Remember these.? All our yesterdays

[ChrisRobin]

I tried to make Tracey Island with Blue Peter lots of stickie back plastic and card board, mine always fell apart half way through reducing me to tears and a temper tantrum (only child syndrome).
Took me years to realise why I could neve get it to stay together, because they did a "here's one I prepared earlier" on the more difficult wait to dry bits, never spotted that as a small child, so in effect I was set up to fail by Blue Peter....... Thanks John Nokes.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Hoover Keymatic Washing Machines

Merthyr Tydfils finest and mentioned today by our CitroJim

I wonder if the new R4 will happily carry two automatic washing machines in the back with room to spare? My old R4 did - a pair of bow-fronted Hoover 'Keymatic' machines. I made one good one from the two

I thought the actual "Key" element of the early machines looked interesting. Dont remember it personally but here is a screenshot of the "Key" bit of the Keymatic...a series of little plastic discs.

Neil

[CitroJim]

Ahhh, happy memories Mine had the red key..

The early 'bow fronted' ones had a two way clutch behind the drum to swap between the wash/rinse cycles and spin cycle. It rotated one way for the spin and the other for the wash/rinse.... This was a device made of a brass-like material and comprised two ball-bearing over-run clutches. The swap between wash/rinse and spin was effected by reversing the drum drive motor. The clutch was the machine's Achilles Heel and gave lots of trouble... I repaired mine by doing some nifty lathe work...

Using a key to choose the wash type was both a unique selling point and making for a rather simpler programmer.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Ahhh, happy memories Mine had the red key.....

Pleased to jog the memories Jim and thanks for the extras, makes the forum flow. The example screenshot was taken from a very comprehensive video lasting over 30 minutes, on the history of the Hoover Key Matic. Can't imagine many watching it all, but I can always find a bit of interest in industrial/products history, and applaud others who take a specialised interest in whatever subject matter, and bother to provide content about it, accessible to all who may just pick up something from it.

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Another little example of the sort of thing from the world of photography, before photography became universal and instantaneous, and involved cameras, film, developing and storage and parting with a decent amount of pocket money to produce a physical photograph.

I was pleased to come across this. Quite a minor miracle. Who would ever have bothered to take a picture of these petrol pumps out in the middle of the Durham countryside, retain them for decades in a never seen private collection, and select, scan and post them up on the world wide web for a global audience to see including your truly
quite delighted that the trail of unlikely events led to this post

I remember these pumps. Didn't think there would be any pictures of them, but it is one of the good things about about some of the community facebook "past and present" groups, they provide a home for collections of old images of people and places, otherwise inaccessible in private collections, and otherwise heading inexorably for "clear outs and skips".

Neil

[CitroJim]

Love that Neil And a nice finger post too

[LedZep]

Hoover Keymatic Washing Machines

Merthyr Tydfils finest and mentioned today by our CitroJim

I wonder if the new R4 will happily carry two automatic washing machines in the back with room to spare? My old R4 did - a pair of bow-fronted Hoover 'Keymatic' machines. I made one good one from the two

I thought the actual "Key" element of the early machines looked interesting. Dont remember it personally but here is a screenshot of the "Key" bit of the Keymatic...a series of little plastic discs.



Neil

We had the one with the grey disk (first washing machine with mechanical processor) before the year i was born. The undead washing machine that restored once in 80's.You know, nothing special, just belt, springs and rubber seals. We gave it for recycling cause we got bore of it. Other wise, it would be in our funerals. And yes, close enough as we tried with my brother to see if we fit in the bucket, after we took an echo sound test.

[CitroJim]

We had the one with the grey disk (first washing machine with mechanical processor) before the year i was born. The undead washing machine that restored once in 80's.You know, nothing special, just belt, springs and rubber seals. We gave it for recycling cause we got bore of it. Other wise, it would be in our funerals. And yes, close enough as we tried with my brother to see if we fit in the bucket, after we took an echo sound test.

They certainly were well-made back in those days, nothing like today's machines...

So, did you and your brother fit inside?

[LedZep]

We had the one with the grey disk (first washing machine with mechanical processor) before the year i was born. The undead washing machine that restored once in 80's.You know, nothing special, just belt, springs and rubber seals. We gave it for recycling cause we got bore of it. Other wise, it would be in our funerals. And yes, close enough as we tried with my brother to see if we fit in the bucket, after we took an echo sound test.

They certainly were well-made back in those days, nothing like today's machines...

So, did you and your brother fit inside?

We were lucky.If we fit, i'm sure one of us would close the door and will push the button.

[CitroJim]

We had the one with the grey disk (first washing machine with mechanical processor) before the year i was born. The undead washing machine that restored once in 80's.You know, nothing special, just belt, springs and rubber seals. We gave it for recycling cause we got bore of it. Other wise, it would be in our funerals. And yes, close enough as we tried with my brother to see if we fit in the bucket, after we took an echo sound test.

They certainly were well-made back in those days, nothing like today's machines...

So, did you and your brother fit inside?

We were lucky.If we fit, i'm sure one of us would close the door and will push the button.

Brotherly love....

[myglaren]

A bit off topic but:-
When we first moved to Washington there was a bloke lived up the road who was an MP/guard at a local weapons factory. He had a decent new Rover.
Idiot sold it while it was still under finance. Police came looking for him but could never find him.*
His wife hung blankets on the washing lines and he would sit between them smoking.
One day a squad of police turned up and eventually dragged him out and he spent several years in jail.
When he was released he went to live with his daughter and their ten year old son.

He had been hiding in the tumble dryer. Amazing as he was over 6' tall.

*Have to question this, seems unlikely that the police would be so involved and a six year jail sentence seems disproportionate, there must have been another undisclosed reason.

[LedZep]

He had been hiding in the tumble dryer. Amazing as he was over 6' tall.

It's doable. He wanted to do money laundering.

[CitroJim]

He had been hiding in the tumble dryer. Amazing as he was over 6' tall.

It's doable. He wanted to do money laundering.

[bobins]

A Neighbour gave me this wonderfully dated 'Norbar' torque wrench yesterday - 60s ? 70s ? I'll check its calibration later.

Norbar Slimline torque wrench - own work

It comes with two useable scales - Metric Scale, and English Scale. Marvellous

English Scale torque wrench - own work

[CitroJim]

Gosh, I remember those well.. And had a good reputation in their day...

My big Britool torque wrench is early 80s vintage... Still going strong and in good calibration...