New uses for obsolete stuff?
11-16-2010, 07:40 PM
#1
New uses for obsolete stuff?
We've all been there. You save up to buy that one item, a tool, a piece of electronics, the latest and greatest gizmo, only to find it obsolete in a short time. You hate to part with it because it's so cool, and all of a sudden, nobody wants it. So what do you do with these old works or art and creativity instead of making a nice paper weight?
Things like comm lathes, battery bump boxes, brushed notor dynos, Nimh cells, heck even single cell shrink wrap was once cool. All worthy of being the end all, be all of their time, but now relegated to the dark corners of the shop. Each waiting to be brought back to a status once cherished instead of facing the all to certain fate of the land fill.
Anyone out there start the creative juices to give these items a chance at a second life? I have a few that I've been racking my brain over with little success. Twister comm lathe and enough brushes to start another motor company, enough Nimh cells to light a small city block, receivers and servos that rank right up there with the toaster oven.
Let's see what you've got. Just might be source for a second income if you can figure out what to do with the thousands of Twister, Fantom, Trinity, Cobra, Hudy and whatever other brands of comm lathes there are. Here's mine in all it's glory: Tuned to the n'th degree, 12v drive motor hand wound by the legendary Sean Cochran, Carter diamond bit that cost more than most lathes but would probably chip in a heartbeat on anything harder than copper.
Do you think in another 50+ years, they might get a new following like the tools from the early 1900's are now?
Kind of like this drill press:
Now back to your regularly scheduled program................................
Things like comm lathes, battery bump boxes, brushed notor dynos, Nimh cells, heck even single cell shrink wrap was once cool. All worthy of being the end all, be all of their time, but now relegated to the dark corners of the shop. Each waiting to be brought back to a status once cherished instead of facing the all to certain fate of the land fill.
Anyone out there start the creative juices to give these items a chance at a second life? I have a few that I've been racking my brain over with little success. Twister comm lathe and enough brushes to start another motor company, enough Nimh cells to light a small city block, receivers and servos that rank right up there with the toaster oven.
Let's see what you've got. Just might be source for a second income if you can figure out what to do with the thousands of Twister, Fantom, Trinity, Cobra, Hudy and whatever other brands of comm lathes there are. Here's mine in all it's glory: Tuned to the n'th degree, 12v drive motor hand wound by the legendary Sean Cochran, Carter diamond bit that cost more than most lathes but would probably chip in a heartbeat on anything harder than copper.
Do you think in another 50+ years, they might get a new following like the tools from the early 1900's are now?
Kind of like this drill press:
Now back to your regularly scheduled program................................
11-16-2010, 09:47 PM
#2
Motor Dynos are still used, as you can easily convert them to brushless.....seeing more and more people do the conversion....
Pretty much all the battery stuff is junk now......luckily I got rid of my turbomatchers long ago.....now you can buy them for like $50, for what though, I dunno. I have an entire Lavco matching system I bought years ago for $100, just as a keepsake....
Lathes are still useful. I've been picking them up cheap when I see them so I can use them as prizes for the crawler guys. They still run brushed motors, but very few of them know (or want) to take care of their motors....so instead of motors for prizes, I do a lathe!
Thats a pretty nice twister. They are among the better lathes ever made....so sad pretty much every lathe is worth maybe $10-$25.....even my $500 fantom can be found for $50 when they pop up...
Later EddieO
Pretty much all the battery stuff is junk now......luckily I got rid of my turbomatchers long ago.....now you can buy them for like $50, for what though, I dunno. I have an entire Lavco matching system I bought years ago for $100, just as a keepsake....
Lathes are still useful. I've been picking them up cheap when I see them so I can use them as prizes for the crawler guys. They still run brushed motors, but very few of them know (or want) to take care of their motors....so instead of motors for prizes, I do a lathe!
Thats a pretty nice twister. They are among the better lathes ever made....so sad pretty much every lathe is worth maybe $10-$25.....even my $500 fantom can be found for $50 when they pop up...
Later EddieO
11-17-2010, 07:31 AM
#4
I can't believe someone else has a Lavco matching system. I bought my new and still have them and the new decals. The dynos- I've got a fantom but not for 50.00. The lathes are being used by slot car guys and the only one out there is way over prices-Hudy. And sometimes the obsolete things you think you have become useful again.My old chassis is seeing a rebirth as a WGT-should get the protoype in the next day or two.It's also being done in a cheaper version now.
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