Weekly Contest December 6 - December 13, 2021 : Tools

[OldMacs4Me]

Tools, the things we use to make a task either easier or possible:
An incredibly broad topic, that only excludes politicians and similar riff-raff. Feel free to do some archive diving, if you must. However tools surround us and fresh shots should be possible for anyone using whatever camera you have at hand.

The usual rules apply:

· The photographs must be your own work.

· You may only submit one photo per contest.

· No commenting or liking photos until after the judging has taken place.

· This contest runs for one week, starting now.

· At the end of the week, The Judge (last week's Winner) will choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photo, providing as much feedback as possible.

· The 1st place Winner will start a new thread with the topic/theme of their choice, and act as the Judge for that contest. (Winner has 48 hours to create new theme, after that it defers to 2nd place).

· The 1st place Winner will update the Contest Master List as soon as they post a new theme.

Contest closes at 10:00PM MST on December 13, 2021.

 

[OldMacs4Me]

Just to get the brain cells percolating a picture of my dad's Brunton Pocket Transit. This one from the late 1940s.

The Brunton Pocket Transit

The Brunton pocket transit is a particular interest of mine. Since my days as a geology student, taking strike and dip readings across the southwest US to my days as a topographer in the Arm…

oldtopographer.net

 

[soulreaver99]

I was going to post all my gear but decided on this one because this is the one tool I need to run my business and fund my hobbies

 

[katbel]

Some of my tools and hobbies: baking and cooking, love tea and gadgets, gardening, bricolage-or DIY and fixing broken stuff around the house or building stuff I need. I didn't have room for more tools: of course computer but not as much as before, including screwdriver of all kinds to open the unthinkable, sewing machine etc etc.

 

[tizeye]

OK, was a debate, either an individual using blacksmith tools, or this static display of medical tools. Will go with this.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Tools are means to an end. The term "technology" has Greek roots and can be interpreted as "tool." Even a simple plow is technology designed to help a farmer plant a field. So here's one of my favorite tools:

 

[Janichsan]

There are some tools in the picture...

 

[someoldguy]

A handful of my woodworking stuff . On top : a Stanley 45 Combination Plane , gifted to me by a friend who was in his late 80's , sometime around 1990 or thereabouts . He got it from someone when he was in his 20's , so it wasn't new then . There's a bunch more accessories , and box , and instructions that went with it . I've used this thing numerous times .
The 2 brass (actually bronze) planes are , on the left , an edge trimming block plane , and right , a low angle skew bladed block plane .
Both made by Lie-Nielsen and are improved designs of Stanley items from the early 1900's . Got these in the early 1980's and have used these a lot over the years .

 

[zagato27]

An expensive paper hole puncher. Just thought I'd play.

 

[Q-Dog]

 

[gaswerks]

 

[oblomow]

 

[mollyc]

 

[Laird Knox]

Almost closed, I guess I should post something!

 

[OldMacs4Me]

Entries now closed

 

[OldMacs4Me]

A big thanks to everyone who entered. This one was really fun to judge. And I am sure everyone entered might have picked different winners or perhaps shuffled them a little differently. Anyways lookout below 'cause here we go:

@‪soulreaver99‬
A logical choice given this is a Mac forum. At first I found the suspended effect a bit disconcerting but ended up liking it. On the minus side I would like to see the subject itself crisply focused with blurring limited to the background.

@‪katbel‬
You nailed the topic and I love the arrangement. Is that the new camera?

@‪tizeye‬
You also nailed the topic, and all tools were reasonably crisp.

@‪Darmok N Jalad‬
Love the subject and normally I love your images. However given that Leica lenses are renowned for their sharp images, partially blurring the subject just does not work, at least for me.

@‪Janichsan‬
Pretty sure that's a model of a Messerschmidt 109. The main tools are in reasonably good focus, and the rest of the image somewhat blurred. I can recall my own model building days. Of course that was not too many years after WWII and a plane from the other side would I am sure have been frowned upon back in the late '50s.

