February 16, 2020

Yesteryear
One year ago today: February 16, 2019, said the Jap commander.
Five years ago today: February 16, 2015, $85.26.
Nine years ago today: February 16, 2011, Remember cash cab?
Random years ago today: February 16, 2001, we played the Ugly Toona.

           Outwardly a lot got done today, but that is your byproduct of multi-tasking. The bathroom was the focus and by mid afternoon, I had the door in place. Argh, it was one of those maddening things. Everything measured right until the door was hinged in place. Then it would not swing shut. Raise your hand if you know what I mean. I’m going to attack those hinges but should that not succeed, I’m going to do the one thing I don’t trust. Plane the door itself.

           I’m really happy with the new fence panels. I’ve got a line on some free paving bricks for my garbage blind. Are you all enthused with me on this? It’s my yard, guys. Agt. R scored big with an estate. Not a sale, the lady said we could have stuff for free if we haul it away. Here are some of the goodies. How about this Farm Boss in new condition. (TMOR a famous brand name Stihl, pronounced “steel”). These chain saws are unaffordable to us mere mortals.

           A practically new hot water heater, so maybe I’ve found my tempering tank in the old model. We are not sure of what we have yet. I’ll get you more pictures as we wade through. This will probably take an entire day. Here’s something you’ve never seen before. Now this is a bench vice. It’s two feet long. Ah, did someone say they’ve seen vices before? Not like this. Take a close look at the right side, noticing how the thread is not covered. You pick the handle up and slide the grips to your work-piece, then put the handle down into a half open track. See the close-up in addendum. An artillery man would probably call this a sort of interrupted breech block.

           We got a two horse-power electric compressor. I’m not in the market for one, but I do have the only compatible 240V outlet. We are not yet sure what we’ve got but there were four large electric motors. I will photograph these for you later, they are old and American made. One plate says Kimble Electric Chicago, patented 1911. They are substantial and have a braking lever attached. My guess is they operated some sort of belt drive farm machinery. Also 240V. I’ll see if I can locate the spec sheets. There should also be a picture in the addendum.

           What interests me is the heater blower motor. I’d asked Agt. R to keep an eye out. This is like a furnace blower but who needs a furnace in Florida? It’s a squirrel cage and I need one to install my shop vac. This contraption would probably suck the tiles off the floor.

Picture of the day.
Candy Kong Sundae, $99.
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           Brunch today was from the yard. Yet another batch of collard greens appeared so I get to harvest just the best of the leaves. Here’s a salad that’s more than good for you. I can hear the Yankees up north mumbling how they “don’t eat weeds”. I understand because I, too, disapprove of cannibalism. It took time to convince myself, but I’m going to plant some potatoes just to see what gives. Will my past performance with potatoes return to haunt me? Not potatoes, I mean, but the growing of potatoes.

           Also, remind me to get a locking box for the scooter. The 50cc is barely above toy-like. On the old 150, if I saw something curbsided, I could pull over and haul it home. Not possible with this Yamaha. Just the other day I saw a perfectly good door frame that would have been ideal for the cabinet of my planned solar water heater. By the time I got home and drove the station wagon back, it was gone. It was a heavy duty commercial model, not that I could have put that on any scooter. But with the old unit I could have at least dragged it into hiding until I returned.

           A closer look at the swinging door offered another solution. That frame is also thick enough to bury the jamb hinge twice as deep as conventional. Eye-balling the fit, this might be just enough to cinch it into place. Screw the hammer and chisel approach, this is why they make oscillating saws. Say, I owe you pictures of that door, am I slipping or what. Check back.

           Here’s the air compressor. Agt. R already has one but this is more powerful. I think we’ll rig this one up for him and he wants to let me take the smaller unit. We’ve already sold nearly a thousand dollars worth of stuff, including twenty boxes of tile, nine box fans, four ceiling fans, the other chain saw, a bunch of welding tackle, steel grating, electrical wire, and twelve sheets of marine plywood. Oh, and a dishwasher and two electric stoves, a ton of painting equipment and eight buckets of roofing tar. He wants to take the stuff as he can store it because of the city inspector. I say grab everything as fast as we can and throw it in behind the fence at my yard. These opportunities don’t come around much and don ‘t last.

ADDENDUM
           See how the screw is lifted out of the half-bolt. I should get a video. The threads are then re-engaged and held in place by gravity. This is a heavy piece of equipment; we had to get the helper to put it on the truck. Due to the chance the threads could be bumped and spring up, this device would probably be illegal today. I wonder what it was used for? It’s three time bigger than a regular vice.
          

Next, here is one of the electric motors. You can see the scale by comparison to my pant leg and shoe just visible. Note the spindle, this is why I say it was a belt mechanism. The braking lever is visible attached along the top of the picture. We have either four or five of these items, fairly similar. They were not connected to anything when we found them. We have no idea of their value, but if you can think of a use for one, hold on, I just did. A couple years ago I found a carnival ride for sale without the motor. Out of curiosity, I found blueprints for a small wooden ride and a small Ferris wheel.
           Um, a video of this clamping mechanism proved difficult to film, edit, and create. I've got it, but you have to wait. I wonder if this is Civil War era?

           See, now you got me thinking. These older motors can be run backwards to generate electricity. You know, give me an extra break today and I’m going to ponder what potential we may have here. I’ll drive the Yamaha back to count them tomorrow morning. There are two large piles of materials not explored yet so I am certain of only four motors. And I want to find those carnival ride prints again, they were all wood and attached by cotter pins. And there was a reason for the facing of seats on the Ferris wheel. I’ve forgotten but it wasn’t just the view. They face outward on the side that goes up.

           That just gave me another thought. That principle of the bicycle beer wagon, well, why not build a merry-go-round and let the parents power it themselves. Or have merry-go-rounds been classified as hazardous these days. Anyway, there’s a germ of an idea here. An exercise machine that utilizes fat-power and keeps an eye on the kids. Faster, mommy, faster.
Don’t laugh. I’ve seen such gear designed for use in the office. That’s where a lot of the really fat people seem to originate. I’ll have more information tomorrow as we go through the piles to see what is saleable or can be put to use. This is one shed, there is a barn three times this size and there are tractors in there. And just when I have a bathroom door to fix.

Last Laugh