I have worked in university research shops for most of my career (retired
now), both in design and machining. A lot of interesting stuff passed
through my mind and hands. For the most part, really interesting people to
work with too.

Made one device that regulated, at a variable rate, water through a closed
loop of pipe. In it was a fish (trout) that had to swim slower or faster
dependant on flow rate. The oxygen levels of the water was monitored to
determine how much energy the fish used to keep up with the current. End
result was how much food does a fish require to survive.

Strange stuff these researchers get into.

JAMW
"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in message
...
Awl--

An old friend, an old-school machinist who did most of his years in the
the physics dept. machine shop of a big name U in NY, occasionally lowered
himself to do work for the biology dept.

He told me the other day he once made (and designed) a fixture for holding
**live goldfish**!!!
For this marine biologist, so's he could implant probes, chips, etc. into
these fish, and send them on their way.
wow.........

This came up as we were laughing about the angst caused by having to tap
holes as the *last* step of complicated parts. I had just broken a 1/4-20
tap in one of my follies (not even a blind hole, so there's not much of an
excuse, ceptin for bein an asshole), and was telling him about my compadre
who about once a month calls me up to complain about his workers, and
often asks, rhetorically,
HTF do you break 3/8 AND 1/2 taps??? How do they DO it?????
I guess the same way they ruin 6" Kurt vises, by putting pipes on the
handles....

Inyway, my fish fixture friend broke a 2-56tap in his fishy creation,
hadda stay all night re-making it.
Promised to show me his piece--proly will give it to me! We both collect
interesting machining examples.
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll