fridgenut
Well-known member
Hi there,
My name is Raymond and I have an unhealthy addiction to antique appliances. Obviously I have come to the wrong place if I want to lessen my addiction. I just love these old appliances too much to let them go though. They work so well that I have ended up loving to use them more with every passing day. I always love to learn something new about how an old appliance works. I am reasonably well versed in repairing fans, vacuums, and radios (radios not as much but at least I know what not to do). I am more versed than others when it comes to refrigerators though. I love antique refrigerators. Somehow after only being a member for a year I have become an admin on the monitor top forum which you can find here: http://monitortop.freeforums.net/
Not a plug or anything, I just thought that some people here might find the forum interesting. I'm sure that quite a few of you have already heard about it. We have a small but vibrant community of users who are great at diagnosing and repairing antique refrigerators. I am always amazed at the level of ingenuity that the members come up with to fix and preserve these timeless classics. Before you start reading I have to warn you...I am long winded and I am about to talk about my appliances. Grab a coffee from your 1910 Universal percolator before you begin reading (I know I would).
Here is just a taste of what I currently have:
Fans:
GE Vortalex (in terrible shape, looks like it was used as a boat anchor but it still works on one speed)
Older GE from 1930s? Not sure about this one. It needs bearing work but it runs fine.
1950s GE Quiet Fan. Works well except for the fact that it bounces across the floor due to a blade that I can't balance to save my life.
1960s Silex handy breeze, works very well.
1960s Coronado desk fan, tiny little guy that packs a punch. Was my grandfathers that he got when he worked at Gamble's.
1960s Superior Electric fan, nothing special except for the fact that it was made in Cape Girardeau, MO which is where I live and is my home town!
Vacuums:
1930s Regina, beat to hell and back. Bag is nice, use it as a display piece.
1940s Westinghouse. Works great after a motor clean up and lube. Replaced carbon motor brushes.
1961 Kirby model 561, got at an estate sale. The outlet was clogged with orange shag carpet fibers! Use weekly on my rugs.
1961 Electrolux model G, god this thing is nice. Got it for free from a member of the vacuum land forum! Use it weekly to clean the bare floors. So quiet.
Ranges:
Well, just one. A 1936 GE with a deep well cooker. In immaculate original shape. It even has the instruction manual to go with it.
Jukebox? Jukebox:
1965 Seeburg Discotheque' which works very well. Need to oil it and make a few adjustments. Repaired the auto speed control unit with new capacitors.
I also have tons of records and a few reel to reel tapes. My reel to reel shot sparks at me last time so I need to fix that...
Now we get to my real obsession, antique refrigerators. The newest model I own is a 1965 Magic Chef mini fridge with a piece of formica glued to the top. I had to replace the thermostat and "repair" the original door seal with tape and cardboard. Don't worry, I don't treat my other fridges this poorly.
The oldest model I have is the only one that doesn't work, yet. A 1928 GE DRA monitor top. This is a very cute and special unit. Notice the picture of it with my cat perched on top. One day I will fix a line leak and get it working again.
My current pride and joy is a 1931 GE DR-1 that I recently got working again after having lived a very hard life. It has been blasted and painted and is now my current beer fridge. Although one of the roommates keeps stealing my beer, I may just have to fire up another fridge in my room instead! Notice the before and after photos. This fridge also suffered from a restricted float valve that I coaxed back to life with a heat gun.
I also fixed a 1933 GE model CA monitor top. It had a case of bad gas. Once I burped it, it started working just fine. A common problem with methyl formate filled fridges. Hint, the CA model was the only fridge to ever use methyl formate. This particular fridge has its original bill of sale and warranty papers!
Next up, a 1935 GE flat top that I just re-wired last night. I'm going to give it a bath today. It is a lovely shade of jade that somebody painted it with at some point in its life. Of course it fired right up without a problem because it has the same mechanism as the venerable CK monitor top, just down bellow. Which leads me to..
My 1936 GE CK monitor top on an older DR cabinet. Oddly enough I can't find a picture of it. It is in decent shape with a bit of rust on the mechanism. It works great. I use it as a secondary fridge. Freezes ice in an hour flat. I completely rewired it and put in a new relay for reliability.
I also have a 1936 GE flat top which is very similar to the '35 I just mentioned but it has the same badge as my stove! I repainted it (it looks terrible) and rewired it (hasn't shocked me yet). It will go next to my stove once I have my own place and have properly repainted it. Here is a picture before the paint.
Next up is a 1936 Frigidaire. This thing is absolutely gorgeous. All I've done is replace the door seal. Almost all of them need that. The wiring is still in fantastic shape. It runs great. A true survivor.
I also have one Westinghouse (after I sold a '55 to a friend...to use as his main fridge). The one I have left is a 1937 model. Re-wired it and it works great. Quickest cooling fridge that I have. Within one minute the evaporator is frosty. Big, burly compressor and a huge fan. Original door seal to boot!
