Nice Story Jesse. Kenny Skye ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jesse Livingston" <fernj1@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 4:17 PM Subject: [modeleng] Re: Is this a record? >I have a pocket calculator I used for many years at the sawmill to >determine > the downtime etc. This was a daily thing and when I left the mill I kept > the calculator, a Sharp, and used it at home. After 20 some years I > decided > that maybe I ought to replace the battery/s so I took off the back. > Amazingly, it still had the original Chinese made AAA batteries in it and > still worked perfectly so I sealed it back up. It is somewhere in the > mess > on my computer desk, but I know not where so I had to zip off and purchase > a > new calculator yesterday. The new one has larger numerals which help my > nearly 80 year old peepers and is fueled by a solar cell, but other than > that, I had rather have the old Sharp with its antique batteries. > > Speaking of watches, my parents gave me a Wyler Incaflex wrist watch just > before I went into Uncle Sams service during the Korean mess. A nice > watch > it is/was, but while at Ft Jackson, it needed cleaning so I took it to a > jeweler. After I got it back, it would suddenly gain 10 or 15 minutes. I > came home on leave about that time and told my father what it was doing. > He > said there was an old machinist!! at the railroad who was good with > watches > so with misgivings I let him take it to the old fellow, a Mr. King, who > was > self taught in watch work. When I got it back, my father said that > whoever > had cleaned it had left out a thin washer from the works and that allowed > a > couple of the gears to bypass each other. I wore the watch when I left > the > Army and immediately went to work at the railroad as a machinist > apprentice > (It helps if your father is assistant Master Mechanic) After a while the > watch got dirty so I handed it to Mr. King for a cleaning and it came back > running perfectly. Over the years Mr. King cleaned the watch about once a > year, but then he died. It needed cleaning eventually so I took it to > three > different "watchmakers" and they could never get it to run more than a few > days. It was sort of like the Grandfather's clock that ran 100 years > until > the old man died and never ran again. > > Jesse in windy and cool Troy, TN USA > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Phill Smith" <steam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 6:56 AM > Subject: [modeleng] Re: Is this a record? > > >> I'd call that a win!! >> I don't think there's much chance of that record being beaten..... Ever. >> I >> wonder how/if it could be recorded in the Guiness Book of Records.... >> >> >> Cheers, >> >> Phill. >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Clif Walker" <clif.gwr@xxxxxxxxxxxx> >> To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> >> Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 4:39 PM >> Subject: [modeleng] Is this a record? >> >> >>> HI All, >>> As it's a bit quite at the moment, a bid for a record. >>> >>> Somewhere about 15 years ago I won a small Transistor Radio in a >>> competition. It was the type where it has one battery for the Radio >>> Section and another watch type battery for a small digital clock. >>> >>> The upshot is that after initial use the radio got relegated and then >>> never used and the 9 volt radio battery removed to stop corrosion. >>> >>> The other day when looking for something else in the workshop, the radio >>> surfaced. To my amazement the clock was still going. The digital figures >>> are getting a bit feint but the time was still correct. >>> >>> So the watch battery must have been going for at least 15 years. >>> >>> Is this a record or can somebody beat it? >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Clif >>> MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. >>> >>> To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, >>> modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the >>> subject >>> line. >> >> MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. >> >> To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, >> modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject >> line. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.103/2378 - Release Date: > 09/17/09 > 06:18:00 > > MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, > modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject > line. MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.