Wanted: Your Junk for my Super-Sekrit Project!

[tesla]

I'm looking to scavenge pieces from a wide variety of largish appliances: washing machines and dryers, refrigerators, treadmills, dishwashers, and many others.

If you have any dead or retired appliances that you would be willing to contribute, would you be so kind as to drop me a note so that I can come strip them? If you need them to go away completely I may be able to arrange that as well.

Comments

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

We have a heavy exercise bike that is missing a pedal (thus useless unless someone goes out and buys a new pedal, which never seems to happen). If your Time Machine or whatever you're building needs a large flywheel, it would be perfect. Interested?

[7ivy7.livejournal.com]

Yard sculpture? Taking up welding? Curiouser & curiouser.

Also location: What are you doing on the roof?

[alisgray.livejournal.com]

well that sounds awesome... how about a small microwave oven without a plate in it? otherwise working.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

I have a refrigerator that no longer refrigerates, though the light works.
PS. If you want to use it I need some advance warning, to move the stuff I've been storing inside it. But I'd greatly appreciate if you could remove it from the premises.

[mrsmodew.livejournal.com]

Let me discuss with Michael. We have three items in the basement that I hate having there. I can't remember if it is two washing machines and one dryer or the other way around. Would they be interesting?

[mrsmodew.livejournal.com]

And then I reread your post and saw they were on the list. Clearly, I need more caffeine.

[guppiecat]

You know, you can get replacement plates for microwave ovens.

(But please don't, one of the best toys in the world is a working microwave that you don't care about. :)

[alisgray.livejournal.com]

intellectually I know that working microwave ovens are awesome. but practically speaking I'm a little afraid of experimenting. theoretically I'd be curious to try smelting aluminum in it. although it'd have to be a fairly small quantity of aluminum. the last thing I need is a new hobby, especially one with toxic fumes and no hood...

the new platters cost $25 plus shipping, which is about the price of getting a new one that doesn't have the button pad all misshapen from Target.

[guppiecat]

I've never heard of smelting aluminum. I've heard of sparking CDs and making plasma balls out of grapes. Personally, I'd be curious as to whether you could heat brass to the braising point. If that were possible AND it didn't jump around during heating (due to sparking), certain types of sculpture would be far simpler than they have been in the past.

Regarding the hood, you could always run the microwave outside. That'd probably the safest way to experiment with it anyway.

[alisgray.livejournal.com]

http://www.hackaday.com/2005/01/24/microwave-oven-foundry/

Replacement Parts

[7ivy7.livejournal.com]

We need to do a better job. I don't know how to fix your microwave. No one ever fixes appliances now. It is cheaper to replace them. $25 vs. $35 to have a tech even look at it. All our used stuff ends up in landfills. Just wrong.

Re: Replacement Parts

[guppiecat]

Not necessarily wrong... it just means that there's a lot of cool stuff in landfills.

I'm thinking about taking a trip to my local landfill when it gets cooler. I have some projects in mind, and I might be able to find some nice free parts there.

(Were I one of those super rich people, I'd be buying up closed landfills in anticipation of when we have the technology to properly sort and recycle the useful stuff we're putting there now. We're basically building goldmines for the future.)

Re: Replacement Parts

[7ivy7.livejournal.com]

You think? Thanks for giving me hope.

[elneclare.livejournal.com]

Well I think I may have one other, then the Kenmore that I been thinking of selling to collector left in basement. Find me a working Frig in good condition and I have the nearly dead one too.

I just collect small Sunbeam's that are pre 60's and still in working order, from my family members. Free is always good, if I someday have to sell them.

[elneclare.livejournal.com]

Forgot to mention, that the Kenmore is a Dryer that I'm told still works.

Re: Replacement Parts

[alisgray.livejournal.com]

well, it is.

possibly I could find a platter at goodwill or ask for one on craig's list. I must admit it's not high on the list of things I really need to do.

