What's This? (Difficulty = 1.5)

[cabinetman]

An electromagnetic induction overunity cold fusion free energy tesla machine? (Can you tell I am out of semi-intelligent guesses and the suspense is killing me here?)

BZZZ - Wrong answer - but is that the one that John Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt invented? (I think I got his name right)

controller for an electromagnet?

BZZZ - Wrong answer - Get control of your electro's and try again

Electro shock therapy unit.

BZZZ - Wrong answer - What can I say?

[JR]

An electromagnetic induction overunity cold fusion free energy tesla machine? (Can you tell I am out of semi-intelligent guesses and the suspense is killing me here?)

Good guess. I'm pretty sure if there had been one of those on the original Star Trek series this is what it would have looked like!

[430752]

Ohhh, Ohhh, I got it!

Try telling me I'm wrong on the following, Mr. Smart Guy!

First, it is something old.

Second, it is an electrical device.

Third, it is something which contains a vacuum tube.

Fourth, it is something which is the subject of much guessing on the BT3Central forums.

I got 'em all right, correct?

now, beyond that, we have a vacuum tube, a dial, a push button buzzer/switch thing, but that white thing on round object on the top of the platform, can't figure that out. So, I'm at a pure guess. Either a telephone or an amplifier??????

- Curt J.

[LinuxRandal]

Well you shot down a ham radio, and said that these are popular now, so that eliminated my guess (which would have been around the whatchmacallit timeframe), of a crystal radio. Who uses those now?



So I am gonna guess (and a popular one) "bloody annoying".

[backpacker85]

ten-speed cocktail mixer (and if it's not, I'm gonna need one anyway)

[cabinetman]

Do ya-all want to know or you want to keep guessing?

[TheRic]

....
now, beyond that, we have a vacuum tube, a dial, a push button buzzer/switch thing, but that white thing on round object on the top of the platform, can't figure that out. So, I'm at a pure guess. Either a telephone or an amplifier??????

- Curt J.

The white thing on the round object is a switch. As in a light switch in your house. You turn it half way, light goes on, turn it half way again (same direction) light goes off. Spin it the wrong way and the knob unscrews.

Have remodeled old house that had them in.

[TheRic]

Do ya-all want to know or you want to keep guessing?

I'm willing to keep guessing, but would like some USEFUL clues.

[backpacker85]

how about a pic of what goes on the end(s) of the two smaller leads?

[radhak]

a. A 'Power Strip'?

b. Manual power 'generator'?

c. Portable music player?

[Copper]

Hmm... A dimmer switch? Then again, I'm pretty dim myself...

[TheRic]

What I think I know about it:

The top knob will vary the power going out

The switch turns the whole unit off and on

There are two wires for power coming in

There are three wires leading out to........

You can pug something into it, looks like a old two prong receptacle

The doorbell button is used as a quick test, verses keeping the power on??? Guessing on this one.

[25]

Doorbell? .

[LinuxRandal]

What I think I know about it:

The top knob will vary the power going out

The switch turns the whole unit off and on

There are two wires for power coming in

There are three wires leading out to........

You can pug something into it, looks like a old two prong receptacle

The doorbell button is used as a quick test, verses keeping the power on??? Guessing on this one.

What about the white knob and tube looking screw leads on the end, under the light/tube?

Does that knob in the center have holes in it, as it appears?

[backpacker85]

I'm thinking the white knob is on/off for the "machine", and the doorbell charges the output/leads.

two screw-in fuses, and what looks like a receptacle I think is a meter, with the needle centered.

....but then my eyes may be nearly as old as this gizmo....