I was curious enough about those Archer resistors that I did a little spelunking through Radio Shack catalogs. Half-watt carbon composition resistors from Radio Shack were priced at 19 cents for two from at least 1978 until at least 1988. I know they were twenty-five cents in 1994. In 1985 the 1/2-watt resistors in the catalog still looked like good ol' Allen Bradleys, but the 1/4-watt resistors were pictured with the lighter brown and rounded edges like the ones shown in the video. In 1986 the 1/2-watt resistors had the "new" look in the illustrations. So, I'd guess your Archer resistors date from somewhere in the mid to late 1980s. I think that's enough research on this topic.
1220 1-watt resistors? You must be planning on rebuilding that resistance substitution box that you recently acquired. (I just watched Antiques Roadshow, and it has warped my vocabulary. No one ever got an urn or painting or doll. They always acquired it.) The price difference is easily explained. Your latest purchase does have all of the costly staples that the Archer resistor packaging featured. Those staples are incredibly expensive, being made of a special alloy almost unobtainable today.
That mica condenser "ILLINI" is made in the USA. I saw one on eBay the same with that on it. I believe it was made by this company: "Since 1934, Illinois Capacitor has been providing reliable and durable solutions to professionals in the wireless communications, electronic power technology, energy management, IGBT, solar and wind power sectors. By focusing on capacitor technology, Illinois Capacitor ensures that their products are built to handle the toughest challenges" They got acquired by Cornell Dubilier Electronics in 2015.
Western Electric made radios and parts for the military during WW2.My mom worked for them, wiring switchboards and building dynamotors. That large connector at the end of the video was the standard for telco equipment, and military radios. The actual diameter is smaller compared to the standard 1/4” plugs.
The western electric capacitors looks like they came out of an old 1A phone switch. Western Electric made many electrical components and full switching equipment for GTE and Ma Bell companies before they went digital.
Wow, I have a drawer set like that with stuff like that from my dad. Especially the Radio Shack/Archer resistors. Also, those silver capacitors. Fun stuff from the 1970s.
I have come across some of those old wire wound resistors in old equipment I've restored. I save them because their accuracy has proven to be surprisingly stable. useful for me as a reference standard. Love your channel!-jrh
They look like my junk drawers back in the 60's. I used one of those Western Electric type condensers on my mobile antenna to tune it. Nice blast from the past.
I still have an unused pack of 1/2 watt, 10K Ohm resistors from Radio Shack that I bought as extras for a science fair project back around 1990. Considering how many resistors I go through now that I picked up the hobby again all these years later, the fact that I bought them in two-packs seems quaint and hilarious. 😂 I expect I'll use them for something eventually, but no project that I've built this century calls for anything over 1/4 watt! (So far.)
I don't think those were called bathtub capacitors. That kind of capacitor was in a sealed metal case and was oil-filled. They tended to be of a moderate value (around 1 to 5 mF) but had a high voltage rating. I remember they seemed to be used a lot as filter capacitors, especially for choke-input filters, and mostly in mil-spec equipment.
I bet that .225 M Ohm resistor is probably a 225 ohm. Back in the 30's it was somewhat common for M to mean 1000 after the roman numeral or the French word mille (which means thousand).
I remember small (comparatively) wire-wound resistors like that Shallcross one. They were the same form factor and wrapped in some sort of yellow plastic-laminated paper. They never were high power, unlike those ceramic resistors, but were always high precision, i.e. at least 1% and often greater precision. Of course, this was back in the days when 20% tolerance carbon resistors from Allen Bradley were common, and gold band (5%) tolerance was considered high class. I'd guess from the form factor that those Archer resistors from Radio Shack date to the 1980s or 1990s. I seem to recall that in the early 1970s 1/2-watt carbon resistors from Radio Shack looked like Allen Bradleys (dark brown case, sharp edges) even though they may not have been actual AB products. The 19-cent price argues for the earlier date,
MMF would be micromicro, i.e. pico. These brownies are high voltage silver mica capacitors, and being sealed, they're generally stable and reliable. These Shallcross resistors are indeed things of beauty. Wirewound resistors were way more stable and accurate (tight tolerance, low temperature coefficient) compared to carbon comp back in the day, that's why you can see so many of them in resistance decades and other high precision stuff. Unfortunately they have high inductance unless they're wired bifilarly to compensate the current and avoid inducing magnetic field "It's Philly, not Philla!" LOL. Wonder if @FranLab knows something about the maker.
Give @IMSAI GUY a break. For those of us who grew up with mmF or μμF, it took time to get out of the habit of saying "micro-micro" and saying "pico" instead. And I bet he's been saying pico for years, so going back to "micro-micro" is going to be tough. It's hard to change. Heck, I still have to convert a new-fangled 1 nF value to 1000 μμF and then remember it's really 1000 picofarads. That 1 nF just doesn't have any flavor to it. 😁
He narrates a new topic during each video without script or much post-editing. Everyone misspeaks. Is this a good counter/ company from San Jose? XL Microwave 3400 Frequency Counter (to 40GHz).
I couldn't afford to buy a lot of components so I spent many hours salvaging parts from old 1950's and 1960's kit which I would use to construct other things. A lot of parts remained unused and were eventually thrown away, inc some very very early semiconductor diodes and germanium transistors.
Wow, Western Electric. I have some really old DC Volt meters & DC Amperes meter that are made by Weston Electric & Western Electric. The emperor is 0 - 7,500 ampere. I have some really old relays made by the same company that are big and round like Coke cans. I'm going to have to try to figure out how they work.👍
I was curious enough about those Archer resistors that I did a little spelunking through Radio Shack catalogs.
Half-watt carbon composition resistors from Radio Shack were priced at 19 cents for two from at least 1978 until at least 1988. I know they were twenty-five cents in 1994. In 1985 the 1/2-watt resistors in the catalog still looked like good ol' Allen Bradleys, but the 1/4-watt resistors were pictured with the lighter brown and rounded edges like the ones shown in the video. In 1986 the 1/2-watt resistors had the "new" look in the illustrations. So, I'd guess your Archer resistors date from somewhere in the mid to late 1980s.
I think that's enough research on this topic.
I just bought 1220 1W resistors from Aliexpress for $14. that's 1.2 cents each!
1220 1-watt resistors?
You must be planning on rebuilding that resistance substitution box that you recently acquired. (I just watched Antiques Roadshow, and it has warped my vocabulary. No one ever got an urn or painting or doll. They always acquired it.)
The price difference is easily explained. Your latest purchase does have all of the costly staples that the Archer resistor packaging featured. Those staples are incredibly expensive, being made of a special alloy almost unobtainable today.
My grandfather came over on a boat from Italy when he was 9, and his first job was at Western Electric. He retired with a gold watch!!
After being around electronics for over 50 years , nothing in that haul is unfamiliar. Nice job lot.
That mica condenser "ILLINI" is made in the USA. I saw one on eBay the same with that on it. I believe it was made by this company:
"Since 1934, Illinois Capacitor has been providing reliable and durable solutions to professionals in the wireless communications, electronic power technology, energy management, IGBT, solar and wind power sectors. By focusing on capacitor technology, Illinois Capacitor ensures that their products are built to handle the toughest challenges"
They got acquired by Cornell Dubilier Electronics in 2015.
Western Electric made radios and parts for the military during WW2.My mom worked for them, wiring switchboards and building dynamotors. That large connector at the end of the video was the standard for telco equipment, and military radios. The actual diameter is smaller compared to the standard 1/4” plugs.
The western electric capacitors looks like they came out of an old 1A phone switch. Western Electric made many electrical components and full switching equipment for GTE and Ma Bell companies before they went digital.
Wow, I have a drawer set like that with stuff like that from my dad. Especially the Radio Shack/Archer resistors. Also, those silver capacitors. Fun stuff from the 1970s.
The compression Mica trim Caps are pretty valuable and useful, they don't make these anymore.
Illinois Capacitor/condenser Company, circa 1950’s. Don’t get rid of them. They appear to be quite valuable
I have come across some of those old wire wound resistors in old equipment I've restored. I save them because their accuracy has proven to be surprisingly stable. useful for me as a reference standard. Love your channel!-jrh
They look like my junk drawers back in the 60's. I used one of those Western Electric type condensers on my mobile antenna to tune it. Nice blast from the past.
Yes those Micas are a good find. Their Q can be very high. No body-end-spot resistors?
They may also be hermetic wet tantalum capacitors. Both Kemet and AVX make them. They can be as little as $7 apiece to as much as $800.
I still have an unused pack of 1/2 watt, 10K Ohm resistors from Radio Shack that I bought as extras for a science fair project back around 1990. Considering how many resistors I go through now that I picked up the hobby again all these years later, the fact that I bought them in two-packs seems quaint and hilarious. 😂 I expect I'll use them for something eventually, but no project that I've built this century calls for anything over 1/4 watt! (So far.)
You really love this stuff, I can tell. I get excited like that whe my Amazon box comes. Really Cool find.
At 3:09 you are showing a Western Electric mica condenser with a date code of 8-44, made in the WE Kearny (NJ) Works.
Steve
Those wire wound resistors are often called "spool resistors" and were the way precision resistors were made back in the day.
