# Porcelain



## FaultCurrent (May 13, 2014)

Beautiful stuff, represents the outstanding quality of products we used to make in this country.


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

bigredc222 said:


> I got these porcelain fixtures out of a department store in Phila that was built in the 20s.
> The department store has been long gone, and it's been offices.
> It looked like the last time it was remodelled was maybe in the 80s.
> It has 9 floors with a tenth that's only about 6' ceiling with 3' concrete beams you have to duck under.
> ...


 I understand perfectly, regarding the porcelain keyless, as I have one just like it.
I've been working on many old homes and never saw one like it. I removed it from an old home that was being raised. Naturally, it had K&T wiring. I also removed a few split knobs as well.
It doesn't appear that polarity can be maintained, as it can be mounted either way.


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## bigredc222 (Oct 23, 2007)

> It doesn't appear that polarity can be maintained, as it can be mounted either way.


If you look on the mounting bar the porcelain has a little nub sticking up on the right side, that makes it so it can only be mounted one way,


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

*Porcelain keyless!*

I still have it in my possession. I'll look at it again.


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## dielectricunion (Nov 29, 2012)

Pretty neat! I love finding old fixtures, hardware, etc.

I wish the manufacture of durable goods still existed! The engine of global capitalism today definitely has its downsides


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## bigredc222 (Oct 23, 2007)

Think about if they perfect the 3D printer to the point that it can make 20% of the cheap stuff you buy, and they are cheap enough that most people can have one in their house.
You would go on line pick what you want, and that company would send your 3D printer all the info it needs to make the product.
Imagine if it eliminated just 20% of the cheap little stuff that people make, that would put millions of people around the world out of work.
I think it's going to happen, not in my lifetime, but sometime in the future.


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## dielectricunion (Nov 29, 2012)

bigredc222 said:


> Think about if they perfect the 3D printer to the point that it can make 20% of the cheap stuff you buy, and they are cheap enough that most people can have one in their house.
> You would go on line pick what you want, and that company would send your 3D printer all the info it needs to make the product.
> Imagine if it eliminated just 20% of the cheap little stuff that people make, that would put millions of people around the world out of work.
> I think it's going to happen, not in my lifetime, but sometime in the future.



It's going to be interesting, because that will be something accessible, eventually


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

dielectricunion said:


> Pretty neat! I love finding old fixtures, hardware, etc.
> 
> I wish the manufacture of durable goods still existed! The engine of global capitalism today definitely has its downsides


The pull switches were common in the older construction, like very early 1900's, but the porcelain keyless, was a new one on me. The porcelain keyless sockets that were common, back then, were a porcelain socket, mounted on a 3-3/4 or a 4" octagon box cover. Many times, instead of terminal screws, they had flexible leads, permanently connected.


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