These combination anvil vises are more common than I thought.
Progress is fine, but it's gone on for too long.
with apologies to Ogden Nash...
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Oscillating gas motor
In 1880 Joseph Ravel, a French engineer and inventor, built and patented this acetylene-powered two-stroke engine. Patent 236,258. The design seems to be ahead of its time but was apparently abandoned after a series of accidents culminated in a huge explosion.
Acetylene was discovered in 1836 but had been rediscovered in France in 1860 by chemist Marcellin Berthelot.
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
BSA Bantam
Ad from 1967, a groovy cool couple on a Bantam.
The bike had been part of the BSA lineup since 1948, from a 1930s DKW design first sold in 1939. It soldiered on till 1971.
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Edgley EA-7 Optica .
Looks like a bug, but this a British light aircraft designed for low-speed observation work, it first flew in 1979. It was intended as a low-cost alternative to helicopters with a loiter speed of 80 mph and a stall speed of 67 mph. Power is by a flat six with a ducted fan. Only twenty two units have been built.
Monday, December 8, 2025
Weeden steam engine # 34
This toy steam engine model with 8 inch long boiler was introduced in 1898 and produced till 1940. The boiler jacket of this model was decorated with the star pattern shown here as well as snowflake or round hole patterns.
Weeden was an American company that began making toy steam engines in 1884 as a promotion for The Youth's Companion magazine. Company history here.
Monday Mystery, tool with knob
It's easy enough to google the Snap-on part number and find out what this nice little tool is for but before you do can you figure it out? The Snap-on name would indicate automotive... hint, it's used with a socket.
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Saturday, December 6, 2025
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