Icy-Ball Operation

I read through that paper on the icy ball. Very very interesting. I've only seen two of them (Travis's friend has them) and I've always wondered how they worked / if they worked well. Looks like it could keep a cabinet between 40-55 on a hot summer day between 80-90. What surprised me is that that the 55 degree temperature was when the unit was being heated and was out of the cabinet for 1.5 hours! The antifreeze solution must have been necessary due to the lack of refrigeration during the heating cycle. So quaint and cool. You can make 1 tray of ice per day!

The military played with them in the 70s as a method to provide refrigeration in remote areas. Here's a report: www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/782118.pdf

The local refrigeration shop "RSD" has a small collection upstairs. It includes a very nice Icy-Ball set up. It is in very nice shape, but apparently I neglected to get a shot of the outside. It pretty much has everything. Oh, and they also have a the GE Scotch Yoke manual too. Pictures on the drive:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0leHj0_q8TrelBibWNkMmg3RVE

I wish they had more interest.  I've been going in there for over a year- I'm the weird refrigerator guy.  I always try to illicit some interest in the subject, but I usually get nowhere.  I evern took a stack of old books in and lent them for a while; I don't think anyone looked at them.  I believe whoever collected this stuff is probably dead now.  I often tell them to form a real museum out of it, but so far nothing.  I'll have to take a picture of the service equipment display next time I'm in there.  There is one guy at the counter who is slowly working on a Frigidaire W model, already in beautiful shape.  It needs a new compressor.  I told him last week to join the forum.  I'll harass him again this coming week as I need parts to fix a 1947 Crosley Shelvador my buddy just got- the overload is cutting out, and I suspect it may be low on charge, but not sure yet.  Anyway, I was talking to Kevin today and said I need MT forum cards to hand out in those occasions where I'm trying to tell people about the site.  He said he has thought the same thing, and that we should make ones up that any member can get printed.  I know you guys did stickers, but a little promotional card could be helpful.  I ran into two guys yesterday with MTs.  One was probably a CK, although he wasn't sure, and I didn't have time to talk, and the other was an FEA.  I recently had cards printed on Vistaprint for my "business", and they turned out really nice. 

It's an interesting idea, but in my part of the world there just isn't the interest in vintage refrigeration, and the olde worlde appliance shops that used to exist (including one that I tried to prise a CK-2 out of) have all disappeared over the last 20 years.

Indeed.
I used to know of 2 stores that had a balltop on display back in the '70's.

I returned to the stores later at different times, no one there even remembered them, let alone where they went or if they had become available. (They both originally wouldn't even consider parting with them).
I had hoped they had been moved to storage and maybe would sell......