Going, Going, Gone....... Ebay is officially retail.

I am not new to the Ebay scene. I started early on with the website and its massive appeal back in 1999. While I wasn't smart enough to buy stock or work as a janitor for this company, I was keen enough to recognize a great thing when I saw it.

Ebay used to be the epitome of fantastic online deals, the world's largest virtual flea market, where nearly every purchase made you feel good about logging on and bidding. The excitement of the bidding was only outweighed by the occassional loss to a last-second sniper bid or perhaps slight buyers remorse on a product that you probably didn't actually need.

On rare instance, some items would be vastly overpriced due to the seller's greed or simple misunderstanding of the market value, but that was certainly the exception. Now with most sellers fronting their small business marketplace models, the opposite pattern is true, nearly all auctions are at retail prices. I search nearly every single day on Ebay for one thing or another, usually niche antique pieces with plenty of supply and the auctions are always indentical. Overpriced, retail junk.

Due to Ebay's marketing of business models and its own greed for hefty fee collection, it has transformed this one appeasing online bazaar of savings into nothing but a store front company. In most cases, usually more than 90%, you can actually purchase new items from Amazon cheaper than you can from Ebay once you pay for the ridiculously over-priced shipping charges from most sellers.

It is sad to see it go, but Ebay will not last at this rate IMHO.
People will grow tired paying retail and simply move on to a better designed auction model for their purchases. A simple place where they are still in control of market demand, prices, and yes, somewhere where they might actually get a good deal on something for a rare change.

Thanks for the memories....

The path & the past. (1931 Delco)

I vacillate between hobbies & interests from year to year, sometimes even season to season within the same year. Over the last 12 months, I have stuck with vintage fan restoration for some strange reason. This is probably the same handy nostalgia that keeps me pegged with pocketwatches, vintage tractors, visiting old trains and the hope of having a Model A Ford one day. This is unconventional thinking for an engineer in their mid 30s with no obvious link to rural America, nor family members who share any similar interests.

Yes, I would say that I am linked to the past, and I am an old soul. I truly believe that your DNA code is not only a map of who you will be, nor what you will look like physically, but a covert payload of memories, interests & stories from your past ancestors to which to learn. This gift is a transparent treasure box or time capsule that will release its historical contents to those willing to listen & take the time to learn from those memories.

I believe that while living in the present is good, learning & appreciating the marvels of the past is also just as amazing. I enjoy trying to comprehend how those who came before us with no Internet, no google search engines, nor any ability to communicate with the masses were able to invent the items that revolutionized the world & led us all to the discoveries that we take for granted each day.

I also see a simplier time. A time with less grandeur, less comfort, but more dedication, self-responsibility & solid work ethics. I try to emulate the basics of those principles today in my life.

I discovered another antique fan this past weekend and somehow it made it to the top of the proverbial list of patients (victims) to be restored. We were antique shopping in Denham Springs and finally found a shop willing to bargain & completely enjoyed the experience.

After a complete disassembly, cleaning, lubing, rewiring, sanding, polishing & painting --- it is good to go. Nice, strong 80 year old fan. Amazing.

PATIENT:
1931 DELCO 12" FAN
DIAGNOSIS:
Still Working but slow & rough.

PROGNOSIS:
Will make a nice Christmas gift. Who?

PICS:


Before Pic - 1931 Delco Fan

Emerson Northwind Fan Restoration

Here is another completed fan. I finally got spun back up (LOL) to action with fan restoration after taking a brief break from the hobby. I have several more fans to finish, and I intend on finishing all of the them before November.

Fan restoration process: I am not a hardcore professional restorer. I don't have the shop nor the sand/bead blasting tools, nor a pro paint shop to truly make these units "factory new" or better. I am truly envious of the true professionals out there who astonish me every single time I gaze into their work. I aspire to one day have the tools and time to improve my trade to learn from the true masters!

My restoration process is more of the home craftsman grade. I disassemble all of the fans completely. I clean every single part, bolt, shaft, bushing & blade by hand. After de-greasing and inspecting all parts, I move on to the electrical side. I create a custom diagram and electrical schematic for each fan. I use my Fluke meter to calculate & test all of the components and resistance/flow readings through the circuit. I then replace all wiring with period-reproduction wire & resolder all connections to the newly cleaned speed coil and switch unit including feed wire from base to motor and base to AC input. After replacing the plug with a period-replacement unit, I test the electrical.

Once cleaned, the parts all get painted and all metal polished and buffed.
The fan is reassembled and usually after a few adjustments & proper oil treatment, they power back to life!

I still find it incredibly fulfilling to start a fan that has been dormant in the basement cellar or attic, rusted & neglected for over 6 decades and inject new life into it.

One thing about my restorations: I always leave some original wear, patina and age on my work. It reminds me that you can never reinvent the past, nor take away the process nor influence of time. It allows me to retain & respect the character & history while at the same time restoring these little marvels of American culture.

EMERSON NORTHWIND 450 G:

This little guy is a Emerson Northwind 450 G model. This letter suffix places the fan date somewhere in the early 1920s. Even by the "cheap fan" standards compared to other fans in that era, this is miles beyond any modern product in both overall quality and craftsmanship.

It is an absolute truth - They just don't make em like this anymore. :)



Emerson Northwind 450 - Before Pic



Emerson Northwind 450 - After

 

 

 

 

Early Morning Deer Encounter

 

Spotted this young fawn with its beautiful & protective mother this morning out on a walk near the property.
Only had my short zoom Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 lens mounted, so I literally had to wait until we were only about 20 feet
apart to capture this image. Lots of patience and a quiet, perhaps trusting morning gave way to a nice encounter.
Looking forward to more chance meetings on this relaxing journey in the Hill Country of Texas.

Emerson 29648 Anitique Fan - Finished

 

Finished my 2nd vintage fan. Going to donate this one to a silent auction for Gulf Oil Relief to be held by New Orleans Jazz Festival Foundation. All proceeds from this 1921 Emerson 29648 fan will be donated to support the rehabilitation of our precious Gulf wildlife impacted by this traumatic BP oil spill. It is a small part, but something dear and near to my heart as a native of Louisiana.

I hope small efforts by millions of hands can help restore, rehabilitate & prevent future disasters to our precious and invaluable ecosystems.

My 2nd victim!!!

My 2nd victim patient has arrived!!!