An Electrical Power Frequency Meter

It's from my dad's years as a generator mechanic. Permit me to explain the instrument briefly.

Gasoline or diesel engine powered electrical generators all run at a fixed, governed engine speed in order to produce a fixed frequency of electrical power output, just as the utilities do. In North America, that frequency is 60 Hertz (Hz -- cycles per second or cps).

One could set governed engine speed by using a tachometer, but a more direct, fool-proof method is to measure actual generator output frequency; that's what the pictured instrument does. Here's a view of it in operation.

Note the oscillating vanes. The instrument is reading just shy of 60 Hz.

I'm disinclined to believe that Toronto Hydro's power would be off at all from exactly 60 Hz, so I'll open up the instrument and see if there's a calibration adjustment.

- - -

Nope. The meter appears to be a sealed unit, with no provision for adjustment.

Anyway, that's ok. The meter's accuracy is plenty good enough to be useable, and it wouldn't be hard to remember what Toronto Hydro's 60 Hz indication looks like.

This instrument can go in a bin along with some other electrical test gear.

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FEEDBACK

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A 15mm Cold Chisel, 11" Long

That's a formidable looking chisel. Stamped on the shank is, "PEORY & PITTMAN". (At least, that's how I make it out to read.) I can find nothing whatsoever about that toolmaker.

Anyway, into the chisels drawer it goes.

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FEEDBACK

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A 9" Level

There's no maker's name on it. For a cheap-looking tool, it's remarkably well-thought-out and constructed.

I checked it against another level, and its accuracy appears to be just fine.

I think I'll hang this on my toolboard along with a plastic 8" level I have. I quite like this level.

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An Ancient Ford Combination Wrench

The box end is 11/16"; the open end is 1". Embossed on the handle is, "Ford 40-17017 MADE IN CANADA".

It seems this is a head-bolt/spark-plug wrench for the Models 'T' and 'A'.

It dawns on me that it may be high time Ford reintroduced the Model 'T'.

The cars were affordable, and anyone could do the maintenance -- there were no bleepin' computer codes to look up. One of those would suit me just fine.

The wrench can join some others in my miscellaneous wrenches drawer. When the model 'T' is brought back, I'll be ready.

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Whoops. That drawer is full. I hung the wrench on a nail. That's even better. Should anyone drop by with a Model 'T' in need of a tune-up, the wrench'll be right handy.

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An Offset Striker

I don't know what else to call it. I have no idea what its purpose is. The business end is blunt -- it's not a chisel.

The head shows evidence of having 'mushroomed' from hard use, and the mushrooming having been ground away, so the thing has certainly been used quite a lot, for whatever it was used for. [I think that's what the English teachers call a 'run on' sentence.]

Anyway, should I ever discover that I need one of these, I'll have one; It'll be in the spare tools drawer.

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A HUGE Cotter Pin Puller

At least, it looks like a cotter pin puller to me. It's a big one, though.

Its overall length is 14". Its major diameter at its mid-point is 9/16". That's a BIG cotter pin puller -- for work on heavy equipment, I suppose.

It can go in the spare tools drawer for now.

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An End Cutting Nipper With Pry Bar Handle Ends

There's no maker's name on it. It looks pretty decent, and in good condition.

This can go in my truck's tool bag. That's a truck tool bag tool if I ever saw one.

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