Discoveries in the Physics & Astronomy shop | Science, curiosities, and surprises
Approximately half a gallon – the classic method of fastener measurement – of 3/8″, 8-32 thread pan head slotted screws. For $2.00, that’s a pretty good deal… assuming you have a plan for all of those.
Do you have a plan for all of those?
Bins of old stuff, acquired because we might find some of it useful before it heads to the scrap heap. And we do, we really do.
But when it comes to unsorted bins of fasteners and other bits, loaded with so many sizes and threads and styles? Fills you with dread until you remember there’s a bin for scrap metal recycling.
Stickers adhered to boxes of old chemistry equipment.
“For Laboratory Use Only / Not for use by children 12 and under”
Seems somewhat arbitrary, but then again, teenagers are known for their maturity and wisdom.
And here it is, the shop’s new toy. In place, powered up, and ready to drown us in oceans of swarf.
Note that this is as clean as it’ll ever look.
Rearranging the shop is no small task. Organizing it all is a complex nightmare. We’re forever behind the 8 ball, too.
But it’s hard to throw away perfectly good and useful stuff, given that you never know what projects will walk through the door.
There it goes, our old 1968 Bridgeport. Cast iron and steel, in need of a little refurbishment, and off to a new home across campus. The replacement’s on its way.
That we got the old one out the door is a small miracle by itself. Installing the new milling machine? There’s a budget to pay someone else to do that.
All it’s missing is the chalk outline and little tents with numbers.
Equipment from the Chemistry folks in need of repair. Delivered in what, we assume, was the easiest to acquire and least expensive option.
The cat owner seems pleased with the situation. The cat? The cat looks intense.
“To Reorder Please Call DEAD BATTERIES”
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice…
Well there’s your problem. When the bearings have that much accumulated crud inside, they don’t work as well as they should. Or at all.
Occasionally, one piece slips past quality control. One little M3 screw, with a little less than half of its six millimeters threaded. Is it cute? Sure. Is it useful? Hardly.
Good thing we’re always ready with spares.