What is it? Set 357

[Rob H.]

This week I need some help with the third item:

[Kevin(Bluey)]

2058 is a n access key/handel to an electrical switch box or breaker cabinet.

[Ted Schuerzinger]

Are square nuts that uncommon that this would serve as a valid lock?

My father was a volunteer fireman decades back, and I seem to remember that when he showed us the department's "hydrant" (not an actual fire hydrant if I recall, but functionally equivalent for quickly filling up the engines' tanks), it had a five-sided nut, since those were uncommon.

They did have a similar tool, however, for loosening the nut.

[DoN. Nichols]

No -- They used to be *very* common. An open-end wrench, or a Crescent (adjustable) wrench would work as well on a square fitting.

However -- what has been overlooked is that there are four lugs for driving something else surrounding the barrel near the handle flange.

Almost all fire hydrants have a tapered five-sided nut designed to shrug off any normal wrench.

Of course -- they need them at every fire hydrant.

But much larger than the puzzle item.

Enjoy, DoN.

[Lloyd E. Sponenburgh]

"Rob H." fired this volley in news: [e-mail]:

Rob, the fence machine is probably the most elegant thing I've seen on blogspot.

It's MARVELOUS! I saw the "stops" (gaps and widened teeth in the gears), and envisioned that the gears could only turn a certain distance. I saw the pawls, and disagreed that that "don't engage anything" (there were slots in the gears for them to engage). But I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it did. And in this day of computer-controlled machinery, that's just a REALLY COOL device!

LLoyd

[Rob H.]

Glad to hear that you liked fence machine, it was quite fascinating to see it work in person. It wasn't the same one that was on the video but it operated equally well.

Rob

[Martin H. Eastburn]

I'd just cut out a new design on my CNC plasma table. Made a nice wrench for my Uncle. It fits drain pipe plugs. Square. Used 1/4" HRS.

Mart> >>

[Lloyd E. Sponenburgh]

J Burns fired this volley in news:i8ohs2$fvo$1 @news.eternal-september.org:

I'm guessin' it's a turnip or onion puller. It just "looks right" for that.

LLoyd

[Matthew Russotto]

Yeah, but since pretty much every hydrant-opening malcontent has one by now, a lot of them have magnetic covers as well.

[Rich Grise]

If you scare them, they make adrenaline, which makes the meat taste "gamy."

Cheers! Rich

[Rich Grise]

I'd always figured that when I wanted to do that, I'd just use a chain-type pipe wrench. ;-)

Cheers! Rich

[Steve R.]

I have seen firemen use a Stilson pipe wrench!

Steve R.

[Michael A. Terrell]

You don't bathe them, but dunking them in scalding hot water makes them a lot easier to pluck.

[Stormin Mormon]

Having been a malcontent, I assure you. it's possible to open a hydrant with five sided lug. Using common tools. Now that I'm over 40 and less of a malcontent, I won't provide much more in the way of details.

[Stormin Mormon]

Very, very, bad procedure. Rounds off the corners, eventually all that's left is round. Then, the FD wrenches won't work.

[Bill]

I used "bathing" as a (humorous) euphemism (looked it up: "the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt").

Bill

[Michael A. Terrell]

Most of the people here are grown so if the thought of dunking a dead bird in scalding water to help remove the feathers offends them, they need to grow up.

[Michael A. Terrell]

Tennessee Bird Walk Lyrics

Take away the trees and the birds All have to sit upon the ground, uum Take away their wings and The birds will have to walk to get around And take away the bird baths And dirty birds will soon be ev'rywhere Take away their feathers and The birds will walk around in underwear Take away their chirp and the Birds will have to whisper when they sing And take away their common sense and They'll be headed southward in the spring

Oh remember my darling When spring is in the air And the bald headed birds Are whisp'ring ev'rywhere You can see them walking Southward in their dirty underwear That's Tennessee Bird walk

How about some trees so the birds Won't have to sit upon the ground, uum

How about some wings so the Birds won't have to walk to get around And how about a bird bath or two so the birds will all be clean How about some feathers so their Underwear no longer can be seen How about a chirp so the birds Won't have to whisper when they sing And how about some common sense so they Won't be blocking traffic in the spring

Oh remember my darling When spring is in the air And the bald headed birds Are whisp'ring ev'rywhere You can see them walking Southward in their dirty underwear That's Tennessee Bird walk

[Bill]

I used bathing as a euphemism for the hatchet job. Dunk all you want.

[Lew Hodgett]

--------------------------------- Remember those days.

At less than $1/lb, makes you appreciate the availability at the market.

Lew