OFF Western Electric - 19" Rack

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old_borg

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I somehow ended up with two of these. Rough descriptors would include: big, heavy, grounded, rolling, and most importantly, free.

Cabinet measures 22" W x 24" D x 60" H. Base is 24"x30".

PXL_20210926_171610105.jpg

Can be picked up in Texas (zip code 75149).
 
The million dollar question; did it have any WE gear inside? (Back story please:))
It is pretty cool BTW.
 
The million dollar question; did it have any WE gear inside? (Back story please:))
It is pretty cool BTW.
Nothing directly audio related, sadly. Picked up some 60's test equipment from the world of TV broadcasting. After confirming that these were no longer being used I've carefully been stripping them down for parts. (Anyone need capacitors btw?)
 
Nothing directly audio related, sadly. Picked up some 60's test equipment from the world of TV broadcasting. After confirming that these were no longer being used I've carefully been stripping them down for parts. (Anyone need capacitors btw?)
WE capacitors are usually desirable. Not sure if the shelflife or longevity all together comes into play as much as other old caps.
 
WE capacitors are usually desirable. Not sure if the shelflife or longevity all together comes into play as much as other old caps.
There's a market for everything. Sprague manufactured the WE electroytics I have - they haven't been tested under voltage, but my LCR meter shows they're still within spec.
 
Oh man. That's classic / beautiful. I wish I could pick it up. My Dad worked for Western Electric his whole career. Well, then AT&T, then Lucent,...
So I'm always looking at WE stuff to make him proud that I got something related, for nostalgia's sake. He's in his 80's now and was quite surprised to hear about the whole topic of NOS tubes in general and especially how much the old (original) WE 300B's from the Kansas City plant now sell for! I'll be happy one of these days to just find some vintage speaker wire ripped out of an old theater (or from some unused spool) and send him a picture of it. I hear rumors that it's good sounding stuff too..
 
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Oh man. That's classic / beautiful. I wish I could pick it up. My Dad worked for Western Electric his whole career. Well, then AT&T, then Lucent,...
So I'm always looking at WE stuff to make him proud that I got something related, for nostalgia's sake. He's in his 80's now and was quite surprised to hear about the whole topic of NOS tubes in general and especially how much the old (original) WE 300B's from the Kansas City plant now sell for! I'll be happy one of these days to just find some vintage speaker wire ripped out of an old theater (or from some unused spool) and send him a picture of it. I hear rumors that it's good sounding stuff too..
It's been interesting learning about WE. I grew up behind a facility where WE/AT&T manufactured power supplies (post tube era). In elementary school we took a tour of the facility when it was Lucent - really can't tell you what we saw, I just remember the excitement of not being at school. Everyone I've ever met who worked for WE and its later iterations have a lot of pride in the work they did - it's cool to hear that your dad was a part of that team!
 
Thanks! Yeah he was quite a part of that team.. As a kid I always thought it was strictly a telephone company, and that the 300B's were repeaters/boosters for loooong runs of copper telephone wires. I didn't know about WE amps until I got into stereos. It turns out that Bell Labs pretty much designed basic amp designs that we still use today (as far as I understand it).
Regarding where you grew up, - it sounds like you're talking about the Merrimack Valley Works plant?.. Or maybe Chicago? But I'd guess North Andover from what you described.
 
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Correction on the initial work of the plant, it produced ESS (Electronic Switching Systems) equipment. It was called the Dallas Works plant: Dallas Works Memorial-Western Electric
I actually worked there from 1991 to 2001 including a stint starting up a factory in Qingdao, China 1996 to 1999. When I came in 1991, ESS equipment were manufactured in the Oklahoma Works and Columbus Works. Dallas Works specialized in Power Systems. The plant built all types of power transformers, rectifiers, inverters, converters, power supplies, battery plants.... for Western Electric/AT&T/Lucent needs. In 2001, it was purchased by Tyco - remember them?
 
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It's been interesting learning about WE. I grew up behind a facility where WE/AT&T manufactured power supplies (post tube era). In elementary school we took a tour of the facility when it was Lucent - really can't tell you what we saw, I just remember the excitement of not being at school. Everyone I've ever met who worked for WE and its later iterations have a lot of pride in the work they did - it's cool to hear that your dad was a part of that team!
"Post tube era" - Yeah, Shockley changed the world. Much for the better (and in terms of Moore's Law which still seems to hold up to my surprise, and delight re: my iPhone), but tube-heads that like to listen to music still appreciate the old-school magic. That was my Dad's surprise. "Tubes? People are still using tubes?"..
 
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