Thrift Shop Finds

[panthera]

Yesterday, we had both the decent weather and time to go junk shopping through a few cities in Northern Colorado.

Hit Greeley first, Salvation Army was obscenely expensive as always. Took away a few things, but they are just way out of line with reality there.

Nexy, the ARC store in Greeley - half-price day for most tags, found many neat things, including this beauty. It's twin is our daily driver for making waffles - very evenly baked, no sticking. This shiny beauty will go on the display shelf next to the other Sunbeam appliances of (roughly) her era. We paid half the sticker.

 

[panthera]

Plates

These plates only need a quick shot of canola oil and nothing sticks. Who needs Teflon with such even heating?

I won't take her apart here, but the lamp turns on and off to show she has pre-heated to the right temperature. The lamp draws its few volts from a tap on the bottom heating element. Neat application of Ohm's law

 

[panthera]

Revere Ware Coffee Pot

Now this is something I have never seen or read about - any input very welcome.

 

[panthera]

Before you yawn and say " oh, just another percolator&q

Take a look at this: There is a stainless steel plate right under the grounds basket. As in, directly under it...a diverter!

 

[panthera]

Now the innards

This is the mechanism laid out.

 

[panthera]

I've darkened the four letters

to make it (a little) easier to see them. First, the empty pot:

 

[panthera]

Next, the water reservoir

This plugs into the well at the bottom of the pot, fresh water is poured into this reservoir, not the bottom of the pot!

 

[everythingold]

love the thrift stores!

 

[sudsmaster]

Semi Perk

Looks like a good design. The reservoir and diverty keep the perked coffee from getting reheated, or so it would seem. So it's almost like a drip coffee maker but in percolator format.

And, actually, if you think of it, a drip maker also "perks" the fresh water up and over the grounds. Just once, as in this unit.

Very neat find. Please let us know how the final result tastes.

 

[panthera]

The reservoir

is part 'A'. Once it is in place, the diverter, part 'B' is dropped onto the shaft, then the ground's basket, 'C' and the a final piece on top of the grounds basket,also perforated, 'D'.

When the pot is plugged in, water from the reservoir is drawn through the well up into the shaft, it sprays against the little cup in the lid and then drips through the topmost perforated plate onto the grounds. The now 'brewed' coffee drips down onto the solid plate which shunts it away from the reservoir and down into the bottom of the pot.

So - you get the sound (very important!) and speed of a percolator, but the wonderful taste of European style "Melitta" filtered coffee.

Speedy little devil, only drawback is that it makes only four big cups at a time.

Anyone ever seen one of these before? Totally new to me.

 

[panthera]

Found at Goodwill, Loveland

I guess I should mention that we found this coffee pot at Goodwill, Loveland. A wonderful store, much cleaner and better organized than the overpriced and rather stinky store in Cheyenne. The Goodwill in Fort Collins is still suffering from a lack of really good merchandise, but getting better.

All told, a wonderful day. We found tons of books and some Kingston Trio albums, one which I had never seen before.

Groovy!

 

[mrboilwash]

Nice finds Keven,
I had no idea about the low voltage light bulbs used in these Sunbeam waffle irons.
Everyday I learn something new on this site !
1950`s Rowenta flat irons had the same type of light bulbs.

 

[panthera]

Gruess Di', Stefan

Yes, it's an old trick, and really very practical. My partner's 1953 Westinghouse Rainbow stove uses the same trick.

We also saw a similar technique used in many 'All American 5' tube radios with the pilot light. This is why it is essential to replace that lamp when it burns out - without it, the tubes are not only getting a nasty dose of far too much voltage when you start, but also after things have warmed up to the proper resistance.

The coffee, by the by, tastes quite good. Similar to perked (probably the blend of coffee plays a role here) but without the slightly acid, bitter, burnt taste which percolated always has.

And the sound is just the same! Neat!

 

[whirlaway]

Nice pot

I was so lucky I found a corey percolater,stainless steel with the 24 caret gold bottom and imitation bamboo handle at a thrift shop for 5dollars works beautiful and i found it in a 1956 house and garden magazine it was quite expensive at the time.But it sure makes the beat coffee and those old Mirro matics do too.Some poeple call them the I Love Lucy coffee pots.Bobby

 

[peterh770]

Does the reserviour say "made in Rome, NY"? That is my home town...

 

[dalangdon]

Westy Skillet

I found this Westinghouse electric skillet. I love the lid handle, the little legs, and especially the skillet handles.

 

[panthera]

Why, yes - it does

Peter, it was, indeed made in Rome, New York. Gosh, there was a lot of neat Revere Ware...back then.

Can't say I am overly impressed with the Korean stuff on the market now.

Dan, that is a groovy skillet - can you give us a closer shot of the handle? Neat!

 

[neptunebob]

Brew Better - Not Bitter!

I saw this thread about the percolators and wonder did they make better coffee than the coffemakers we have now? I have heard radio ads about BUNN coffee makers that brew "Better, not Bitter!" We had BUNN when I worked at Dunkin Donuts and they did work well, anyone have the residential units?

http://www.savemycoffee.com

 

[westie2]

BUNN Coffee makers

I have had 3 BUNNS over the last 34 years. They are great in my book but knows others that do not like at all. The one I have now has the thermal carafe and is fantastic. Brews great for me. Never on discount but got mine at Lowe's this time (4 years ago). My brother and his wife have one and so does my brother-in-law and his wife. The thermal carafe one is 149.00 the others for 99.00. Be sure and get the ones that have the stainless steel tank.