What is the oldest working mechanical thing you use?

Winonesoon · Jun 17, 2021

JIMMYBUFFETT said:
My wife. Some may argue she's not mechanical. I beg to differ.

After that probably my tortilla press. I'm guessing it's near 70 years old.

perfect!

FloridaRob · Jun 17, 2021

An HP12c calculator. Purchased new in 1983. I use it every day. I purchased a new one for my daughter but mine still works fine.

Runwildboys · Jun 17, 2021

Winonesoon said:
anyone else have one of these? "merry Tiller".

I could use one!

Runwildboys · Jun 17, 2021

FloridaRob said:
An HP12c calculator. Purchased new in 1983. I use it every day. I purchased a new one for my daughter but mine still works fine.

I have a calculator my sister gave me as a gift circa 1979. Still surprises me every time I use it and it works like it's brand new..

Runwildboys · Jun 17, 2021

Other than above calculator, I have a B&D drill I've had since I started delivering furniture, in 1986?

Aviano90 · Jun 17, 2021

Mine may be my lawn mower i bought in 2012 but I quit using that a month ago and started using a reel mower instead.

Winonesoon · Jun 17, 2021

Runwildboys said:
I could use one!

Thing starts on 1 to 2 pulls. don't use it but 1 to 2 times a year.

flower garden and my wife potato row. All good.

Runwildboys · Jun 17, 2021

Winonesoon said:
Thing starts on 1 to 2 pulls. don't use it but 1 to 2 times a year.

flower garden and my wife potato row. All good.

I have some type of thing that may have been a garden at one time. Now it grows a variety of things, including lilies, but invasive weeds have taken over, and I'm thinking about just starting over by ripping everything out by the roots.

Winonesoon · Jun 17, 2021

Runwildboys said:
I have some type of thing that may have been a garden at one time. Now it grows a variety of things, including lilies, but invasive weeds have taken over, and I'm thinking about just starting over by ripping everything out by the roots.

Damn dude chill... :laugh:

One bite of the elephant at a time.

Vtwin · Jun 17, 2021

Runwildboys said:
Other than above calculator, I have a B&D drill I've had since I started delivering furniture, in 1986?

I've got Black and Decker drill I bought in 1982ish. Still the only corded drill I own. It doesn't get used much anymore but it does come out when I need it. Also have a B&D jig saw from the same era.

Also have a TI scientific calculator I got for christmas in the late 70's. I think my folks still had hope for me, then.

I replaced my cheap, late 90's bench top table saw with a 70's, cast iron Craftsman unit I got from my father in law, a couple years ago. I have a same vintage skilsaw and jigsaw that I've not used, yet.

I have a whole bunch of stuff from the 80's but honestly, I am having a hard time defining anything younger than me, as old.

Runwildboys · Jun 17, 2021

Vtwin said:
I've got Black and Decker drill I bought in 1982ish. Still the only corded drill I own. It doesn't get used much anymore but it does come out when I need it. Also have a B&D jig saw from the same era.

Also have a TI scientific calculator I got for christmas in the late 70's. I think my folks still had hope for me, then.

I replaced my cheap, late 90's bench top table saw with a 70's, cast iron Craftsman unit I got from my father in law, a couple years ago. I have a same vintage skilsaw and jigsaw that I've not used, yet.

I have a whole bunch of stuff from the 80's but honestly, I am having a hard time defining anything younger than me, as old.

Now that you mention it, I do have a B&D jigsaw that's probably older than the drill. Still works great. A couple of years ago I bought a B&D table saw, but one with a built-in stand...so we have similarities there. But the rest of my power tools are Makita, Porter Cable, Ryobi belt sander and a bench grinder, and a Milwaukee Sawzall...oh crap, and a B&D palm sander.

If I think of anything else, I'll keep it to myself.

