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#1
03-20-2007, 05:48 PM
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Engineering Goodness
It seems a lot of things these days are designed to barely do what they are supposed to do. But once in a while you stumble across some ingeniously designed item that goes beyond your expectations.
I picked up a cheap replacement shower head at home depot. It said 'MADE IN USA' on the package, which I thought was odd enough, and it intrigued me to buy it. No sooner did I unpack it, the rotating 'face' came off in my hand. Oh the shame and humiliation of another bad American product! But I stuck it back together and installed it anyway, and I was amazed that water pressure actually holds the thing together. When the water is turned off, you can pull the face piece off the unit for easy cleaning. Whats yours?
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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles 2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed 2005 Toyota Sienna 2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible 1999 Toyota Tacoma 
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#2
03-20-2007, 05:52 PM
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I get a lot of those pleasent surprises while working on Mercedes. Its the little things, like sometimes I noticed they moved a part so you can get a wrench on a bolt and swing it, little things like that. Very often when I am taking something apart I find myself thinking that whoever designed this thought about the guy who was going to have to fix it.
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2006 CL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2026 Genesis GV70 2007 Tiara 3200
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#3
03-20-2007, 06:46 PM
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exactly.
especially the 123 body cars. tom w
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.  [SIGPIC]..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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#4
03-20-2007, 07:03 PM
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Here's an elegant thing:
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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.
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#5
03-20-2007, 07:27 PM
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An igloo. Ever build an igloo? The structure has to fall in on itself in order to stay up. It's the same principle as the arch bridge.
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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman
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#6
03-20-2007, 07:53 PM
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Quote:
In some old planes, like the DC2, the landing gear is retracted up and forward into the nascelle (the landing gear goes up and forward, not up and backwards). This is a design feature. If you ever lose landing gear controls, you can drop the landing gear and the air pressure (as the plane moves forward) locks the gear into place preventing it form collpasing upon landing. A nifty little design feature!
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Current Benzes 1989 300TE "Alice" 1990 300CE "Sam Spade" 1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007) 1998 E320 "Orson" 2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox" Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur My Gallery Not in this weather!
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#7
03-20-2007, 08:37 PM
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Just got some zip ties from Harbor Freight made out of stainless steel instead of plastic. Great idea. Thanks to whoever it was who mentioned their existence on this board.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13
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#8
03-20-2007, 11:01 PM
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Quote:
the top ring of the dome acts as a compression ring and it can be built up without formwork. indeed the top can be left open forever. like the pantheon in rome. a huge masonry dome with an occulus (i am not sure i spelled it correctly) but it is an opening that acts as an open air skylight. as a bonus the 142.5' (i just checked wikipedia) diameter dome of the pantheon allows one to sit there and watch the movement of the sun. the distances are great enough you can quite easily watch the movement of the circle of light across the floor and up the wall. one of my all time favorite buildings. and as a kid i used to build igloos. out of snow, not ice blocks like the innuit. tom w
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual. [SIGPIC]..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis. Last edited by t walgamuth; 03-20-2007 at 11:18 PM.
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#9
03-20-2007, 11:04 PM
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Engineering Skill
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#12
03-21-2007, 03:57 PM
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R. Leo, looking at your avatar I am reminded that it was Howard Huges who invented the cross-my-heart brassiere.
In 1943 Howard Hughes, famous billionaire and genuine lover of cleavage designed a cantilevered bra to better show off Jane Russell's cleavage in the movie 'The Outlaw'. Bra History
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Current Benzes 1989 300TE "Alice" 1990 300CE "Sam Spade" 1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007) 1998 E320 "Orson" 2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox" Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur My Gallery Not in this weather!
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#13
03-21-2007, 04:04 PM
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Quote:
He came up with a lot of ideas, especially for aviation. Retractable landing gear, flush-mount rivets and counter-rotating props come to mind.
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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too. 1976 M-B 300D-Departed. "Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".
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#14
03-21-2007, 04:58 PM
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Quote:
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#15
03-21-2007, 08:39 PM
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Pound for pound, one of the strongest building materials ever is provided by nature.
Bamboo - the ability to flex without breaking is amazing. An engineering marvel!
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