petdave -> RE: An interest in things old (11/2/2007 5:28:48 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: stella41b Even today across Eastern Europe people travel on Ikarus (Hungarian) buses from the 1950's, and many vehicles which were developed on 1960's Soviet technology still run today - lorries such as Kamaz, Star, Jelcz (Yelch), some people still drive Trabants (excellent cars, you could repair them in your kitchen), the Moskvitch, and the car I've always wanted - the Volga. Hmmm... one of the automotive sites i frequent has been on a Tatra binge lately, and i want one soooo badly... i have a major weakness for old cars. So far we've owned four that were older than i am, and i'm always on the lookout for another. i love older stuff. i collect older firearms, particularly pre-WW I semiautomatic pistols. The design, engineering, and (usually) finish are just remarkable. i'm a sucker for a fine piece of machining. Today, you couldn't have someone replicate the slide from a Sauer & Sohn 1913/1930 pistol for the price of the gun itself. Older tools are built to last... i've been looking for an older lathe and mill for years, they're just never around when i have money. A lathe from the 1950s usually costs more than a brand new one, but they're worth it. After 50 years of use they hold tighter tolerances than one just off the boat from China. i've instituted a fiberboard ban in our house... No more. Now i pick up old furniture on Craigslist for a fraction of the cost- real wood, dovetailed joins... needs a bit of refinishing, and doesn't match anything else, but who cares? Now i've started looking out for old solid wood doors to replace the modern crap ones on the house. And nothing warms up a dungeon like vintage blacksmithed restraints [:)]
|
|
|
|