Where I was today

**Admin** Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:49 pm

I woke up early this morning and headed out to Oronoco, MN for their "Gold Rush Days" where over 400 antique vendors fill the entire little city. I kept my eyes out for the usual things I'm after (antique electrical parts, 8-tracks and players, anything Cox related and so on). I ended up buying some NOS and NIB turn key light sockets, a early 1900s rotary light switch and a porcelain turn key socket. I will post pictures if anyone is really interested. I rarely find Cox stuff except for a model that is usually in its box and overpriced because of it. It is surprising how hard it is to find this stuff around here given just about anyone over 50 knows exactly what you are talking about and had them as a kid. The only cox thing I saw out of all that was the dune buggy below. Its not surprising that I didn't find any Cox engines because another guy that was standing near while I was looking at the dune buggy said he always looks for this stuff too, so I told him to check out the forum. Also there was a guy walking around with a camera crew who I can't quite say what show he was from but I know I saw him on one of those shows on A&E or the History Channel.

**Cribbs74** Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:28 am

Nice buggy, however looking at the price tag I can see why you walked away. I usually find Cox stuff at RC swaps..... The good thing is the RC community has gone electric for the most part and don't care to much for the older stuff so you end up getting good deals.

Why the interest in older electrics? They are not the safest items out there. Do you just collect them?

PV Pilot Sat Aug 18, 2012 10:27 am

WOW!,,you found some Bordens creamed cottage cheeeeez! Very Happy

,,at a swap meet no less,,,... Nom Nom Nom!

Jason_WI Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:37 am

The box is all taped up and the one back tire looks rotten.

**Admin** Sat Aug 18, 2012 1:52 pm

cribbs74 wrote:Nice buggy, however looking at the price tag I can see why you walked away. I usually find Cox stuff at RC swaps..... The good thing is the RC community has gone electric for the most part and don't care to much for the older stuff so you end up getting good deals.

Why the interest in older electrics? They are not the safest items out there. Do you just collect them?

Cox stuff is even getting hard to find at those RC swap meets around here, the only one that I see that stuff the most is at the Toy & Hobby show that is held at the fairgrounds in the spring. The guys are usually toy collectors and hard core modelers that know the going price of those things so they mark them up high.

For the old electrical crap, most can safely be used without a fire hazard but some of it has open contacts and wiring that may be a hazard to the user. Those NOS 1930s Bakelite sockets are absolutely safe to use, even safer than the new ones being made today. The new ones being made today have an interior made from a heat resistant plastic but I have seen them scorched before while the old ones are made from ceramic. For the rotary switch, that is safer in the sense that the mechanism switches fast which also reduces arcing, the concerns about the switch is that it is rated at lower amps which makes it really only usable as a light switch. The other safety concern is that by turning the knob counterclockwise, the knob will unscrew and the cover will fall off exposing the contacts inside. The porcelain socket is also safe to use but it is really only limited to use as a hanging socket that you often see in attics and basements in old houses. Those NOS Bakelite sockets are also really only made for that as they don't have threads in the top, but those can be easily modified to work with a regular lamp. I have more pictures of my old electrical crap here.

Where I was today Imag7115