Agreed.
This one looks like like some sort of gas spectrometer? Or for heating something quite specific?
Oxygen / fuel gas in via the lower valves, flame out of the nozzle at the top?
Cheers, T i m
The second item looks like a metal working dolly for forming edges in sheet metal ware.
Tim
In message , jkn writes
Hobbies (not to be confused with Hobby's) is still going strong. I have some of their 0 gauge building plans here, somewhere.
Or could be a Tinkers soldering iron tip.
I bought some tools off them last month.
Apropos of very little, I have a minor Science Museum story.
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As part of a possible project, I was recently trying to get some good photographs and physical details of the Honeywell DDP-516 control panel (this sat on a desk, connected to the main cabinets via a thick cable). I was after pictures, as well as accurate meansurements, and the details of how each switch operated (momentary, two state, three state, etc.) I was able to locate some information online; these pictures show what it looked like. I used one of these quite a bit, at the University of Kent, back in the 1970s; I modified the CPU to add some instructions and modify the effect of others.
I noticed that the pictures were of an item held by the Science Museum in London, so I decided to contact them. After a false start when no one got back to me, after several months I was able to have a discussion with a very helpful lady who arranged for me to have access to the panel. Unfortunately it was actually on display, and because of that (and other reasons) I was obliged to make my visit between 0700 and 1000 (i.e. before Museum opening time) on the day arranged. We settled on 0745 as the earliest feasible time for me, and I got up very early (train at
0510).On arrival, I was admitted via a side door and went to sign in. We had to traverse a lot of the main floor of the museum, which was quite interesting as it was deserted apart from a couple of cleaners! I was then taken down to a basement lab, where the panel awaited me on a bench. Apparently, due to the proximity of another exhibit, there had been a few problems extracting the panel from the display cabinet; a small member of staff had to crawl in to get it!
At this point, I think I gave the conservator a bit of a shock. As I laid my hand on the panel, I said something like "This is the first time I have touched this panel for over 44 years". Yes, it was the same panel. I had done some research, and discovered that when it left the University of Kent, the DDP-516 had been donated to a local school. Several years later, it had been taken by the Science Museum, although they only retained the panel.
I spent about an hour and a half examining and photographing the panel, and taking measurements. I then had coffee in the Victoria and Albert café across the road, before entering the Museum again as a member of the public. I spent some time touring the 'Information Age' exhibition before returning home to sleep.
Or as its made of copper perhaps something to do with munitions.
I'd imagine so as they are getting ready to open again and no doubt want to peak folks interest. Its a great place to spend an afternoon assuming social distancing dooes not impinge on the experience. Its wonderful for children, and they change it around quite a lot so its never the same. Some of the old favourites spring up though like the impossible sized room. Optical illusions are always fun. Brian
Or early coal mine chisel, similarly to prevent sparks, but they suggested there were no sign of it being hammered and it looks too short to be a lever.
Cheers, T i m
As a child who lived in London, I went to the Science Museum at least once a year. I loved pushing the buttons and turning the wheels to see what the exhibits did. About 10 years ago I went back for the first time in 40 or 50 years, and was very disappointed. Most of the displays were static - there were few buttons, wheels, or levers. I couldn't see how these displays were meant to stimulate a child's imagination. Maybe it has changed in the interim; has anyone been there recently?
They know what it is, more or less, although they mis-identify it as a jigsaw.
What they're looking for, as the caption explains, are human interest stories of what people used them for. And the same with other tools in their collections.
"My Dad, or my Uncle Joe had one of these in the 50's or 60's" is of no real use to them.
What they're looking for is more on the lines of "My Uncle Joe used one of these to make fretwork pictures, which he gave to the family as presents". Ideally accompanied by one of Uncle Joe's actual faded fretwork pictures; or failing that a photo of one, or possibly a photo of Uncle Joe actually using the machine.
Then the machine and accompanying material. when fully captioned up, can make a nice display item.
michael adams
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Yerrs, bit disconcerting to be visiting a museum and come across an exhibit or three that you used to use. Not so bad if the kit was pretty much a musem piece when you used it but not so good if you remember it being installed, new...
Sounds like you would have loved Techniquest then:
We took daughter there whilst on one of our family motorcycle touring holidays and she loved it.
It was her idea as they had done something on it in primary school.
Cheers, T i m
Thanks for that info - I hadn't heard of it. On my next visit to Wales I'll have a look if it has been opened.
Nah. You want a proper man?s museum. ;-)
Closed due to Covid at the moment but a brilliant museum where they run the engines.
Tim
I did of course know in advance in this case (in the too-familiar words, but true this time, I had "done my research")
When I used that machine, it was about 5-6 years old. All of the peripherals were non-Honeywell, and the disk controller was built locally from scratch. It was, after all, an electronics department.
Tim+ has brought this to us :
+1 It is a little way north of Cardigan on the right and very easy to miss.
Friend of a friend worked in the Science Museum. In the farming section, they used to have a demonstration of a milking machine. One of the cups was mounted so that you could insert a finger and feel the action. Small boys were a bit more imaginative, and they ended up having to relocate the cup somewhat further from the ground.
Chris
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