Built to Last, not Surpassed: Your old ELECTRICAL Appliances still on the go

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by steptoesyard

I`ve got, and still use regularly a little bright orange black and decker mower from the early 70`s. It`s lightweight but robust, and only has a low wattage motor so struggles a bit if the grass gets long so I have to give the "ol girl" a bit of help, otherwise it cuts beautifully, and has always been totally reliable, I`ve never even had to replace the motor brushes in all that time.

My parents had one similar - it was sold under the B&D brand name as the "Lawnderette". Mother refused to use it because she was afraid of mowing-over the flex and so disappearing heavenwards in a cloud of acrid smoke. (This was in pre-RCD days and the mower plugged into a 3-pin 15A socket in the garage).

[Okto1984]

One of our neighbours was found dead in his front garden with the lawnmower some years ago. I don't know all the details, but assume he wasn't using an RCD. We replaced our fuse box with a new circuit breaker box with RCD not long after that.

As for vintage appliances still in use, our most watched TV is a Beovision 9000 from 1981. The power switch has been permanently stuck on for many years now, but otherwise everything works perfectly. It's young compared to many sets on here, but it is a completely original 33 year old set that's still watched 3-4 hours every week. I wonder what is the oldest never repaired or restored TV still in everyday use?

[electronicskip]

i still have a Hoover constellation which is used on a regular basis.
I actually keep it in a corner of the hallway as its a bit of a talking point as its so wacky looking,

[Phil G4SPZ]

Aargh! Annoyingly, I inherited one of these from my father-in-law but stupidly gave it away to my sister. I'd love one now to clean up the workshop!

[Electrone]

We have a Panasonic microwave oven from 1985 still going strong with no apparent loss of power. The only part it's ever needed is a bulb.

[Phil G4SPZ]

We recently got rid of our first Toshiba microwave oven, bought in 1979, simply because we have just had the kitchen refitted and the new layout included a built-in microwave oven. The Toshiba was still working perfectly, but in all honesty looked tired - the white plastic parts had all turned a dull yellow.

This seems to be a common problem with old yet 'recent' electrical goods. Metals and Bakelite, as used in the 1950s era, appear stable for several decades, perhaps infinitely long if kept in good conditions. PVC and other more recent plastics, used from the 1960s onwards, definitely deteriorate due to UV and sunlight and simply being exposed to the air. This renders many items visually unacceptable, despite still working electrically.

[Stubble]

How about this I have just collected, 1957 Bendix home washer model B.
She only needs a new mains cable and drain hose.
Bolting to the floor as well.

[Brigham]

Beautiful! I grew up with the Bendix Triomatic, which was the washer/drier model. They are a domestic version of the commercial 'laundromat' machines, and the quality shows.

[Station X]

Best I can do now is a REDRING electric kettle jug purchased in 1981 and still on its original element. Unfortunately, like ivory 700 type telephones, it started turning yellow and gave the appearance of being dirty, which it wasn't.

The cheapo replacement lasted less than two years before the element blew, so I brought the REDRING out of retirement.

I also have a chrome plated Swan kettle dating from 1949, but have no connector to go with it. I do remember that it took an age to boil, so the element must have been quite low powered.

[Brigham]

I have the brown 'war finish' Swan, which I put into service when my usual shiny one started dribbling to excess.

It certainly does not 'Beat the Clock'!

The connector is the two-point 15A round one, with the external earth springs, for both the ribbon-element type and the round-element ones until the early '60s. Still common in used condition. Later types have a three-prong arrangement, the active poles corresponding to the BS 5A two-pin plug, with an oblong-section earth pin.

The later element is a direct replacement in the body of the kettle, but of course needs the newer-type connector.

[chipp1968]

That Bendix looks really well cared for .

[AC/HL]

Originally Posted by Station X

I also have a chrome plated Swan kettle dating from 1949, but have no connector to go with it. I do remember that it took an age to boil, so the element must have been quite low powered.

If it's still got the original element, it would probably have pushed the connector out in the event of boiling dry, rather than the modern cut-out.

