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[crumbly65]

55 years ago or so, I bought my first car.  I was a callow 20 years old, and very pleased with my 2 year-old Ford Anglia 105E Super, with it's blue paintwork, cream flash along the sides, and lurid blue plastic upholstery.

My mother, long dead now, (who knew as much about cars and motoring as I know about genetic engineering), surprised me by buying me this Davenset Battery Charger.  It was either made, or supplied by, Partridge Wilson & Co, based in both Leicester in England, and Inverness in Scotland

2 weeks ago, a friend's Volvo XC60's battery ran flat due to lock-down lack of use.  55 years on, and the charger to the rescue!

Made me wonder what other tools and/or equipment are still in use, loved for sentimental reasons, and used, by Forum members?
 

[Dentman]

A great thread in the making here crumbly 

[Dentman]

 

[kev]

My late fathers' first job when he left school was at Patridge Wilson, in Leicester.

A bit more about the company here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partridge_Wilson_Engineering

[Dentman]

My late fathers' first job when he left school was at Patridge Wilson, in Leicester.

A bit more about the company here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partridge_Wilson_Engineering

All this history from a post about a Davenset charger! 
Partridge Wilson eh? the Elon Musk of his day!

[rosinante]

My favourite is my Entwisle and Kenyon steelrack instantaneous vice, a flick of the handle locks a piece of wood immobile,
Pictured is another I bought recently, the other is installed on my bench , weight around 50lbs, 12 inch opening , 9 inch wide jaws, date around 1890s ,
 

[crumbly65]

Fabulous stuff Kev - thank you! 

So Good to read about Partridge  & Wilson. Obviously a manufacturer of quality stuff. I've no idea where on earth Mum would have got the charger from, it must weigh about 10lbs, can charge at either 6 or 9 volts, on trickle charge or high, and can be wall mounted.

And thank you Dentman. In these lockdown days, I hoped a thread about old kit might be interesting......

[g6anz]

I bought my first car, a Morris Minor, for the grand sum of £60. My parents then got me a socket set. It is an unnamed brand but is still doing sterling service after 45 years.

[andrewR]

I recently used my Grandfathers old stamp set on my chassis ...
https://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/index.php/topic,467.msg34517.html#msg34517

[Wittsend]

By coincidence I have a battery charger bought by my mother for her Austin Allegro (bought brand new in the ealry '70s).

The blue Selmar unit in the bottom of my picture.

The top red unit I bought for my MG in the late '60s.

Both chargers still work well.

However 
These old school chargers can/may overcharge the new technology lead/calcium batteries - which charge from alternators at 14.5 volts.
OK, for dealing with a flat battery, but not recommended to be left for long periods on a modern battery.
The life of the battery will be reduced if it is constantly overcharged.

The modern smart chargers from places like Aldi & Lidl are much better for today's batteries.
 
The old type chargers are good for powering derusting & electrolytic plating cells.

A good excuse to show off my 2 old chargers 

[Robin]

The old type chargers are good for powering derusting & electrolytic plating cells.

Also useful for boosting a 'dead' battery for a few minutes so the smart charger can detect it 

[diffwhine]

I have a Morrison 1943 punch which has been serving diffwhines for three generations at least. Judging by the symbol and the date on it, one of them or perhaps somebody before that must have relieved it from the military at some point.
No idea what grade of steel its made of, but its as hard as a hard thing - I've never even dressed the tip and use it all the time. Things were made proper in them days even if there was a war on...

[geoff]

^^^ Wot no mushrooms 

[ian_1968]

I have the same charger.

[diffwhine]

Absolutely no mushrooms - I'd better go and check my hammer... Maybe the mushrooms are there.