5th Mar 2014, 10:44 pm | #61 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Quote:
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....__________ ....|____||__|__\_____ .=.| _---\__|__|_---_|. .........O..Chris....O |
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5th Mar 2014, 11:27 pm | #62 |
Moderator
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Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Officer Crabtree it was. The appearance of the polucemin was the high point, I always thought.
David
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Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
5th Mar 2014, 11:50 pm | #63 |
Hexode
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Near Lincoln, UK.
Posts: 483
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
A shade under 20 years ago I had a young electronics undergraduate student working with me on a new design. Brilliant with the digits, attitude first class and bright too. Whilst reviewing the draft circuits I mused that part of the system controlling some high voltages would be best done with a relay. 'Relay?' says my young friend. 'A relay' says I. The puzzled look went on until it dawned on me that he didn't know what a relay was! No idea what it was - never heard of them. One year short of graduation and no concept of a relay! Well, I began with electromagnets (he'd 'done' those) and switches (he'd used those) and conceptually put the two together for him. Bingo! Relays understood, at least in principle, if not the why and when.
So, my nomination is: relays. Best regards, Paul M |
6th Mar 2014, 12:13 am | #64 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 4,748
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Replacing the needle in a wind-up gramophone.
Lighting a pipe in a gale. Cleaning the fluff out of a mouse's trackball-and-roller mechanism. Emptying a vacuum cleaner dust bag. Replacing the mantle on an Aladdin or Tilley lamp. Fitting a new leather washer to a bicycle pump. Replacing a valve rubber. Replacing a syphon washer in a WC cistern. Pausing after dialling "9" and waiting for the public exchange tone. Mixing Polyfilla powder and water. Sharpening a pencil with a penknife. Using a Smith chart. Using a pricker on a blowlamp. Fitting a new flint in a petrol lighter.
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6th Mar 2014, 12:41 am | #65 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Bromley, Kent, UK.
Posts: 332
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
how to fit a 5 amp clix plug to the mains lead of their vintage radio and then running it via an adapter off of the ceiling light - I demonstrated this to a visitor to my "museum" last week and they were amazed that I could "get" electricity out of a lamp socket,,,,,,,,,
Last edited by petertheorgan; 6th Mar 2014 at 12:42 am. Reason: spelling |
6th Mar 2014, 12:41 am | #66 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Oxfordshire, UK.
Posts: 4,311
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Sharpening a pen with a penknife.
Cheers, GJ
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http://www.ampregen.com |
6th Mar 2014, 1:11 am | #67 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 1,880
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Now that, is tricky! Not sure if I could still do it!
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6th Mar 2014, 1:41 am | #68 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 862
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Cleaning and demagnetising the heads of a tape deck. Come to think of it, it seems most people were never aware of this!
Regards, Paul
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...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio! |
6th Mar 2014, 8:45 am | #69 |
Octode
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Littlehampton, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,465
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Getting a spring washer and a plain washer in the correct order on a bolt or screw.
Knowing the correct names for screws, bolt setpins etc. Jim |
6th Mar 2014, 9:31 am | #70 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 3,326
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Reading an instruction book before calling out an engineer to switch the thing on.
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6th Mar 2014, 9:43 am | #71 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 250
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Holding an intelligent conversation face to face.
My daughter sits in silence with her phone and her thumbs moving like a Bees' wings apparently 'talking' to her friends on Facetube (Or whatever they call it). She once showed me a series of text messages on her phone. The guys at Bletchley Park would have struggled with these...... Last week the wireless router died. Good God!! It must be the end of civilisation as She knows it. She went to stay at my Sons' house until it was fixed.... By the way, She's 24. Oh Well, technology, Eh?
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6th Mar 2014, 1:37 pm | #72 | |
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Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Quote:
Safety related telephone book more like- thick enough to cover the makers arse if anything goes wrong. Anything else- online if you're lucky.
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....__________ ....|____||__|__\_____ .=.| _---\__|__|_---_|. .........O..Chris....O |
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6th Mar 2014, 1:46 pm | #73 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Leicester, Leics. UK.
Posts: 1,684
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Painting the woodwork on your house.
Going back a bit further some skills seem difficult to believe. Such as, most country people could tell the time at night by the stars. I heard on the radio this week that many ocean going ships do not have anybody who is competent with a sextant. They hardly ever look out of the window. |
6th Mar 2014, 1:58 pm | #74 |
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK.
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Reading a Vernier scale.
Using an acetylene (carbide) lamp. |
6th Mar 2014, 4:06 pm | #75 |
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Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex.
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
This is all too advanced. A TV Doc recently interviewed people on the same sort of theme. A great number were unable to change a light bulb. Presumably they get help or buy a new lamp with one already fitted!
My daughter is 24 Omegaman-same symptoms but not quite as severe [she is very sociable when not on a keypad]. Your daughter is just the average. Notably, after the Katrina disaster in New Orleans it seemed to be a lack of cell phone coverage that distressed people who were at risk of starvation or disease more than their actual cicumstances. "Virtual" reality is right! I recently came across an Isaac Asimov short story [1964] which describesa future world of people wandering about oblivious to their surroundingsand absorbed in listening to communication devices. Familiar? Dave W |
6th Mar 2014, 4:44 pm | #76 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Belper Derbyshire
Posts: 1,935
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
I am suprised no one has mentioned taking pride in a job being done well.
Seems almost forgotten these days with targets and paperwork. How about knocking a nail into a lump of wood straight !! Basic carpentry and DIY skills Christopher Capener
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Interests in the collection and restoration of Tefifon players and 405 line television |
6th Mar 2014, 4:54 pm | #77 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Winchester, Hampshire, UK
Posts: 288
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
I was puzzled when my step sister asked for help to use the phone. She actually had no idea you spin the dial to the little metal stop and let it spin back. I guess, when I forget I know this, it is a kind of odd thing.
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6th Mar 2014, 5:12 pm | #78 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK.
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
I've got to the bottom of page one, and only don't know how to do two of the things mentioned so OK so far......
I sometimes wonder how most people would cope if there was some sort of apocolypse, or if they were marooned on a desert island,they just wouldn't have many of the necessary skills.
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6th Mar 2014, 5:28 pm | #79 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 3,944
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
I was surprised to learn from Stephen Fry, in a QI program, that in English there are more words that are an exception to this rule than there are those that obey it; thus making it a pretty useless rule.
Back to the topic.. Writing batch files to make your DOS computer do (relatively) clever things. Doing a calculation without the aid of a calculator. |
6th Mar 2014, 5:59 pm | #80 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK.
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Re: Forgotten Knowledge
Sweeping a chimney.
Threading up a reel to reel tape recorder.
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"Nothing is as dangerous as being too modern;one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly." |