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Pro tip: I just learned from a 1978 service manual that some old Polaroids used actual fish oil in a gear lubricant.
Found this gem while fixing a SX-70 for a customer who collects weird trivia. Anyone ever run into other bizarre factory specs like that?
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cameron_chen5mo ago
Well that explains why my old Polaroid always smelled a bit off... guess I just assumed it was regular old grease and film. Makes you wonder what other weird stuff they put in old tech.
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fisher.kevin5mo ago
My grandpa's 1970s calculator probably ran on asbestos and dreams, @cameron_chen.
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elizabethwhite2mo ago
Wow, that really flips my thinking on this. I used to joke that old electronics just ran on dust and prayers, but hearing about fish oil in a Polaroid is a game changer. @cameron_chen you're right about the smell, I always figured it was the chemicals in the film pack, not the grease. Reminds me of finding out some old radios used whale oil in their capacitors. It's wild what they thought was a good idea back then. Your mileage may vary, but now I'm gonna be sniffing all my vintage gear with fresh suspicion.
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