Space heaters.

[Wild Root]

Words of caution taken into account and I deeply appreciate them but, you guys know full well I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t keep anything in my collection that I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t use. I use as much of my collection as I can. No room to keep a static display and say: Once upon a time...

It does have its original cloth insulated cord which I find very attractive. I wouldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t think of changing it for a plastic modern job *shutter*. The cord does get some what worm and the plug gets worm too but, like I keep saying, it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s plugged in for only 10-20 minuets because if I kept it on for longer, it would get too hot in the room! It creates a heat ray that can be felt from 5-6 feet away!

I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m not afraid to use it, I figure out that if I am to lose my entire collection because of a fire, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m sure it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s going to happened vintage heater or not. Earthquakes do start fires too if the gas line is ruptured. So, no one?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s safe in life. Yes, it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s silly to some to increase the chances of something happening but, I haven?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t been met with such bold objections to using a simple heater since I posted it here. All my other friends don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t find it a serious risk and if it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s used responsibly, proves to be a good source of heat. I have a wall mounted gas heater I use to heat most of the house but, my room isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t part of it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s heating list. I must use something to heat my room! I would love to hook up my old coal burning Potbellied stove and use that but, that isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t going to happen as long as I rent a home.

I guess I just will have to suffer and catch a cold because every thing that causes heat is a danger to me and my life.

Bombs killed WAY more lives then any stupid space heater could!

Love ya guys!

=WR=

 

[Michaelson]

Bombs killed WAY more lives then any stupid space heater could!

Love ya guys!

=WR=

I was talking about your reference to atomic bombs. Not so, but go your own way, WR, and best of luck.

Regards. M

 

[Wild Root]

I was talking about your reference to atomic bombs. Not so, but go your own way, WR, and best of luck.

Regards. M

Hey Michaelson, I didn't mean any disrespect to ya I just know that out of the two "A" bombs that were dropped that ended WWII ended thousands of lives wich I'm sure will exceed the number of lives lost in space heater related fires.

How is it that I have friends here that use original untested heaters and never have problems with them?

Please understand that I'm very touched with all of your concern for my well-being! I don't want to sound ungrateful or sarcastic to those who care. I am grateful for your thoughts.

Mary Christmas,
=WR=

 

[BellyTank]

I am grateful for your thoughts.

Mary Christmas,
=WR=

Who's Mary Christmas?
Jesus' Mum I guess(..?)

Careful with that heater Peter!

B
T

 

[Wild Root]

Merry Christmas then

And I'll take great care with my little heater.

=WR=

 

[Wild Root]

The heaters!

These are the heaters! The GE electric spot heater, my 1930's Potbellied Stove and the natural gas heater that came with the joint. The gas heater is the work horse, the GE is the heater that I use in cold rooms and the Potbellied Stove is just for fun since 1989. Love to get that working some time in my life!

=WR=

 

[Andykev]

AHHH That thing looks like a fire waiting to happen.

Look, put on a wool cap, a nice sweater, your fuzzy slippers, and get a warm beverage of your choice!

Use one of those newer space heaters that is sealed with oil and looks like a radiator. Supposedly much safer. I have used the kerosene burning ones in a garage and aircraft hangar, those puppies have "open flames". Very dangerous, and not for indoor use. The one like you just bought has a red hot element, which is extremely dangerous. And Michalelson is correct, those braded cords are death. Not on old radios or a fan, but that heater pulls a lot of amps.

Exercise care. And zip up that sweatshirt!

 

[BellyTank]

Marry Christmas then

And I'll take great care with my little heater.

=WR=

It's 'Merry' Root.
You just can't be too careful brudder.

B
T

 

[Sefton]

Another kind of "Heater" that'll warm up a room....

...sorry,couldn't resist that one...

 

[BellyTank]

Nice one Sefton!
A little less dangerous than 'Roots though to be fair.

Hairy Spliffmuss!

