Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

(a variety of) gin? (The sort which don't come with a slice of lemon.)
--
R

On 22 Sep, 22:40, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

It's an iron-bound uncle frightener.
Anonymous fruit bowls sold separately.

--

Lino expert wrote:
On 22 Sep, 22:40, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with
a block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

It's an iron-bound uncle frightener.
Anonymous fruit bowls sold separately.

Where can I get a pint of what you are drinking? Or possibly an eighth of
what you are smoking?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 22 Sep, 23:18, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Lino expert wrote:
On 22 Sep, 22:40, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with
a block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

It's an iron-bound uncle frightener.
Anonymous fruit bowls sold separately.

Where can I get a pint of what you are drinking? *Or possibly an eighth of
what you are smoking?

Perched atop an arrangement of three poles in a triangle.

--

Lino expert wrote:
On 22 Sep, 23:18, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Lino expert wrote:
On 22 Sep, 22:40, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with
a block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

It's an iron-bound uncle frightener.
Anonymous fruit bowls sold separately.

Where can I get a pint of what you are drinking? Or possibly an
eighth of what you are smoking?

Perched atop an arrangement of three poles in a triangle.

Nice!

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

Now I know you're feckin' dim!

Ever thought of a *T* *R* *I* *P* *O* *D* ? Which when used with a single
wheel - is called a tripod and gin wheel and when used with a series of
wheels is called,,,,,,,,,,,,,that's it, a tripod with a block and tackle -
duh!!

Back to the killfile!

Unbeliever wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

Now I know you're feckin' dim!

Ever thought of a *T* *R* *I* *P* *O* *D* ? Which when used with a
single wheel - is called a tripod and gin wheel and when used with a
series of wheels is called,,,,,,,,,,,,,that's it, a tripod with a
block and tackle - duh!!

It might have been called that when you were promoted to foreman in nineteen
hundred & frozen to death. Thats only because you were too ****ing stupid
to be told its proper name.

Back to the killfile!

****wit. It has a specific name. Tripod isn't it **** for brains.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Unbeliever wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

Now I know you're feckin' dim!

Ever thought of a *T* *R* *I* *P* *O* *D* ? Which when used with a
single wheel - is called a tripod and gin wheel and when used with a
series of wheels is called,,,,,,,,,,,,,that's it, a tripod with a
block and tackle - duh!!

Oh, by the way ****wit, three equal poles lashed together would be a tripod.
When one pole is longer (clue in the OP) its not a tripod.

******


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:16:50 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:
When one pole is longer (clue in the OP) its not a tripod.

You're not thinking of a gyn, are you?

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyn)

In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Oh, by the way ****wit, three equal poles lashed together would be a
tripod. When one pole is longer (clue in the OP) its not a tripod.

Camera tripods have adjustable legs. You may not always use them on a
level surface and the 'head' adjustment is limited.

Wonder where the name came from. 'Tri' is obvious but pod is usually some
form of container. Perhaps an old cooking pot? Or is it a corruption of
the French 'pied'

--
*If at first you don't succeed, avoid skydiving.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Oh, by the way ****wit, three equal poles lashed together would be a
tripod. When one pole is longer (clue in the OP) its not a tripod.

Camera tripods have adjustable legs. You may not always use them on a
level surface and the 'head' adjustment is limited.

Wonder where the name came from. 'Tri' is obvious but pod is usually some
form of container. Perhaps an old cooking pot? Or is it a corruption of
the French 'pied'


Possibly from the same line as biped, quadruped etc. It may have started
life as triped and changed over time with use as so many words do.
--
Keith W
Sunbury on Thames
(If you can't laugh at life, it ain't worth living)

In article ,
Keith W wrote:
Wonder where the name came from. 'Tri' is obvious but pod is usually
some form of container. Perhaps an old cooking pot? Or is it a
corruption of the French 'pied'


Possibly from the same line as biped, quadruped etc.

But those are animals etc

It may have started
life as triped and changed over time with use as so many words do.

Perhaps if three legged animals were common. Apart from the odd dog,
obviously.

--
*Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Oh, by the way ****wit, three equal poles lashed together would be a
tripod. When one pole is longer (clue in the OP) its not a tripod.

Camera tripods have adjustable legs. You may not always use them on a
level surface and the 'head' adjustment is limited.

Wonder where the name came from. 'Tri' is obvious but pod is usually some
form of container. Perhaps an old cooking pot? Or is it a corruption of
the French 'pied'

Same root as podium IWHT


--
geoff

On Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:40:19 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

Why are you using a block and tackle on your tongue?
etc.

On Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:40:19 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!


A frame?

wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:40:19 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!


A frame?

That's a bipod as it only has two legs.
Its probably a boil on the end of his tongue.

On Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:38:21 +0100, "dennis@home"
wrote:



wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:40:19 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!


A frame?

That's a bipod as it only has two legs.
Its probably a boil on the end of his tongue.

Where's that damn crucifix when you want it???

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with
a block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Thats it! Well done that man & thank you!


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

At the risk of raising MH's wrath some more.

Would an "asymetric tripod" be a fair description?

1501 wrote:
At the risk of raising MH's wrath some more.

Would an "asymetric tripod" be a fair description?

Prolly, wrath only directed at idiots like Unveliever.

"This animal is dangerous, if attacked it will defend itself".

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 23 Sep, 07:55, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with
a block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Thats it! *Well done that man & thank you!

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Well I don't think that's right - sheers are two poles lashed together
for straight lifting from a quay or the likes (like a derrick),
shearlegs according to the HSS link given below and other sources,
have three equal legs and the lift is central, but a gyn has one
longer leg which is how MDH describes his quest, with the pulley on
the end of the longer arm.

Having said that, this is the result of doing a bit of searching and I
wouldn't have known this before. As shear legs are more likely to be
still of use nowadays, and gyns is an old fashioned word, I wonder if
shear legs incorrectly describes them both now.

Rob

Rob G wrote:

On 23 Sep, 07:55, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with
a block & tackle attached to the longer one?
Its on the tip of my tongue!
sheerlegs?
Thats it! Well done that man & thank you!

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Well I don't think that's right - sheers are two poles lashed together
for straight lifting from a quay or the likes (like a derrick),
shearlegs according to the HSS link given below and other sources,
have three equal legs and the lift is central, but a gyn has one
longer leg which is how MDH describes his quest, with the pulley on
the end of the longer arm.

FWIW Collins Dictionary has:

"sheerlegs or shearlegs - a device for lifting lifting heavy weights
consisting of 2 or more spars lashed together at the upper ends lashed
together at the upper ends from which a lifting tackle is suspended.
Also called: shears. [C19: variant of shear legs]."

My Shorter Oxford doesn't have the sheer variation:

"Shear-legs. 1860 ... A device consisting of three poles of wood or iron
bolted together at their upper ends and extended below, carrying tackle
for raising heavy weights for machinery."

The Shorter Oxford does have sheer-hulk/shear-hulk (1768) (fitted with
shears) and says "In the pop. fig. use of the word the first element is
often misunderstood as sheer adj. and the compound written as two words."

Buried among the many definitions of shears (large scissors might
suggest the original derivation) is:

"shears - A device used upon ships, and in dockyards and mines, for
raising and fixing masts, boilers and other heavy gear, consisting of
two (or occas. more) poles steadied (in a sloping position) by guys and
fastened together at the top and fastened together at the top, from
which the hoisting tackle depends, and with their lower ends separated
as a base and secured to the deck or platform. Often spelt sheers. 1625."

I can't help thinking that the definition of shear-legs in particular is
more than a little suspect. All in all not exactly the Shorter Oxford's
finest hour. I wonder if they have tidied up in the latest edition.


Having said that, this is the result of doing a bit of searching and I
wouldn't have known this before. As shear legs are more likely to be
still of use nowadays, and gyns is an old fashioned word, I wonder if
shear legs incorrectly describes them both now.

Gyn has passed me and my dictionaries by but the Shorter Oxford does at
least come up with:

"gin - a) An apparatus for hoisting heavy weights; now usually a tripod,
with a winch or drum round which the rope is wound. M.E. b) Mining. A
drum or windlass for hoisting, pumping, etc. 1686."

Among 12 separate senses of the word gin for things mechanical in
addition to mothers ruin and to begin.

So my vote has to be for shear-legs, shears being in common use today
for cutting implements.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.

Phil

TheScullster wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.

The word originally comes from "sheer" = steep.

"Shearlegs" is simply a spelling error. Since it's a common one, the
dictionaries feel obliged to record it (as they also record "sheering"
sheep) but being in a dictionary don't make it right.



--
Ian White

Ian White wrote:
TheScullster wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.

The word originally comes from "sheer" = steep.

"Shearlegs" is simply a spelling error. Since it's a common one, the
dictionaries feel obliged to record it (as they also record "sheering"
sheep) but being in a dictionary don't make it right.



OTOH I think on googling a bit a sheerlegs is actually two poles used as
a crane with a rope holding the jib steady. the Gyn is in fact the three
legged sort..

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Ian White wrote:
TheScullster wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.
The word originally comes from "sheer" = steep.
"Shearlegs" is simply a spelling error. Since it's a common one,
the dictionaries feel obliged to record it (as they also record
"sheering" sheep) but being in a dictionary don't make it right.

OTOH I think on googling a bit a sheerlegs is actually two poles used
as a crane with a rope holding the jib steady. the Gyn is in fact the
three legged sort..


You're right, it says so in Wikipedia (but we can soon change that :-)




--
Ian White

"Ian White" wrote in message
...
TheScullster wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.

The word originally comes from "sheer" = steep.

"Shearlegs" is simply a spelling error. Since it's a common one, the
dictionaries feel obliged to record it (as they also record "sheering"
sheep) but being in a dictionary don't make it right.


'Sheer=steep' - really?
I'd have thought the term 'a sheer drop' would follow the OED etymology
where comes from a root meaning 'pure, clear, unbroken'.

The OED has the wozzit spelled 'shear-legs', probably from the way that the
components are joined like scissors/shears.

OG wrote:
"Ian White" wrote in message
...
TheScullster wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?
Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.
The word originally comes from "sheer" = steep.

"Shearlegs" is simply a spelling error. Since it's a common one, the
dictionaries feel obliged to record it (as they also record "sheering"
sheep) but being in a dictionary don't make it right.


'Sheer=steep' - really?
I'd have thought the term 'a sheer drop' would follow the OED etymology
where comes from a root meaning 'pure, clear, unbroken'.


Pure clear unbroken 90 degrees to the horizontal.

The OED has the wozzit spelled 'shear-legs', probably from the way that the
components are joined like scissors/shears.



But they are not joined like that.

"TheScullster" wrote in message
. uk...

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.

That's a tripod all the sheer legs are the same length.

One where they are different lengths is known as an accident in waiting as
some fule will attach the tackle to the longer leg and get the CG outside
the base.

On 23 Sep, 08:26, "TheScullster" wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
Seehttp://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.htmlfor details.



But the one in the photo of your link has three EQUAL leg lengths.

McK.

On Sep 23, 7:35*am, McKevvy wrote:
On 23 Sep, 08:26, "TheScullster" wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
Seehttp://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.htmlfordetails.

But the one in the photo of your link has three EQUAL leg lengths.

McK.

Wig-wam?

TheScullster wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

sheerlegs?

Apparently spelt shear legs.

Hmm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheerleg

Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.

Phil

On Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:40:19 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

Could it be a "Petar".

Derek

On Sep 23, 9:40 am, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

A trestle?

On 22 Sep, 22:40, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a block
& tackle attached to the longer one?

A "Fecking Dodgy" ? You're using one pole as a gin (i.e. an
unsupported pole) and you're doing this at an angle, not even
vertically. You've had to put the equivalent of four poles together
to make something with only the strength of one and no mobility. Gins
are inherently dodgy (a slight sway sideways changes the loads from
axial compressive to bending, then the whole thing collapses rapidly).
This seems safer as it already starts out in the worst-case
configuration, but it's not an efficient use of materials.

A tripod is three poles, with the weight carried on the junction of
the three and thus shared between them.

Sheerlegs are a rigid frame in one plane, allowed to hinge at the
base. They're usually constructed from two poles, as fixing the ends
down is sufficient to hold the frame together. The advantage of
sheerlegs is that they're a purely compressive load, not a bending
load (as they're free to move), so they don't need clever carpenty and
joints to make the frame.

There are also the two forms of timberyard crane, but I can't remember
the precise names. Both use a fixed tripod, the jib for one is a
single beam sheerleg from the ground, the other uses a rigid post &
jib, supported at the top by the tripod. These need strong joints (the
tripod carries a side-load) and the rigid post version is based on the
millwright carpentrythat evolved in the late medieval period. The
advantage is that they can slew a load sideways to position it, the
first sort can even luff it inwards, and both can be dismantled and re-
assembled to move around a yard, woodland or construction site. Names
for these are probably in Sandels, Sprague du Camp or even Vitruvius,
but those books are at home.

Andy Dingley wrote:
Names for these are probably in Sandels, Sprague du Camp or even
Vitruvius

Not forgetting all those well-thumbed copies of 'Practical Pyramids'.


--
Ian White

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
om...
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?

Its on the tip of my tongue!

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


jib