Next up is a 193? Coldspot. I don't know the exact year. I re-wired it and it does work and cool. It needs a new door seal and some work done to the handle and latch however. Very neat unit.
I have one more pre-war model. A 1941 Frigidaire cold wall. This fridge actually has evaporator coils in the walls of the interior. It works great. It almost died though. It started leaking oil out of one of the compressor electrical terminals. I was able to fix it with an add on rubber seal kit. Now it works great.
I also have two FEA type monitor top units with no cabinets. These were made as replacement units for broken monitor top units and were never sold as a new fridge. They were both made during the war around 1943 and they have enameled steel evaporators instead of stainless and cloth insulation instead of rubber due to war rationing.
Do I have a freezer? Of course! I constantly use a 1949 GE chest freezer that works great. It almost burnt my house down though due to bad wiring. Let that be a lesson to you all, never trust crusty old wiring. I completely rewired it and have since not had to run into the laundry room with shampoo in my hair butt naked while smoke fills the room.
But which fridge is your main fridge? A 1957 Norge "Customatic" of course. After having much dificulty getting ANY thermostat to work...I broke down and installed a digital thermostat with adjustable controls and haven't looked back. It works great, the fridge is happy, my roommates are happy. Oh, and it is pink on the inside. Yay pink!
God, sorry for the long laundry list of stuff. I figured that some of you may appreciate it. Don't worry, I didn't join this site for nothing. What good would all of these fridges be without a washer, dryer, or dishwasher to match? I'll start questioning your bulging brains about those soon, as I am clueless about these strange appliances. I am excited to become a part of this community. My goal is to one day have a house set in the 1930s. Someday. For now I am just content with working on and fixing these lovely old appliances. I am happy to answer any questions about fridges that you may have, I love to help people out. I hope that I can start to learn about washers, dryers, dishwashers and get right in there with the rest of you. I have to admit though, I'm always going to be partial to antique fridges.
I have a YouTube channel where I have already posted a few videos covering antique refrigerators to. Not great video quality but that is soon changing. I am currently working on a video that will cover the history of GE refrigeration up to the 50s. Anyone wanting to learn about monitor tops and their history would get a kick out of this video. Should be coming in the next few months. Here is a link to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCrth2uVwQMPLGaoC8rUFpw
Here is a link to a video I made that covers a huge collection from a friend of mine:
Maybe one day I can find a guy who appreciates this stuff as much as I do...
What?! You didn't think I was gay? How in the hell could I not be? I have 15 refrigerators for Christ's sake!
My name is Raymond and I have an unhealthy addiction to antique appliances. Obviously I have come to the wrong place if I want to lessen my addiction. I just love these old appliances too much to let them go though. They work so well that I have ended up loving to use them more with every passing day. I always love to learn something new about how an old appliance works. I am reasonably well versed in repairing fans, vacuums, and radios (radios not as much but at least I know what not to do). I am more versed than others when it comes to refrigerators though. I love antique refrigerators. Somehow after only being a member for a year I have become an admin on the monitor top forum which you can find here: http://monitortop.freeforums.net/
Not a plug or anything, I just thought that some people here might find the forum interesting. I'm sure that quite a few of you have already heard about it. We have a small but vibrant community of users who are great at diagnosing and repairing antique refrigerators. I am always amazed at the level of ingenuity that the members come up with to fix and preserve these timeless classics. Before you start reading I have to warn you...I am long winded and I am about to talk about my appliances. Grab a coffee from your 1910 Universal percolator before you begin reading (I know I would).
Here is just a taste of what I currently have:
Fans:
GE Vortalex (in terrible shape, looks like it was used as a boat anchor but it still works on one speed)
Older GE from 1930s? Not sure about this one. It needs bearing work but it runs fine.
1950s GE Quiet Fan. Works well except for the fact that it bounces across the floor due to a blade that I can't balance to save my life.
1960s Silex handy breeze, works very well.
1960s Coronado desk fan, tiny little guy that packs a punch. Was my grandfathers that he got when he worked at Gamble's.
1960s Superior Electric fan, nothing special except for the fact that it was made in Cape Girardeau, MO which is where I live and is my home town!
Vacuums:
1930s Regina, beat to hell and back. Bag is nice, use it as a display piece.
1940s Westinghouse. Works great after a motor clean up and lube. Replaced carbon motor brushes.
1961 Kirby model 561, got at an estate sale. The outlet was clogged with orange shag carpet fibers! Use weekly on my rugs.
1961 Electrolux model G, god this thing is nice. Got it for free from a member of the vacuum land forum! Use it weekly to clean the bare floors. So quiet.
Ranges:
Well, just one. A 1936 GE with a deep well cooker. In immaculate original shape. It even has the instruction manual to go with it.
Jukebox? Jukebox:
1965 Seeburg Discotheque' which works very well. Need to oil it and make a few adjustments. Repaired the auto speed control unit with new capacitors.
