Thread: What ever happened to all the cool old stuff??

Originally Posted by DSEL74

So much of this old stuff just hasn't survived. If only I could find it all and give it a nice warm home to live in

Great idea, but you'd need a shed the size of Holden's factory to store it all in. Then you'd have to remember where you put it, I have enough trouble finding stuff in a 6 X 4 and 2.5 X 5 metre shed .
Kryn

Turn it into a working museum, where people can go and learn an old skill, on old timey gear. Maybe then could get funding for a big shed. Although I don't know if you'd be able to get insurance.


Also your assuming there is enough of it left in Oz to fill more than a 3x3m shed.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Turn it into a working museum, where people can go and learn an old skill, on old timey gear. Maybe then could get funding for a big shed. Although I don't know if you'd be able to get insurance.


Also your assuming there is enough of it left in Oz to fill more than a 3x3m shed.

Nice idea, probably might be able to go along similar lines to the Men's Sheds. Don't know if they would allow it to become part of the organisation, but it would solve the insurance problem, if it was allowed.
Just thinking positive, might be surprised as to what could be found on old farms and stations.
Kryn

Certainly much better made and no doubt lasted longer than todays equipment, but could you afford them? That's the beauty of tools and machinery these days - anyone can afford them!

Originally Posted by sacc51

Certainly much better made and no doubt lasted longer than todays equipment, but could you afford them? That's the beauty of tools and machinery these days - anyone can afford them!

That's fine to afford them, but replacing them when they crap themselves, gets expensive. Usually parts are no longer available after 5 years. Maybe that's why this forum works so well, members are only to happy to help each another. Dale, if I see any good stuff, I'll let you know.
Kryn

Yeah anyone can afford replace their chipboard furniture every few years also. I still think the days of craftsman furniture made to last generations and be passed on as heirlooms was a better investment. But that is just me.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I still think the days of craftsman furniture made to last generations and be passed on as heirlooms was a better investment. But that is just me.

and me.

I think if you used that equipment back then and got bought to today's world, you would not want to go back...

I bet the average man in the street would not be able to afford that stuff back then... Today buying an engine crane is a nothing...

All that beaut old machinery has gone to the same place as the Nail. Houses built with nails, the ring of the hammer echoing in new suburbs growing up in Brisbane has been replaced with the Pneumatic Nail Gun, instead of big bugger nails being driven into cross beams on roofs to hold them in place, you have flimsy tin foil plates secured by thin nails. Just my rant

DD

Remember when you could buy a new element for your toaster instead of throwing it away, remember when you could buy a new heating element for your kettle instead of throwing it away. Then again you couldn't buy a toaster or kettle for the equivalent of today's toasters and kettles. No wonder landfills are so huge now!
Milk in glass bottles, all bread came unsliced and fruit had brown spots all over, them was the days.

Originally Posted by Dingo Dog

instead of big bugger nails being driven into cross beams on roofs to hold them in place, you have flimsy tin foil plates secured by thin nails. Just my rant

DD

It would be interesting to see the results of some proper scientific testing on the two types of joint mentioned. It wouldn't surprise me if the nail plate joint, if installed correctly, was stronger than the traditional type.

bollie7

You can still buy hand built furinture though I doubt you'll like the price.

Originally Posted by bollie7

It would be interesting to see the results of some proper scientific testing on the two types of joint mentioned. It wouldn't surprise me if the nail plate joint, if installed correctly, was stronger than the traditional type.

bollie7

As long as its not on fire you're correct.(by a long way in certain joints, like theones that hold the roof on)

Stuart

I think there are a lot of things about the past that made life better to live in that time, I also think there are a lot of things better about living in this time. So maybe if I live in this time and surround myself with things of the past I can get the best of both worlds. Well not really as not all those things are physical.


I still think I would love to have and preserve a lot of old workshop gear rather than have new cost based low end manufactured gear. That is not to say there isn't good quality stuff made today, but it is still out of reach of the average man. Some of this old stuff if you can find it is the cheapest if you can find it and willing to bring it back from its rusty clothes.

Originally Posted by Dingo Dog

... Houses built with nails, the ring of the hammer echoing in new suburbs growing up in Brisbane has been replaced with the Pneumatic Nail Gun, instead of big bugger nails being driven into cross beams on roofs to hold them in place, you have flimsy tin foil plates secured by thin nails.DD

I was roof tiling in Sydney when the massive hail storm hit the southern suburbs (1997?).
Most of the houses were probably built around the 1920's, Although the roofs were hardwood, the craftsmanship was disappointingly rubbish, absolutely terrible in some cases. A modern house is substantially better built.
A nail driven by a Paslode gas gun holds vastly better than a hand driven nail. Also a gas gun nail will hold much better than a nail driven by a pneumatic gun. I have used all three methods over extended periods.
Structurally we can knock together things faster, better and cheaper than ever.

For me the biggest disappointment of this era is almost the complete lack of style. Older buildings look so much better.
Older cars had so much more style. Older machinery, lathes ect. although entirely functional look like pieces of art.