Beauty of old electrical and measuring things, etc.

[Janus]

Here is my recently bought Yashica Electro 35 rangefinder camera (from late 1960s to early 1970s).
Quote from Wikipedia: "It was the first electronically controlled camera."

I won it recently at an online auction for about $66. It is in marvellous condition (near mint).

I bought it for nostalgic reasons; my father had one and it was one of the very first cameras I used as a child.
It was amazing to get a hold of one, since I started to remember all the controls and even the look in the viewfinder. I even recognized the smell of it, actually!

Here are some photos:

Front:
View attachment 282221

Back (opened):
View attachment 282222

The "atomic" logo:
View attachment 282224

Top:
(from left to right: film winder, hot shoe for flash, exposure indicators (I think) (slow/over), film ISO setting, shutter button, frame winder, frame number window)

View attachment 282225

Lens closeup:
(the red "thingy" on the lens is a timer for taken timed shots. You pull it to a certain distance and then press the shutter button, and when the timer "thingy" reaches the default position, a photo is taken)

View attachment 282226

It may very well work too, and I am thinking of trying to use it some day.

My "first" camera was something similar to this:

Not exact, it was a Kodak, and a fold-out, but some of the details were different. Again, it was my parents. I started using it when I wanted to get into having my own dark room set up. It was perfect for starting out, as the negatives were large enough to produce a usable photo from just a contact print, with no need for an enlarger.
Later, after I had saved enough, I bought an enlarger, and my brother gave me his 35 mm SLR to use.
I even got ambitious and started using color film, developing and printing myself (Much more of a hassle then working with B&W. For one, everything has to be done by feel in total darkness)

 

[gmax137]

Both Kodak and Fuji still make 35mm film, readily available too!

Don't forget Ilford. I used a lot of their film (35 and 120) and their paper, too. Up until a couple years ago. I may resurrect my darkroom someday. I moved and there's no good space in my new house.

 

[dlgoff]

I may resurrect my darkroom someday.

That would be an great project. I put up some black curtains around my kitchen stove albeit it's used for photo resist exposing and developing.

 

[anorlunda]

That would be an great project. I put up some black curtains around my kitchen stove albeit it's used for photo resist exposing and developing.

LOL, so what about food preparation? Your story reminds me of the guy who lived on a sailboat with his wife. He wanted a woodworking shop, so he put a bench, vise and table saw in the forward compartment, taking away all the beds. His wife had to sleep outdoors on top of the deck. You can guess what she had to say about that.

 

[dlgoff]

LOL, so what about food preparation?

I don't eat. Just kidding. I've learned how to do most cooking with the microwave oven; that and I purchase lots of frozen eatables.

 

[Vanadium 50]

He wanted a woodworking shop, so he put a bench, vise and table saw in the forward compartment, taking away all the beds. His wife had to sleep outdoors on top of the deck. You can guess what she had to say about that.

Did they ever find the husband? And the anchor? And six or so feet of line?

 

[DennisN]

Did they ever find the husband?

Yes. Twice, with two anchors. The wife used the table saw and tried the "Sawing a man in half" magic trick on him, and it went "wrong".

 

[jedishrfu]

I would posit the boat sank because in making a table to appease his wife, the husband used one too many slats from the boat.

 

[Janus]

Don't forget Ilford. I used a lot of their film (35 and 120) and their paper, too. Up until a couple years ago. I may resurrect my darkroom someday. I moved and there's no good space in my new house.

Pretty much what happened for me. I moved to an apartment which had no place to set up a darkroom. The equipment just sat around taking up room and collecting dust until I sold it.

 

[gmax137]

until I sold it

From time to time I look up "darkroom" on the local selling websites. Sickeningly low prices for what once was expensive hardware (enlargers, grain focusers, timers, tanks, print washers...). I guess nobody is interested in buying that stuff anymore.

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.

And still some amazing photographers out there using large format film. Take a look at Clyde Butcher's work in Florida.

 

[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?