Whatsit?

[DJH]

That's close again Jelly. How are you feeling today?

 

[Penners]

For pounding grain?

 

[Jellyfire]

Hmm, ok, my scattergun of thoughts involved:
Loading gunpowder into a cannon
Compacting sand for a mould of some kind
A huge pestle and mortar contraption for crushing fruit/chalk/limestone act
Compacting paving stones or pamments


Slightly cheerier now its monday thanks. Its one thing being laid up on a weekend, quite another on a workday!

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I think something of the sort can seen in use about 3 minutes into this clip which is an entirely accurate depiction of life in 19th century London and not in any way a ridiculous Cock-er-nee knees-up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNapDkz1urc

 

[Penners]

Cor bloimey, Mister 'Ughes, it was bleedin' ding dong sittin' through that loada Eartha, an' no mistake.

 

[Flyfisher]

I didn't realise you could speak fluent Dick Van Dyke.

 

[DJH]

I enjoyed that clip Gareth it was very well done. The Whatsit has a very similar use to those in the clip but I'm afraid Jelly has hit half the nail on the head. It's used for tamping cobbles to both level them and to consolidate them in the sand bed. The wood used is apple wood I suspect because it's neither too hard or too soft and doesn't split too easily. Well done again Jelly. The sooner you get back on your feet and off to work the more chance others will have.

 

[Penners]

I didn't realise you could speak fluent Dick Van Dyke.

Actually, it's Dick who can speak fluent Penners. :roll:

 

[DJH]

OK everyone. What would good old Dick call this Whatsit then.....





Doug :twisted:

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Oh, that's easy, it's for scraping the windscreens off ice, in that order.

 

[MdB]

Well it would be good for scribing parallel lines / grooves. It is therefore a flying squirrel.

 

[Jellyfire]

Some kind of template?

 

[plasticpigeon]

or a gauge of some sort?

 

[Flyfisher]

Some kind of template?

. . . For a corset perhaps?

 

[LadyArowana]

. . . For a corset perhaps?

I thought exactly the same thing, but then I compared the dimensions to one of my other ones, and it's much too tiny. Even allowing for someone being smaller than me ( and I'm not anything near American proportions, even in Asia I'm only small/ medium ) I can only think it would be for a non life size "mannequin" :lol:

 

[DJH]

Some kind of template?

Hmm. Close in some ways Jelly. Keep guessing everyone. :twisted:

 

[DJH]

. . . For a corset perhaps?

I thought exactly the same thing, but then I compared the dimensions to one of my other ones, and it's much too tiny. Even allowing for someone being smaller than me ( and I'm not anything near American proportions, even in Asia I'm only small/ medium ) I can only think it would be for a non life size "mannequin" :lol:

Mrs DJH says right size for her....

Doug

 

[Jellyfire]

Well it's the elegant curves mainly making me think that, they must be for a reason otherswise you'd just have straight edges there. Would you build or bend something around it, (im think along the lines of a boats hull or keel but don't think that's the right shape)

 

[DJH]

Not really Jelly although I have to admit the curves are sensuous Here's the clue (not cryptic this time!) It would have been a must have for a plumber, (I nearly said old plumber ) back in the time!

Doug

PS I'm just about to start gilding the letters on the house name plate I mentioned somewhere before on here. Photos to follow of course!! :roll:

 

[Penners]

It's a corsetiere's training form. Once they've perfected their art on this, they can move on to full-size wimmin.