda
Do you think it's rare or worth anything?

 

[anorlunda]

@arnorlunda
Do you think it's rare or worth anything?

I'm not an expert on antiques or collectibles. But I think Seth Thomas is quality but not rare.

 

[dlgoff]

I'm not an expert on antiques or collectibles. But I think Seth Thomas is quality but not rare.

Thank you. I did some google searching but couldn't find one like it.

 

[dlgoff]

Here's another big beauty that's needing a lot of work (it does involve a little electricity):

 

[dlgoff]

I got the old clock mounted with my other meters and gauges (which needs some glass cleaning).

 

[berkeman]

Looks nice on that wall. Looks like you're running out of wall space, though!

 

[anorlunda]

Is it running? .does it keep good time?

 

[berkeman]

Is it running? .does it keep good time?

The hands are in a different position compared to the previous pictures, so I'm assuming it is running. I want to know if it chimes every 15 minutes...

 

[dlgoff]

Looks nice on that wall. Looks like you're running out of wall space, though!

I am. Had to use one of my book shelf stands in my storm shelter for the radios in there. Now I've got stacks of books in the spare bedroom.

 

[dlgoff]

Is it running? .does it keep good time?

It runs for a while then stops. I'm going to open the clock mechanisms and do a little cleaning, etc. It chimes okay if you manually set the hands.

 

[dlgoff]

I want to know if it chimes every 15 minutes...

No. Only on the hour. Thank goodness.

 

[anorlunda]

It runs for a while then stops. I'm going to open the clock mechanisms and do a little cleaning, etc. It chimes okay if you manually set the hands.

The effective way to clean a clock works is in an ultrasonic bath. That would mean removing the works and finding someplace to send it off for cleaning. That may be more effort than you care to invest.

It is easy to overlook the time, trouble and expense that prior generations had to spend to keep their mechanical timepieces functional.

Edit: That reminds me of another thing I miss from my years on the boat. The ships clock, sounding up to 8 bells every watch became an important part of our lives.

 

[dlgoff]

Is it running? .does it keep good time?

I've gotten it running great. It looses just about 30 seconds/hour; I'll shorten the pendulum length a little. There's a very fine thread screw built into the hanging mass:

Once I got the hands in the right position for the chiming, it has chimed the correct number of time every hour.

 

[dlgoff]

The effective way to clean a clock works is in an ultrasonic bath.

I have an heated ultrasonic cleaner that I use on my optical project; which had been neglected for a year or so, but I've already got it going without much cleaning. (See above post)

 

[NTL2009]

I have an heated ultrasonic cleaner that I use on my optical project; which had been neglected for a year or so, but I've already got it going without much cleaning. (See above post)

Very cool. A while back, I was doing some research into mechanical wind up mantel clocks, and I finally learned from a youtube video the reasoning behind "don't apply too much oil to a clock". I just always thought it was to keep things neat and clean (pride in workmanship), and to avoid accumulating dust that might work its way into the bearing.

But it was explained that just the right amount of oil was enough so that the surface tension held the oil drop in place, clinging to the bearing. This kept it oiled for a reasonably long time. If you applied "too much", it would run out, break the surface tension, and you ended up with less oil in the bearing. So a little counterintuitive, but I think Mies van der Rohe would agree "Less is More".

Maybe this is common knowledge, but it was new to me.

 

[dlgoff]

Here's a couple photos of one of my beauties, wood and onyx with no wires:
View attachment 288574
View attachment 288575

Here are the original wood chess pieces for this board.

 

[dlgoff]

Looks nice on that wall. Looks like you're running out of wall space, though!

I'm now out of space on this wall. Here is my last meter; Bendix microwave frequency meter:

 

[anorlunda]

My aunt and uncle collected stuff from auctions. When their house got full of stuff, they bought the house next door. When that house filled, they bought the house next to that.

BTW, I love that quote from Jim Hardy. He was the Mark Twain of his age.

 

[dlgoff]

I'm now out of space on this wall. Here is my last meter; Bendix microwave frequency meter:
View attachment 289450

I had to raise it up a little. Too much weight on the clock:

BTW, I love that quote from Jim Hardy. He was the Mark Twain of his age.

He was indeed. I remember asking him if it were okay to use this quote and his name.

 

[dlgoff]

@anorlunda
I Thought about posting this on this thread, as it was given to me by Jim: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/member-jim-hardy-has-died.974435/,
but I'll post it here instead:

 

[berkeman]

I Thought about posting this on this thread, as it was given to me by Jim: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/member-jim-hardy-has-died.974435/,
but I'll post it here instead:

I started to give you a warning for a political post, but then realized that it seems to apply to both political parties. So nevermind...

 

[dlgoff]

I started to give you a warning for a political post, but then realized that it seems to apply to both political parties. So nevermind...

You know, I never thought about the rules about political post. Thanks @berkeman

 

[dlgoff]

Here's a beauty that fits the title of this thread. I mounted on my meter and gauge wall:
It's a MODEL 3 Survey Meter made by Ludlum Measurements Inc.
The meters unit of measurement is Counts/Minute.

 

[dlgoff]

My mentor Andy Anderson, W0AFQ, bought me an EICO Model 565 multi-meter kit so I could learn to solder. After putting it together, it didn't work, so Andy opened it and soldered all the cold joints. I did learn how to solder correctly; thanks Andy. The needle was broken into several pieces, so I tried to "glue" it back together. Here's a photo of it on my meter wall:

 

[dlgoff]

Here are some beauties. They're not electrical but are really old. Most came from Arkansas and some from Kansas.

I'm going to use silicone sealant to attach them to the board.

 

[dlgoff]

Here are the arrow heads after they were attached with silicone sealant: