[BC] Where old TVs go...

[SHAFFER, RANDY L]

>On Thursday 30 June 2005 11:31, Jerry Mathis wrote:
>> 1. TV's were more costly back then, and worth repairing. If it broke down,
>> it usually ended up at a repair shop. If it was decided not to fix it, the
>> TV shop junked it.

Fred replied -
>And 'junking' it *didn't* mean just throwing it out.  I can remember helping 
>my Dad do this as a kid.  Power xformers, tubes, pots -- there was a 
>veritable king's ransom of useable parts in there!  We'd even save the AC power cords. 
(snip)

Fred, that brings back memories. :)  My dad put up TV antennas and at times people would buy new TVs, get the antenna installed and then need to unload their old TV. My dad would bring them home and we'd take them apart. He still has lots of the stuff stacked on
shelves in his basement. We always had problems with the old picture tube. He knew it was dangerous and wanted to "defuse" it.
The method he used was to sit the tube in a box outside of his workshop, then take a metal shotput and fling it out the window
until the tube was hit at the correct spot to implode it.
Years later in my HS electronics course, I was taught the proper way to "defuse" the tube and couldn't believe how easy it was. I took care of the procedure after that and still do it for him at times. He's graduated to radio and TV transmitters now. :)

Randy Shaffer
WLYH-TV/WHP-TV
Harrisburg, PA 17110