Old High Tech

Old Low Tech

2011-05-20T22:39:00.000-07:00

From the Library of Congress Flickr stream "1930's-40's in Color" is this picture of a unique corn harvesting technique and machine:

Click to make large.

LoC Photo Stream data (and active link):
Harvesting new corn from the field of Jim Norris, Pie Town, New Mexico (LOC)
Lee, Russell, 1903-1986,, photographer.
Photographed October 1940.

Live Steam at the Adelaide Show, 2010

2011-05-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

The Show at Adelaide: Restored farm and other powered equipment, running live. I was particularly fascinated by this small engine, and talked to the owner. He's not quite certain of its origin, but thinks it may have been used to run mine pumps.

Click to make BIG. More live steam, also trains and boats and planes, on my photo website http://www.mikeandkaren.org/gallery/main.php/v/2010mike/2010-09-20C/.

Healthy Vibrations

2008-12-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

A correspondent sent me this 1912 ad for the White Cross Electric Vibrator, which will restore your youth and clarify your skin, and do all manner of other things. Away, boredom!

The scan was high enough in resolution (and the printing adequate), so here is the actual image of the box --

a complete set with every fitting you would need.

Apparatus for X-Ray Experiments

2007-11-28T15:57:00.001-08:00

From the 1902 F. Gross experimenters' equipment catalog:

You are getting warmer, warmer....

An Early Radio Transmitter

2007-10-22T21:00:00.001-07:00

From Alfred N. Goldsmith, "Radio Telephony" (Wireless Press, 1918). The Alexanderson Alternator was an alternative to the spark gap for transmitters. It had a rotating disk with many individual windings such that the edge of the disk could cut magnetic flux lines at a relatively high rate ... perhaps even 100 KHz! These were popular for a while, but eventually transmitting tubes replaced them for continuous signal generation at high power.

Early Bloggers Arranging for Publication

2007-10-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

Another eBay item, this time from eBay seller blancetnoir in category Art > Prints > Antique (Pre-1900) > Other.

A Circular Russian Ironclad (fl. 1876)

2007-09-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

From a German periodical of the 1870's, and found in the current listings of eBay seller marderll. You'll note the similarity to the Monitor, and unique Russian touches. The Cheesebox on a Raft is now a Cheesebox on a pie-plate.

Old, Not Dumb

2007-08-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

That could be me we're talking about. But it's not; it's about the way things were designed and engineered in the old days.

The old days could be four hundred years or four hundred weeks (or, the way things are changing in this singularity space, four hundred days).

I'll see what I can find for you.