B
T

 

[Michaelson]

I've 'heated' with a pot belly stove. They don't warm more than a single room, and it's not that good a radiant heater either (I burned coal too!)

So as neat as the potbelly looks, give me a firebrick lined 'Warm Morning' coal stove anyday...and it's period correct to boot!

Regards! Michaelson

 

[BellyTank]

We had a functional pot belly stove in my childhood house- and depending on how well yer house is insulated, it should heat more than one room easily. Ours was WAY hot. Ours had a wet-back too- plumbed in to heat the water- very good indeed. We used to burn timber in it- when I was young and foolish, I stoked the stove up, cranked open the door and flu dampers and the flu (6" stainless steel tube)began to glow red, then orange, then my Dad came in to the room and got pretty scared...

B
T

 

[Dr. Shocker]

you know guys I live on a boat and space heaters are a fact of life.......not to many boats come with thermostats.....hehehe......common sense is the key......now I need to go look for one of the 40's ones we hd lying around hope it didn't fall in the drink

 

[HistoricDetroit]

Restoration is always an option...

Root, are you familar with this site: http://www.vintagefans.com/ ?

If not, be sure to take a look some time. If it's in your budget, perhaps you might consider sending your unit in for a restoration, at least mechanical if not cosmetic. At the very least, I would have these folks replace your old cord with a new, and far safer, reproduction cord. Or if you're handy, you could order a reproduction cord and plug from one of the several companies out there that produce them and do it yourself.

I may be fairly new around here, but I already look to you as an authority figure on all things vintage. I really enjoy your posts, and don't want them to stop because you were deep fried like a lobster...

Matt

 

[Wild Root]

If it isn't broke, why fix it?

I give up. You all can think I'm insane but, that's not going to change anything. I'll burn to death happy.

=WR=

 

[Mycroft]

I give up. You all can think I'm insane but, that's not going to change anything. I'll burn to death happy.

=WR=

And in style. Anyhow, it sounds cool (I mean hot ). What is there area covering and max-tempature?

 

[Wild Root]

The max temp? Well, I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t know how to measure that seeing I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have a thermometer handy. It is known as a ?¢‚Ǩ?ìSpot?¢‚Ǩ? heater and heats a spot of the room or a small room entirely. Its concave dish with the copper or brass plating reflects the heat into the room and can keep me worm from about 6 feet away! I only use it when it gets chilly in the house and well, it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s more of a novelty to use in CA. I love the smell of it when it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s on! Just so old fashioned I can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t stand the thought of not using it. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m trying very hard to have no modern appliances in my house other then the PC. When I get my own place, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll buy a vintage gas stove and a vintage monitor top refrigerator for the kitchen!

Vintage his my way of life.

=WR=

 

[Section10]

I've never owned a little electric heater like that, but I've heated PLENTY with old fashioned oil space heaters and wood. In all that time I can only recall 2 incidents -- neither which was the fault of the stoves.

We had an oil space heater hooked to the chimney with a 6" stovepipe and in the summer the chimney swifts kept getting caught in the chimney and winding up inside the idle stove. A few times they'd escape into the house and a filthy sooty bird flying everywhere tends to set the wife's teeth on edge so I made up a wire mesh cover for the top of the chimney. Well, trouble was I forgot about it and when we started up the stove in the fall, the screen plugged up and really filled the house with soot and smoke. My fault.

Another time I was carrying out the wood ashes in a bucket and stumbled in the back shed and a hot coal fell out and rolled into a corner and started a small fire. I caught it soon enough, but it had potential to become serious. An accident.

I'd say there's lots of things to be afraid of in the big old world but you don't really need to add appliances to the list. Be vigilant, be careful and use your common sense. If your life is enriched by using this thing and if you're not breaking the laws of God or putting anyone else in jeopardy, then go right ahead. All of life's a gamble and although we can minimize the risks, we can never eliminate them entirely -- and I'm not so sure we'd want to.