[whyperion]

Just added a few bits to the sale thread, as I dont know all of them actually work (In house 1 we have the problem that there are (and only were so far as I can see) Four Three-Pin electrical sockets, and two of them have blown or disintegrated(they were on the skirting boards so any modern integral flexes wont go, and old wiring is a bit of a problem as it can pull at the plug end. I suspect the sockets were just fitted to chopped out two pin sockets locations and any earth wiring probably noticable by it absence. House two seems to be blowing lights terribly and the circuit fuses are of a now unavalible shape so downstairs not a lot is happening at all at present.
Meanwhile back to the stuff(which probably needs service parts fitting) Goblin cylinder vacumm cleaner(I never knew Goblin- (B.V.C. ?) made such things-my nans being an upright one, - that went when she did and must have lasted 40odd years), annoyingly we scrapped the twin-tub(space needed and didnt have internet last week), but kept the optional detachable lid/worktop for it. there is some kind of copper washer/mangle, I'll try for pictures next week, our own 1962 gas cooker is unloved by the rest of the family-and too heavy to move to retain if only for storage for now. There are also an assortment of electrical heaters(1972ish for the storage ones , earlier for the freestanding but I need to check them and some Pifco electric fans that probably would not pass h&s requirements today.

Still to work out is the (non-domestic) shoe cleaning and grinding machine(basically a lathe with assorted buffing attachments, modern ones have there own forced vacumm dust extraction, this has simple gravity drop.). A new equivalent would be £20,000 upwards, old ones seem to sell for less than the scrap value of the motors (its attached to the gas supply too ).

It would appear that my 1993 Tricity-Bendix washer dryer might qualify (though it does not dry-it toasted the last sheets I put in it),itself a replacement after two weeks as the dryer didnt work (think it was from currys or similar), and the wash drum I think needs new bearings. The fridge and freezer date from then too, no reason to change them as yet.

[Okto1984]

Originally Posted by Station X

I also have a chrome plated Swan kettle dating from 1949, but have no connector to go with it.

All the old Swan kettles I've seen have plugs made by Bulgin. Not found a new source, but sometimes they turn up on eBay on in junk boxes at car boot sales.

Originally Posted by AC/HL

If it's still got the original element, it would probably have pushed the connector out in the event of boiling dry, rather than the modern cut-out.

My Swan kettle from 1979 does this. It's a fairly powerful spring loaded mechanism and takes a lot of force to reset by pushing the plug back in once it has cooled down. You have to be careful if disassembling these kettles, or handling an element that's been taken out the kettle, as without the case in place to stop it the metal pin that pushes the plug out could be fired out with a lot of force.

[matthewhouse]

I have a few manuals here and they all suggest resetting the cutout with a strong stick rather than the mains connector.

[Okto1984]

That's interesting. I replaced the element in mine a while back and the card it came on did suggest using the plug. It doesn't seem it would break the plug, but perhaps there's some risk in doing this while the cable is connected to the electricity? I've always turned the power off while doing this.

[russell_w_b]

Perhaps not strictly 'domestic' (unless you had a specific reason for having one at home), but I couldn't resist including our works 'Secomak Service Electric Company Ltd' blower here. This has been used for cleaning out transmitters - or redistributing the muck! - for at least the thirty years I've been doing it, and probably long before that, too.

Still in use here, despite the lack of transmitters to clean, and way, way more stylish than the 'Wolf' blower we also use.

[flyingtech55]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

While some of us are fond of tinkering with obsolescent radio/electronics/appliances

Err...I object to the term 'tinkering'. Yes, I work on and repair to a professional standard all of the above and use them for their original purpose. I am, like a lot of other folk on this worthy forum, professionally qualified to work on the things I repair. I never, ever 'tinker'!

TimR

[JonathanP]

I remember my grandma's washing machine, which was a 1960s model. I can't remember the brand now, but the brand is still one about today. She had that until she died in 2008! It never caused a problem.

We also have a small, lightweight vacuum cleaner we inherited from her, which I'm pretty sure is from the 70s. It's still going strong today and is still in regular use! In fact, it's so good, we were going to buy a second one for upstairs at one time.

Anything like a fridge, microwave, dishwahser, washing machine or oven I wouldn't buy too old now, but there's plenty around and even people buying these old white goods. No need to bin these at all, they'll go on for years more!

[AC/HL]

Originally Posted by flyingtech55

Err...I object to the term 'tinkering'

I'm City & Guilds qualified, and although I don't do paid work any more, I do repairs for Friends and Family etc. to a professional (I think) standard.

However I tinker at every opportunity, with anything that is unlucky enough to come my way. What better way to learn whilst being amused. The remnants do get recycled where possible though.