Lifting Heavy Objects with a Rope
Some of humanity’s earliest mechanical contrivances involved ways of using rope to lift or pull heavy objects. Anyone who’s ever hauled water buckets out of a well hand-overhand has probably said something like, “There’s got to be a better way to do this!” Well, there is. In fact, there are several.
Washing
Washing is a method of cleaning, usually with water and often some kind of soap or detergent. Washing both body and clothing is an essential part of good hygiene and health. Often people use soaps and detergents to assist in the emulsification of oils and dirt particles so they can be washed away. The soap … Read more
Washing Machines
A washing machine (laundry machine, clothes washer, or washer) is a machine used to wash laundry, such as clothing and sheets. The term is mostly applied to machines that use water as opposed to dry cleaning (which uses alternative cleaning fluids, and is performed by specialist businesses) or ultrasonic cleaners. Laundry detergent is frequently used … Read more
Human-Powered Machines
Treadle Washing MachineA human-powered washing machine is much cheaper than an electrically operated machine. My design uses a box that is 38 by 38 by 61 cm (15 x 15 x 24 in.), made from thick galvanized iron sheet. On the ouside of the box, there is a 15 cm (6 in.) diameter aluminum pulley … Read more
Hand-Powered Hay-Leaf Baler to Make Insulation Blocks
Many homesteads of twenty acres or less may have materials available for baling and storing for winter use but until now this has usually been impractical because of machinery costs. Here is a hand-powered baler that can be built with very little cost involved. To build the baler begin by making the basic crate shape. … Read more
A Simple Backwoods Hay Baler By Rev J D
During the winter months, Steve and his wife Tandy feed between 120 and 150 bales of hay to a herd of pretty high-quality dairy goats on their northern Indiana farm. This couple’s major source of income is derived from selling these goats. Once their initial investment in breeding stock was recouped, they hardly incurred any … Read more
Wooden Bearing-Blocks
Wooden bearing-blocks for use as shaft bearings for Crete-type sail windmill – by John Furze and friends. 1: Suitable blocks or “chunks” of a hard-type wood were obtained – and in this case blocks from an old apple tree from Southern Finland were used. 2: The rough blocks are cut into thick oblong right-angled shapes … Read more