Progress is fine, but it's gone on for too long.
with apologies to Ogden Nash...
Sunday, November 23, 2025
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Frazer & Jones
I thought this was just another wrench from a long-gone 19th century agricultural equipment manufacturer, it's good to see that Frazer & Nash is still around casting iron in Syracuse, New York.
From their site, the company was established in 1845 as Frazer & Benedict, became the Frazer & Jones Company in 1882 and was acquired by the current parent company, The Eastern Company in 1945. Their business is medium to high volume castings less than 25 lb. No hulls for Sherman tanks or steam locomotive tender frames
I expect this wrench probably dates to their early days.
Hoffar homebuilt sea plane
In 1917 Vancouver boatbuilders James and Henry Hoffar built this seaplane. Not too many details but it apparently flew successfully but was later destroyed when it hit a log in the water.
From this experience, the boatbuilders acquired a contract to build a 2 seat flying boat to be used as a fire patrol craft. It also was successful on a few test flights, but suffered engine failure as it flew over the city. It crashed into the roof of a house and was destroyed.
In 1929, Boeing acquired the Hoffar-Beeching yard and used it to build their seaplanes.
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| 1927 Westendvancouver |
First advertised wireless broadcast
Dramatization on Youtube. About 44 minutes in...
Friday, November 21, 2025
Steel castings
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| Flickr |
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| Locomotive 576, Nashvillesteam.org |
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| Tank encyclopedia |
I was recently catching up on the Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Trust steam engine reconstruction and noted that they are constructing the main frame as weldments instead of the original castings. I guess that makes sense, casting huge pieces of steel isn't as common as it used to be, the required strength of the frame can be determined by using FEA, the casting can be redesigned as a weldment. Pieces are laser cut and then welded together, no issues, it's a tried and true technology. But I remember reading about large (huge) castings being made more than a hundred years ago, whole 50 or 60 foot long steam locomotive or tender frames being cast in one piece, armour plate tank hulls cast in one piece... Those guys were massively skilled.
Thursday, November 20, 2025
The Blitzen' Benz
Fitted with a 21,504 cc four cylinder engine producing 200 hp at 1500 rpm, this car achieved a speed of 127 mph at Brooklands in 1909, piloted by Hector Hémery. A year later Barney Oldfield went even faster- 131.7 mph on the beach at Daytona.
Octave Chanute glider test
Wood plane, section view
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Morgan 3 Wheeler 2011- 2021
















