Ahh man I miss Popular Mechanics!!
I was raised on it. I learned to read so I could decipher the captions as I was looking at the pictures long before that, and wanting to know what the hell they were talking about.
The shop editors were some of the heros of my life.
30's
Clyde Lammy - What a class act!! That guy could build a precision milling machine out of 2 of model A rearends and a used washing machine.
The 30's and 40's were the heyday of PM in its most glorious, to me that is. Before this they were still great, but the fine points of tuning a Studebaker, 2 horse drawn shay, were a little lost in the times.
30's and 40's were no holds barred though. When you could get a Southbend lathe for less money than an anemic 1/4" electric drill.
And everyone who was reading was expected to keep up in a world where there were no limits to what you could make and do for yourself.
I was turned down a couple years ago for an article because it included parts you couldn't go to Home Despot and buy off the shelf. Nothing a total ***** can't buy is welcome in today's climate.
No scrounging, no repurposing, no fabrication of any serious kind.
Consumer goods from something with Mart in the name, is all they will print now.
50-60's
Wayne Leckey - This guy was a little more wimp-i-fied, but could still rebuild a B&S in a blindfold with a sore arm. And he had Glen L. , greatest boat designer who ever came down the pike. Oh I know, there are plenty others, but few others who could figure it all out and get it to float and perform well, look good, on a tight budget, and do it all this month before the next issues deadline.
The 1952 golden anniversary issue has Winston Churchill and Thomas Edison just to drop a couple names. It was a tour de force for its day.
Then..... the worst times.
In this issue........
How to stand in the line like a veal, and --buy-- stuff.
Duh!
No meaningful advise or repair or maintenance of anything, just more and more and more consumer comparison shopping.
Kissing up to the advertisers in the back of the book with no shame at all. Most modern publications do this so badly nobody even notices anymore. Its considered ordinary business to round up advertizers products and play with them, neatly covering the pages with lots of color product photos so the ads at the end don't seem quite so glaring.
Shopping mall psychology curls my teeth.
When Rosario Campotosto took over briefly, it was better, but only for a little while.
They squeezed poor Rosario out way too quickly.
And back to your home shopping network.
Of course I miss Mechanix Illustrated terribly too.
Tom McCahill was a smart, funny guy. He wrote most of the magazine and used ridiculous pen names like Manly Bannister and such. Mimi was always darling or at least as cute and 1963 had to offer.
Comes down to this. Any ***** can sign a check.
But, I live for practical information on getting what you already have to perform and perform its best.
Taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary.
Taking the life you are given, and making it museum grade.
Show me a guy who stands on his own two feet, and then helps others to stand on theirs.
This is the man I want to know.
yours Scott
