Author: Dave Farquhar

Who makes Insignia appliances for Best Buy

Dave Farquhar DIY
Who makes Insignia appliances for Best Buy

I need a fridge. I can’t complain about my old one, I bought it 20 years ago and it’s just now started to act up. In looking for a replacement, I found an option that didn’t exist 20 years ago. Who makes Insignia appliances like ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, and dryers for Best Buy?

Insignia is Best Buy’s house brand and you can find it on almost anything, from appliances to cables. Best Buy does not do any of its own manufacturing, and in the case of ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, and dryers, Insignia appliances are manufactured by Haier.

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What happened to Tandy computers

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
What happened to Tandy computers

What happened to Tandy computers? Tandy was a pioneer in the personal computer industry, one of three companies that introduced pre-built, ready to run computers in 1977. And for about 12 years, they were a force to be reckoned with. But depending on how you count it, it came to an end in 1993 or 1995. Here’s what happened to Tandy computers and why they fell so quickly.

In 1989, the Tandy 1000 was still the best selling computer in the world but it was no longer profitable and sales were fading fast. Turnaround efforts failed and in 1993, Tandy sold its manufacturing operations to AST, another maker of PC clones.

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American Flyer Gabe the Lamplighter

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
American Flyer Gabe the Lamplighter

Gabe the Lamplighter is a beloved American Flyer post-war train accessory. It combines movement and light, providing something besides the trains that a visitor to a layout can control.

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Why Keith Hernandez isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball
Why Keith Hernandez isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Keith Hernandez is an interesting Hall of Fame case. Since he’s kept a fairly high profile since retiring, it’s prizes some people that he’s not in the Hall of Fame. I think he has a case, but there are also clear reasons why he wasn’t a slam dunk. I think he has a fair bit in common with two of his contemporaries, Don Mattingly and Dave Parker.

Keith Hernandez has a case for the Hall of Fame, but his Hall of Fame case comes down to being in the right place but not the right time, and probably not long enough.

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What 1990s kitchen cabinets were made of

Dave Farquhar DIY
What 1990s kitchen cabinets were made of

There was a certain look that defined kitchen cabinets, and to some extent, furniture in general in the 1980s and 1990s. A lot of it had to do with the material. So what were 1990s kitchen cabinets made of? Read more

What is tin lithography, or tin litho?

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
What is tin lithography, or tin litho?

Tin lithography is a manufacturing process involving printing a design on tin plated steel, then forming the metal into a design. Lithography is the specific printing process in this case.

Tin lithography is something of a lost art today, or it is at least much less common than it used to be. Tin lithographed toys were, in some ways, the cheap plastic toys of their era, occupying a lowbrow space alongside cast toys made of pot metal. Today the process is largely used for gift boxes and novelty items.

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What adjusted OPS means

Dave Farquhar Baseball
What adjusted OPS means

Sometimes you hear the phrase adjusted OPS. Adjusted OPS is sometimes also called OPS+, which may or may not help clarify things. So what does adjusted OPS mean? And what is a good adjusted OPS?

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Paint vs primer primer

Dave Farquhar DIY
Paint vs primer primer

To the uninitiated, primer seems like a rip off. An expensive product you put on before you paint that you never see. But primer can be essential. So here’s a primer about paint versus primer, as well as when you need it, when you can get by without it, and what paint plus primer in one means.

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Lionel semi flat black

Dave Farquhar Toy trains

When repainting or restoring post-war Lionel locomotives, many hobbyists used and recommended a Krylon product. That part number was 1613, and it was available at many hardware stores. Unfortunately, Krylon no longer sells it at retail. Fortunately, there is a substitute you can use today for Lionel semi flat black.

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What raising the grain means

Dave Farquhar DIY
What raising the grain means

In woodworking or refinishing furniture, you sometimes hear people talk about raising the grain. What is raising the grain, how do you do it, and why is it important?
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