A frig or a safe-not sure

Diver1111 · 09-24-2018, 06:46 AM

Found this off West Welch Island in 61 feet; really can't tell if it's a safe or a frig; if it's a frig it's built like a tank and would stand at least 5 feet high-that would be some frig; the lower part of this thing has some odd stuff suggesting a frig but a safe could have something similar depending on its level of sophistication.

https://youtu.be/cIsviGSYoeA

joey2665 · 09-24-2018, 07:36 AM

Looks like a very old fridge to me. especially the bottom access section for the mechanics

8gv · 09-24-2018, 07:48 AM

Yes. It is an old gas refrigerator.

Many pics of them can be found on google.

The center compartments are for ice trays.

Did you find the sandwich I left in there?

ApS · 09-24-2018, 08:35 AM

Advise Geraldo Rivera!

jbolty · 09-24-2018, 08:39 AM

was thinking some sort of vending machine but for sure not a safe since it has a compressor in the bottom.

Descant · 09-24-2018, 02:01 PM

Looks like a fridge to me. Probably being transported to/from an island and fell overboard. In the 50's when people were doing a lot of their own barging in small boats and homemade rafts, that was an occasional event. I remember one that looked like it was made out of aircraft wingtip tanks. Of course, the people who scuttled old boats perhaps did the same with old refrigerators.

Slickcraft · 09-24-2018, 05:20 PM

My wife saw a boat and dive flags just off the point on Welch she thinks yesterday. Looks like a large fridge. It could have come from most anywhere accident or not. No, we never had a fridge that big nor a gas fridge. Honest!

skprbob · 11-10-2018, 03:53 PM

It is a gas refrigerator. Gas mechanism at the bottom wit an ice tray rack at the top. The frame at 2:09 shows the manufacturer's name as "SERVEL" - a very popular brand of gas fridges in its time. They were built like tanks and very heavy and awkward to move.

Top-Water · 11-10-2018, 06:45 PM

Amazing that you spotted that, in the blink of an eye you miss it.

Thanks for taking the time to post exactly when to look.

Diver1111 · 11-11-2018, 04:20 PM

Thanks for clarifying it. Any idea what year this beast was made?

Senter Cove Guy · 11-11-2018, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skprbob

It is a gas refrigerator. Gas mechanism at the bottom wit an ice tray rack at the top. The frame at 2:09 shows the manufacturer's name as "SERVEL" - a very popular brand of gas fridges in its time. They were built like tanks and very heavy and awkward to move.

Very nice pick-up Skprbob. No door on it I think is a clear indication that it was meant to end up on the lake bottom.

Top-Water · 11-12-2018, 10:53 PM

Surprisingly they also made kerosene versions, this could be one of them. Of course all speculation but........ depending on where it came from. The possibility exits that if it came from an island that had no gas or electric service 50-60-70-80 years ago, kerosene could have been an option, to keep the beer cold.

Some History ???? Possibly

worth a $100.00 Don't tell FLL about the "Servel Action Committee" recall.
http://www.warehouseappliance.com/?t...85539780934d28

Sadly a lot of dead links at this site. (still under construction)
http://vintageservelrefrigerators.com/

Grant · 11-13-2018, 12:35 PM

My guess is that this was found not far from the red buoy on the west side. There's a substantial scattering of junk there. On one dive I did there about 17-18 years ago, one diver brought up a beautiful old brass voltage meter. It was the size of a school wall clock and mounted on a circular marble base. Surprised he didn't need a lift bag to bring it up -- sucker was heavy. I remember him saying it was at around 50-55' and there were a bunch of great junk piles in the vicinity. I've wanted to go back there for a while. Cool find.

09-24-2018, 06:46 AM	#1
Diver1111 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Exeter NH Posts: 602 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,032 Times in 227 Posts	A frig or a safe-not sure Found this off West Welch Island in 61 feet; really can't tell if it's a safe or a frig; if it's a frig it's built like a tank and would stand at least 5 feet high-that would be some frig; the lower part of this thing has some odd stuff suggesting a frig but a safe could have something similar depending on its level of sophistication. https://youtu.be/cIsviGSYoeA

09-24-2018, 08:35 AM	#4
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,918 Thanks: 2,184 Thanked 775 Times in 553 Posts	Quick! Advise Geraldo Rivera! __________________ Is it "Common Sense" isn't.

