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Show us your junk!

neuromodulator
neuromodulator over 6 years ago

I love junk, specially when it can be fully restored, has interesting parts or uses interesting technology. Most of the junk I get, comes from the university, its dumped because its either too old or it doesn't work anymore. I'll start this thread by showing one of my latest junk acquisitions:

 

imageimageimage

 

 

This is an autotransformer made by a company called "The Superior Electric Co" from Bristol, Connecticut. It was apparently build in the 60s (according to what I found in the net) and supports a max of 1.2 kva. The autotransformer works as expected but of course it shows its age, the rubber cable is not in the best condition and so isn't its paint. In the future I may repaint it and replace the cable but for now its good enough as it is.

 

Have you also found nice junk? Show us!

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Top Replies

  • michaelkellett
    michaelkellett over 6 years ago in reply to neuromodulator +13
    Here is the first processor controlled instrument I designed. Intel 8748, code hand assembled on paper and entered into Intel desktop dev system by hand in hex. Not really junk, but not very useful now…
  • dougw
    dougw over 6 years ago +12
    While looking for something else deep in the "archives" I came across my favourite scientific calculator. (circa 1975) It still works fine. The LEDs were so power hungry I eventually built a power supply…
  • genebren
    genebren over 6 years ago +11
    In the spirit of your original request (show us your junk!), here is some of my junk. One of my many past jobs was working for a life sciences company that built instrumentation for various forms of testing…
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  • dougw
    dougw over 6 years ago

    Here is a blast from the past.... I dug out a Polaroid Spectra System (circa 1986)

    image

    It looked to be in mint condition...

    image

    So I turned it on (released the pop-up lens)...

    image

    And it showed ready...

    image

    So I snapped a picture - it flashed and spit out a picture just the way it should...

    image

    The image did not develop, but I was impressed that every thing else worked fine, including the battery - after about 30 years of sitting on a shelf!

    Apparently you can still buy film for these cameras.... I might find an excuse to try it out one of these days.

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  • e14phil
    e14phil over 6 years ago in reply to dougw

    That is fantastic.

    dougw

    ntewinkel

    Correct me if I am wrong.. but that model of camera does not hold batteries?

    There is a certain type where the Film/Print cartridge had a little battery in it, just enough to push out 10 shots and a few flashes.

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  • dougw
    dougw over 6 years ago in reply to e14phil

    The PolaPulse battery embedded in the film cartridge was a 6 volt zinc-chloride Leclanche cell battery developed by Ray-O-Vac.

    Lateral Science: The Polapulse Battery

    I am gobsmacked at how long the shelf life of the battery was in my case.

    I recall there was a market for flat pack batteries beyond film cartridges, and hobbyists used to dig them out of used film cartridges because there was still charge in them after the film was all ejected.

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  • dougw
    dougw over 6 years ago in reply to e14phil

    The PolaPulse battery embedded in the film cartridge was a 6 volt zinc-chloride Leclanche cell battery developed by Ray-O-Vac.

    Lateral Science: The Polapulse Battery

    I am gobsmacked at how long the shelf life of the battery was in my case.

    I recall there was a market for flat pack batteries beyond film cartridges, and hobbyists used to dig them out of used film cartridges because there was still charge in them after the film was all ejected.

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