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Dead Men Tales: Remembering Mel Dubin

HeatingHelp
HeatingHelp Administrator Posts: 680
edited January 2021 in THE MAIN WALL



Remembering Mel Dubin

Mel Dubin dreamed, invented, and built something that helped raise thousands of American families. In this episode, Dan Holohan remembers his friend Mel, the founder of Slant/Fin.

Listen and subscribe here.

Comments

  • Paul Pollets
    Paul Pollets Member Posts: 3,663
    Great story. I met Mel a few times, when he visited my father's wholesale company and at ASA conventions. He was a special guy.
    Erin Holohan Haskell
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,600
    These words: "I miss his grace, his humility, and his humanity." really strike a chord! o:)

    Yours, Larry
  • MrCofDG
    MrCofDG Member Posts: 40
    That's a *good* one.
  • bill_brooks
    bill_brooks Member Posts: 50
    you guys ,up, north have all the hwh stories to tell. but i still enjoy reading about your exploits.
    my late wife and i bought a 2-building apartment complex 5yrs. after we married. their's was all-electric. but ours was hwh as we had grown up with. it was all slant-fin convector with most of it out over the tenants
    car port. well, a zone valve failed on a sub-zero day and put numerous breaks in the system. fortunately all
    above the carport ceiling. easy to get to but too cold even for mapp gas. so, i called our family friends who owned the NAPA store next street down, who supplied hp rad. hose and s.s. hose clamps. after frozen fingers
    and much cursing, we had the loop pressure-tight. shortly after all this, i came across dan holohan and his
    deadmen wisdom. i learned that the frozen loop was 12' longer than sustainable for a hw loop.
    in the spring, i added a smaller loop, using slant fin convector, and installed a 3-way zone valve for control.
    i wish i had discovered dan's wisdom sooner. his books are pure experience.
    alas, i'm retired and somewhat removed from my real estate upbringings. it's comforting to know, dan's
    library of hydronics will always be with me!
  • ChrisHawkins
    ChrisHawkins Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2021
    I love reading your stories. I own a levitt house with wall to wall baseboard, did some work at slantfin in the mid 70s and also did pump repairs at the Dakota. Reading your stories is like old home week. I only wish I had the pleasure of meeting Mel
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,601
    I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the tales. Please share and spread the word. Thanks. 
    Retired and loving it.
  • jumper
    jumper Member Posts: 2,385
    Slant/Fin makes me think of boilers. I believe that Slant/Fin pioneered replacing single big boilers with several little ones. Energy savings was big deal after first oil embargo; building superintendents had fun seeking optimal strategy.
  • Voyager
    Voyager Member Posts: 402
    I only found episode 7 of 8 at their facebook page. I searched their web site and I not find anything. Anyone know where to find the other seven episodes?
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,600
    Hi @Voyager , click on main site above. Then scroll down snd you’ll see the right logo. Click on it fir the complete list 👍
    Yours, Larry
  • Voyager
    Voyager Member Posts: 402
    Larry Weingarten said:

    Hi @Voyager , click on main site above. Then scroll down snd you’ll see the right logo. Click on it fir the complete list 👍
    Yours, Larry

    Still no joy. I clicked on “main site” and scrolled down to the video library, but I did not see anything in the library that looked like interview videos. And I saw no other icon for slant/fin or anything that looked like it would take me to the videos.

    Maybe the iPad browser is showing different things, but I am not seeing anything that looks like the right place
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,600
    edited January 2021
    OK, Try this. Go to main site, them look to the far right and click on podcast. See what happens then!
    FYI, I was originally giving you what I saw on my phone. This time it's from my laptop. :)

    Yours, Larry
  • Voyager
    Voyager Member Posts: 402
    Larry Weingarten said:

    OK, Try this. Go to main site, them look to the far right and click on podcast. See what happens then!
    FYI, I was originally giving you what I saw on my phone. This time it's from my laptop. :)

    Yours, Larry

    All I found was the 9:00 long podcast. I did not see the 8 videos that are referenced on the Slant/Fin Facebook page.
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,600
    edited January 2021
    OK @Voyager , Try this link: https://heatinghelp.com/dead-men-tales/ Something's gonna work! :p

    Yours, Larry
  • Erin Holohan Haskell
    Erin Holohan Haskell Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 2,354
    Thanks, Larry. And here's a Slant/Fin video with Mel and @DanHolohan: https://www.facebook.com/SlantFin/videos/1029565267086149/

    President
    HeatingHelp.com

  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,601
    He was a beautiful human. 
    Retired and loving it.

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