11-10-2018, 03:53 PM	#8
skprbob Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 19 Mile Bay Posts: 147 Thanks: 0 Thanked 90 Times in 29 Posts	what is it? It is a gas refrigerator. Gas mechanism at the bottom wit an ice tray rack at the top. The frame at 2:09 shows the manufacturer's name as "SERVEL" - a very popular brand of gas fridges in its time. They were built like tanks and very heavy and awkward to move.

11-12-2018, 10:53 PM	#12
Top-Water Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 674 Thanks: 1,535 Thanked 714 Times in 431 Posts	Surprisingly they also made kerosene versions, this could be one of them. Of course all speculation but........ depending on where it came from. The possibility exits that if it came from an island that had no gas or electric service 50-60-70-80 years ago, kerosene could have been an option, to keep the beer cold. Some History ???? Possibly worth a $100.00 Don't tell FLL about the "Servel Action Committee" recall. http://www.warehouseappliance.com/?t...85539780934d28 Sadly a lot of dead links at this site. (still under construction) http://vintageservelrefrigerators.com/ Last edited by Top-Water; 11-13-2018 at 05:55 AM. Reason: "Servel Action Committee"

11-13-2018, 12:35 PM	#13
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,496 Thanks: 365 Thanked 225 Times in 121 Posts	My guess is that this was found not far from the red buoy on the west side. There's a substantial scattering of junk there. On one dive I did there about 17-18 years ago, one diver brought up a beautiful old brass voltage meter. It was the size of a school wall clock and mounted on a circular marble base. Surprised he didn't need a lift bag to bring it up -- sucker was heavy. I remember him saying it was at around 50-55' and there were a bunch of great junk piles in the vicinity. I've wanted to go back there for a while. Cool find. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."

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09-24-2018, 07:36 AM	#2
joey2665 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Meredith Bay & LI, NY Posts: 3,222 Thanks: 1,218 Thanked 1,008 Times in 649 Posts	Looks like a very old fridge to me. especially the bottom access section for the mechanics

09-24-2018, 07:48 AM	#3
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,069 Thanks: 63 Thanked 721 Times in 470 Posts	Yes. It is an old gas refrigerator. Many pics of them can be found on google. The center compartments are for ice trays. Did you find the sandwich I left in there?

The Following User Says Thank You to 8gv For This Useful Post:
Loub52 (11-10-2018)

09-24-2018, 08:39 AM	#5
jbolty Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 659 Thanks: 318 Thanked 249 Times in 148 Posts	was thinking some sort of vending machine but for sure not a safe since it has a compressor in the bottom.

09-24-2018, 02:01 PM	#6
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,245 Thanks: 1,299 Thanked 1,596 Times in 1,034 Posts	Looks like a fridge to me. Probably being transported to/from an island and fell overboard. In the 50's when people were doing a lot of their own barging in small boats and homemade rafts, that was an occasional event. I remember one that looked like it was made out of aircraft wingtip tanks. Of course, the people who scuttled old boats perhaps did the same with old refrigerators.

09-24-2018, 05:20 PM	#7
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,277 Thanks: 1,213 Thanked 2,051 Times in 941 Posts	My wife saw a boat and dive flags just off the point on Welch she thinks yesterday. Looks like a large fridge. It could have come from most anywhere accident or not. No, we never had a fridge that big nor a gas fridge. Honest!

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to skprbob For This Useful Post:
Loub52 (11-10-2018), Rattlesnake Gal (11-13-2018), Top-Water (11-10-2018)

11-10-2018, 06:45 PM	#9
Top-Water Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 674 Thanks: 1,535 Thanked 714 Times in 431 Posts	Amazing that you spotted that, in the blink of an eye you miss it. Thanks for taking the time to post exactly when to look.

11-11-2018, 04:20 PM	#10
Diver1111 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Exeter NH Posts: 602 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,032 Times in 227 Posts	Thanks for clarifying it. Any idea what year this beast was made?

The Following User Says Thank You to Grant For This Useful Post:
Rattlesnake Gal (11-13-2018)