I once fixed my toaster oven: http://sf0.org/alisgray/Debug-the-World/

[opheliac-9.livejournal.com]

We just moved our office down to a much smaller suite, and will likely have loads of stuff if you want it. I'll probably know by the end of the week (we're going to offer it to employees first, etc etc).

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

Maybe; I do need a flywheel, but I'm guessing that the bike's will be too heavy for my Time Machine.

I have to ask a silly question: if the bike had a pedal, would it get used? I know you've been riding around like crazy, so I suppose that an indoor bike would be a poor substitute. I'm just wondering whether it might make more sense to rehabilitate it than dismantle it; I'm happy to help.

In any case, thank you!

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

Tee-hee! Silly Mum; what I meant was that I should've been downstairs doing Useful Stuff.

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

Definitely interested. Care to e-mail me with time/place you'd like me to come get it?

Many thanks!

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

How would you feel about me removing bits of it (for my nefarious purposes, of course), childproofing it, and carrying it out to the trash? If that wouldn't offend you then I'd like the bits; I just don't have a use for the whole unit.

Thank you!

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

More caffeine is always in order. :)

They might be just the thing. Do you happen to know what failings sent them to the Island of Unloved Appliances?

Thank you!

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

Hmm. This would've been a good entry for me to use a "local" filter on. I'm assuming that you're still in MD, yes? That would be a bit of a hike for me, coming from Minneapolis. :)

But thank you!

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

Cool beans; I look forward to hearing more. Thanks for keeping me in mind.

It was great to see you yesterday!

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Could the trash you bring it out to be in Minneapolis? I live in St Paul now, and my landlady might get charged extra if they put something like that in our trash.

(St Paul is weird: homeowners have to arrange for their own trash pickup service with independent companies. No city-wide pickup except for recycling, and they don't do major appliances.)

Re: Replacement Parts

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

You can probably find plenty of microwave plates there, in the ones that got thrown out because they don't work, rather than because the plates got broken or something.

[elneclare.livejournal.com]

Yep still here in Maryland and wasn't sure how far you would be willing to come. But figure even if you couldn't use it due to distance, maybe someone else who does live nearby may need it.

[mrsmodew.livejournal.com]

I haven't a clue and totally forgot to ask Michael. I was wrong though, there are just two down there and I don't know what they are. I am so useful. :) I will try to point Michael in this direction tomorrow. He is at work at the moment.

[aelburr.livejournal.com]

Charmaine wanted me to comment on this as I guess I missed it before...

I have, due to laziness, a handfull of old appliances in the basement. I guess you asked what is wrong, but it might be easier the other way. I mean, we're not just talking about my own laziness here, one of them is an electric mangle.

Two more I can't say for sure what went wrong, but if it didn't ruin the surprise, I might be able to tell you if things you want are still working. For instance, the latest addition is a gas dryer that kept snapping belts, but the heavy-duty electric motor, the thermostat and other controlls, wiring and piping are fine. The case is a bit, well, fucked (I threw it down the stairs when I realized I'd have to take it apart to get it out the door) but even that could be banged back into shape. There's another washer and dryer that I've been using as a workbench, and I have no idea what, if anything is wrong with them apart from the obvious rust arond the edges. Then there's the mangle. It's an ultra modern version that folds closed and only a little rusty. Oh, and a fairly new water heater with a cracked tank. All the other bit on that are just fine. I'm just too lazy to haul it away, besides it exactly matches it's replacement, and some of those bits are expensive.

[aelburr.livejournal.com]

Oh, and an old Singer sewing machine that's functional but missing a few bits, an array of old pc and audio equipment, probably about eight miles of assorted wires and cables... oh, and a few old, but fully functional power tools (a drill press, band saw and some other stuff) out in the garage. I'm a sucker for stuff that was built to be repaired rather than thrown away... but have also been a sucker for much that's just not worth repairing, at least, not yet. BTW, I have a pick-up and can dispose of extra bits as well. There are assorted bicycle parts, (at least one complete) and... well, I'm getting ahead of my self as well as letting strangers in on one of my secret vices.

Like I said, what sort of bits are you looking for, I just may have something like that...