Winonesoon · Jun 17, 2021

Vtwin said:
My 1953 Ford tractor sees regular duty. I've got a 1969 Cub Cadet garden tractor that saw regular duty until the implement clutch finally gave up the ghost. I've got the parts on the bench to get her back in business.

I still consider my 1987 Boston Whaler/Evinrude, 1988 Honda XR250R and 1989 BMW 535i fairly new. lol

If the 53 was a "Golden Jubilee" you would have had about a 15,000 dollar tractor.https://encrypted-tbn0.***NOT-ALLOWED***/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5rga_qKvW4ObiSELUszzMoqiZsAE5K1Xui0eKDk9xENazyxPf2KhR-b08DYPsbSWHnAOm37k&usqp=CAc pri celess..It was 1500.00 brand NEW AND THAT WAS A lot then.

Cowpolk · Jun 17, 2021

cowboyec · Jun 17, 2021

Jammer said:
When I was in ** basic training and at my technical school I did a lot floor buffering. I hate to say it, but I loved doing it. I was in my "zone" when I operated it.

my "zone" is mopping floors.
i do like buffin'...gives me time to think n stuff.

Vtwin · Jun 17, 2021

Winonesoon said:
If the 53 was a "Golden Jubilee" you would have had about a 15,000 dollar tractor.https://encrypted-tbn0.***NOT-ALLOWED***/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5rga_qKvW4ObiSELUszzMoqiZsAE5K1Xui0eKDk9xENazyxPf2KhR-b08DYPsbSWHnAOm37k&usqp=CAc pri celess..It was 1500.00 brand NEW AND THAT WAS A lot then.

It is a Golden Jubilee. I paid 4.5k for it 20 years ago. A strong runner with fresh paint. Still a strong runner but the paint isn't so fresh.

trickblue · Jun 17, 2021

cowboyec said:
my buffer.
goes back to the 70s or early 80s i believe.
it has wheels on it so it won't send you halfway across the room when you fire it up.
i trained on a floor buffer like that and still have the bruises.
i could never figure out the technique.

At 14, I was a janitor in a Daycare... my first job. Discovered they were actually very easy to control. Tilt slightly forward to to go left and slightly backward to go right. After about 15 minutes the first time, you can make that thing sing... and you can go really fast with it once you're in the rhythm...

Roadtrip635 · Jun 17, 2021

I have an old Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5000 baitcasting reel. I'm not real sure how old it is, prolly mid-60's? Back in the mid 80's, my old fishing buddy found a pair of them at a garage sale for $5 each and knowing what a big fan I am for Abu Garcia, gave me one for my birthday. That thing is as tough as nails and never fails, keep her clean and grease her up and she's good to go. That 5000 and my Abu Garcia Cardinal spinning reel are my main reels for reds, specs, flounder.....

cowboyec · Jun 17, 2021

trickblue said:
At 14, I was a janitor in a Daycare... my first job. Discovered they were actually very easy to control. Tilt slightly forward to to go left and slightly backward to go right. After about 15 minutes the first time, you can make that thing sing... and you can go really fast with it once you're in the rhythm...

could never do it.
tried many times...never got the hang of it.
i was extremly happy when we swapped it out for the pacific.

nobody · Jun 17, 2021

Aviano90 said:
Mine may be my lawn mower i bought in 2012 but I quit using that a month ago and started using a reel mower instead.

If you delay mowing a bit and let the grass get a bit high, how well does the reel mower mow? Is it an excessive amount of work?

Aviano90 · Jun 18, 2021

DeathMonkey said:
If you delay mowing a bit and let the grass get a bit high, how well does the reel mower mow? Is it an excessive amount of work?

So far I haven’t tried it with high grass. I got it specifically to keep it shorter and clip it more frequently because it is supposed to be better for Bermuda grass. It has only been slightly more work simply because it isn’t self propelled like my lawn mower is. I wouldn’t want to use the Reel mower if I had St Augustine though.

What is the oldest working mechanical thing you use?

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