Hi ALL,
A lifelong fascination to me has always been the pursuit of the most simplest direct usage in designs of working tools and working machines.
Any damn-brainiac or idealistic-fool can make things complicated and expensive to make, and use. Just as long as he/she can get someone else to sponsor the constructions.
Here is a pictorial example of what I mean: vehicle hood props
Our newest. The wife’s 2022 Toyota Highlander hybrid. Six one-purpose specialized pieces needed to be designed, then manufactured to make this one purpose-use tool. Two of metal. Four of molded plastics. Experiences says the rod retainer plastic spring finger will later snap off allowing the rod to fall down loose; and rattle.
Because this breaking off did occurs on her previous 2007 Hyundai Tucson. This one much simpler: only one metal rod and two plastic molded pieces. The inner plastic spring retainer finger snapped off years ago and the rod end then rough roads rattles loose; and can even dislodge out of place.
The one on the 2017 GMC is equally simple with two metal pieces and one plastic. The white plastic anti-rattle retainer is as of yet unbroken.
It is hard to see in this picture; the black rod laying along the engine bay edge of the yellow fender.
There are other ways of course to hold an engine bay hood up.
My 2003 Toyota Camry uses a single gas pressurized strut. “Seems” ideal; as allowing one hand hood opening. Ha! This one over 20 years old still works. Most though lose pressure forcing you to use a third-hand, you-supply, rod clamp. Or a bring your own prop-stick.
The 1994 Ford F150 pickup truck keep-hood-UP holder is two; three piece metal hinge assemblies using large flat coiled counter balance springs. One-handed too. But experiences says best keep routinely spray lubricating these movements or they will go dry, rusty and not want to move. Then arm-strong forcing hoods opening/closing, bends things out of alignments.
Here is the elegantly simple in the 1994 Ford Edge
Just one long metal rod able to flex and spring. The across the front valance panel I do not count in the hood hold-opening pieces count as it would be needed anyways to direct air flow across the radiators below.
Using purpose edge molded retainer finger-guides and one hole; along with rod retaining flexing is the elegance in this design.
In a use-raw-wood gasifier I saw this evolved elegance of design on @Joni Yevgan Kolyvan’s 8th and 9th generations systems. His goal was a stated overall 40 kg system weights. He had to go simple with the fewest multi-purpose parts.
His evolved hearth reactor hopper lid using a simple metal spring rod hold closure shows just one visible Elegantly Simple in his system.
Anybody new here looking for the simpliest raw wood gasifier system should study the pictures and text on his two topics:
“Joni gas generator version 8.0 (GJ-8.0)”
And “Wood-fired gas generator Kolovan 9.0 version”
Joni himself has been tied up in the Ukraine-Russian war now for years. He reads some, and still follows, but is unable to promote his designs.
Here is me hoping for an inevitable Finland-Russian-like/North-South Korea-like peace to evolve out soon. So All can get back to the joys of working, living and loving.
I have many other Elegantly Simple evolved examples I can put up. From two piece screw drivers to self-loading firearms.