Barnorama All Fun In The Barn
“Found in central Edinburgh. About a half metre in diameter, 3-4 metres in height, dark metal. Located just off a main road next to a burn. What is this thing?”
A: “Stink pipe for venting sewer gas”
“I was exploring an abandoned house and found a weird metal thingy, it’s some rusty metal with a bunch of holes that kinda resembles a shower nozzle.”
A: “It’s a male chastity device.”
“What is this paper arrow at an archaeological site used for?”
A: “I believe it’s a combined scale and “north arrow” so the picture can accurately show both the size and orientation of artifacts in the picture.”
“Small plastic items with numbers or letters, something could fit through it.”
A: “They are markers for wires.”
“Saw it on the pavement (sidewalk) in London. It looks like a piece of fabric between two bolts stuck to the pavement.”
A: “It was holding down tubes for a pneumatic traffic counter.”
“What are these metal objects found in Germany (near an amateur airfield)? You can see through the small openings and there is grass/mud in these tube-ish things.”
A: “These are “tree tubes” for saplings!”
“What are these tools/instruments for from 1772? Black bumpy covered case, brass(?) tools inside with some type of ruler.”
A: “These look like cartography tools perhaps. The ivory ruler is quite nice.”
“6.5″ white bendable plastic, shaped similar to a spoon with a point”
A: “It’s to take cooked eggs out of an egg mold”
“76 pound round threaded metal object. 8 inch diameter and 7 inches high. Serial number 1783-1 and engraved identifier WH 36858?”
A: “It’s a urethane Sheave. The turned surface that looks threaded is to give grip to a urethane composite that is poured around it so a cable or belt can be driven by it or run across it. Source, I machined these for over 7 years. You would actually use broken or worn lathe inserts to do the OD so it was as rough as possible. 4 through holes give bolts enough pressure to stay on the shaft without walking off it.”
“What is this screwing/drilling tool? Seems to clamp to a workbench and is approx 200-300mm tall.”
A: “Coconut reamer. Removes the meat from a coconut.”
“Found at a farm house, the arm swivels and the drum spins.”
A: “Butter maker. This is exactly what this is.”
“I think this is part of a wireless security camera, but I’m a little freaked out that it’s plugged in in the bedroom of an AirBnB in which I’m currently staying. Do I have anything to worry about? The wire goes into the wall and disappears.”
A: “This is a wireless bridge for a Vivint security camera. The camera is likely located outside. It is very quite noticeable and would not be able to be hidden inside. It has definitely seen better days. The lack of activity on the wlan and data lights leads me to believe the system may be defunct and the camera offline. Someone may have held down the reset button for 10seconds triggering a factory reset.”
“I know it’s a fireplace, but why does it have three sections?”
A: “One side is for storing firewood, the other is probably a cook stove.”
“I have these connectors in a house I just bought everywhere. Most of them are wired to the attic. What are they?”
A: “Shielded cable for use where RFI encountered in Picturephone™ installations.”
“This rack piece came with our new oven. Not mentioned in manual and no obvious way to mount or use it. What is it for? Shown next to one of the oven racks for comparison.”
A: “It’s the handle for that wire rack next to it. To be used when the rack is hot.”
“What is this rolling tool? Wooden handle with a spool of metal disc’s. Each disc has the same pattern of notches.”
A: “It is not for noodles/pasta. It is in german/austrian a Strudelwalze or Stippenroller; could be transalted as gridcutter maybe. It is used for cutting the top of a „Strudel“.”
“Found three of these wall outlets in our new house, not sure what they are. It is a 100 year old house if that helps at all. Curious what it is for.”
A: “My electrical contractor husband said it’s an old 110 twist lock outlet.”
“About 5” long with a decorative handle and a threaded, removable a metal prong.”
A: “This has a spot for a blade insert. It’s a wood carving knife handle!”
“Wooden thing, found in church/school, mug for scale”
A: “It’s a wooden version of a boot rack used for drying boots.”