Goodwill Score!

zackesch · Sep 17, 2013

My jaw dropped with what I saw at goodwill sitting in with all the other electronic items. TWO GRAYLAB TIMERS!

zsas · Sep 17, 2013

C'mon don't tease like that....what was the final bill for that great find?

zackesch · Sep 17, 2013

Sorry, firefox crashed on me before I was able to edit.

They were going for 4.99 Each. Sadly, one was in pretty bad shape as it looks as it was stored in a garage. The one I picked up has rust forming on the sides and back, and the switch faces show some rust too. The dremel and a wire brush will make the switches look good as new.

zsas · Sep 17, 2013

I've got one of those too with a ton of rust on it....works good as new...I like to think of it as patina

Congrats on the haul!

zackesch · Sep 17, 2013

hmm, ok. perhaps I should pick the second one up if its still there. Every now and then there will be some nice stuff at goodwill. Waukesha is the richest county in Wisconsin, and their goodwill's show that. There have been coach purses to new, pricy clothes with tags still on, gps's that are a few years old.

The one thing I CANT find at goodwill and its bugging me is a slide projector. I see Kodak carousels by the rack full for a buck but no projector... I have been checking antique shops and no luck either.

BTW zsas, good view on the rust spots. I just may leave it the way it is for character.

zsas · Sep 17, 2013

Just wait patient....one day you'll find a slide projector for next to nothing. Been looking for years for a working-rock-bottom-price-one (I didn't need one, I wanted one ).....then this summer it happened....last few hours of a garage sale...projector, tons a carrousel....$2....

Keep looking....one day

zackesch · Sep 17, 2013

I dont need one at the moment. I have my first two rolls of slide that I have yet to shoot.

ToddB · Sep 17, 2013

Nice score..I once saw a Pederson developing tank at goodwill. Sadley.. I didn't have any cash. Diffently worth stopping by those places.

ToddB

E. von Hoegh · Sep 17, 2013

zackesch said:
hmm, ok. perhaps I should pick the second one up if its still there. Every now and then there will be some nice stuff at goodwill. Waukesha is the richest county in Wisconsin, and their goodwill's show that. There have been coach purses to new, pricy clothes with tags still on, gps's that are a few years old.

The one thing I CANT find at goodwill and its bugging me is a slide projector. I see Kodak carousels by the rack full for a buck but no projector... I have been checking antique shops and no luck either.BTW zsas, good view on the rust spots. I just may leave it the way it is for character.

The weekend before last I found a Kodak Carrousel 850 on the free table at a yardsale, along with two slide carrousels. I was walking, so I had to carry it about 3 miles but it lit up and worked as new when I got it home. Judging by the look of the filament and the clearness of the glass, the bulb - 500w - is near new, and the 4"/2.8 lens is spotless.
They're out there, just keep looking and you'll find one.

Edit - Those Gralabs are just dandy. I bought a well used one back in the 80s and it's still going.

summicron1 · Sep 17, 2013

carousel projectors are practically a stock item at Deseret Industries in Utah .... and i once found a Leitz Focomat Ic enlarger, with lens, for $35.

It takes determination but the stuff is there.

Marvin · Sep 17, 2013

zackesch said:
hmm, ok. perhaps I should pick the second one up if its still there. Every now and then there will be some nice stuff at goodwill. Waukesha is the richest county in Wisconsin, and their goodwill's show that. There have been coach purses to new, pricy clothes with tags still on, gps's that are a few years old.

The one thing I CANT find at goodwill and its bugging me is a slide projector. I see Kodak carousels by the rack full for a buck but no projector... I have been checking antique shops and no luck either.

BTW zsas, good view on the rust spots. I just may leave it the way it is for character.

I found a Carousel Projector at a church yard sale for $2.00 took it home and it works even had a good lamp.

Sundowner · Sep 17, 2013

zackesch said:
BTW zsas, good view on the rust spots. I just may leave it the way it is for character.

Just so you know: old acetic acid stop bath makes a great rust remover/converter.

Tom1956 · Sep 17, 2013

Speaking of my own experience, beware of actually using a Graylab on your enlarger. I have 2. One I got brand new in 1975 or so. Experiment and be sure that the enlarger brightness does not flicker in brightness as the timer runs. Both of mine do, even after a thorough interior cleaning and adjusting. The flickering is very destructive to print exposure accuracy. Now I use them strictly as chemical timers and such. I do not trust a Graylab on an enlarger at all. In 59 minutes time measured against a watch, they're not even particularly accurate and can be off by 2-3 minutes by the time the hour is up. But I'm talking about the only 2 I have to lend testament by. Nice find though. They're still handy.

zackesch · Sep 18, 2013

Thanks for the tip Tom. I intend to use my gralab as a chem timer. Up until now I have been using a timer app which is nice, but not preferred. I have a time-o-light gr-72 as my enlarger timer, which is as big as a timer I can fit on my printing/supply rack.

Goodwill Score!

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