The "Good Ol' Days"—Then versus Now

[hygiene903]

Jeff and Cheesewonton, have you considered being or are you docents?

I'd ask you, too, Jimmy, but I know your hands are full at this time.

Actually, I guess I AM a docent, although I never thought of there being a title for what I do, other than volunteer. I have been volunteering at the Main Street Free Press Museum in Fredericktown, Ohio for 25 years now. This is the building and equipment that used to be the Knox County Citizen. We have an open house during the Fredericktown Tomato Show, which happens the week following Labor Day each year, and I print cards that we hand out to visitors on an old hand fed, foot powered platen letterpress, while explaining the letterpress process to them. Also, during the rest of the year, I go down there from time to time for a workday, either working on equipment or doing general work to make the place more presentable. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a picture of me running the press.
And by the way Paul, thank you for the compliment about my double major in college. But it wasn't really that hard to do. After I had been at college for about a year, I was looking at the course catalog when it was time to select classes for the next quarter and realized that the classes for the Business Admin. major and Higher Accounting major were mostly the same, except for just a few that each major had that the other one didn't. I figured that with so much overlap, I could have both majors with just a couple more quarters' work than what it would take for either one, so I went for it and got both associate degrees. Unfortunately, I was never able to make a career out of it, but that's OK--about 2 years after I graduated, I got back into the Printing Industry, which WAS my career for most of my working years.
Jeff

 

[cheesewonton]

I forgot to mention that old Plymouth had manual steering and manual brakes. No power assisted anything. The steering took around 12 turns lock to lock and required real arm strength to park it.

 

[cheesewonton]

They all have very nice names!

Some 1980's and 90's Electrolux canister vacuums had names shared with cars or trucks, like Silverado ( Chevy truck ) , Marquis and Grand Marquis ( big floaty boat Mercury's ), Ambassador ( American Motors top of the line car ) and Diplomat ( top of the line Opel ).

 

[huskyvacs]

I forgot to mention that old Plymouth had manual steering and manual brakes. No power assisted anything. The steering took around 12 turns lock to lock and required real arm strength to park it.

This is also why having a huge steering wheel mattered a lot and was more than just bling bling for most cars, it was a selling point.

 

[eurekaprince]

I would love to see a revival of the classic vacuum tool caddy to store and carry a cleaner’s attachments - and even bags and filters and instruction manuals. It would not take much to add a sturdy cardboard caddy that shipped flattened in the vacuum’s original box. All you would have to do is assemble it just like a Banker’s file box. It would not need designated storage placement for each tool - just a nice open box that could sit next to the cleaner in the closet….with maybe a reinforced handle cut out that would not rip after a few years of use.

 

[paul]

Actually, I guess I AM a docent, although I never thought of there being a title for what I do, other than volunteer. I have been volunteering at the Main Street Free Press Museum in Fredericktown, Ohio for 25 years now. This is the building and equipment that used to be the Knox County Citizen. We have an open house during the Fredericktown Tomato Show, which happens the week following Labor Day each year, and I print cards that we hand out to visitors on an old hand fed, foot powered platen letterpress, while explaining the letterpress process to them. Also, during the rest of the year, I go down there from time to time for a workday, either working on equipment or doing general work to make the place more presentable. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a picture of me running the press.
And by the way Paul, thank you for the compliment about my double major in college. But it wasn't really that hard to do. After I had been at college for about a year, I was looking at the course catalog when it was time to select classes for the next quarter and realized that the classes for the Business Admin. major and Higher Accounting major were mostly the same, except for just a few that each major had that the other one didn't. I figured that with so much overlap, I could have both majors with just a couple more quarters' work than what it would take for either one, so I went for it and got both associate degrees. Unfortunately, I was never able to make a career out of it, but that's OK--about 2 years after I graduated, I got back into the Printing Industry, which WAS my career for most of my working years.
Jeff
View attachment 171647

Hi Jeff,

I'm sure that you've been a blessing to MSFP due to your personality and knowledge! We're fortunate to have you at VL, too.

Your modesty matches your college achievements; I am even more impressed. Many college students take career paths outside of their majors. Thanks for the photo of you at the printing press.

 

[paul]

I would love to see a revival of the classic vacuum tool caddy to store and carry a cleaner’s attachments - and even bags and filters and instruction manuals. It would not take much to add a sturdy cardboard caddy that shipped flattened in the vacuum’s original box. All you would have to do is assemble it just like a Banker’s file box. It would not need designated storage placement for each tool - just a nice open box that could sit next to the cleaner in the closet….with maybe a reinforced handle cut out that would not rip after a few years of use.

Great to see your post, Brian! I miss your regular contributions.

 

[paul]

Some 1980's and 90's Electrolux canister vacuums had names shared with cars or trucks, like Silverado ( Chevy truck ) , Marquis and Grand Marquis ( big floaty boat Mercury's ), Ambassador ( American Motors top of the line car ) and Diplomat ( top of the line Opel ).

I have often thought that the floor & surface care appliance industry took its cue from the automotive industry not only with model names, but also with its ample variety of contemporaneous model trims to suit many preferences such as Hoover and Eureka have had. Custom-King by Thompson & Sons, though, is the only one of which I'm aware that provided for customer customization.

Another example of the auto industry's influence on floor & surface care appliance manufacturing is the Eureka Corvette model 52 hand vac (eBay photo):

 

[centralsweeper63]

"Look honey, a Corvette." "What are you pointing at honey." The vacuum, look, right there."