Of photos, necks, chiropractors and MS Paint.

[Son]

You're ALL on the wrong track lads................. The WORST offenders are those that really, truly and worryingly, seriously believe that their phone REALLY is a camera!

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[Homer]

Yes Peter, I just did a little boat cruise with my family and was very amused by the number of people walking around taking video and pictures with their ipads. Bloody hilarious.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Hey JM, that's a very nice example of the Mechanical Engineering Handbook you have there! But maybe not as old as my copy of Machinery's Handbook.
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- which is where I obtain up-to-date information on screw threads for my rifles. At least it was up-to-date when they were made!

[Peter Laidler]

To be honest Patrick, that's where a lot of the info relating to some of this stuff is contained. When everyone, including me, was scratching their heads about malleable 'whiteheart' and 'blackheart' cast iron, I suddenly had a brainwave........... And there it was - in an old 1957 Machineries!

[spinecracker]

Ok, so you have covered photos and MS Paint, but I don't see anyone picking on necks or us poor chiropractors (with a nickname like mine, what else could I be, apart from a MMA fighter lol) ...

[Patrick Chadwick]

To be honest Patrick, that's where a lot of the info relating to some of this stuff is contained.

I have several venerable books on technology, because while it is improbable that the last copy of Macbeth will ever be thrown away, historical technological know-how can easily vanish for ever. For instance, should you wish to know more about the trunk engine in your screw frigate, I have a book that covers such machinery (most people will not know what on earth I am chattering about).

Or perhaps more interesting for forum members, a treatise of 100 pages, with drawings, on "The Manufacture of Small Arms" by John Rigby, M.A., Superintendent of the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield. "From the horse's mouth" one might say. Published in 1893 by the Institution of Civil Engineers. And it would not surprise me if it is the only copy still in existence. So when it disappears, another small stone in the mosaic of "how did they really do it in those days" is gone forever. And where did I find it? In the library of a hotel, and the manager was pleased to give it to someone who had a genuine interest in the subject matter!

I hope that one day I shall get round to scanning the lot and making it available on this forum. But don't hold your breath, it's very, very late (or early)... G'night all.

[Surpmil]

I mention MS Paint only because everyone has it (except Mac users who probably have something better!) or Linux folks, ditto.

Anyway, for those who will download the odd bit of freeware, I can recommend two image programs that do more than the average person wants to do, but don't require a training video to learn to use:

FastStone Photo Resizer: does batch resizes, clear, simple, effective and free.

FastStone Image Viewer: good photo editor with all the necessary and little of the unnecessary.

You can download them from FastStone Image Viewer, Screen Capture, Photo Resizer ....

I use them both in preference to Photoshop and Corel Photo Studio unless restoring an old photo etc.

[ufo8mydog]

Yes Peter, I just did a little boat cruise with my family and was very amused by the number of people walking around taking video and pictures with their ipads. Bloody hilarious.

People who take photos at public events and places with ipads look a little odd.

[chosenman]

People who take pictures with a camera these days look a little odd!

[Simon P]

Hey JM, that's a very nice example of the Mechanical Engineering Handbook you have there! But maybe not as old as my copy of Machinery's Handbook.
Attachment 49658Attachment 49657Attachment 49656
- which is where I obtain up-to-date information on screw threads for my rifles. At least it was up-to-date when they were made!

There was also a "Machinery's" Screw Thread Book as well I have the 1972 20th Edition but the 1st Edition was in 1915. I think the only threads not covered were the Enfield Threads.