Paperless transactions

[BillW50]

In Ed Cryer typed:

They take ages to get started in the morning.
They're excellent for tourist places but not much else these days.

Yeah I remember that part. But I am not an expert. I am thinking like
you have to start them like 20 to 30 minutes before you want some work
out of them. Which is like living in the far north during the wintertime
with gasoline engines. With fuel injection, I guess you don't have to
warm them up first. But the interior feels better if you do. <grin>

Speaking about wintertime, I also think you probably have to drain the
water if you shut it down. I dunno, but I don't think you could let it
freeze. I also recall with steam engines that you have to oil all moving
external parts at least once a day. Although I don't know much about
this. Maybe it is less, maybe it is more.

There's a viaduct in Glenfinnan in the N W Scottish Highlands, and
it's built on a curve. But the Jacobite (used in Harry Potter films)
runs over it between Fort William and Mallaig.

Ed

Wow! That is very nice. <grin>

 

[Wolf K]

In BillW50 typed:

I am not a steam engine expert, but I don't think a steam engine is very
practical for loads that change a lot (like stop and go traffic). I
would think they do very well for constant load and constant speeds. So
maybe a steam engine powered car might work better if the steam engine
powered a generator and the rest is electric and batteries, you think?

One of the most successful steam driven cars was the Stanley Steamer.:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Steamer

A steam-electric vehicle would be more efficient, but the main issue
with externally fired steam engines is that they are inherently less
efficient internal combustion engines. There are ways of tweaking
performance so that in some applications a carefully designed steam
driven car may be economically viable (=cheaper). One of the main
virtues of steam compared to internal combustion is that external firing
makes reducing or eliminating noxious combustion products easier/more
efficient. Thus, the externals of a steam engine could offset the lower
fuel efficiency. But until we have better methods of calculating the
cost of externals, it's a moot point.

HTH

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Wolf K:

One of the main
virtues of steam compared to internal combustion is that external firing
makes reducing or eliminating noxious combustion products easier/more
efficient. Thus, the externals of a steam engine could offset the lower
fuel efficiency..

And then there's wood-burning cars:
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/01/wood-gas-cars.html

 

[Joe Morris]

Oh yes, they were used all over the military aircraft. Even the computer
on the Apollo Moon flights had them too.

The idea of safety wire is that you have some assurance that whatever it's
holding together won't come apart (e.g., by vibration in an engine) until
the steel wire is cut. The safety wire is installed so that it prevents
whatever is screwed down backing out; the example above of the screw-on oil
filter in an airplane engine is a textbook example of something that you do
*NOT* want to come apart in flight since airplane engines don't take nicely
to being run without oil. (I speak from experience, although it didn't
involve a broken safety wire: the oil pump failed shortly after takeoff...no
damage to the airframe - I made it back to the airport - but the IO360A1B6D
engine was lunched. I could gladly throttle whoever at Lycoming screwed up
the design of its oil pump drive...)

Joe

 

[richard]

In BillW50 typed:

I am not a steam engine expert, but I don't think a steam engine is very
practical for loads that change a lot (like stop and go traffic). I
would think they do very well for constant load and constant speeds. So
maybe a steam engine powered car might work better if the steam engine
powered a generator and the rest is electric and batteries, you think?

hijacking a thread and posting it in a group which has nothing to do with
the subject of the thread.

Brilliant.

 

[BillW50]

In richard typed:

hijacking a thread and posting it in a group which has nothing to do
with the subject of the thread.

Brilliant.

Actually it is part of the Law of Darwinism. First it is the small
things and than it moves on to bigger and better things. Just watch, it
will evolve into a steam powered Windows 7 machine. <grin>

 

[BillW50]

In Joe Morris typed:

The idea of safety wire is that you have some assurance that whatever
it's holding together won't come apart (e.g., by vibration in an
engine) until the steel wire is cut. The safety wire is installed so
that it prevents whatever is screwed down backing out;

Yes of course.

the example above of the screw-on oil filter in an airplane engine is
a textbook example of something that you do *NOT* want to come apart
in flight since airplane engines don't take nicely to being run
without oil. (I speak from experience, although it didn't involve a
broken safety wire: the oil pump failed shortly after takeoff...no
damage to the airframe - I made it back to the airport - but the
IO360A1B6D engine was lunched. I could gladly throttle whoever at
Lycoming screwed up the design of its oil pump drive...)
Joe

I was only a pilot for about a year. I couldn't afford it much longer
back then. And I can't think of a single failure during any of my
flights. I guess I can count my lucky stars for that one. Only my
instructor was a screwball. He asked me like on my third flight to aim
the nose of a Cessna 172 straight up. Even I back then knew a Cessna
couldn't fly straight up so I nosed up to about 40 degrees.

