Retro Thing

Torturing Turntables At Burning Man

Create Digital Music just posted one of the strangest turntable reviews I've ever seen. DJ Eldorado wasn't content to lounge around the house, wander to the local record shop, or go clubbing with his Numark PT-01 portable turntables. Instead, he decided to put them through their paces by DJing at Burning Man. In the middle of the scorching hot Arizona Nevada desert.

His verdict: "Using the PT-01s in the desert was a dream. The dust covers kept them clean while packed away in my tent and they were easy to grab, setup and spin due to their light weight."

The PT-01 was part of our Affordable Turntable Roundup a few weeks ago. Don't let its diminutive size and price fool you: This is serious gear.

Numark PT-01 desert turntable torture test (createdigitalmusic.com)

Mamod Steam Engines

Steam engines are magical. They're also increasingly rare. That's part of what makes Mamod steam toys so much fun. Their vehicles are completely piston driven; no batteries or wall transformers here. To ensure that things stay fun they burn easy to use solid fuel tablets and have safety valves to control boiler pressure. Oh -- they also have working steam whistles that just beg to be pulled.

This engine is the £250 ($450) William locomotive. It's the only train in the Mamod collection; their other steam vehicles are cars, traction engines, buses, fire engines, and a steam roller. Mamod has been manufacturing toys for over fifty years and it shows: these vehicles are almost 100% metal and should last a lifetime. My Mamod steam roller is over twenty years old and still looks almost new.

Mamod steam toys (Mamod Ltd.)

Moleskine Mischief: Hacking the Unhackable

This Moleskine notebook was owned by painter Vincent van Gogh. I've raved about oilcloth covered Moleskines in the past; they're built to last and incredibly useful.

Thankfully, many others agree with me. Several websites dedicated to improving the Moleskine user experience have sprung up, offering clever ideas and modifications to get the most of your mild mannered notebook.

Here are a few links to get you started on the path to Moleskine enlightenment:

More Moleskine Hacks (43 Folders): tips and tricks from a self-proclaimed "multiple-Moleskine nerd."

Loose Wire's multi-tab Moleskine hack; adding sections to help you organize the disorganized.

Writing tips for Moleskines (also by Mike Shea, but this cool little pdf of tips is a must-have for every writer).

All about Moleskine: Wikipedia serves up more than anyone in their right mind needs to know about Modo & Modo's little gems.

There are probably hundreds more, but these are the ones I've stumbled upon and enjoyed. If you know of others, leave a comment. Now if only I could find my notebook under the pile of junk on my desk...

Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984

Supercade is the 448 page brainchild of Van Burnham, a self-professed videogame junkie and contributor to WIRED magazine. This tribute to the golden age of videogaming is a couple of years old, but remains worthy of mention. It's crammed full of photos, screenshots, and snippets of information on hundreds of games. Burnham designed the book herself, making it a Herculean one-woman effort. Distributed by MIT Press, this is one videogame book no old-school gamer should be without.

As an aside, Burnham owns three NES consoles, two Colecovisions, arcade versions of Robotron, Joust, Omega Race, Donkey Kong Junior (my fave), the 1971 classic Computer Space, and dozens of others. She needs our support, lest she run out of quarters or electricity.

Supercade:  A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984 (MIT Press, via Amazon)

Free Intellivision Games

I have videogames on the brain today, courtesy of half an hour spent playing Galaxian. With that in mind, allow me to introduce The Mattel Intellivision -- the world's first 16-bit game console. I was never a big fan of it's awkward controllers and bank machine-like membrane keypad, but the console (and its descendants) remained on the market throughout the 1980s.

I rarely get to hawk free stuff, so this is exciting -- If you'd like to take a few Intellivision games for a spin, check out the free Mac & PC downloads from Intellivision Lives. They offer three free Intellipacks, featuring games like Astrosmash, B-17 Bomber, Skiing, and Space Spartans.

Of course, their evil plan is to make you want more. To that end, they offer reasonably priced Intellivision (and Colecovision) game packs for PC, Mac, Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube and mobile phones.

Free Intellivision game downloads (Intellivision Productions, Inc.)