I also have tons of records and a few reel to reel tapes. My reel to reel shot sparks at me last time so I need to fix that...
Now we get to my real obsession, antique refrigerators. The newest model I own is a 1965 Magic Chef mini fridge with a piece of formica glued to the top. I had to replace the thermostat and "repair" the original door seal with tape and cardboard. Don't worry, I don't treat my other fridges this poorly.
The oldest model I have is the only one that doesn't work, yet. A 1928 GE DRA monitor top. This is a very cute and special unit. Notice the picture of it with my cat perched on top. One day I will fix a line leak and get it working again.
My current pride and joy is a 1931 GE DR-1 that I recently got working again after having lived a very hard life. It has been blasted and painted and is now my current beer fridge. Although one of the roommates keeps stealing my beer, I may just have to fire up another fridge in my room instead! Notice the before and after photos. This fridge also suffered from a restricted float valve that I coaxed back to life with a heat gun.
I also fixed a 1933 GE model CA monitor top. It had a case of bad gas. Once I burped it, it started working just fine. A common problem with methyl formate filled fridges. Hint, the CA model was the only fridge to ever use methyl formate. This particular fridge has its original bill of sale and warranty papers!
Next up, a 1935 GE flat top that I just re-wired last night. I'm going to give it a bath today. It is a lovely shade of jade that somebody painted it with at some point in its life. Of course it fired right up without a problem because it has the same mechanism as the venerable CK monitor top, just down bellow. Which leads me to..
My 1936 GE CK monitor top on an older DR cabinet. Oddly enough I can't find a picture of it. It is in decent shape with a bit of rust on the mechanism. It works great. I use it as a secondary fridge. Freezes ice in an hour flat. I completely rewired it and put in a new relay for reliability.
I also have a 1936 GE flat top which is very similar to the '35 I just mentioned but it has the same badge as my stove! I repainted it (it looks terrible) and rewired it (hasn't shocked me yet). It will go next to my stove once I have my own place and have properly repainted it. Here is a picture before the paint.
Next up is a 1936 Frigidaire. This thing is absolutely gorgeous. All I've done is replace the door seal. Almost all of them need that. The wiring is still in fantastic shape. It runs great. A true survivor.
I also have one Westinghouse (after I sold a '55 to a friend...to use as his main fridge). The one I have left is a 1937 model. Re-wired it and it works great. Quickest cooling fridge that I have. Within one minute the evaporator is frosty. Big, burly compressor and a huge fan. Original door seal to boot!
Next up is a 193? Coldspot. I don't know the exact year. I re-wired it and it does work and cool. It needs a new door seal and some work done to the handle and latch however. Very neat unit.
I have one more pre-war model. A 1941 Frigidaire cold wall. This fridge actually has evaporator coils in the walls of the interior. It works great. It almost died though. It started leaking oil out of one of the compressor electrical terminals. I was able to fix it with an add on rubber seal kit. Now it works great.
I also have two FEA type monitor top units with no cabinets. These were made as replacement units for broken monitor top units and were never sold as a new fridge. They were both made during the war around 1943 and they have enameled steel evaporators instead of stainless and cloth insulation instead of rubber due to war rationing.
Do I have a freezer? Of course! I constantly use a 1949 GE chest freezer that works great. It almost burnt my house down though due to bad wiring. Let that be a lesson to you all, never trust crusty old wiring. I completely rewired it and have since not had to run into the laundry room with shampoo in my hair butt naked while smoke fills the room.
But which fridge is your main fridge? A 1957 Norge "Customatic" of course. After having much dificulty getting ANY thermostat to work...I broke down and installed a digital thermostat with adjustable controls and haven't looked back. It works great, the fridge is happy, my roommates are happy. Oh, and it is pink on the inside. Yay pink!
God, sorry for the long laundry list of stuff. I figured that some of you may appreciate it. Don't worry, I didn't join this site for nothing. What good would all of these fridges be without a washer, dryer, or dishwasher to match? I'll start questioning your bulging brains about those soon, as I am clueless about these strange appliances. I am excited to become a part of this community. My goal is to one day have a house set in the 1930s. Someday. For now I am just content with working on and fixing these lovely old appliances. I am happy to answer any questions about fridges that you may have, I love to help people out. I hope that I can start to learn about washers, dryers, dishwashers and get right in there with the rest of you. I have to admit though, I'm always going to be partial to antique fridges.
I have a YouTube channel where I have already posted a few videos covering antique refrigerators to. Not great video quality but that is soon changing. I am currently working on a video that will cover the history of GE refrigeration up to the 50s. Anyone wanting to learn about monitor tops and their history would get a kick out of this video. Should be coming in the next few months. Here is a link to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCrth2uVwQMPLGaoC8rUFpw
Here is a link to a video I made that covers a huge collection from a friend of mine:
Maybe one day I can find a guy who appreciates this stuff as much as I do...
What?! You didn't think I was gay? How in the hell could I not be? I have 15 refrigerators for Christ's sake!
