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Old 20th Apr 2022, 10:12 am   #1
terrybull
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Default Swan electric toaster

My pop up toaster recently failed so I acquired this Swan brand toaster. It had the mains cable cut so I replaced it and cleaned it up and it works brilliantly. Obviously it’s not a pop up but it’s very quick taking no more than a minute or so each side. Far quicker than the one it’s replacing. Only down side is it is quite small so takes only small slices but as we tend to have smaller loaves it’s not an issue. Electrical safety questionable but I’m happy to use it.
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Old 20th Apr 2022, 2:14 pm   #2
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Does it flip the toast just by lowering the flap?

Sounds like a good excuse to build/acquire a run back timer switch to go inline!

Or a smoke detector !
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Old 20th Apr 2022, 2:58 pm   #3
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

I have a very similar Swan toaster which I bought as a curiosity many years ago for £1 at a car boot sale. It has a painted instead of a polished metal finish, but otherwise looks the same as yours. I think it dates from the 1950s.

Mine did not work when bought. The mains wire had perished, I replaced it, then discovered a break in the element wire. As it's not possible to solder, I repaired the break by twisting the wires together. Amazingly it worked!

I do have a few other vintage toasters including a similar Hotpoint with glass doors (1930s-40s) , A Morphy-Richards TU1D pop-up from the 1960s and a Russell Hobbs 5503 pop-sideways model from the 1970s, complete with bright red poppy design. That one has been in the family since new. It used to throw the toast across the room sometimes - great fun!
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Old 20th Apr 2022, 6:12 pm   #4
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Herald1360 View Post
Does it flip the toast just by lowering the flap?

Sounds like a good excuse to build/acquire a run back timer switch to go inline!

Or a smoke detector !

My parents had a "Keith" toaster during the immediate post war period. It had a drop down door on each side. After side one of each slice was done the toast could be flipped by lowering the flaps. I do not remember any timing device though.
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Old 20th Apr 2022, 7:34 pm   #5
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Yes it flips the bread by opening the flap. It’s so quick a timer is not worth bothering with.
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Old 21st Apr 2022, 5:20 pm   #6
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Quote:
Originally Posted by terrybull View Post
My pop up toaster recently failed so I acquired this Swan brand toaster. It had the mains cable cut so I replaced it and cleaned it up and it works brilliantly. Obviously it’s not a pop up but it’s very quick taking no more than a minute or so each side. Far quicker than the one it’s replacing. Only down side is it is quite small so takes only small slices but as we tend to have smaller loaves it’s not an issue. Electrical safety questionable but I’m happy to use it.
I too remember these; the only toaster that has 'Killer-Volts'! Definitely outlawed by today's standards.

David.
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Old 21st Apr 2022, 10:16 pm   #7
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

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Originally Posted by terrybull View Post
My pop up toaster recently failed so I acquired this Swan brand toaster. It had the mains cable cut so I replaced it and cleaned it up and it works brilliantly.
Just like you, I acquired exactly the same model (boxed) last year when my modern pop-up toaster failed. I've also found it pretty quick. You have to pay attention though- I did manage to leave it on once for about 20 minutes (having removed the toast!)

Did you struggle with replacing the mains cable? It needs to be quite thin as there's not much room to play with and the earth wire arrangement is very fiddly and pretty poor. I'm sure it could be improved.

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Old 22nd Apr 2022, 1:49 pm   #8
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Great toaster - I've got a similar one, but even older.

