Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Steam Yacht Lyndonia


  A picture to hang in the mancave. The Lyndonia was a yacht built for Cyrus Curtis of the Curtis Publishing Company of Saturday Evening Post and the Ladies Home Journal fame. It was only steam powered for 5 years, the steam engine was replaced with diesel engines in 1925. 

The vessel was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1941 and commissioned as the USS Southern Seas (PY-32). While serving in the Pacific theatre it was unfortunately sunk during a typhoon off Okinawa on October 9, 1945, with the loss of 13 crew members. 


From the Facebook USS Southern Seas group. Interesting reading..


Ford 5-Z-829 wrench


 Another Ford Model T tool. The left end is for adjusting the bands in the transmission and the right end fits the oil pan drain bolt.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

One of my vices is vises, Armstrong Pipe Vice

 


  Frank Armstrong and Henry House started working in the sewing machine factories in Bridgeport Conn but formed their own company in 1870, making steam fitting tools and equipment. House soon left, Armstrong continued the company and in 1882 introduced this pipe vise under  U.S. Patent No. 269,141 featuring the hinged yoke and hardened steel jaws. The company thrived during the steam era and was around at least into the 1950s. 







Short C-23 Sherpa

  To paraphrase interior designer Dorothy Draper "If it looks right, it will fly right".  This isn't one of those. It looks like the box an airplane came in, though to be fair, it was considered to be good and reliable, though slow. Short made 60 of these STOL transports between 1984 and 1997, the biggest operators were the US Army and Air Force, who have both retired the aircraft. 

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Bikes in the 'hood, KZ650




Considered fast in its day, the KZ650 followed the styling lead of the Z1. I remember them mostly in the green. Get a front fender, man!


 

Monday, October 19, 2026

Utica Tools 2001-8 pliers


  Difficult to read the stamped text, but these are "Side Cutting Pattern Button's Pliers" made by Utica Tool. The wire cutter portion is unique. They were manufactured in the late 1930s and into the 40s, the rough black finish might have been wartime production.


 

1968 Fiat 850 cutaway drawings


 Some nice technical cutaways from the Dutch 850 Fiat Special instruction book.





Saturday, October 17, 2026

We used to make things in this country #381; Cast iron kettles

 


Here's a cast iron kettle made by the Terreau and Racine company of St. Paul St., Quebec City, a maker of kitchen kettles and other containers- hollowware as it's known.... 
 Charles Terreau arrived from France and started his foundry in 1850, originally making metal fittings for sailing ships. When he passed away 15 years later, his wife continued the business, adding Mr. Racine as president. In the mid 1920s they started making components for refrigeration systems. In 1987 they merged with another company, becoming TR LC Refrigeration and Ventilation.  More at Cast Iron Canada. 



Exact C Clamp


  These "Exact" C-clamps were manufactured by the Exact Level & Tool Manufacturing Company, which was better known for their torpedo levels. Previous post here. The company started in the 1930s in Highbridge, New Jersey and lasted till 1985 when it was bought by the Hyde company and shut down.