Things we used to do

[MontyVeda]

Using dolly tub and mangle at my Grandma's.

...

not the first time I've said this but... how effing old are you!?!?!

(my mother recalls using the dolly tub with her grandma, and Mum's 70 ...I have great grannies washing dolly for a toilet roll holder)

 

[vernon]

half-size should still be ok don't you think? Maybe one of my friends' kids could fly it as it'd be too small for an adult

If you want quick and cheap access to pulse jet operation try these two budget versions. The fuel is meths. Any fires can be put out with water. Do outdoors or in a well ventilated room. My carbon monoxide alarm kicked off after three or four minutes of burn time.

Proving the technology


Improving the technology

 

[mybike]

It made a passable kazoo when folded over a comb.

Not much easily available for little boys to do that these days. Mind, do they have combs?

 

[Profpointy]

If you want quick and cheap access to pulse jet operation try these two budget versions. The fuel is meths. Any fires can be put out with water. Do outdoors or in a well ventilated room. My carbon monoxide alarm kicked off after three or four minutes of burn time.

Proving the technology


Improving the technology

thanks for that - I'll be reporting back. At the risk of being 'elf-n-safety (gorn maad) I think I favour the tin can over the jam jar version

 

[MontyVeda]

When pubs had a separate off sales window

when shops had a separate off-licence booth... if you looked under age you wouldn't get in, let alone buy anything!

 

[vernon]

thanks for that - I'll be reporting back. At the risk of being 'elf-n-safety (gorn maad) I think I favour the tin can over the jam jar version

The jam jar version is perfectly fine for short burns. Besides, it's water cooled.

 

[mybike]

Watching the lamp lighter light the gas street light outside my great grandfathers house. Come to that, the house had gas lighting as well & you took a candle to bed.

 

[Bazzer]

not the first time I've said this but... how effing old are you!?!?!

(my mother recalls using the dolly tub with her grandma, and Mum's 70 ...I have great grannies washing dolly for a toilet roll holder)

My grandma used a doly tub and mangle until the mid 60s. Could do this because her house had an outhouse, where the wasing was done. She only used a washing machine because her children bought her one.

 

[ianrauk]

Buy birdseed from a stall in Trafalgar Square to feed the pigeons.

 

[vernon]

Buying birdseed and throwing away everything that wasn't a hemp seed.

 

[slowmotion]

Sharpen pencils that worked. I inherited two boxes of pencils from my father in law The first was of box of Kings Own from the Cumberland Pencil Co. Ltd of Keswick. They were a joy to use. The second was a plain box. The pencils just had "Foreign" stamped on them (Fog in Channel, Continent Isolated stuff). They were pretty good too but I can't bring myself to use the last couple. Fast forward to today. You go to an office supplier and buy a pack of thirty pencils. You sharpen the first one and 10mm of lead falls out. You try again...same deal. In frustration, you snap the wretched thing and try another in the pack. You end up with thirty broken pencils on the floor, tears of frustration coursing down your cheeks, planning to ram the whole "Back to School" pack up one of Mr Staples' orifices.

 

[Profpointy]

Sharpen pencils that worked. I inherited two boxes of pencils from my father in law The first was of box of Kings Own from the Cumberland Pencil Co. Ltd of Keswick. They were a joy to use. The second was a plain box. The pencils just had "Foreign" stamped on them (Fog in Channel, Continent Isolated stuff). They were pretty good too but I can't bring myself to use the last couple. Fast forward to today. You go to an office supplier and buy a pack of thirty pencils. You sharpen the first one and 10mm of lead falls out. You try again...same deal. In frustration, you snap the wretched thing and try another in the pack. You end up with thirty broken pencils on the floor, tears of frustration coursing down your cheeks, planning to ram the whole "Back to School" pack up one of Mr Staples' orifices.

I.believe that's partly, or maybe entirely, because modern pencil sharpeners are shoot rather than pencils being faulty. I've had a couple that shaved thw wood.and immediatley snapped the leads. Use a knife, which is more "manly" anyway, and all will be well.

The old fashioned pencil sharpeners that actually worked are easier though

 

[slowmotion]

I.believe that's partly, or maybe entirely, because modern pencil sharpeners are shoot rather than pencils being faulty. I've had a couple that shaved thw wood.and immediatley snapped the leads. Use a knife, which is more "manly" anyway, and all will be well.

The old fashioned pencil sharpeners that actually worked are easier though

I hear what you're saying, but the "Back to School" pack is still destined for someone's rectum. I like having a grudge. Mr Staple might not, but hey-ho....

 

[vernon]

I.believe that's partly, or maybe entirely, because modern pencil sharpeners are shoot rather than pencils being faulty. I've had a couple that shaved thw wood.and immediatley snapped the leads. Use a knife, which is more "manly" anyway, and all will be well.

The old fashioned pencil sharpeners that actually worked are easier though

I had minutes of fun with this modern pencil sharpener....

 

[vernon]

I hear what you're saying, but the "Back to School" pack is still destined for someone's rectum. I like having a grudge. Mr Staple might not, but hey-ho....

Staedtler pencils take some beating.