Photos

Duke of York

February 12, 2014

A 150-year-old view from the pub ‘Duke of York’ on Dering street in London. The pub was first licensed in 1722, renamed the ‘Duke of York’ in 1806, and rebuilt in its present form in 1886.

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Pool table pocket drops

November 10, 2013

Ever wonder how they shaped the bed of the pool table where the balls fall into the pockets? Neither did I.

…until I restored a pool table from 1938-or-so. The slate playing surface has very basic geometric cuts. The four corner pockets have a very wide, two-sided notch, and the side pockets  have a more narrow notch. Wooden inserts are shaped to fit into the notch, and when you cover the bed in felt, the balls roll from the slate, onto these wooden “pocket drop” shapes and fall into the pockets.

It turns out there’s a lot of discussion involved in how large are the radius of the hole — the big round part cut out of the wood that the ball falls into, as well as what the radius the balls rolls over as it falls off the cliff.

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Hoist that mainsail!

November 2, 2013

Two salty dudes hoisting a mainsail during a sailing trip in 2001 to St. Martin. That would be my great friend Mike on the winch and yours-truly coaxing the luff rope into the mast track.

Also, but not shown, you can buy Cuban cigars in St. Martin. Just sayin’.

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What is a commutator brush?

October 14, 2013

So our washing machine quit this weekend (while I was away.)

“No user servicable parts inside.”

Not this user! Tools, snip, yank. A-HAH! The commutator brushes are worn out.

This is what my dad used to spend a lot of time on… changing commutator brushes on elevators; The thing in the picture with the “39B” on it, on the end of a braided wire with a spring to push it against the commutator… It’s a block of carbon (called a “brush”) and it should be about an inch long. :*) As the motor spins, it wears down. Eventually, the length of the cable limits it moving down against commutator, no electrical contact, no motor movement. The other brush, (motor has two brushes,) was still long enough to touch.

Physics/electrical geeks: Ask me about commutator brushes some time. :^D

Internet, click click click, order via drop-ship P1, parts for tomorrow. Washing machine back in business for wednesday.

Boo-YA!

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1953 Ford Jubilee tractor

October 2, 2013

1953 Ford Jubilee: Anyone interested in a tractor? Good condition, running and everything works, 3-point lift, brush hog, scraper/snow blade… fully working, but it is also a collector’s item if you’re into antique tractors.

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