Bygone Technology and Useless Items.

[Refugee]

The most expensive accident that I can remember that was caused by a measurement mix up was when NASA sent a half metric rocket to mars.
It disappeared.
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/a...c-system-mixup

[philthespark]

Originally Posted by ms660

Mixed units....

Timber dimensions in inches multiplied (eg: 4"*2" = 8").....times length in feet times 0.0001966 = metric volume in cubic meters, Sawmillers used that one, won't find that in many books.

Lawrence.

Yes that's the stuff, also gives all the terms they used in sawmills, so you could ask for something without looking like an idiot. I bet the lads in the mills loved it, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, we sometimes get someone asking us for an electrical item, like they know what they are talking about, then we watch their face when we confuse them lol
"You haven't got a piece of 1mm flex have you mate? " he asks, "yeah sure, do you want heat resistent, LSF, HO7RNF, ARCTIC,PVC, or XLPE ?" Then you get the blank look followed by, " I just want a piece of 1mm cable"

[ms660]

Originally Posted by philthespark

All this talk of thou's an inches made me smile, as an apprentice electrician in the early 80's it could get quite confusing, we were taught cable sizes in mm, but there was still a good bit of old stuff in circulation and we had to learn imperial sizes too.At work everything was metric, we worked in certain places down to the half mm, I remember being asked to help check some sheet sizes and rejecting almost each one I checked, they were all about 1.5mm oversize and the tolerance was 0.5 mm iirc. All hell broke loose, the manager came out of his office, checked them, they were fine, attention then turned to me, I was using the wrong tape measure! If you look at a normal tape that you buy from any DIY store, there's a certain amount of end float, where the blade joins the end hook, it can be 2 or 3 mm, not critical for general stuff, but it was for our job. We had tapes bought in just for the high accuracy stuff, specially made by Stanley, and about twice the price of an ordinary one.
Not normally being on the production side, I wasn't issued one of these tapes, I was using my ordinary one, I was soon issued one though, with strict instructions NOT to use it unless I was working on QA!

The end float on the tape is to take into account the thickness of the hook when pulling or butting (external/internal measurement) With a lot of use the rivets can wear and the holes can get elongated.

With an out of spec/damaged tape end, offset is what we did, started at 100mm and read off for sub 100mm measurement, anything over then add on 100mm.

For accurate large timber work jobs we shared one tape between us for the measurements, using a 100mm offset.

Lawrence.

[philthespark]

We were not allowed to make offsets, if a tape didn't read right then it got binned, they were made super accurate apparently and you were issued your own and had to use it. If say I was checking sizes then I had to use my tape, even though Steve had the same one, it was a no-no, Steve could only use his tape, I could only use mine, and so it went on. I think it was all about traceability and accountability. any issue with your measurements and it was down to you, mind you if you're working down to half a mil, then I suppose they need to know who cocked up if it all goes wrong.

[dseymo1]

For anything like accurate work, I tend where possible to measure from the first cm or inch mark rather than using the end of the tape.

[Superhet Si]

My Ferrograph RTS testset for checking tape decks.
My two B&K CRT testers.
My Philips TV pattern generator.
Maybe even my Panasonic MPG+X generator?

[k_yller]

typewriter - really bygone

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by k_yller

typewriter - really bygone

That's as maybe... There was a beauty for sale in a shop in Penrith - a bright red one, and I bet it'll get snapped up. They'll be a passing fad - perhaps - but they're a novelty to the younger generation who wonder how their elders managed without the computer.

I also suspect it'll be bought as a piece of hipster furniture rather than a functional device, though. I have a beige Smith-Corona down the shed somewhere, waiting for that investment opportunity.

[Dave Moll]

I think you're right about them being bought more as a piece of sculpture than as a working device. The saleability in the local auction is much to do with what they look like.

[russell_w_b]

It's all about bright colours, I suppose. One false move and the budding writer would be looking for the 'delete' key! I note that typewriter ribbons are still available.

[Herald1360]

Weren't there two colour ribbons where one half was white?

Backspace, change colour, hit letter again, backspace, change colour, hit right letter?

Not exactly a single keystroke, but...... Tippex was quicker (just). And (sic) still survives.

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Herald1360

Weren't there two colour ribbons where one half was white?