Radiomann Tube Radio Kit

Kosmos Radiomann kits were first introduced 70 years ago. A lot has changed in the world of technology since 1935, but you can still build an updated version of the German original. It comes complete with glowing vacuum tube and wooden case. Because you construct it yourself, the set can be quickly modified (instructions for over 30 experiments are included). The unit is battery powered so you don't have to worry about accidentally zapping yourself with high voltage, and can be configured to receive AM and shortwave broadcasts.

I hate to reveal my top-secret sources, but I found the Radiomann while thumbing through the latest Hammacher Schlemmer catalog. So much for the Retro Thing mystique.

Kosmos Radiomann kit (Hammacher Schlemmer)

The Perfect 16 mm Movie Camera

I know perfection is subjective, but the Aaton A-Minima is a brilliant little movie making device. It weighs a mere 5lbs, somehow appears classic and bleeding-edge at the same time, and shoots top-notch Super 16 images. Of course, perfection has it's price -- a basic A-Minima costs around $15,000. If you find the price tag shocking, consider that most other professional motion picture cameras run $50,000 plus. Very few indie filmmakers actually own equipment like this; it would be financial suicide. Instead, they rent the best gear they can afford and shoot quickly.

The A-Minima accepts 200 ft (60 m) spools, giving just over 5 and a half minutes of shooting time per roll. It's quiet enough to capture synchronized sound, and light enough for a lone cinematographer to handle without  a crew. This makes it a popular choice for documentaries and hand-held shorts.

Just in case you're wondering why you'd go to the trouble of shooting film instead of HD video: It looks absolutely stunning in comparison. Super 16 transfers extremely well to digital (for editing), and it offers considerably wider exposure latitude than video. Besides, it already has the "film look" that videographers are always trying to imitate. By the way, if you're feeling generous, I'd love one for Christmas.

A-Minima Super 16 motion picture camera (Aaton)

Rotring - German precision writing instruments

Rotring was founded by Wilhelm Riepe in 1928. The Hamburg-based company initially made stylographs, but eventually became famous for their impeccable technical drawing pens and pencils. In case you're wondering, Rotring translates literally to red ring -- the trademark flash of color that sets these writing implements apart from others.

This is a Rotring Newton, available as a fountain pen, roller ball, ballpoint, or (recently discontinued) 0.5 pencil. Sadly, it is the pencil I covet most. For some odd reason, it tamed my meandering scrawl into something legible, artistic and organized. No mean feat. Priced from $30 to around $100. Your Moleskine notebook will thank you.

Rotring writing implements (Rotring)

60 mpg From A Stock BMW

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the diminutive BMW Isetta -- introduced over 50 years ago -- managed an incredible 50 to 60 miles per gallon. Following the devastation of WWII, there was a need for affordable and efficient transportation in Europe. Italian designers unleashed the incredibly successful Vespa motor scooter, along with an odd micro car called the ISO Isetta. After creating a sensation at the 1953 Turin auto show, German manufacturer BMW licensed and mass-produced the tiny machine in several different two and four seat configurations. BMW went on to produce over 160,000 of these strange little machines between 1955 and 1962. Sadly, it became a victim of booming worldwide economies -- with money in their pockets, buyers migrated to more expensive traditional vehicles.

The original BMW Isetta 250 was powered by a modified 250 cc BMW motorcycle engine capable of reaching a mere 85 km/h (52 mph). The little 2-seater was followed in 1956 by a 300 cc model, and a 600 cc 4-seater became part of the family in the late 1950s. A mere 34,000 4-seaters were produced, in part because of stiff competition from the VW Beetle.

Today, Isettas remain popular collectors items. And -- if fuel prices continue to climb -- a new generation of micro cars might soon reach the shores of North America.

Isetta photos, info, and links (Isetta Source)

Extend Your Computer's Life

I'm on the verge of needing a new computer. Unfortunately, the idea of losing a day or two while setting up a new machine fills me with dread. PowerLeap might be my savior. They offer a range of modern processor replacements for less-than-new machines. Their top-of-the-line upgrade is a 3.2 GHz module for computers that can't quite handle the latest generation of hyper-threading Pentium IV processors. It sells for $249. They also make less expensive models for older Slot 1, Socket 370, and Socket 423 systems.

Not sure what you need? PowerLeap's site includes an online hardware scanning utility that checks your machine and suggests suitable upgrades. They also have an online chat function so you can sanity-check your choice before purchase.

