The best bit of mechanical kit you ever bought is?

Re: Ransomes mower

I've got one of those too. In perfect working order and the grass box still proclaims "By appointment to HM King George VI"

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>
 
On board the boat, my can opener with the crown bottle opener. Enough said!

<hr width=100% size=1>I have nothing to declare, except my genius
(Sorry Oscar)
 
Re: Old Volvo

Should easily last another 3 years. My W (suffix) reg is still going strong. Swmbo is off on 500 mile round trip in it this weekend. I'm looking forward to not having to pay the road tax in another couple of years.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>
 
Re: Old Volvo

Had two Volvos, both burnt the head between cylinder and waterway, the current estate still only 150,000 mile.
The Rover 216 Gti has 160,000 mile, just took the original fan belt of !. Hasd a
Ford 1.6 Sierra, 185,000 mile, only a couple of cam belts, 1.6 Fiesta diesel van, 245,000 mile, original clutch, only cam belts. Times change, the 72 Escort sport used to blow engine every 45,000 mile, requiring rebuild.

Brian

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I have a large and very heavy Union pillar drill.
I inherited it from my Dad who found it abandoned in the shed of a house he bought in about 1954.
In low gear it makes the most awfull racket of clanks and rattles just as it did when Dad first found it... but the drill bit goes round smooth and steady.
The poor thing gets a drop of oil and a blob or two of grease every four or five years... weather it needs it or not.. And i did have to replace the wiring a few years back, Cos the original woven insulation fell off when i moved it one day.
Even the bakalite switch is original and working without fault
Modern safety requirments probably make it virtually worthless now. Maybe even priceless :))))




<hr width=100% size=1>www.victorious.co.uk
 
Re: Old Volvo

Ah yes... the Saab 900, old type. I can't wear it out, so it kind of lurks around as our second car years after it should be dead. What should I do?

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Re: The best bit of mechanical kit you ever bought

Mine's a knife as well, my french fisherman's knife bought from an angling shop in Bologne on my first trip across the channel from Rye in 1985. It is luminous green and has a great "Opinel" style locking blade, which I sharpen with a file; a bottle opener and a corkscrew. Everything to sustain the important things in life and sailing.

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Re: The best bit of mechanical kit you ever bought

Though I didn't buy it (wedding present) I nominate my Morphy Richards kettle. twenty seven years of solid service and still brewing.

Just the one sugar for me please!

kim

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>>apart from my steam iron (with water tank and remote steam generation- bet none of you guys have used such a thing)<<

Ha! Such sexism! <g> I've got a Polti Vaporella, and it make ironing a cinche compared to standard steam irons of any sort - and you don't even need a cloth to press suit trousers

<hr width=100% size=1>Utinam logica falsa tuam philisophiam totam suffodiant
 
Funny that Brendan. I've got one of those too. Recently I've been wandering how good it may be to heat the old Fray Bentos. What do you think?

Martin

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yeah, turn the base plate up and wedge it secure, and put on the continous steam feature. Would probably melt the tin in under a few minutes - err, on second thoughts, stick with the oven!

<hr width=100% size=1>Utinam logica falsa tuam philisophiam totam suffodiant
 
I've always thought that the oft-quoted "he who dies with most toys" was actually misheard. I believe it should be "he who dies with most tools.."

Much as I love all of my tools, and that includes my Swiss Army knife, Leatherman etc.. I think that the best mechanical device I've bought is an A3 Imperial King George V badged typewriter. I hope that whichever of my kids inherits it appreciates the engineering excellence which just seems so completely and utterly pointless now.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.
 
Looking only at boats, and disregarding the boat itself, I think I have to vote for my Yeoman Sport Plotter. Interfaced with a cheap GPS with NMEA output you have a brilliant and fairly cheap way of interfacing electronic navigation and traditional paper charts. I've done the ingerface in a little plastic box with a cigar lighter plug on it so I can take it anywhere; I also have a couple of crocodile clips attached to a cigar lighter socket so I can attach it to the battery terminals if there's no socket. If the GPS falls over then you still have a terrific plotting tool. If you run out of electrons then it's quite a good chart table for use with traditional instruments. You can use wax pencils on the plastic cover, or if you want to do the whole thing properly then you can take off the cover and place your chart on the tablet and plot with a proper pencil, dividers etc. to your heart's content.

I've just had mine updated by Yeoman for a most reasonable fee, so I can use the latest chart folios which have gone to WGS rather than OSGB1958 or whatever it is. Sadly I think they'll probably stop making them, as everyone's buying little Garmins etc. with chips full of (probably) deficient charts. Get one while you can.

Chris Rayner

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