Nina KalininaMar 8

I'm sick (again!), and so I'm reading old magazines as a comfy way to spend time. I have procured scans of 1961's magazines (that's 65 years ago!), and will share some interesting findings in this thread.

The Workbench magazine features a DIY ukulele on the cover, that sounds... incredible? I wonder if the instrument itself sounded good. We'll find out, I guess?

Show threadNina KalininaMar 8
"Workbench" features a catalogue of patterns for sale, from "unusually cute designs" to "electroplating baby shoes" and a gun RACK (edit: it was a gun rack!). I wonder if baby shoes must be in a "never worn" condition for this to work.
Show threadNina KalininaMar 8
After all, who wouldn't want a DIY transformer, right?
Show threadNina KalininaMar 8
We're back to the ukulele-making article! Now I know why I'd want to have a bandsaw in our local hackspace, huh.
Show threadNina KalininaMar 8

Aha, they're using pre-made fretboard. I imagine making a decent fretboard is probably one of the biggest challenges in making an instrument like this?

Surprised that strings and pegs were considered "difficult to obtain"

Show threadNina KalininaMar 8
Darn, I take my words about "fretboard is the most difficult part to make" back. They're making the ukulele body by steaming the wood and forming it in a mold.
Show threadNina KalininaMar 8
At least one mold sandwich is needed to build this ukulele. The pattern is relatively simple.
Show threadNina KalininaMar 8
I don't know what I like more: a DIY Shoji lamp or a Custom TV Kit....
Show threadNina KalininaMar 8

A toy house presumably large enough to fit two kids for $1? What's the inflation-adjusted price.... $10? How did they make it work? There's no way in hell I could buy a mass-produced plastic thing like that for $10 today. What...

Oh, is it like, poles and cheap printed textile? I bet it was....

Or maybe it was $100? %) Not sure. It says it was $3.98 and now just $1...

Show threadNina KalininaMar 8
A "Quickee" or a hand-held two-way radio? Why not both?!
Show threadnotsoloudMar 8
@nina_kali_nina
I read it like the radio outperforms email 😆
Show threadNina Kalinina
@notsoloud I bet it does!
Mar 8 at 12:12pmWeb