I'm planning to purchase a unit that should boost my machine's performance by about 30% -- enough to ward off replacement for a year or so. Check them out; one of their upgrades may be the perfect way to pimp your almost unpimpable ride.

PowerLeap processor upgrades (PowerLeap LLC)

Ultra Low-Cost Electronic Energy Meter

Every once in a while something incredibly cool hits my inbox. This is one of those times. The UPM EM100 is an unassuming little energy meter (I was going to call it a 'black box,' but it's white) that plugs into a standard household outlet. Once installed, it quietly tracks the amount of energy used (in kWh), accumulated operation time, and other useful stats. Information is displayed on a rather slick LCD display.

The best thing? It costs a mere $25. A friend picked his up at a Canadian Tire superstore, but the UPM site hints it's available all over the place. Here's your chance to find out just how much power your ancient RCA TV gobbles. Finally, you'll have hard numbers to show how much you'll 'save' by replacing that clunky old 19" woodgrain TV with a shiny LCD panel. Just don't blame me when the credit card bill arrives.

UPM EM100 Electronic Energy Meter (UPM Marketing Inc)

Canuck Bike Trailers

Canadian bike trailer maker Wike manufactures a line of top-quality, affordable trailers. Part of their secret is that they sell direct. The other part, I suspect, is that as a small business they focus more on substance than style.  A few bicycle magazines have compared their products favorably to industry-leading Burley -- quite a feat in this crowded market.

Their cargo trailers caught my eye immediately - not sure I'd use one for towing a lawnmower, but it sure would be nice to be able to carry a thing or two back from the shop sometimes. Worth a look if you're hunting for a way to make cycling more convenient, especially in the wake of zillion-dollar fuel prices. The model shown is the $314 Wike Moonlight.

Wike Bike Trailers

Vinyl to USB Interface

I have to admit something. I threw out most of my vintage LPs during a move four years ago -- a fit of momentary insanity that I've regretted ever since. The flip side of this tragedy is that many others are doing exactly the same, and affordable record collections regularly surface at garage sales and flea markets.

Once you've (re)built your vinyl collection, the big question becomes "How do I get this stuff into my computer?" Terratec has a great solution. Their 100 euro ($130) Phono PreaAmp Studio USB is a little box that contains a phono preamp, an extra line in (for cassette players or what-have-you) and a USB output. When connected between your turntable and computer it automagically creates digital backups of your classic LPs, 45s, and EPs. The package thoughtfully includes Sound Rescue, a sound restoration package that removes pops, crackle, rumble, and hiss.

USB to vinyl interface (Terratec, available worldwide)

Kitchen Utensils That Should Never Be Combined

Sometime in the late 1970s, my parents replaced all the spoons and forks in our house with Sporks - half fork, half spoon, and one third knife. Thankfully, the family's enthusiasm died out within a few weeks and we went back to eating with our fingers.

Reevo at Ektopia caused the preceding traumatic flashback by posting a piece about this Pizza Fork/Cutter. The manufacturer proudly harps about the new-found ability to "Slice and eat with the same utensil! This time-saver cuts through pizza crust, forking up bites and delivering them right to your mouth! Great for other pancakes and waffles too." Given the number of times I've accidentally stabbed myself in the mouth with a fork, there's no way on Gaia's green Earth that I'd be willing to bring this spinning wheel of steel within a foot of my eye sockets. But it's clever, nonetheless.

[Nov 2007 update: It seems to be out of stock everywhere I look. The company must have succumbed to a bout of blade-related lawsuits.]
 

Vintage Project Plans

Right then. It's been brought to my attention that we don't feature enough metal forges or flat bottomed fishing boats on Retro Thing. In an effort to correct this shocking oversight, here's a link to vintageprojects.com. This place is a goldmine of projects and plans taken from magazines of the 1940s and 1950s. Quite a brilliant idea actually, wait until copyright expires and make them available to everyone.

You'll find a repeating 5-shot crossbow (perfect for declaring war on neighboring castles), a backyard coal-burning shop forge, mini bikes and classic scooters, lathes, guitars, and a wicked-looking snow sled (above). Be sure to contact me if you start forging beautiful scooter-mounted Samurai swords in your spare time, OK?

Vintage project plans (vintageprojects.com)