[Milsurplus] "condenser cleaners"

Pete Lancashire xyzzypdx at gmail.com
Wed Jun 30 13:17:37 EDT 2010


looking at the ad, that is what it is and came something like a dozen
mounted on a card. Very common
back then. The classic impulse buying sting. Come in to buy a new 80
rectifier and ...

-pete

On Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 10:03 AM, J. Forster <jfor at quik.com> wrote:
> It could also be a loop of pipe cleaner type material, perhaps with
> stiffer wire.
>
> -John
>
> ================
>
>
>>
>> The ad for condenser cleaners can be found by a google search on " "howard
>> .b. jones""condenser cleaner" ". The first result should be a link to the
>> ad
>> in a 1922 "Wireless Age"..  Looks like a wire loop to me.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Tom
>> WB3AKD
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "J. Forster" <jfor at quik.com>
>> To: "Michael Bittner" <mmab at cox.net>
>> Cc: <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>; "Ralph Cameron" <ramcam at magma.ca>
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:32 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] "condenser cleaners"
>>
>>
>>> Could well be. Pretty sophisticated, requiring some radio knowlege, if
>>> it
>>> was.
>>>
>>> On "condenser cleaners" I don't know from the thread whether the
>>> reference
>>> was to a brush or a liquid, but I've seen 20s and 30s radios with cast
>>> potmetal condensers. It is possible some of those alloys might grow
>>> "metal
>>> whiskers", especially in poorly climate controlled rural locations, and
>>> cease functioning.
>>>
>>> Something to clean them might actually have had a real function.
>>>
>>> FWIW,
>>>
>>> -John
>>>
>>> ================
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> My take on it is that it was a joke.  Mike W6MAB
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "J. Forster" <jfor at quik.com>
>>>> To: "Todd, KA1KAQ" <ka1kaq at gmail.com>
>>>> Cc: "Michael Bittner" <mmab at cox.net>; <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>;
>>>> "Ralph
>>>> Cameron" <ramcam at magma.ca>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 7:21 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] "condenser cleaners"
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The pics Michael sent me were of a very real artifact, made out of
>>>> shiny
>>>> metal.
>>>>
>>>> What is unclear to me is whether it was sold as a real thing to put
>>>> inside
>>>> radios, or whether it was a joke.
>>>>
>>>> There were a lot of gag gifts and trinkets sold then as now. It's
>>>> actually
>>>> fun to go to antique flea markets, like Brimfield, and look at such
>>>> things.
>>>>
>>>> Quite obviously, radio was a giant mystery to most of the public back
>>>> then
>>>> (and even now). Very few knew how it worked, beyond being able to find
>>>> a
>>>> broadcast. Not very different than now really. Do you know, in detail,
>>>> how
>>>> a cell phone or 'puter works? I sure don't.
>>>>
>>>> FWIW,
>>>>
>>>> -John
>>>>
>>>> ================
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 6:31 PM, Michael Bittner <mmab at cox.net> wrote:
>>>>>> I have an actual Grid Leak Drip Pan. Made by Muter in Chicago. If
>>>>>> anyone
>>>>>> wants to see some pictures of it, please reply off list and I will
>>>>>> email
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> set of 4 jpegs of it. Mike Bittner, W6MAB
>>>>>
>>>>> I'd offer to send pics of my last case of Marconi Aerial Wax, but the
>>>>> last time word got out that I had some, the stock market tanked. (o:
>>>>>
>>>>> ~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>
>
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