Ordinary objects used for extraordinary purposes

[Packard]

Back in 1962, according to the story I had heard back then, the first American astronauts took their first photos in space with a just-bought-from-a-local-camera-store stock Hasselblad.  I learned later that was not 100% accurate.  They stripped all “unnecessary” features (like the leather covering on the body) to lower the weight.  But it was essentially a stock camera that you or I could have purchased (I did later do just that).

The not-that-special camera acquitted itself well, and versions of that camera were used for all subsequent space flights (including all the Apollo flights).  Hasselblad no longer makes the 500C cameras, so that almost certainly has changed.

But it seemed incredible to me that for project that cost billions, they sent a guy to the local camera store to buy an in-stock camera.

One of the first photos taken by American astronauts:

And now, foot prints of humans in New Mexico were found and they used these highly sophisticated markers to delineate the various layers of sand/silt, to help date the age of those foot prints.  The foot prints are so much earlier than earlier research had indicated that new efforts were made to determine their age.

Those white pegs helped determine that the footprints are 29,000 years old.  Apparently much older than any other and is causing an uproar in the archaeology field. 

I suspect those markers came in a small bag that looked like this:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/10/05/oldest-human-footprint-americas-white-sands/

Any other examples of perfectly ordinary objects used in extraordinary situations?

 

[mino]

Well, I always considered woodworking as "making something extraordinary from/with something very ordinary".

Those many "what I made from "scrap"" threads are a testament to that.
[smile]

 

[Packard]

My first example was not a very apt one.  The Hasselblad was designed to take photographs.

But the golf tees seem quite different.  Genius in that it appears to work perfectly, is readily available and is quite low in cost. 

 

[woodbutcherbower]

I'm sure that I once read that NASA had spent fortunes developing a ball-point pen containing a small pump which would enable astronauts to write upside-down whilst in zero gravity. The USSR got round the problem by giving their cosmonauts pencils instead.

 

[Packard]

I'm sure that I once read that NASA had spent fortunes developing a ball-point pen containing a small pump which would enable astronauts to write upside-down whilst in zero gravity. The USSR got round the problem by giving their cosmonauts pencils instead.

They ended up with the “Space Pen”.  The ink is filled under pressure, and it will indeed write upside down.  But more logically it allows you to rest the paper against a vertical surface and continue to write.  It will write on surfaces that have oil on the surface ( I can attest to it writing on butter smeared paper.) They are just about the best refills I have ever used.  It is my standard refill.

The actual Space Pen is so small, that I habitually lose them.  I buy the refills and use them in a standard pen.

They never did a good job of marketing. Originally, I had to buy the pens from the Museum of Modern Art.  You can get them now from Amazon.com.


The original Space Pen was about 3-1/2” long.  The cap fitted onto the rear of the pen body to make it standard length when writing.

 

[squall_line]

I'm sure that I once read that NASA had spent fortunes developing a ball-point pen containing a small pump which would enable astronauts to write upside-down whilst in zero gravity. The USSR got round the problem by giving their cosmonauts pencils instead.

Not true, but a cute tale nonetheless.

Graphite dust and flakes are murder on sensitive electronic equipment, and NASA got extremely leery of anything wooden after the Apollo 1 fire.  The Soviets bought an order of Fisher space pens a year after NASA did, and they both have avoided pencils pretty much since then.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Not true

Ha !! We learn something new every day. Back on post topic - when I’m prepping and sanding timber, I habitually tape fleece paint rollers to my trestles to stop the freshly-sanded surface from getting dented and scratched;

[attachimg=1]

 

[tjbnwi]

Speaking of roller sleeves--table saw to CT hose adapter...

[attachimg=1]

Tom

 

[Packard]

I use swimming pool noodles.  A sharp knife easily cuts it to length.  Some applications call for slitting it lengthwise to snap the noodle over the shaft rather than sliding it over.

Slide a long bungee cord through a noodle and you can can mount it to the roof of your car.  Several placed like that distributes weight fairly evenly and will allow roof carry with only the addition of straps to tightly cinched straps to hold the load to the car, it makes a decent roof rack.

 

[ElectricFeet]

Silicone cake dishes for cleaning blades:
View attachment 1

 

[Packard]

Silicone cake dishes for cleaning blades:
View attachment 1

And they are dishwasher-safe. [big grin]

I would not have thought of that. Size and shape would be good. And easily cleaned afterwards.  And unaffected by most chemicals.

I would note that I have used several denture cleaning tablets and hot water to clean blades.  The denture cleaning tables do a nice job on cleaning.  I hope they do not affect the carbide.

Several years ago I saw an ad in a catalog (I believe it was Sportsman’s Warehouse) where they were selling “portable urininals”, originally intended for pilots of small planes that did not have on-board bathrooms— or co-pilots to take over flying duties.  It was basically a long-neck bottle with a screw cap.

Apparently, if you were hunting deer from a tree-stand, you did not want to pee from there as it would warn off the game.  So, the long-neck bottles with screw caps.

It all kind of made sense—until you got to the footnotes that included “dishwasher-safe” in the description.  I do wonder what the lady-of-the-house would say if she were emptying out the dishwasher… [eek]

 

[usernumber1]

this is my table saw blade cleaning tray. sprinkle some powdered laundry detergent and brush away. "sulphate" free seems to be the chat and Costco detergent fits the bill

[attachimg=1]

 

[tjbnwi]

I prefer the blue lid, I think it performs better than any other color [big grin]

(I do use CMT Blade and Bit cleaner).

[attachimg=1]

Tom