Manufacturing in America

Gordy

Come on Fred you can tell us

Solid_Fuel_Man

Red or blue thermometers are usually alcohol. Were back then as well I believe.

BobC

I have a couple of mercury contactors down the cellar, one is 2 pole and the other 3 pole. Each pole probably has about half a cubic inch of mercury and is good for 60 amps.

i never played with mercury as a kid, gunpowder was as far as I'd go.

I got them from old wave solder machines but I never figured out why they didn't just use standard contactors, it's not like a resistance heating element cares about zero bounce switching. They can put those in my casket when I go - just don't tell the EPA!

Bob

ChrisJ

Fred said:

Gordy said:

Fred said:

It seems to me that in the glass, they were red but when we got the mercury out the mercury was sliver.

The Red ones were alcohol, The silver ones Mercury. Did you drink the red ones Fred?

Nope, never drank them. I just know, whatever color they were in the glass, we had mercury balls that we played with for hours. Hit them with your hand and they'd split into several tiny balls and then we'd push them back together (at least the ones we'd find). Today we'd have to call a hazmat crew out for a clean up.

Yes,
And there's a good reason for that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_hatter_disease

Solid_Fuel_Man

Mercury was one of the greatest high load switching substances known. Mercury switches were used extensively in the electrical feild. Not simply the small hermetic tip switches, but super-fast and arc free. Lasting nearly indefinitely as the mercury was in an oxygen free environment.

SCR's have replaced mercury, but don't have the longevity.

BobC

SCR's and Triac's are great as long as you can limit the current, if you don't it let's the smoke escape every time.

Same thing goes for switch mode power supplies, as long as you limit the abuse you fine - otherwise just wait for the explosion. If you really need rugged go with something like a constant voltage transformer (like SOLA); they are heavy and inefficient but if it absolutely has to be reliable that is the way to go. i pray any power supply in a missile launch facility is NOT switch-mode.

i have designed all of the above and you can put the above into the bank and never look back.

Bob

Gordy

My old house had all Mercury light switches. Quiet, and reliable.

bob_46

I can remember watching the dentist mix mercury around with some other stuff and put it in my cavities .

Solid_Fuel_Man

Here in Maine they still use amalgam for fillings. My mother worked for a dentist for 35 years.

MikeL_2

I think manufacturers and big business needs to adopt a more patriotic mode of hiring & maintaining jobs. We've made it possible for General Dynamics to average 500 million dollars profit per month this past year, and, they've been awarded 6.5 billion dollars worth of defense contract work; why can't they " sacrifice " a few small percentage points of profit to keep jobs on our soil. The same should apply to donald trump - his properties souvenir & gift shops are filled with cheaply produced items from overseas...............

Gordy

Absolutely. The "military machines" contractors, and suppliers especially.

SWEI

ChrisJ said:

Here's something to chew on........
it's Canada but the USA is very similar if not identical in this regard.

The slope just went negative according to one story I recently heard.

Mad Dog said:

Did anyone have a "bangsite" cannon?

Oh, yes. Pretty sure it ran on carbide, though. Fun with acetylene!

rick in Alaska

Wow! Looking at the chart makes me realize I should start doing something fun. Time is Screaming by!
Rick

Fred

@rick in Alaska , I'd respond but I'm already dead!

rick in Alaska

I figure I will have to work at least a week or two after I am dead just to pay it off.
Rick

Paul48

@Fred
Wake up occasionally and take a sip of the beer, otherwise they're liable to throw dirt on ya.

Fred

@Paul48 That's why I try to keep moving!

BobC

In the summer I can sit on the front porch and throw the empty beer bottles at the kids. In the winter my only hope is that the door locks hold.

Bob

ChrisJ

SWEI said:

ChrisJ said:

Here's something to chew on........
it's Canada but the USA is very similar if not identical in this regard.

The slope just went negative according to one story I recently heard.

Mad Dog said:

Did anyone have a "bangsite" cannon?

Oh, yes. Pretty sure it ran on carbide, though. Fun with acetylene!

I've yet to see that and I keep looking anytime I hear a GMO argument.

Do you have the data handy?

SWEI

It was all over the media a few days ago. I don't have the official CDC release, but http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/2016/12/us-life-expectancy-falls-many-kinds-death-increase summarizes it.

Gordy

The first thing my uncle noticed on his trips here from Italy was obesity, and how rampid it is in the U.S. Just a Europeans observation.........

ChrisJ

Gordy said:

The first thing my uncle noticed on his trips here from Italy was obesity, and how rampid it is in the U.S. Just a Europeans observation.........