He yelled and said no straight up. So I was pulling back on the yoke
further and further until the nose was at 90 degrees. And you guessed
it. A Cessna at full power has no chance. It fell tail first and it
ended up in a spin. The instructor reached in his flight bag and pulled
out a book. I thought the lunatic was going to lookup what we should do
next. But no! It was some dumb romance novel.

He was reading to himself and glancing out of the window every 10
seconds or so. And he would say you better do something fast or we both
are going to die. Now I think this guy is insane! Tried throttle, that
just made the spinning worse. Tried ailerons, nothing. Tried elevator,
nothing! And the lunatic in a calm voice kept saying you better do
something or we both are going to die!

Then I tried combinations of the above and they didn't work either. Now
I really thought this lunatic really had a death wish and picked me to
go with him. All I knew was the ground was suddenly coming up very
quickly and this was the end.

Then in a calm voice he said how about trying the rudder? Crap, the one
thing I never tried. Applied some rudder and it stopped spinning.
Applied full power and nosed down a bit to gain speed quickly and got
out of the stall like nothing flat. I still wanted to kill the bastard
for scaring the hell out of me though!

A have to admit, even in his madness... he made a real lasting
impression. As even though it was about 40 years ago, it still seems
like yesterday. And I still can't see myself making that same mistake
twice.

 

[BillW50]

In (PeteCresswell) typed:

Per Wolf K:

And then there's wood-burning cars:
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/01/wood-gas-cars.html

Oh man! I love it!

 

[richard]

In richard typed:

Actually it is part of the Law of Darwinism. First it is the small
things and than it moves on to bigger and better things. Just watch, it
will evolve into a steam powered Windows 7 machine. <grin>

Oh I see. Trying to reinvent the wheel are we?

 

[BillW50]

In Wolf K typed:

One of the most successful steam driven cars was the Stanley Steamer.:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Steamer

I thought Stanley Steamer did carpets? <grin>

Anyway lots of good info there. I even found a steam engine bicycle
there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dampf-Fahrrad_2.jpg

A steam-electric vehicle would be more efficient, but the main issue
with externally fired steam engines is that they are inherently less
efficient internal combustion engines. There are ways of tweaking
performance so that in some applications a carefully designed steam
driven car may be economically viable (=cheaper). One of the main
virtues of steam compared to internal combustion is that external
firing makes reducing or eliminating noxious combustion products
easier/more efficient. Thus, the externals of a steam engine could
offset the lower fuel efficiency. But until we have better methods of
calculating the cost of externals, it's a moot point.

HTH

I am not sure why some are hung up on efficiency. Sure it means
something when energy costs are the same. But when there is huge
difference, no big deal. Take water for example. Or in my case wood is
basically free. Convert something like water or wood into energy which
is basically free for somebody and it doesn't matter much.

Take for example you are outside and you are cold. What has worked for
thousands of years is you build a campfire. Sure most of the heat goes
straight up and you never feel it. But a small part actually heats near
you. Not warm enough? No big deal, throw a log or two more on the fire.
<grin>

 

[BillW50]

In richard typed:

Oh I see. Trying to reinvent the wheel are we?

Oh yes! So many times in history where things just doesn't go further.
Then somebody steps back and says we need to reinvent. Bingo!

 

[Char Jackson]

One of the most successful steam driven cars was the Stanley Steamer.:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Steamer

Jay Leno is spotted driving around LA in a Stanley Steamer once in
awhile. Cool car, I guess, but not my cup of tea.

 

[...winston]

"BillW50" wrote in message Actually it is part of the Law of Darwinism. First it is the small
things and than it moves on to bigger and better things. Just watch, it

Be careful for what you wish for...you might end up with Metro!

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per BillW50:

Oh man! I love it!

If somebody told me about such a thing I don't think I would have
believed it.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

In Joe Morris typed:

Yes of course.