I have a few of those old solid (possibly even wet) tantalums. They're amazing capacitors. Still test as good as new
Those are wet tantalums. They had a bad habit of occasionally growing internal whiskers that caused short circuits.
The Western Electric capacitors are 400 pf and 1000 pf silver mica RF transmitting capacitors, often referred to as bathtub capacitors.
I don't think those were called bathtub capacitors. That kind of capacitor was in a sealed metal case and was oil-filled. They tended to be of a moderate value (around 1 to 5 mF) but had a high voltage rating. I remember they seemed to be used a lot as filter capacitors, especially for choke-input filters, and mostly in mil-spec equipment.
I bet that .225 M Ohm resistor is probably a 225 ohm.
Back in the 30's it was somewhat common for M to mean 1000 after the roman numeral or the French word mille (which means thousand).
I remember small (comparatively) wire-wound resistors like that Shallcross one. They were the same form factor and wrapped in some sort of yellow plastic-laminated paper. They never were high power, unlike those ceramic resistors, but were always high precision, i.e. at least 1% and often greater precision. Of course, this was back in the days when 20% tolerance carbon resistors from Allen Bradley were common, and gold band (5%) tolerance was considered high class.
I'd guess from the form factor that those Archer resistors from Radio Shack date to the 1980s or 1990s. I seem to recall that in the early 1970s 1/2-watt carbon resistors from Radio Shack looked like Allen Bradleys (dark brown case, sharp edges) even though they may not have been actual AB products. The 19-cent price argues for the earlier date,
The brass and bakelite variable cap is for fine tuning on a radio. I had a 9 band short wave receiver that had one.
Aren't those called "wet" Tantalums ? Also love those giant Micas ! I sure miss Foothill College swap-meets.
MMF would be micromicro, i.e. pico. These brownies are high voltage silver mica capacitors, and being sealed, they're generally stable and reliable.
These Shallcross resistors are indeed things of beauty. Wirewound resistors were way more stable and accurate (tight tolerance, low temperature coefficient) compared to carbon comp back in the day, that's why you can see so many of them in resistance decades and other high precision stuff. Unfortunately they have high inductance unless they're wired bifilarly to compensate the current and avoid inducing magnetic field
"It's Philly, not Philla!" LOL. Wonder if @FranLab knows something about the maker.
He's bluffing about the milli-milli-farads. He certainly knows scientific notation as a former HP engineer.
@@danishnative9555 hey, it's Oct 30, not Apr 1! :)
Give @IMSAI GUY a break. For those of us who grew up with mmF or μμF, it took time to get out of the habit of saying "micro-micro" and saying "pico" instead. And I bet he's been saying pico for years, so going back to "micro-micro" is going to be tough.
It's hard to change. Heck, I still have to convert a new-fangled 1 nF value to 1000 μμF and then remember it's really 1000 picofarads. That 1 nF just doesn't have any flavor to it. 😁
@@tfrerich sure, it is hard to change. Same with (kilo, mega) cycles per second, or going decimal, let alone metric. Old ways die hard.
He narrates a new topic during each video without script or much post-editing. Everyone misspeaks.
Is this a good counter/ company from San Jose? XL Microwave 3400 Frequency Counter (to 40GHz).
I couldn't afford to buy a lot of components so I spent many hours salvaging parts from old 1950's and 1960's kit which I would use to construct other things. A lot of parts remained unused and were eventually thrown away, inc some very very early semiconductor diodes and germanium transistors.
Similar story here except most of my stuff came from 60s and 70s TVs. :)
Wow, Western Electric.
I have some really old DC Volt meters & DC Amperes meter that are made by Weston Electric & Western Electric.
The emperor is 0 - 7,500 ampere.
I have some really old relays made by the same company that are big and round like Coke cans.
I'm going to have to try to figure out how they work.👍
Ma bell Phone caps LOL
Lotsa silver Mica caps . Nice find
Try "Shallcross" matey. Precision Ohms.
I've won some ebay auctions for lots from estate sales...
Measure them!
I bet the smell was good too!
Ahh yes the smell of old components.
need smell-o-vision
Good find 👍
Novice at electronics, but curious: is a wire wound resistor also an inductor? If not, then why not? Love your videos!
yes it has some inductance
Loook lke little fire crackers 😆💌
He who dies with the most junk wins!
MMF = Pico
looks like a Ham estate. wire wound r's from tube tester I bet.
that stuff is from a Ham shack.
I was told the guy liked fixing old tube radios.
pronounced ill eye nye - native american name associated with Illinois.
fun! looks like clumps of surplus milly milly chocolates!
nice