There may have been; can't remember. I remember the black and red ribbons. When I started at Skelton the office sent out typewritten memos (how quaint...) and I recall electric typewriters being used until 1991 at Rampisham, gradually being phased out.

To correct a mistake, a correction strip was used by inserting it between hammer and paper, winding the carriage back and striking the letter again, but it was a faff to do.

I wonder how the transition from typewriter (or the pen) to the computer impinged upon the mind, creativity, quick wit and style of authors and writers? Those and write for a living, I mean, not those of us who taught ourselves to publish documents?

[Dave Moll]

Originally Posted by russell_w_b

There may have been; can't remember. I remember the black and red ribbons.

Although I think the red/black ribbons were far more common, I do have dim memories of these ribbons incorporating correcting strip instead - though I only seem to associate them with carbon ribbons rather than the normal ink-impregnated cloth type.

[raditechman]

Not in general use but just hanging on.
Player pianos, the home entertainment of its day (pianolas) - I think enthusiasts still make the rolls.
Carbon arc lamps, once in every cinema, now xenon used or even laser - one company still sells the copper coated carbons for the old arc lamps.
Pulse dialing on telephones- still works with some exchanges.
Wire wound rheostats for light dimmers in theatres- probably all solid state now.
Starting handles on cars.
Neon signs for advertising - mainly LED now.
Floppy drives.
Fountain pens- mainly ball point now.

John

[emeritus]

We still have a late model Brother electric typewriter that hasn't been used for years, and my ancient two- colour ribboned manual that the kids used to play with. The Brother has a black carbon ribbon and a seperate white correcting tape that seems to be a standard item. The old manual has a 3 position lever to select red, black, or none, the latter being used for cutting gestetner- type stencils for duplicators.
You can rejuvenate single-colour ribbons with endorsing ink. I used to do this with the fabric ribbons for the dot matrix printer of my Amstrad PCW 8256. I guess that counts as another obsolescent item.
Anyone remember the Varityper? Used for typing text on large engineering drawings.

[Hartley118]

Originally Posted by Superhet Si

My Ferrograph RTS testset for checking tape decks.............

I wouldn't be without my vintage Ferrograph RTS testset - it just keeps on going and is far more versatile than just a tape recorder tester.

Its low distortion wide range audio oscillator and audio millivoltmeter (with comprehensive switchery) are invaluable for my test bench.

Its distortion measuring capability isn't on a par with modern instruments, though pretty ideal for valve circuitry. The ability easily to study the residual harmonic content via its oscilloscope output certainly adds interesting information.

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by raditechman

Fountain pens- mainly ball point now.
John

I'd not be without mine, currently a Waterman supplied from a few 20-oz bottles of Quink bought when a local stationer was closing down.

Then, in general we don't try very hard here to keep up with the times: ours is one of probably a very few households where the hot water for baths is supplied by a 1930s ten-gallon Burco boiler. A solid fuel Rayburn used to oblige, but it sprung a few leaks early in 2016 whereupon we went "temporarily" all electric: the Burco had been waiting about a quarter of a century to be brought back into employment. Whether the resident manual typewriters and electric Gestetner duplicator ever will be, is another matter.

Paul

[Boater Sam]

Until the fairly recent demolition of the Burco factory in Burnley, water boilers and wash boilers ( there is a difference ) were still being made.
We repaired thousands of them over the years, descaling with hydrochloric acid!

Starting handles on cars.

And kick starts on motorcycles, most useful given the (necessary) weeny size of motorcycle batteries.

Fountain pens are still used by two of us at work (17 strong company) and cartridges are stocked in the stationary cupboard too. Coincidentally the two (Jason and myself) don't have mobile phones either. Being a "fast" person I like the discipline a fountain pen needs before writing, makes me think before putting pen to paper (and that was supposed to have been put into history 30 years ago). Another advantage of the fountain pen is that the day book (A4 red&black) doesn't get all crinkled as a ball point does make them.

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by Boater Sam

Until the fairly recent demolition of the Burco factory in Burnley, water boilers and wash boilers ( there is a difference ) were still being made...

Ah, what's the difference, or wasn't there one back in the mists of time when this fellow was made? The element's a concealed one of course: no trouble from scale that I've noticed, then the water here is pretty soft.