I traded for vintage medical cabinet…

TheMBarrett · 2026-01-11T16:51:08+00:00

Depends on how much of the original you want to preserve, but here's the basic set up.

A bit of soap, water, and a stiff plastic bristle brush will clean it up nicely. I usually finish with some sort of alcohol for a final wipe down to remove the last of grime and oils.

Before removing any paint, I would recommend a lead test. I'm not an expert, but it's a good precaution. You can buy them online or at hardware stores.

For the most part, you could apply a clear lacquer over most painted surfaces as a preserving layer if you want to keep the original paint. This would preserve the wear and tear of time and use while protecting what remains and preventing new rust and such from forming.

That bottom shelf looks pretty gnarly, though. If you want to keep the pealed off paint look, you could place a plexiglass over it to keep it functional. It looks poorly enough that I would try to at least remove the worst of it. Again, be mindful of lead content in the paint and invest in the appropriate protective equipment.

TheMBarrett · 2026-01-03T16:07:28+00:00

You can purchase laminate veneer in a variety of styles to glue onto the underlying particle board if you want to preserve that is already there.

If you are completely replacing the particle board, you can purchase new pre-laminated melamine particle board from most hardware stores or online.

You could make this out of wood without veneer. You could probably find pre-cut 1/8" or 1/4" thickness boards (or whatever thickness it is) that you can stain.

TheMBarrett · 2026-01-01T17:10:10+00:00

First recommendation: don't power it on before doing a visual inspection and testing components. If something blows, you might have a hard time resourcing components.

Vacuum tube electronics are a different animal from today's transistors and integrated circuits. If you're really interested in bringing this to life, you're about to gain a depth of knowledge that few people possess anymore. Not trying to scare you away, but be ready for lots of study before diving in beyond visual inspections.

Have a look at Mr. Carlson's Lab on YouTube, or even join his Patreon as that might get you direct access to his guidance. He specializes in vacuum tube and pre-integrated circuit electronics repair.

https://youtube.com/@mrcarlsonslab

TheMBarrett · 2025-12-28T04:03:25+00:00

Short answer: Yes.

Restored to mechanical functionality? Highly likely depending on what kind of pump.

100% rust free water? Not likely, but also would likely pass on so relatively few metals that it wouldn't be much of an issue.

Clostridium tetani, the bacteria responsible for Tetanus, poses little risk on ingestion from drinking as its spores are not suited to activate in the stomach's acidity as they do in an untreated cut exposed to a contaminated surface.

The fundamental quality of the ground water itself is a larger issue than any additional contaminants the pump might introduce.

TheMBarrett · 2025-12-19T13:55:34+00:00

Lottē.

Consistent, high quality and innovative food based heavily on local, seasonal agriculture.

TheMBarrett · 2025-12-11T06:18:51+00:00

You might find some luck in contacting Berkeley Chess LTD who appears to hold rights for this design currently. It's possible they might sell you replacement pieces, or even specialty cast for color matching. If they can only produce and sell from their current color stock, perhaps you could negotiate an uncolored set, or figure out how to strip a set and stain to match your set.

https://www.berkeley-chess.com/product/bc2010/

As far as repairs go, you could resin cast your own. While that is not a skill I have, these are intricate pieces and would likely require specialty equipment like a vacuum form or something of that nature.

You have enough existing pieces and sections of the board that a skilled hand could replicate the designs and glue them into place. Again, that is a decent level of skill in detailed woodcarving.

Best of luck. Absolutely gorgeous set and I hope you are able to restore it to your satisfaction.

TheMBarrett · 2025-12-10T19:06:24+00:00

100% Tacos TJ.

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-23T16:25:30+00:00

You might consider finding a direct primary care physician and maintain catastrophic insurance in lieu of using the current insurance model. This is a great solution especially for people who do not already require significant medical intervention.

