MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Stanley]

It's made of metal, either aluminium or stainless steel. The large drillings are to allow something to get through, probably cooling air or fumes. The depressed areas are fixing points which allow a space behind (or below) the assembly so as to not block the holes. The marks are a puzzle. They suggest to me the remains of a filter pad that has been removed leaving only remnants where adhesive held it in place. As to what it's original purpose was, for some reason my mind goes to a filter for removing grease from the fumes of frying or cooking and this pic is taken during the course of a deep clean of the unit.

[David Whipp]

Stanley's deductions are correct in some respects; but it's not made of metal...

The section pictured is three to four feet across.

[Tizer]

So, is it plastic and the thread-like halos are the result of drilling through it - plastic swarf?

[David Whipp]

The large drillings are to allow something to get through

pad that has been removed leaving only remnants where adhesive held it in place

a filter

this pic is taken during the course of a deep clean of the unit

[chinatyke]

Ah- is it something to do with your septic tank?

[Stanley]

Filter on air intake for ventilation of a large building?

[David Whipp]

Not part of a septic tank, though water has a part to play in its use.

Filtering is more an incidental part of its purpose, if that's not too flowery way of putting it.

[Big Kev]

Not part of a septic tank, though water has a part to play in its use.

Filtering is more an incidental part of its purpose, if that's not too flowery way of putting it.

Are you dismantling a planter?

[David Whipp]

Kev has got it (thank goodness for that!).

This is one of five 'petal' planters we have on Fernlea Avenue.



The planters have an integral reservoir which keeps them watered. Most of the holes you can see have wicks through them. Above that is a matting which then transmits water to the compost. This matting acts as a filter to prevent compost going into the reservoir. This is what's been stuck down with the white adhesive you can see in the picture.

The planters haven't worked properly for the last year and we are on with renewing the wicks and matting. Picture was taken after we'd power washed the planters.

Just realised that this is a picture of the wrong tree pit... the planters in question are closest to the camera (and mostly out of sight!).

[Tizer]

Well I never! That's something new to me - we live and learn.

[David Whipp]

Altogether, we've got about 200 containers with these reservoirs (mainly hanging baskets). The big advantage is that they only need watering a couple of times a week instead of every day.

Though the side and base of the baskets are just black plastic, this soon gets hidden when the plants get going.

That gives me an excuse to post this picture of some we have hanging in the town centre bus shelters...

[Marilyn]

Beautiful display. My head is always turned by such things...and I really appreciate the effort put in to give that little bit of joy to others.

[Stanley]

Interesting. I saw you on the job as well! The hanging baskets are superb, particularly the ones in the bus shelter and on the lamp standard in the Pioneer car park.....

[David Whipp]

Yes, Stanley (Sherlock) Graham, your observations from the picture were very discerning but overlooked the biggest clue of all!

See how you get on with this one.

[Marilyn]

a broken old cupboard...
Colour suggests Post Office/Pillar Box or old phone booth.

[Big Kev]

Kev has got it (thank goodness for that!).

It was the "flowery" clue that did it

[Gloria]

Wire trays?? Possibly for storing fruit??

[Tizer]

Is it in a hen house and the chukky eggs roll down and into the trays where you can see them?

[David Whipp]

Tizer is getting warm...

[Tizer]

Knowing your clues, David, is it for keeping eggs warm for hatching?

[Stanley]

Inspection point for eggs in a brooder? So you can see progress without opening up and cooling the hatching eggs?

[David Whipp]

Tizer has got it; this is one of dad's incubators from when he had Coates Poultry Farm.

Picture shows the trays in the side of the incubator where the eggs were put during the first stage of incubation. The trays for the eggs are on racking which tilts from side to side and needed to be adjusted by an external handle at regular intervals to turn the eggs. After a period, the eggs were candled and the fertile ones put on trays in a different part of the incubator to hatch out.

I took the picture after the shed was broken into a few months ago; along with just about everything else in the building, the glass in the incubator door was smashed.

[Stanley]

Try this one. Click to enlarge and use the internet if you like, there are clues. But, it's not as easy as it looks!

[Gloria]

How big is it Stanley??

[chinatyke]

I'm guessing that it is used to change the number of weft threads per inch on looms. Don't know much about weaving so it is a pure guess.