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* Postwar surplus of machine tools and experience with metal manufacturing processes.

* Lack of injection-molded thermoplastic suitable for much more than toys.

* Relatively high labor costs may have reduced incentives to save money on materials.

* Consumers accustomed to paying higher prices for manufactured goods with the expectation that they would be repairable and last a long time.

* Tube-based electronics tended to require high voltages and heavy transformers or batteries. This dictated the form of the enclosure (metal or wood) and its usage (non-portable). For example, radios made for consumers would typically be incorporated into furniture.



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