Stuff they could have invented a long time ago, but didn't

[brookdalebill]

Guitars that absolutely stay in tune!

 

[bottlenecker]

Right, in Maine we have low cash flow, shade tree nechanics, junk yard parts, and salted snowy roads.
Toyota and Nissan rust out and crumble long before the drivetrain is bad.
Subaru needs major engine repair long before rust starts.
Volvo still has no rust and good paint long after 15-20 years uses up drivetrain and the 700 sensors in the electrical system.
GM is average while MoPar seems to winbthe race to rust and Ford lags behind a little.

I live in subaru city, wi. Outbacks everywhere. Even more than priuses, I think. The rust has usually begun by the time they get near 200k, which is when the head gaskets leak. I wish they didn't leak, but it's not terrible that they break in a known way, at a predictable time.

I guess you could say that for dodge trucks, but it's a tranny at 100k.

 

[Boreas]

 

[Sconnie]

My dad traveled for work, driving all over three states in an industrial sales job. He had all sorts of different add on cup holders over the years in the 1970s and 80s. I recall an early plastic commuter cup that had a little base "puck" that he glued to the top of the dash(!), and the cup would click into it. Edit- He was usually taking coffee from home, but you could get little styrofoam cups to go with the thin lid. I think it was Wendy's or Bob Evans that had the first plastic commuter cup he had.

I guess I could have been more specific to built-in cupholders in cars, cause those aftermarket solutions were dismal I'm sure. The thought of a magnetic snap cupholder on the dash of my car makes me cringe haha, no way.

But mmm Bob Evans biscuits and gravy would hit the spot right about now, thanks for reminding me the nearest one to Denver is about 1000 miles away!

 

[loopfinding]

elephant in the room - sound recordings.

we already had physics like fourier analysis, chemical processes like photography, and pipe organs were the most complex machines built before the industrial revolution...but we couldn't figure out a way to scratch audio onto wax???

 

[Jimclarke100]

I've often wondered about the single faucet that mixes cold and hot to get warm.
It wasn't that long ago there were 2, and warm was achieved in the basin.

What, a single mixer tap for basins is a thing??!
where can I get them in the UK.

 

[Telekarster]

Just think of what existed in the Library of Alexandria! If the Roman's hadn't burned it to the ground, we'd probably have teleporters today

 

[ReverendRevolver]

Pinless Bigsbys.

 

[kuch]

- The grounded wiring in my remodel uses 12 gauge wire, but the ground wire itself is only 22 or 24 gauge.

I think you know this but the ground wire is of a lighter gauge because if there is a short, the wire will fry and disconnect the circuit before the 12 ga. heats up and burns down your house.....

EDIT: I think I made a mistake. the ground wire is just a ground and doesn't really carry any current. Your fuse box is what shuts off the circuit if there's a short.

 

[Spooky88]

Looking at you entire auto industry.

My 2001 Toyota Camry w330,000 miles disagrees …..

 

[kuch]

Wheels on garbage cans.
Remember when you were a kid and had to carry/drag the garbage cans out to the curb.

Although when I think about it, the whole wheel thing didn't start taking off until the improvement and development of plastics.

Anyone remember the "steely" wheels on skateboards. Hit a little pebble and roll down the hill....

 

[StoneH]

I think you know this but the ground wire is of a lighter gauge because if there is a short, the wire will fry and disconnect the circuit before the 12 ga. heats up and burns down your house.....

But if the ground wire melted anywhere but the outlet or fusebox, you would have to rewire the whole circuit. All three wires in the Romex I have been using for decades is the same gauge.

 

[kuch]

But if the ground wire melted anywhere but the outlet or fusebox, you would have to rewire the whole circuit. All three wires in the Romex I have been using for decades is the same gauge.

You're right, I edited my post. The fuse is what disconnects the circuit if there's a short. The ground wire doesn't carry any charge.

 

[StoneH]

Guitars that absolutely stay in tune!

Funny you should mention that. I'm sitting here adjusting the intonation on my new Squire Tele right now, and I am going to order new tuners (the only thing I don't like so far) . . . actually, I'm going to take a belt sander to it as well (rib relief), but that's me, not the guitar.

 

[kuch]

Guitars that absolutely stay in tune!

Hey BDB,

Yeah like the Gibby self tuning "Robot" guitars. That went over like a lead balloon....

 

[StoneH]

The ground wire doesn't carry any charge.

It could if you hammer a nail through the Romex just right.

 

[Peegoo]

Or in the Old Testament.

XOXO,

Peegoo
Rewriting History, One Classic Painting at a Time

 

[bottlenecker]

My 2001 Toyota Camry w330,000 miles disagrees …..

Good for you, coastal dweller. Every toyota (and every car) in the state of wisconsin does not disagree, and mileage has nothing to do with it.

 

[archetype]

View attachment 986955

At about 5 years old, my son had a rock that was his "pet." I said, "So... that's your pet rock." He said "No. It's my pet." He didn't waver on that point, no matter how I explained the pet rock thing. He was adamant that it was his pet and not his pet rock.

 

[Red Ryder]

They couldn't use wheels back then- especially in those large train stations like New York's Grand Central station.

In the 20's and 30's there were flash mobs of tap dancers,
and with the rolling suitcases and such, that would compete with the rhythmic sounds of the tap dancing.

The More You Know!
.

If they couldn't use wheels back then, how did they move the trains?