Progress is fine, but it's gone on for too long.

Friday, January 16, 2026

Whaling

Editors of American Heritage, American Album, Ballantine Books, 1971

This picture was taken at New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1880, towards the end of the whaling era. Oil was rendered from whale blubber and had been used for lamp oil and light lubrication for centuries. Petroleum had been discovered in the 1850s and was being refined into various products including lamp oil, making the obviously risky and labour-intensive whale oil industry obsolete.

Here we see barrels of whale oil on the dock awaiting pickup, with the whaling ship drying its sails in the background.

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Cleveland four

Source and date unknown, but possibly from Eastern Ontario. Interesting exhaust routing. There is some lettering on the tank that is not quite readable.

Calipers, possibly

This looks to me like some sort of measuring device, though there is no scale marked. Once again, I should have included something for scale but the wood frame is about 24 inches long. Both brass pointers slide in tracks and are secured with a wingnut. Any ideas?

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Tufftools wrench

A tool as tough as it's name?

I tell ya, someday someone will start collecting tools made in India, and this blog will be at the forefront.

Early rest stop

Editors of American Heritage, American Album, Ballantine Books, 1971

It's maple syrup time! I think not but while out and about in his shiny new Locomobile steam car, he's stopped for a drink from a magical water supply- unless he's filling the rear mounted water tank one cup at a time.