Yes,
The US has an obesity problem.

As does Canada and England. Not sure about other places, but there may be more as well.

We didn't need your uncle to tell us that, just open your eyes.

Gordy

No my Uncle did not have to, I already knew that. It became so common you just take it in stride. However when a foreigner comes to this country, and that is his FIRST observation as to how many. It says huge amounts. We need to look to Europe, and other countries as to leading a healthier life. Much has to do with eating habits.

CLamb

ChrisJ said:

As does Canada and England. Not sure about other places, but there may be more as well.

Mexico has the world's highest child obesity rate.

SlamDunk

ChrisJ said:

Gordy said:

The first thing my uncle noticed on his trips here from Italy was obesity, and how rampid it is in the U.S. Just a Europeans observation.........

Yes,
The US has an obesity problem.

As does Canada and England. Not sure about other places, but there may be more as well.

We didn't need your uncle to tell us that, just open your eyes.

It is not just obesity. In the late 90's, I was working in Italy, eating lunch with a severl guys. The youngest asked about Americans' love for big cars. I had recently read about Fords new excursion and told them about it.

they asked how big isit?
@18-19ft long......they did the conversion, 6 meters!???!

what is this for? work truck?

No, family car, it weighs 8000lbs.

Mama mia! how much fuel does it use? a lot of chatter in italian

I think 15mpg....

That is when the oldest guy put his fork down and said, what the hell is wrong with you Americans? We pay a fortune for gas because you are drinking it all just to drive to work!

It was an interesting viewpoint on american consumption.

Gordy

yup been there 3 times. Americans are gluttonous. You don't see 2" thick steaks there either. Lunch is the big meal of the day. Guess why.

Fred

@SlamDunk , I really don't think their gas costs are in any way related to our consumption. Their government will argue it is the logistics/distribution costs. Back in the 90's gasoline was about $5.00/gal., in Italy. Today it is about $9.00/gal. I have a sister and two brothers and their families there. On the surface, one would ask, how can they afford that, but in reality, most have methane tanks in the trunks of their cars and they fill up on methane at a more reasonable cost (I'm not sure what that price is today but I could find out).

Paul48

From reading....Italy may not be the country to model ourselves after. They are having problems with childhood obesity.

Gordy

Because they have become Americanized......

Gordy

Why do you think it's a problem in children now days Paul....see above childhood activities we use to, and still participate in.

Mad Dog_2

Gee Gordy...ALWAYS seems to be The Americans fault, heh? BAD AMERICANS. Bad Bad Americans....shall I go to confession tommorow? Mad Dog

Paul48

Preaching to the choir Gordy.......No need to defend Italians....No, they have not become Americanized. They have become modern-day kids. We ,Americans get blamed for enough. We don't need the blame of other countries kids getting fat.

Mad Dog_2

Gordy...Follow Europe's lead? REALLY ? How are things going over there these days? Fill us in? Mad Dog

Gordy

Who said always Mad Dog? However you will have to admit we have some bad habits. At least as viewed by some foreign dwellers.

Paul48

We are hated the world over. The level of hatred is directly proportional to the level of aid we give them, or their enemies. We need to tell them all to go "fan ice".

Gordy

Thats a mouth full Paul, and very true. Maybe we should all go to confession if that applies.....we give chocolate cake to everyone for desert every meal then take it away. What do you think will happen.

I have always said worry about our own soil, and population. However once your declare yourself the cops of the world, and others depend on your policing it tough to cut the cord.

Paul48

They get these wild ideas, that because we drive a gas guzzler, it causes them problems. I suppose they will hate us....worse?

ChrisJ

Gordy said:

Because they have become Americanized......

You know Gordy,
Not everything is our fault.

Seriously.

Gordy

ChrisJ said:

Gordy said:

Because they have become Americanized......

You know Gordy,
Not everything is our fault.

Seriously.

So the parrot said........

hot_rod

Gordy said:

Because they have become Americanized......

Maybe it is connected to the rise of fast food chains showing up in Europe?

When I visit Italy, most of then people I know and stay with shop every day on the way home. Fresh produce, meats, pastas and bake goods. Many have small gardens or share community garden.

Wine instead of soft drinks. They eat healthy and small portions.

One exception is their love of Nutella My son came home addicted to the brown stuff.











In larger cities where the chain fast food shops set up, like here there are lines of mostly younger people, same in the college towns.

Food quality and lack of exercise, lead to weight issues. Although many Italians are biking and or kicking a soccer ball around a lot.