Take heart my friends, it could be worse!

[brothers]

This morning on a network TV Sunday morning show, they did a piece on guys who collect and obsess over --- old washing machines. They collect and refurbish old mechanical electric washing machines (and matching dryers, in some cases). These gents sit around and talk about the different makes and models, and it baffles me how they manage to find these old machines from days gone by. They had a "convention" where several of them came to visit one fellow's basement display of his extensive and remarkably beautiful and pristine old washers and dryers, all of them in working condition and hooked up to the water supply, some guys even brought some actual clothing to wash! No kidding! There were no female members of this group, not at all surprising. The biggest question I have is where on earth are there some NOS washing machines and parts for them. However, because I also am drawn to old machines and contraptions of any kind, I can only say, enjoy your hobby guys!

[Rufust445]

Didn't see it, nor could I bring up the video. At a bridge party I attended today, one woman who had seen it was telling everybody at each of the three tables about it. Hosted by Bill Geist, of course. He did a segment a while back about people who collected toasters, even toaster conventions. Easier than collecting washing machines, but not as easy as collecting old DE razors.

In the house I grew up (or tried to grow up) in, washing chores were handled at first by a 1936 Maytag. It was replaced by a 1957 Westinghouse front loading automatic.

[Squire]

Oh sure, people collect all sorts of stuff, we collect things we can use.

[Rufust445]

Finally saw the video. Watching a front loading automatic washer in action could be better than watching TV, then or now, for some.

[Squire]

Think I'll stick with tv, call me sentimental.

[Ouchmychin]

I can tell you guys don't haunt the appliance forums these days. I do and I can tell you, the old adage "they just don't make them like they used to" applies in spades to major appliances. Due to government regulations, washers and dishwashers severely limit the amount of water and especially hot water they use. That resulted in a bunch of cobbled up machines and U.S.. manufacturers throwing in the towel when it comes to warrantees. Add the fact that everything must be controlled electronically and you get the damage that comes from control boards inside cabinets where soapy water is splashing around and ovens that fry their boards when you use the self-clean feature. Thank G. my old Maytag dishwasher is still running with the electric clock controller. I dread the day.

[Squire]

A fellow I know owns an appliance shop. I asked him about warranty/repair work on this modern stuff and he replied they didn't bother, it was cheaper to just replace the unit with a new one. Planned obsolescence. Apparently it's more cost effective to crank out short lived crap than build something that will last.

[pausted]

Its the same with today's cars. Mechanics don't FIX anything any more, they just replace parts.

[Squire]

Reminded of the cartoon where a beat up looking mechanic peers under the hood and says, "pass me a hammer, pair of pliers, dull screwdriver and a number 00857-XTR replacement chip module".

[BiffBuff]

I am a collector of things, in a minor way, and I've collected glass paperweights, pocket knives, and fountain pens.
My interest in pens led me to some of the classic old advertisements from earlier days, and I came across the slogan for a high end golden luxury fountain pen:

"Jewelry you can use"

I like the sentiment a lot -- it applies to razors too . . . . . I only wish I could use it to justify the paperweights!

[Rufust445]

The ceiling light fixture in my kitchen has been acting erratically in recent years, especially in the colder winter temps, after 20-25 years service. This summer the light became very noticeably dimmer, so I replaced the circline flourescent tube. When it worked, it was much brighter, but ever more erratic. I was not impressed with the new fixtures I looked at, so I found a NOS ballast on eBay. Today I replaced that ballast, and about all that's left of the original fixture is a stamped steel enameled base, and a white plastic dome diffuser. The light, however, works like new, and I expect another 20+ years of service. The seller on eBay has all kinds of NOS lighting parts and goes by the name of M--Recycling. The new flourescent tube plus ballast still cost a bit less than a new fixture, and I'm all for recycling, except for the new Lord-Merkur knockoffs that have replaced the Gillette adjustables in my rotation.

[GA Russell]

A fellow I know owns an appliance shop. I asked him about warranty/repair work on this modern stuff and he replied they didn't bother, it was cheaper to just replace the unit with a new one. Planned obsolescence. Apparently it's more cost effective to crank out short lived crap than build something that will last.

Squire, I have read that what you say is specifically true about Vizio televisions. What I read said that they are not repaired.

[brothers]

All these old hand tools and enjoying every opportunity to fix stuff, and not much left that needs fixin'. Bummer. I remember clearly when our television set would start to show signs of something wrong, my dad (and everybody else's dad) had the back off the cabinet and a bunch of tubes taken out. The grocery store had a console that would analyze the tubes and if it was bad, they would sell a replacement on the spot. We were all anxiously hoping it was just a burned out tube, so we could resume our favorite programs. If that didn't work, the repairman with the green panel truck would come out the next day and get it going again, usually.

[ShadowsDad]

Gary, I remember that! That was back when the TV could heat the home and electricity was almost not worth metering.
------------

I would never go back to a tube set compared to the 3D HD Cinema set I now have. Yeah, fixing it just isn't worth the expense compared to buying new. Nostalgia is great but comparing what we had then with what we have today... No comparison at all; I remember. Yes, It takes tech' that can't be affordably fixed, but it's been that way for the past 40 years. One never fixed a color set even 40 years ago. It was cost ineffective.

[Squire]

I bought one of the last big screen tvs that actually was a tv and the damn thing was so heavy we gave it to the movers when the house was sold years later.

It's light flat screen all the way for this old guy.

[Ouchmychin]

I had a rear screen projector big screen TV that I could not even sell on Craig's list. I just gave it to the first person that would carry it out ot the house. (It weighed 300 pounds)