Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Know your calipers, Part 1

Tools and their uses, Prepared by the US Navy (Bureau of Naval Personnel)

Collect the whole set!



Jet Engines, 1955


Encyclopedia Americana, Canada Edition, 1955

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Design rendering by Bertrand Goldberg

1949 rendering by architect and industrial designer Bertrand Goldberg of a refrigerated Swift Cold Front Express truck for the Pressed Steel Car Company. This company built mainly railway cars, was closed in 1956 and I can find no evidence that the truck in the rendering was ever built.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Monday mystery, unknown wrench


This could have been labeled "Useless Wrench". 
The jaw on the left could be used on square head set screws, but I can't figure out a use for the one on the right- and does not seem to have been modified later in life. No markings on it at all.

Sidecar Sunday


Answering the oft-asked question, how many people will fit on a rig?





Saturday, July 27, 2019

Sea Hawks flying inverted


This aerobatic performance by the Navy team "Sea Hawks" was a highlight in the 1928 Air Races, held in  Los Angeles.

Roper Whitney Inc. hand punch




This big beautiful tool was seen at Liberty Tool in Maine, It appears to be a hand operated punch press for sheet metal. Good to see Roper Whitney is still around making sheet metal tools, though not this one.

Ford Cab-over-engine


I always like this truck configuration, possibly a 1951 model?
 Seen at the Owls Head Transportation Museum.

Aerocar trailers, 1928

Designed by Glen Curtiss in his spare time after he had left the aircraft business and was enjoying another career as a Florida land developer. 
The images below are from coachbuilt.com (scroll down)





Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Trolley racing


In a 1930 publicity stunt, car number 126 of the Cincinnati and Lake Erie Railroad outruns a biplane near Dayton, Ohio. Running from Cincinnati to Toledo, the line had just opened, it would last till 1939.

Maine lobster


An anonymous sculpture seen at a antique store. Quite clever, I could never have imagined a golf club as a lobster claw...

Monday, July 22, 2019

One of my vices is vises. Chief



Vises like this were made for various retailers by Littlestown Hardware and Foundry in Pennsylvania. I'm not sure who used Chief as a brand.  Previous post here.
Company history here. 
Catalog here.

John Deere Model LA

10.5 hp at the drawbar, oddball styling... 1946 model I believe?

Postcard from Maine


We're currently on vacation in Maine, sorry for the erratic posts...

Sunday, July 21, 2019

A course on Automotive construction from France






Complete with large scale model kit. As the advertising below suggests, good for everyone!


thanks, Rolf!



Prince Charles, 1979

Prince with Moth, a Leopard Moth I think?
 Someone will correct me...

We still make things in this country, Chairtex



This style of simple stacking table has been in use in schools, churches etc. since I was a kid. Good to see Chairtex is still around, still making them.  


Stage lights, Kliegl Bros, NYC


Photographed through the windows of a closed antique store in Hallowell Maine. More on Kliegl Bros here.


Wednesday, July 17, 2019

MG TD


Someone's sweet summer toy