Two interesting thrift and auction scores

[turquoisedude]

Yeah, even after spending a week getting ready for it and a whole weekend working on it, you'd think after a big garage sale that I'd be hesitant to buy more vintage goodies... Nope!

The first score were this chairs. Phil and I were at a thrift store in Coaticook (a fair drive from Ogden, but so worth it) last week 'cause I wanted a real dehumidifier to replace the piece of 'made in China' crap that conked out after barely 2 years use. Well I found one, but also found these old lawn chairs!!

I have always loved the style of them and I've been looking for some for years! I was getting kinda desperate - in spring when Phil and I visited Roger (firedome) in VT, I think they both got sick of me commenting, "Gee, ya think they'd notice if they were gone" whenever I saw some on a porch...

I think a turquoise coat of paint may be in order here... LOL

 

[turquoisedude]

Then on Saturday, there was an estate auction in Stanstead. I spotted this at the preview but could not stay all day (it was hot and I didn't want to leave Canyon alone) so I left my neighbour, Cyndi with cash and bidding instructions. I was willing to go to $40. She got it for $20!! WOO-HOO!

 

[turquoisedude]

The turntable only plays 78s, but I have PLENTY of those... LOL

Now, I knew the tone arm was damaged, hence my bidding instructions. When I picked it up from Cyndi's I found the piece of bakelite that had broken off was still in the case! What are the chances of that happening??

 

[turquoisedude]

The power cord was not as in bad condition as I had imagined, so I decided to try it. The turntable motor turns and the amp hummed. Not sure if the tone arm pickup was working though, 'cause when I picked it up, I got a nice shock (kids - don't work in bare feet in the garage with anything vintage you are testing...). I can't tell if the radio works either because we have zero AM reception in Ogden. BUT I am going to take a run at some further testing this week. I'll post pictures of any new tan or hairdo that may result... LOL

Oh and some good news - the tuner dial still turns nicely. Bonus!

 

[circlew]

Nice finds!

I've always liked those "shell back" chairs. We had some when I was little, but they got rusty and were thrown out.

My 1947 Zenith radio-phono had a similar turntable to yours, with that exact tone arm. Since it only played 78's, I (when I was about 16 or so) decided to take a 4-speed turntable out of a Symphonic record player we had. The old one sat on the shelf for a number of years until my dad decided to clean out the storage room, and threw it away. Wish I'd kept it in my own room!

 

[tolivac]

Those metal chairs-were nice-but-- in the summer you burned yourself sitting on them becuase they heated up from the sun!Nice old Zenither record player-radio.Never seen one like that.the TT is unusual.

 

[rp2813]

I gave up on ever finding reasonably priced chairs like that so bought a pair of reproductions at Lowe's a couple of years ago.  They required assembly and seem just as sturdy as the vintage ones.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Nice Chairs!

When those chairs were popular, you used to see them turned over when not being used. That way, rain and dew did not form puddles in the seat depressions which did not have drainage holes.

 

[kb0nes]

we have zero AM reception in Ogden

Paul,

Try listening some night after dark sometime, that's when the AM broadcast band goes long. Once the ionospheric absorption drops with nightfall you should hear something with a working AM receiver. Perhaps try spinning the dial on a known working radio like say your car then compare.

There is a good bunch of Class A AM stations that don't have to drop power or go to directional antennas at night. The link points to a Wiki page on Clear Channel stations which has a nice frequency / call sign list.

Here in MN WCCO 830 is a reasonable night time distance from you. It transmits 50kw with an omni directional pattern day and night, you should be able to hear the "voice of the Northland" at night!

http://https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear-channel_station

 

[philr]

Phil,

That's a great advice, that's exactly what I discussed with Paul a few days ago (to wait at night for the ionosphere to increase AM receptivity) but I didn't think about trying to scan AM stations with the car's radio (or any other radio he has at home!) to compare!  I remember when I was a kid,  we could listen to CBF 690 AM around Washington DC at night (a French-Canadian radio station that's gone on FM band since...). 

