I guess they must've been a strictly U.S. phenomenon. The Fahnestock Electric Company (New York) owned the patent on them. They seem to be out of business now, however, so I wonder if the clips are still being manufactured by anyone.
In a relatively recent Micro Mark catalog, they had some for sale. The caption was "Bet you didn't know they were called Fahnestock clips" (or something like that). So yes, I know what they are (but not how to pronounce). I'm under 50, do I win a prize?
Look what I found down in the basement today. No idea how old that scope is but we plugged it in and could see a nice 60 Hz AC signal. Sorry I could not get a better close-up but if you look close you can make out that they have Fahnestock stamped across the top.
Now for you old guys over 50 (I'm only 48 1/2) what are all those big orange glowing things inside that case?
Heater, that scope is a real antique. I'm afraid that when one of the tubes blows that will be it for that scope. Still pretty cool to crank up for the young guys to see. I would like to compare it side by side to a PropScope. Tektronic 310 ~30 pounds, single input, no auto range, no memory, no capture, needs to be calibrated. PropScope 3-4oz, dual input, auto range, memory, capture, hard copy, and can fit in your pocket. This old scope does do one thing better as you know, it can warm the whole lab if the furnace goes out.
Erco, I made certain to point out the Fahnestock clips to the youngsters just for you. They thought I was crazy before, now they know.
I would not worry so much about the tubes, spares can still be found. I would imagine that any electrolytic capacitors in there will cause trouble first. Tubes are actually quite long lived. A couple of years back I came by the chassis of a medium wave radio from the late 1940's. After replacing all the big dried out capacitors the damn thing worked!
Years ago I had a big brother of that scope, scrounged for £1. I think it was a 547. Huge beast. The cat loved to sleep on it when it was fired up. Sadly I had to part with it when my junk collection overflowed the house.
I used that type of scope in college studying Physics at the University of Illinois back in 1980. The undergraduate labs had all kinds of older, but still working perfectly, equipment. I bought this one around 1984, when I was working as an engineer at a flea market for $20, if I remember correctly. It has worked flawlessly since I have had it. I only use it to show what the old stuff was like. I had no idea there were collectors of these things. I guess you could find a collector of anything. This one is serial number 694 no manufacturing date that I could find.
As to the junk overflowing the house, thats why I had to buy a bigger house.
@JonnyMac said:
As a kid I bought lots of them from a ham radio shop where I could get most of the electronics parts I needed -- back in the early 70s.
stares I confess I never got that far in my wanderings into electronics. But I recognized the thing almost immediately. Okay, now what's the prize? I'll take two weeks anywhere for it.
Odd. It wasn't four families of bobcats in the backyard of Parallax, it was six families, and a fair distance away a family of mountain lions.
Found this in the library around third or forth (pun intended) grade. All the rest followed from there. A great example of said clip can be seen on page 119.
@sylvie369 said:
Yeah, that's what they make me think of as well. And those light bulb sockets with the screw terminals on the sides.
I use them (The Fahnestock clips) a lot and provide them on the ozark patrol radio kits i send out.
Oh and i also have a few of those lamp sockets, a couple of the dual pole dual toggle knife switches as well.
( gawd you wouldn't believe some of the $h!t ive hoarded over the years)
Comments
-Phil
http://cgi.ebay.com/LEAD-FREE-fahnestock-clips-crystal-radio-science-fair-/300499504973?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f72a8f4d
Duane
Now for you old guys over 50 (I'm only 48 1/2) what are all those big orange glowing things inside that case?
Jim
Why those would be tubes. Or valves as us Brits say. I am so jealous of you having that. There is a reason I call myself heater.
Erco, I made certain to point out the Fahnestock clips to the youngsters just for you. They thought I was crazy before, now they know.
Jim
I would not worry so much about the tubes, spares can still be found. I would imagine that any electrolytic capacitors in there will cause trouble first. Tubes are actually quite long lived. A couple of years back I came by the chassis of a medium wave radio from the late 1940's. After replacing all the big dried out capacitors the damn thing worked!
That scope would blow the PropScope away in some applications, literally. Read what is said about using it with Tesla coil experiments here: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/scopes/tek.html
Years ago I had a big brother of that scope, scrounged for £1. I think it was a 547. Huge beast. The cat loved to sleep on it when it was fired up. Sadly I had to part with it when my junk collection overflowed the house.
As to the junk overflowing the house, thats why I had to buy a bigger house.
Fahnstock clip prices have skyrocketed right inline with Bitcoin. I should have invested 11 years ago when we started this thread!
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=Fahnestock+Clip
I think my model train set had those on the transformer
Holy Cow! We used to get them for a dime at Radio Shack.
Like this
Those clips are still $0.33 each at Newark electronics, 96F960
As a kid I bought lots of them from a ham radio shop where I could get most of the electronics parts I needed -- back in the early 70s.
stares I confess I never got that far in my wanderings into electronics. But I recognized the thing almost immediately. Okay, now what's the prize? I'll take two weeks anywhere for it.
Odd. It wasn't four families of bobcats in the backyard of Parallax, it was six families, and a fair distance away a family of mountain lions.
Found this in the library around third or forth (pun intended) grade. All the rest followed from there. A great example of said clip can be seen on page 119.
https://google.com/url?q=https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Technology/The-Boy%27s-First-Book-of-Radio-Morgan-1954.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj8mcmhqOHzAhVeIDQIHR0YCK0QFnoECAoQAg&usg=AOvVaw1rUnJE2ROVmaM6A7c0Kz0u
In the early 70s the Ontario (CA) Public Library had a copy of that book that I read through many times.
I found my copies of his books in the public library system in Westchester County, and also read through many times.
And there are now a big wet mess of a crowd on the lawns at Parallax.
My introductory book to electronics was 1943's "Elements of Radio" by Marcus & Marcus, I still have my Dad's well-worn textbook. Just found it online at https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Technology/Elements-of-Radio-Marcus.pdf
Way back when "to-day" was hyphenated! Yes kids, I'm so old I can't risk buying green bananas.
I use them (The Fahnestock clips) a lot and provide them on the ozark patrol radio kits i send out.
Oh and i also have a few of those lamp sockets, a couple of the dual pole dual toggle knife switches as well.
( gawd you wouldn't believe some of the $h!t ive hoarded over the years)