@‪someoldguy‬
You were right on topic. Loved this shot.

@‪zagato27‬
Brings back memories of my target shooting days. Open sight 22 rifle. I am sure the lessons learned on the shooting range contributed greatly to my being able to hold a camera rock steady at slow shutter speeds.

@‪Q-Dog‬
I believe that's what is called a pocket plane? Anyways I have a similar one in my own tool collection. Another good image.

@‪gaswerks‬
Nice shot. Makes me hungry for more.

@‪oblomow‬
As near as I can tell these are belt driven grinding and cutting tools. Good layout and admirable job of correcting the white balance under fluorescent lighting. The shadow detail helps make the image. Not sure whether I would have corrected the horizon line or left it as is.

@‪mollyc‬
I really like the Tri-X film effect. Shadow details are right on the money and add a bit of mystery to the story.

@‪Laird Knox‬
Every one should have a large format Cherry-wood camera in their personal collection. Will have to dig mine out of storage one of these days.

And the winners are.
First; @‪katbel‬
Second; @‪tizeye
Third; @‪someoldguy

Again thanks to everyone who entered.

 

[Janichsan]

@‪Janichsan‬
Pretty sure that's a model of a Messerschmidt 109.

It is. More precisely a Bf 109 E-4, which was in service during the Battle of Britain. I built the matching Spitfire Mk. I before that.

 

[tizeye]

@‪tizeye‬
You also nailed the topic, and all tools were reasonably crisp.



And the winners are.
First; @‪katbel‬
Second; @‪tizeye
Third; @‪someoldguy

Again thanks to everyone who entered.

Congratulations to everyone and looking forward to next weeks topic. Thanks for the feedback...and the best spot, #2 on the podium.

I am certainly glad medical instruments have improved over time. Noted that had a hard time deciding between two. This was the other photo.

 

[OldMacs4Me]

Congratulations to everyone and looking forward to next weeks topic. Thanks for the feedback...and the best spot, #2 on the podium.

I am certainly glad medical instruments have improved over time. Noted that had a hard time deciding between two. This was the other photo.

Like the overall composition of the blacksmith shot better. Might have got you top spot, but the unwritten rule is no second guessing.

 

[katbel]

Thanks to the judge for giving me the top spot : too generous! There are so many others photos that should have deserved it better than mine. REALLY
Congratulations to the others and I agree with OldMacs4Me
@‪tizeye:‬ the blacksmith photo is a winner!

@‪katbel‬
Is that the new camera?

Yes, it is. ?

 

[Q-Dog]

Congratulations to the winners.

OldMacs: A pocket plane would be something small enough to carry in your apron pocket ... about 4 or 5 inches long at most. This plane in the photo would be more appropriately called a smooth plane or a smothing plane. I was using it to clean up some gouges on the posts of my front porch, set it down and thought about this week's contest.

Here is a typical block plane and the smoothing plane from the photo. A pocket plane woud be smaller than the block plane.

 

[katbel]

A new weekly contest is up and running:
Weekly Contest December 14th - December 21st, 2021 : Children's toys

 

[Laird Knox]

@‪Laird Knox‬
Every one should have a large format Cherry-wood camera in their personal collection. Will have to dig mine out of storage one of these days.

I need to get mine out too. I think I still have some 8x10 film laying around somewhere.

This is what it ended up with.

Mushroom Rock, Death Valley

 

[someoldguy]

Thanks for the third , and congrats to @tizeye and @katbel ! A bit more info on the Stanley 45 in my entry . These planes were in production from the 1880's up until the early 1960's . From what I can determine , my example was built between 1910 and 1920 , my guess , judging from what I know from its' past history is it's from closer to 1910 .

 

[Laird Knox]

From what I can determine , my example was built between 1910 and 1920 , my guess , judging from what I know from its' past history is it's from closer to 1910 .

Similar to the camera I posted. The King from Rochester Optical was produced between 1897 and 1903. I haven't looked up the vintage of the lenses that I have with it but it is a great system.