I was only a pilot for about a year. I couldn't afford it much longer
back then. And I can't think of a single failure during any of my
flights. I guess I can count my lucky stars for that one. Only my
instructor was a screwball. He asked me like on my third flight to aim
the nose of a Cessna 172 straight up. Even I back then knew a Cessna
couldn't fly straight up so I nosed up to about 40 degrees.

He yelled and said no straight up. So I was pulling back on the yoke
further and further until the nose was at 90 degrees. And you guessed
it. A Cessna at full power has no chance. It fell tail first and it
ended up in a spin. The instructor reached in his flight bag and pulled
out a book. I thought the lunatic was going to lookup what we should do
next. But no! It was some dumb romance novel.

He was reading to himself and glancing out of the window every 10
seconds or so. And he would say you better do something fast or we both
are going to die. Now I think this guy is insane! Tried throttle, that
just made the spinning worse. Tried ailerons, nothing. Tried elevator,
nothing! And the lunatic in a calm voice kept saying you better do
something or we both are going to die!

Then I tried combinations of the above and they didn't work either. Now
I really thought this lunatic really had a death wish and picked me to
go with him. All I knew was the ground was suddenly coming up very
quickly and this was the end.

Then in a calm voice he said how about trying the rudder? Crap, the one
thing I never tried. Applied some rudder and it stopped spinning.
Applied full power and nosed down a bit to gain speed quickly and got
out of the stall like nothing flat. I still wanted to kill the bastard
for scaring the hell out of me though!

A have to admit, even in his madness... he made a real lasting
impression. As even though it was about 40 years ago, it still seems
like yesterday. And I still can't see myself making that same mistake
twice.

I'm not sure I'd like something like that in my memory banks

But as you say, you aren't forgetting it any time soon...

 

[Wolf K]

Per BillW50:

If somebody told me about such a thing I don't think I would have
believed it.

Late in WW2, in Germany and Austria trucks and buses were retrofitted
with wood-gas generators. I saw quite a few of them. They stank.

 

[Ed Cryer]

I'm not sure I'd like something like that in my memory banks

But as you say, you aren't forgetting it any time soon...

Sheesh! Our games teacher at school was a beginner in comparison. He
threw a javelin and pinned a boy through the leg, kicked another down
stairs, and finally hit the headlines in the local paper (and
subsequently got sacked) when stopped by police in his car at midnight
while in pursuit of someone in another car.

Ed

 

[Joe Morris]

Sheesh! Our games teacher at school was a beginner in
comparison. He threw a javelin and pinned a boy through
the leg,

OK, that could have been an accident unless there's other info that would
show the incident to be deliberate...BUT

kicked another down stairs,

That's assault and child abuse, or at least would be in the US (I don't know
how protective the UK laws are in this regard). How did he manage to avoid
prosecution on a felony charge?

and finally hit the headlines in the local paper (and subsequently got
sacked) when stopped by police
in his car at midnight while in pursuit of someone
in another car.

Not enough info to characterize this, although given the first two actions
one does need to be suspicious about his justification for going after the
other car. Details, please.

Joe

 

[Ed Cryer]

OK, that could have been an accident unless there's other info that
would show the incident to be deliberate...BUT


That's assault and child abuse, or at least would be in the US (I
don't know how protective the UK laws are in this regard). How did
he manage to avoid prosecution on a felony charge?


Not enough info to characterize this, although given the first two
actions one does need to be suspicious about his justification for
going after the other car. Details, please.

Joe

Ah, ah. It's all ancient history here now. Goes back to the 1960s.
I once saw him pick a boy up by the ears in the showers, but an old mate
of mine wrote this;
"weekly trips to ********** baths were quite an event. ***** ******* used
to line up all the non swimmers at the deep end and then walk along the
line pushing each one into the water, " swim or drown boy " was his war cry.
some pupils would have the excuse "i forgot my swimsuit sir "......"do
you have shorts?"..."no sir"...."underpants?".. ."no sir." " what about
your school tie ( which everyone had to have)?.....so it wasnt uncommon
to see a few poor guys swimming around wearing nothing but their school
tie."

Ed

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Sheesh! Our games teacher at school was a beginner in comparison. He
threw a javelin and pinned a boy through the leg, kicked another down
stairs, and finally hit the headlines in the local paper (and
subsequently got sacked) when stopped by police in his car at midnight
while in pursuit of someone in another car.

Dunno. For a "beginner", he sounds pretty advanced to me.

I'm glad I never had a gym teacher (US language, sorry) like that.