View Single Post
  #41   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
kew kew is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Is our view of old engineering distorted by the products whichsurvive?

On Sep 18, 9:48 am, cavelamb himself wrote:
Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:14:21 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, "Ed
Huntress" quickly quoth:


"Christopher Tidy" wrote in message
...


Hi folks,


I apologise if the title is a bit of a mouthful. But I've been thinking
about this issue for some time, and would like to seek the opinion of
people here. You frequently hear people complain about the quality of
modern products and say things like "They don't make them like they used
to". But it has occurred to me that maybe older products look good today
because only the good products have stood the test of time, and the poor
products have been thrown away years ago. What do people think? Were
products better in general back in the fifties, say, or were there a
mixture of good and bad? I'd be interested to hear people's opinions, as
I'm not old enough to remember myself.


Best wishes,


Chris


No problem. Some people here are so old that we can't remember, either. g


It's a mixed bag. Cars are much better, and fishing reels are, too. But
wooden matches have gone to hell. Toasters today are complete crap compared
to the old ones.


Most appliances are total crap nowadays. If you've moved a washer,
dryer, or fridge since about the year 2000, you'd have noticed that
they're about half the weight of their earlier counterparts; 1/3 the
weight of '50s items (many of which are still kicking.)


Aw shucks, even web sites ain't what they used to be...

The Secret Life Of Machines videos seem to ahve disappeared.
I wanted to cite the video because it actually SHOWED teh huge block of
concrete in the bottom of the old washing machines.

Which might have had an effect on weight

http://www.secretlifeofmachines.com/...washing_machin...

Richard


Check Tim Hunkin's web site, especially http://www.timhunkin.com/41_slom1.htm