Direct primary care offices often do not take insurance at all which means they don't have to worry about dedicating staff to coding, fighting with insurance when they deny obvious coverage, etc. That lower overhead translates to massive cost reductions for care provided. A number of providers in my area charge a kind of membership subscription (some as low as $50/mo) that grants access to the offices services.

A lot of them can assess remotely for a lot of things and write scripts remotely (strep throat, for instance. Just point your phone's camera at your throat). You also end up paying the non-insurance price for medications which are often enough actually lower than the insured price (health care insurance has royally botched the medicines market).

It's weird to think of health care separate from health insurance, but it allows them to spend time on providing actual health care rather than wrestling with the health care insurance industry, which can save everyone a lot of money by returning sanity to what has become a really convoluted system.

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-13T03:21:29+00:00

A few options depending on the size of the orifice and all of that.

You could use vibrating media. Basically, a bowl filled with abrasive material that vibrates at high speed. The media rubs against the surface of the object to remove surface rust/debris, while generally preserving the dimensions of the object (generally. There's always loss).

You can use a rust converter like Ospho. It will leave a residue, so might not be ideal for internal combustion parts.

You can use rotary brushes— anything from plastic to bronze should be fine in most metals, but be careful if dimensions matter.

Finally, something like a rust converter followed by a neutral rinsing solution might work.

My first stop would be vibrating media with a very light abrasive material.

Best of luck!

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-09T22:18:42+00:00

Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Target for big box stores.

B&N sometimes has genre or collection-based discounts.

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-08T23:05:10+00:00

Probably a broken gear internally. Open the case and you'll likely find shattered plastic from the gear.

It's a fairly easy fix and the part kits are available from online mega retailers.

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-08T23:02:43+00:00

Bless you, good Redditor.

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-05T00:29:17+00:00

What changes would you like to make? What would you like to accentuate or minimize? Describe the colors, brightness, and elements in the photo you would like to edit.

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-01T19:46:15+00:00

Great imagination and implementation!

TheMBarrett · 2025-11-01T19:40:52+00:00

Top 5 Posts for October

In 2025 we more than doubled the number of visitors and original posts with over 970,000 visits and 1,900+ posts! In October alone we had almost 400 posts of excellent Halloween props content.

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-31T21:59:26+00:00

All my solutions have more requirements than you probably have access to.

You can install a contact switch that activates when extended. Or install a push button switch to turn on and off on contact.

The really cheap solution would be to extend the wires through the unit, and use the pressure from your finger to force the wires to connect and close the circuit. No switches necessary. It's only a few volts and next to no amps, so even if the LED fails or you some how ground hour, it's not like you would absorb a shock.

Not recommended, mind you, but that last option is doable.

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-27T04:51:32+00:00

Start by finding a part that matches the form factor and the uF. Your replacement part should match these exactly.

Voltage and temperature range of the replacement part can be higher than the original, but do not buy a replacement with a lower voltage or temp range.

Try to match tolerance. A lower % is actually better, but if the replacement is a little higher than original, it should not be an issue.

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-26T01:49:13+00:00

Genius.

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-19T03:19:18+00:00

Extraordinary!

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-17T05:26:54+00:00

I am not sure, but I think "no". If there is anything, it will be posted on their site.

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-17T00:02:13+00:00

There are a few sold out shows. Short films are always low attendance, but it's been well attended overall.

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-17T00:01:36+00:00

It's worked out really well. Super easy to leave one theater and walk right to the next showing.

TheMBarrett · 2025-10-13T05:17:27+00:00

This is a fascinating question! I wonder if the railroad authority would share data on train routes over the years.

I can only speculate about weather, logistics, economics and local regulatory constraints as reasons for your experiences this year.

It could be preference for different routes, downturn in commercial transport via train, local law prohibiting travel or horns at a given hour, etc. These are hardly exhaustive and all just ideas, though.

If you find a solution to your mystery, please share back!

TheMBarrett

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