What is it?

I've been collecting unusual objects for quite a while, and several years ago I started posting them on this site as puzzles for visitors to figure out what they are. Most of the items are mine but a few belong to others, if you aren't interested in tools there are plenty of other type objects that have also been posted.

For first time visitors I recommend this archive for a wide variety of some of my best pieces.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Set 135

786. 2-7/8" tall


The top part can be unscrewed:












787. 8" long












788. 5" tall




The center of the base is slightly concave.











789. A regular ball bearing can roll down a 7" long, 5 degree incline in about a second; the ball in the photo below takes a full 50 seconds to roll down the same ramp. The puzzle here is to explain why this ball rolls so slowly. 7/8" diameter:










790. 5" long, thanks to Dan for submitting this tool:















791. The two smaller pieces can be stored in the 8" long handle when not in use, thanks to Gary for these photos:













792. 1-3/8" to 5" tall, this jack could be used for many different purposes, but it was marketed for one specific type of work. The idea for this one is to determine what profession or activity it was made for. The platform is 3" square.













Answers














Last week's set is seen below, click here to view the entire post:





posted by Rob H. at 3:45 AM

12 Comments:

  • 786. Letter Scale?
    788. Watch repair tool - closes watches or sets lens. OR a nutcracker?
    791. Cheese core sampler?

    By Blogger Canem, at 10/05/2006 7:54 AM  

  • 786. "O" ring guage?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/05/2006 8:09 AM  

  • 791. Incurment Borer.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/05/2006 11:32 AM  

  • 791- tree ring borer

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/05/2006 12:27 PM  

  • 792. I have one of these on my desk at work, I have used it on a few occasions for various purposes. I am in the electronics field. But I can't say exactly what it was meant for.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/05/2006 2:43 PM  

  • 792 - Lab jack, used primarily in chemistry labs, but is also used in other science labs. It is designed to raise an item to a proper level, not to support a heavy item.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/05/2006 5:43 PM  

  • 787 A Stillman's Pattern lever saw set

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/05/2006 6:10 PM  

  • 789. Because the ball is sat on the two ridges:
    That is, because the two ridges are off center to the ball, if in theory, the can sit on one ridge which is off center, it would spin the ball as it fell, but because it sits on two, gravity tries to spin it in opposite directions, thus slowing it down.
    Also if the ridges were flexible, the ball would 'dig' itself between them!!

    I hope you understand, it 'aint easy to explain.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/06/2006 1:22 AM  

  • 789. The gold ball must be made of a softer material than the steel ball bearing, and offer surface resistance to the ramp edges that the steel doesn't.

    By Blogger Canem, at 10/06/2006 10:37 AM  

  • 789. If the ball were really a sphere containing another weighted ball in some kind of thick oil, the friction between the weighted ball, which would resist rolling, and the outer sphere, would cause the object to roll very slowly.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/06/2006 11:23 AM  

  • >786. Letter Scale?

    Correct

    >788. Watch repair tool - closes watches or sets lens. OR a nutcracker?

    Nutcracker is right

    >791. Cheese core sampler?

    Nope

    >786. "O" ring guage?

    See above

    >791. Incurment Borer.

    >791- tree ring borer

    Yes

    >792 - Lab jack...

    >787 A Stillman's Pattern lever saw set

    Both correct

    >789. Because the ball is sat on the two ridges...

    >789. The gold ball must be made of a softer material...

    Neither of these.

    >789. If the ball were really a sphere containing another weighted ball in some kind of thick oil, the friction between the weighted ball, which would resist rolling, and the outer sphere, would cause the object to roll very slowly.

    This is correct, it's a Snail Ball. Please see the answer page for more info.

    By Blogger Rob H., at 10/06/2006 1:03 PM  

  • 789. Easy! The ramp has two high ridges of hard metal spaced at just slightly less than the diameter of the ball. As the ball rolls, it spins much faster than the actual distance it travels would indicate. It reaches a terminal rotation speed and thus will not travel down the ramp except at a snail's pace even though it is spinning like crazy! Try this where at the bottom of the ramp the ball comes into contact with a surface directly below it. The rotational velocity of the ball will cause it to shoot forward at an unexpected higher speed.

    By Anonymous wallerby, at 1/24/2011 5:29 PM  

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