A frig or a safe-not sure

[Diver1111]

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.

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cIsviGSYoeA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

https://youtu.be/cIsviGSYoeA

[joey2665]

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

[8gv]

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? :D

[ApS]

Advise Geraldo Rivera! :D

[jbolty]

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

[Descant]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Senter Cove Guy]

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]

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 :laugh::laugh: worth a $100.00 Don't tell FLL about the "Servel Action Committee" recall.
http://www.warehouseappliance.com/?t=All-About-the-Servel-Gas-Refrigerators&post=20958048485539780934d28

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

[Grant]

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.