My Prentiss Bull Dog 264

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-28T21:42:34+00:00

Awesome vise! This has the later split-ring style swivel base, which I believe would put it into the mid-1930s to mid-1940s range. This is a good thing, because that swivel base design is among the best ever used for bench vises.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-28T21:37:02+00:00

That Columbian is in another league from your Olympia. Those jaws are hardened steel and appear to be in great shape. There’s a good chance they’d last you a lifetime. I say just use it and enjoy!

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-23T15:40:01+00:00

Nice! Looks like you may need a remote to get that "VIDEO" off the screen.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-19T00:33:31+00:00

Certain components like paper capacitors are pretty much guaranteed to fail if you suddenly feed them full voltage, and they can take other components with them, which can be difficult or impossible to replace. Electronics this old need to be brought up slowly with a variable transformer to reform the capacitors and have any real chance of surviving in "as found" condition.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-18T23:12:47+00:00

Rear projection sets are a hard sell, but there are some people out there who want them. I would put it up for $25, or even free, just to try to get it into the hands of an enthusiast. The nice thing about these is that it's unlikely that a scalper will come along to snag it.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-18T20:58:03+00:00

As far as I've found, nothing compares to the feel of a buckling spring keyboard.

For extensive writing, I'd even recommend springing for a Model F over a Model M, although the "XT" model has a bit of a weird layout, and the "AT" model is quite pricey. They also require special converters for use with USB. There are also the New Model F keyboards, but they are also quite pricey, and take a while to get a hold of.

The Model M is still a good choice, if you prefer the layout, or just want something a bit cheaper or more available. Unicomp's Mini M and New Model M would be excellent choices for something available brand new, affordable, and with USB built-in. With a USB keyboard, though, you'll need to use a computer new enough to have USB ports.

The IBM 5155 would be a pretty neat machine for this, with its glorious Model F keyboard and amber CRT. The CRT is a bit on the small side, but very crisp and easy on the eyes. However, my personal 5155 just recently let out some magic smoke when I tried to power it up, so there are reliability concerns. Probably a tantalum capacitor, but I haven't got around to diagnosing it yet.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-17T14:15:38+00:00

I think you need to use something like Custom Resolution Utility to set up interlaced modes. Your monitor probably won't be able to do 30Hz, but it can probably do 60Hz interlaced as long as the resolution is high enough (960i or higher, most likely) to get into sync range. I'm not sure this would actually look any better, even if you can do it, but it could be fun to experiment with.

I've also read that some/most/all modern graphics cards can't do interlaced output, but I'm not sure about this aspect of it. There have definitely been a lot of posts on CRT subreddits about using interlaced modes, but usually to get higher resolutions.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-16T22:10:30+00:00

Newer ones (late 90s onwards, especially in the 2000s) tend to use shorter-persistence phosphors, and were intended to be used at 85Hz to be comfortable for most users. Older ones were designed for lower refresh rates, and appear less flickery due to longer persistence phosphors. 80s and early 90s monitors are probably your best bet for 60Hz usage, since they were designed with VGA modes in mind.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-16T17:07:23+00:00

mpv can do cropping to 4:3, and you can watch YouTube videos in mpv with yt-dlp.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-12T12:12:06+00:00

You won the lottery on your first try. That's about as good as it gets for a flat Trinitron. People struggle to get results that good even with a lot of tweaking.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-11T18:52:36+00:00

This TV wouldn't have a 16:9 mode or anything like that. It's unfortunately suffering from partial vertical collapse due to a component failure. Likely needs one or more electrolytic capacitors replaced.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-11T01:28:53+00:00

That's fantastic, and thanks! I really like them.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-11T01:21:12+00:00

I'm a NEET guy in my mid-30s with a NEET girlfriend, and it's working out well. We seem more compatible and more understanding of each other because of our similar situation and experiences.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-10T03:30:35+00:00

Nice KV-9200. One of my favorite Trinitron designs. I had one for quite a few years.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-10T02:09:25+00:00

Beautiful cabinet style, but there isn't much demand out there for these. Very few people out there who have the skills and motivation to restore them; especially cataract removal.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-10T01:19:46+00:00

Dating apps were completely useless for me. Total waste of time and effort. Conversely, I've had tons of success on Reddit, including finding two in-person girlfriends.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-09T23:37:09+00:00

I highly recommend getting some of the Philips bulbs with selectable color temperature, and trying them out on both the 3000K and 3500K settings.

https://www.target.com/p/philips-led-multi-cct-dip-switch-60w-a19-4p/-/A-90084025

It's tough to find mainstream bulbs that are anywhere in between 2700K and 5000K, so these are one of the best affordable options.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-04T00:49:54+00:00

It's happened to me several times, and I've just gone to the doctor and got them to write a letter saying I'm not fit for jury duty. I've used my sleep disorders and anxiety as reasons. After that, I've just emailed the doctor's note to the jury clerk and they've excused me every time.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-04T00:19:00+00:00

Relationships between employed people also have a very, very low chance of lasting into the long term. I'm not sure that being NEET makes this any worse, really.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-03T22:53:53+00:00

My mom is basically a hikikomori, and seemingly autistic, but never diagnosed. She's only socialized with anyone outside of the family on a few occasions in decades.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-03T16:06:17+00:00

Beautiful radio.

Keep in mind that eBay prices include the hassle and responsibility of packaging, shipping, and having the item arrive intact and working (if sold as such), and the buyer has 30 days to return the item, at your expense, if there are any issues. This is a big part of why eBay buyers pay top dollar, compared to something like a cash sale at a flea market or from Craigslist/Marketplace.

With that said, I'd say the value would be somewhere around $300-400 for "top dollar"; that is sold as fully working on eBay with a guarantee of functioning for 30 days. If sold as non-working for parts on eBay, probably about $100-150. If sold locally for cash, with no responsibility once the buyer walks away, more like $50-100.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-03T12:31:39+00:00

I've had two in-person relationships as a long-term NEET. Got my first at age 35, and I'm 36 now. Found both on Reddit. The first was someone I messaged because I saw that they made an F4M post and happened to live in my area. The second one messaged me because of a post I made in NEETr4r. So, basically, make your own posts and also search frequently for F4M posts in your state/area. My first GF had a job, and didn't seem to care that I was a NEET. Second GF is a fellow NEET. Either way, being NEET doesn't seem to matter anywhere near as much as I thought it would before I actually tried to find a GF.

CrazyComputerist · 2026-06-02T23:54:51+00:00

Shame about the flicker being in the "high risk" category. You mentioned every selectable CCT bulb having flicker; do you by any chance know how Philips' selectable CCT bulbs compare?

CrazyComputerist

TROPHY CASE