You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

[Lee Stewart]

You want to make homemade potato chips. No deep fryer? No problem! Thinly slice a russet potato, drizzle the slices with vegetable oil and salt and lay them out on a microwave-safe dish. Zap 'em for about five minutes until golden and crispy

[big gear head]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

In the 1900s, Sears, Roebuck and Co. started the home-in-a-box trend with its catalog “kit homes.” Although Sears filed for bankruptcy in October 2018, its DIY houses will keep it’s legacy alive in neighborhoods across America.

Comprising more than 10,000 pieces and materials, the kits retailed for between $600 and $6,000 (equal to between $8,400 and $84,000 today) and were available in about 270 styles.

There’s no exact estimate of how many kit homes remain, but the company sold around 70,000 of them in the first half of the 20th century.

There is a Sears Roebuck house on my block. I played in it a lot when I was a kid.

[SS427]

There are a few in the small town I live in and was just in one of them last week. Pretty good sized home. I believe Cumby lives in one as well. I know it was a catalog home just don't remember if it was Sears.

[Mr70]

Along the same line as a Sears kit home,Lombard,Illinois has quite a few enamelized metal Lustron Brand houses still standing.
A good friend of mine was interviewed on local TV here back in 2004.
Here's a count in the USA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lustron_houses

[southernfriedcj]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

Something else you could order from your Sears catalog (until the government outlawed sales of automatic weapons): 45 cal. Thompson Sub Machine Gun.

My BIL actually wrote a book on Thompsons(I wish I had a copy. The cheapest copy out there is $500). He had a business buying and selling them back in the 70's and 80's. Ran into a issue with the ATF and got jammed up.

[67since67]

Originally Posted by Mr70

Along the same line as a Sears kit home,Lombard,Illinois has quite a few enamelized metal Lustron Brand houses still standing.
A good friend of mine was interviewed on local TV here back in 2004.
Here's a count in the USA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lustron_houses

I've always been fascinated by the Lustron homes, although no way I'd want to live in one. We have seven here in town and I always give them a look if I'm in the neighborhood.

[Mr70]

The parties he threw in the house in the late 70's,early 80's.You'd actually feel sorry for that poor house if you knew.Lots of abuse.

[marxjunk]

a friend of mine has a Sears prefab house in Southern Indiana..its a 2 story cape cod..kinda...i think he called it

int the rear door up in the jamb has a brass plate that says Sears Roebuck & Co and has a bunch of specs and patent numbers stamped on it..i would never have believed it was a Sears house..his was made in the early 60s i think he told me..

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]