Been in the family for as long as I can remember and I was having toast from it from probably before I could even walk. No one was electrocuted and no one died, but they certainly wouldn't comply with today's standards - we just knew what was dangerous and what not to touch!
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Old 22nd Apr 2022, 5:18 pm   #9
terrybull
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

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Did you struggle with replacing the mains cable? It needs to be quite thin as there's not much room to play with and the earth wire arrangement is very fiddly and pretty poor. I'm sure it could be improved.
Steve
I initially changed the cable for some fairly heavy gauge but it was too thick to go through the rubber sleeve/strain relief fitting so left that off but it was rather iffy and I wasn’t happy so got some .5, 3 core. I think this toaster must be about 500W and wondered if the .5 would be suitable. I refitted the rubber strain relief and fastened the cable with some contact adhesive spread on the cable and pulled though the final inch or so, even though it was a tight fit. It was a bit fiddly but all seems well. I’ve noticed that some of these older toasters have a flat vented plate on the top, presumably to boil a kettle on. I certainly would not entertain that.
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Old 22nd Apr 2022, 5:22 pm   #10
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

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Originally Posted by terrybull View Post
I’ve noticed that some of these older toasters have a flat vented plate on the top, presumably to boil a kettle on. I certainly would not entertain that.
Mine does - that's to stack your already toasted toast on to keep it warm until you're ready to serve it to the table.
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Old 22nd Apr 2022, 8:05 pm   #11
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Quote:
Originally Posted by terrybull View Post
I’ve noticed that some of these older toasters have a flat vented plate on the top, presumably to boil a kettle on. I certainly would not entertain that.
Weren't they for warming your croissants on?
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Old 23rd Apr 2022, 7:43 am   #12
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Quote:
Originally Posted by locknut View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by terrybull View Post
I’ve noticed that some of these older toasters have a flat vented plate on the top, presumably to boil a kettle on. I certainly would not entertain that.
Weren't they for warming your croissants on?
That was my understanding. I certainly DID warm croissants thus, or French bread. A butter dish could also be slightly warmed in order to soften hard butter.
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Old 23rd Apr 2022, 8:10 am   #13
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

OK to play with but a dangerous item today in the hands of guys that are not familiar with vintage electrics. J.
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Old 24th Apr 2022, 6:55 pm   #14
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Pretty certain they were for keeping the toast warm while you made more.

I've seen a few 1930's electric fires with boiling attachments but surely a toaster wouldn't get hot enough.

Personally I prefer cold toast.
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Old 24th Apr 2022, 11:52 pm   #15
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Less than 500W was considered sufficient to boil a small kettle. The pictures are from the 1911 GEC catalogue, which only features the one toaster (500W). The multipurpose hotplate for kettle and saucapan, used a 4lb flat iron, which elsewhere in the cataloge was rated at only 300W max at 250V.
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Old 25th Apr 2022, 1:01 am   #16
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Techman View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by terrybull View Post
I’ve noticed that some of these older toasters have a flat vented plate on the top, presumably to boil a kettle on. I certainly would not entertain that.
Mine does - that's to stack your already toasted toast on to keep it warm until you're ready to serve it to the table.
I think that's right. I worked as a "kitchen porter" at a posh hotel during teenage school holidays, and I noticed that the freshly-made toast would always be placed in a rack on a warm hotplate for a short while before serving to customers. I've also noticed since that toast fresh from the toaster is moist and soggy on the surface, and that leaving it stacked vertically in the warm for a few minutes produces a dry and firm surface that doesn't go to to soggy pieces when you butter it!

Mike
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Old 25th Apr 2022, 12:44 pm   #17
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

nothing's new, you can still buy a modern toaster with a warming rack above the slots.
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Old 25th Apr 2022, 9:58 pm   #18
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Arrow Re: Swan electric toaster

Quote:
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Personally I prefer cold toast.
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Old 25th Apr 2022, 10:54 pm   #19
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

I well remember these when I worked on board Trinity House Pilot cutters off Harwich Essex. I thought the simple but effective flipping mechanism was dead clever, very rarely failed, occasionally a deformed slice would shoot right off when you flipped it. If I ever see one I’ll get it just for old time sake.
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Old 1st May 2022, 6:37 pm   #20
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Default Re: Swan electric toaster

I've got a Swan Egg Boiler (see pic) but no idea where you can buy swan eggs these days!

Just a joke, hopefully to raise a smile or two!

Sorry! I'll get me coat...
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