 

[Wild Root]

I've never owned a little electric heater like that, but I've heated PLENTY with old fashioned oil space heaters and wood. In all that time I can only recall 2 incidents -- neither which was the fault of the stoves.

We had an oil space heater hooked to the chimney with a 6" stovepipe and in the summer the chimney swifts kept getting caught in the chimney and winding up inside the idle stove. A few times they'd escape into the house and a filthy sooty bird flying everywhere tends to set the wife's teeth on edge so I made up a wire mesh cover for the top of the chimney. Well, trouble was I forgot about it and when we started up the stove in the fall, the screen plugged up and really filled the house with soot and smoke. My fault.

Another time I was carrying out the wood ashes in a bucket and stumbled in the back shed and a hot coal fell out and rolled into a corner and started a small fire. I caught it soon enough, but it had potential to become serious. An accident.

I'd say there's lots of things to be afraid of in the big old world but you don't really need to add appliances to the list. Be vigilant, be careful and use your common sense. If your life is enriched by using this thing and if you're not breaking the laws of God or putting anyone else in jeopardy, then go right ahead. All of life's a gamble and although we can minimize the risks, we can never eliminate them entirely -- and I'm not so sure we'd want to.

Amen!

Great stories there bud! I have thought about getting an old oil burner but, I lack the fireplace or the hearth for it. If I ever own a home with a fireplace, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢d hook up that old Potbellied of mine!

Your philosophy is just how I feel! Yes, why ad more risk to life when you can play it safe and not use something 70 years old but, what the heck!

I have enjoyed cleaning this little guy up and plugging him in and smelling the old heater heat up. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a very pretty heater at night in a dark room! Makes heat and plenty of soft orange light! It makes a guy feel cozy!

Like I mentioned earlier, I have very little carpet and no drapes in my house. There is no insulation in this drafty old place ether! So, if a spark happed to fall on to the floor, it wouldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t do anything but die-out. I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t keep it on long enough for it to ignite the cloth insulated cord ether.

=WR=

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Never say never....

Thank you guys for caring. And yes Bob, it doesn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t get too cold here in CA that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s why I keep telling you guys I only use it to take the bite off the room. When ever I use it, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m right there, never leave it unattended. I never have any flammable substances around I plug it into it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s own socket in the wall, I never have many things running at the same time to cause a short so, rest assured my fine friends that Root will be safe and sound for many years vintage heat or not.

Fires happen and the cause of them can be many different things. People can be vary careless and that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s how fires start with heaters of any variety. Some one will turn it on and just leave the room wile not realizing it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s too close to a pile of clothes or the drapes or, maybe a small spark comes off of the coils and starts the rug a blaze. Most accidents happen because of neglect. Heck, I had a friend demonstrate a 1928 Atwater Kent radio once for a customer. He played it for a wile and then turned the volume down for a minuet. Well, things got busy and he forgot that the radio was still on. He left for home and came back the next day to his shop to smell a very strong smell of burning tar. It then dawned on him that he left the radio on. He shut it off before anything major happened. The radio was toast because the tar in the filter capacitor box was melted and so were the components. That radio was just seconds from becoming a fire! He was lucky and learned a lesson with out serious loss other then ruining a 70+ year old radio.

Life is dangerous period! Blenders, radios, toasters, vacuum cleaners, TV?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s, lamps, heaters and fans can short out for what ever reason and be potential electrical problems. I use vintage appliances every day and find they are better made then our modern equivalences. A friend told me that his family buys a blender every two years. He couldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t believe I have a 60+ year old blender that works like new!

Please don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t lose any sleep over me using a vintage heater gents! I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m a very responsible vintage appliance user. One of my best friends only uses vintage appliances and has for over 10 years and he has never had any fires! Lucky? Maybe, but things happen to people that will never happen to some. Just the curious way life works.

Be well gentlemen,
=WR=

That thing looks like a freakin' flame thrower to me....