Dependable Machines

Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Well I have a huge laundry list of gear that hes been dependable for over half a century, my Garrard 301 turntables for instance with the Decca ffss head and arm.



However I think first place has to go to my 70 year old JD Model A two cylinder tractor.



Here she is in the fall ready for winter and carrying a bucket full of wood down for the fireplace.



I have owned the tractor for 20 years of its long life. I was one year old when it left the Waterloo Iowa factory.

This tractor stats right away, first piston up and you hear that distinctive two cylinder sound with the 180 degree firing cycle. (The cylinder fire within a half revolution). It goes out in all weathers and moves prodigious amounts of snow.

It built and graded the road. I was on her all afternoon grading the neighborhood roads for their first Spring grading, now the frost is out.

Prodigious amounts of torque and power even at low revs. The hydraulics are excellent, responsive and progressive. This allows for a really professional grade. The Powertrol hydraulics deserve their legendary reputation. They are also highly fuel efficient and won the Nebraska tractor fuel efficiency awards year after year.

Never once in my 20 years of ownership have a craved a newer tractor.

Anyone who has owned and or worked on those JD Waterloo series tractors, can not be anything but totally impressed with the build quality and superb workmanship.

I think they really do represent a high watermark in American manufacture.

Tractors of this era, in those long ago days there were many makes, fed the world in the dark days of WW II.

They kept food production up with the U-Boat losses. In Churchill's history of the WW II he writes that his greatest anxiety was starvation of the population. The Waterloo built (built from 1923 to 1960) JD 2 cylinder tractors paid their part and then some in saving civilization.
What a cool story and review! I grew up on farms and around those old tractors. Farmers take great pride in ownership of their tractors and often maintain them themselves. They really are the life blood of the farm. They do so much work in so many ways.

Very cool Dr Mark.
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
My old Boston Acoustic Lynnfield VR 950 Speakers are still going strong (albeit in someone else's hands.) I had them for 20 years before giving them away.

My Sony desktop alarm clock is still kicking. That thing has got to be at least 20 years old too. I shattered the plastic case of it recently when I accidentally dropped one of my fragrance bottles on it, but it still works. I guess I can add that bottle to this list as well since it didn't break after smashing my alarm clock and then falling to the floor. :p
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
my 54 year old Chevy, took it out this past weekend for the first time since last fall, fired right up !

'67 Vette side profile.jpg
 
Out-Of-Phase

Out-Of-Phase

Audioholic General
What types of rock-solid, dependable machines do you own (or have owned)?

You know, your widgets that you use that just won't die.

I get to go first.

Proctor Silex toaster
I got it decades ago for about $10.00 and it continues to function flawlessly.

Proctor Silex toaster oven
I got this decades ago as well and it continues to broil, bake and thaw perfectly.

GE Clock-Radio
Purchased decades ago, AM/FM radio, wake to buzzer or music, LCD clock face, keeps good time, still rockin'.
I forgot I started this thread. :)

Proctor Silex toaster
I got it decades ago for about $10.00 and it continues to function flawlessly.


I've still got it and it still works flawlessly.
 
Kvn_Walker

Kvn_Walker

Audioholic Field Marshall
Had to retire two vintage pieces of equipment since 2019.

First to go was Wifey's GE 4-wide waffle maker. This was passed down from her mother. Blew my mind first time she used it, because my mom had one too when I was growing up!

Screenshot_20210405-074446_copy_432x648.png


It was awesome because you could flip the surfaces over and use it as a griddle. But it started making bad electrical noises and we had to put it to pasture.

Most recently, I had to retire my old faithful Radio Shack big LED loud alarm clock. I bought it in 2000, and I've cursed it thousands of times when it told me "get yo ass to work!"

s-l640.jpg


Same as above, I could hear crackling sounds from within, and I'm not going to risk fire for nostalgia's sake.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
I've got a very old console record player from the 60's that was my grandmothers. She bought it new, but it's been sitting in my garage waiting to be restored for about 15 years. Everything actually still works too.

I'll post a thread when I finally get started.
 
R

rnatalli

Audioholic Ninja
I had an old 13" Emerson TV that lasted nearly 30 years. That TV saw a lot of video game action from being hooked up to the original Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, etc.
 
M

Midwesthonky

Audioholic General
I forgot, but I have my grandmother's old electric hand mixer and the big white bowl for it. It's nothing special and probably bought in the 80's. But that make it over 30 years old and still going. I still use it for mixing up cakes in a box, or homemade mashed potatoes. Just did home made cheesy diced potatoes with the bowl for Easter.

I also have an old, old stick welder that was my grandfather's that still works just fine. Heavy as all hell.
 
GO-NAD!

GO-NAD!

Audioholic Spartan
Our Maytag washer and dryer are about 30 years old. I've replaced the drum belt and blower impeller on the dryer. That's it. Our GE kitchen stove was of similar vintage and working fine. Then, about a year ago, the wife wanted something new. At about 10 months, the broiler element on the new stove self-immolated. At least it was replaced under warranty.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
My bicycles have been extremely dependable machines. Particularly my mountain bikes for all that I put them thru, altho I did break a few very light racing versions in the early days. Got a few over 30 years old now.
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
My bicycles have been extremely dependable machines. Particularly my mountain bikes for all that I put them thru, altho I did break a few very light racing versions in the early days. Got a few over 30 years old now.
do you have a favorite mountain bike ?
It amazing , tech wise, how far they have come
 
Out-Of-Phase

Out-Of-Phase

Audioholic General
Norelco electric shaver. It reminds me of the energizer battery, it just keeps going and going and going.....
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
do you have a favorite mountain bike ?
It amazing , tech wise, how far they have come
My latest one is my current favorite, a Santa Cruz Heckler 2020 CC/S/27.5 build https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-US/bikes/heckler. Riding up hills has never been so fun :). If I don't need the assist my next favorite is my Santa Cruz Hightower CC v.1 from 2016. While my custom Moots YBB is a work of titanium art, the Santa Cruz bikes are more fun (and all came later). Then again my older Santa Cruz Nomad (v.1/2 mix) and Hecklers (v.2 and 6, also had a v.5 at one point) still have a place in my heart :) My old Trek Carbon Pro, too (but relegated to single speed status these days due a messed up derailleur hanger).
 

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