 

Tom, 

 

These chairs already have 3 small drain holes to avoid puddles!

 

And Paul didn't tell but at some point (or originally?), they were painted Turquoise (you can see the Turquoise paint showing off at some places!). 

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Cool chairs Paul!   My grandparents had chairs just like that along with a matching table as I remember.   She also had a 2-3 people wide swinging chair thing, but I can't remember if that was part of the same set or not.

 

CONGRATS on the radio / record player too!

 

Kevin

 

[aldspinboy]

Paul I think all of my aunts outside furniture
Had those chairs in red and green nice finds.

What a cool recird player ..
I never seen a Zenith turnarm before
Hope you get it working very nice indeed.
Darren k

 

[supersuds]

The Zenith tonearm surprised me, too. The Zeniths I've seen have a snake head (Cobramatic) tonearm like this one at the link. Maybe yours is a little earlier since it is 78 only.

Tolivac is right about those chairs -- hot! But very comfy if kept in the shade.

http://www.angelfire.com/vt/audio/cobramat3.jpg

 

[tolivac]

WCCO-sort of vaguely remember them-they have the "end fire" array near Minneapolis-Sometimes fly over it while departing or arriving at their airport.I knew someone that worked there-the transmitter building was unusual-octagon shaped-each corner held part of their older RCA transmitter.Then they unpgraded to a then new Harris MW-50 transmitter.WNCT out in Greenville-now they are 50Kw have the same sort of "end fire" directional array that WCCO has.
On your record player radio-seems like it must have the "AC-DC" transformerless chassis.You can correct the shock problem in a simple way-install a cord with a polarized plug on your set-the wide blade neutral side of the cord goes to the chassis-the hot side goes to the hot connection in the set.Remember that polarized cords weren't around when that unit was new.
Despite the fact the metal chairs could get hot left out in the sun-they were comfortable-more so than a lot of chairs made today-guess it was the seat of the chair-depressed to match your bottom-and without padding or cushions-much like old metal tractor and implement seats.

 

[kb0nes]

Rex,

Are you confusing WCCO for KSTP? WCCO has a single omni stick, there is no patterned antenna at all on 830.

KSTP 1500 has an odd center-fed full wave omni and a 3 element directional array across the highway they switch to for night time.

The link to the Fybush transmitter tour of the two stations.

[this post was last edited: 7/20/2013-12:07]

A selection from a decade of visits to tower and studio sites in the Northeast and beyond

 

[turquoisedude]

Well, by golly, it works! I found a 'local' AM station as suggested by the two Phils - 1560 AM from somewhere in upstate New Hampshire comes in towards the end of the day in Ogden and the Zenith picked this up!! Yay!!

Better still, after gluing the turntable tone arm back together, I got the 78-rpm turntable playing again!!

 

[kb0nes]

Paul, most excellent! Glad it works I'd suspect that replacing the original electrolytic capacitors would be wise, unless someone has done it already.

Best be careful though tuning the AM band at night, pulling distant (DX) signals out of thin air is habit forming. Soon you will be doing it frequently and seeing what the furthest distance is. Really cool to listen as the sun sets (or rises) over the mid path area to hear how propagation changes.

Next thing and you will be winding a nice vintage AM loop antenna, then you could be really amazed

 

[kenmore71]

Well, once upon a time, WCCO (830) was worth listening to in the late night hours.  I'm not sure that I can say that for the present day....

 

[maytagbear]

A fun fact about WCCO

When it went on the air, "WCCO" stood for "Washburn Crosby Company."

Washburn Crosby is now known as General Mills. WCCO was a major public relations arm of the company, and from the 1920s through 1948, they had a lot of home programs, including "Cooking School of The Air."

It's somewhat challenging these days to understand the role radio once played in American life, before television, but to some (like me,) radio is still superior to television, particularly in engaging the mind.

Lawrence/Maytagbear