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April 2002 Issue
 

When one talks about “leverage,” do they refer to using a pry bar to adjust an automobile's fan belt pulley or the financial strategies of a Wall Street power play or a Sumo wrestler’s hulk and bulk pressure maneuver or the psychological play of mental intimidation? When we talk about “leverage,” we’re referring to this month’s “Guess What.”

A cast iron clamp-on with a  thumb screw wing nut for adjusting the rocker angle of the cradle-like center unit, it has a right angle hook on one end and a “vee” fork on the other. [Dimensions: 6 1/2” W x 9” H overall.]

This verbal preamble is our way of preparing you for the challenge to your curiosity, sanity and bragging rights. As is our custom, we’ve come up with some tentative suggestions – among which we’ve hidden the correct answer. See if you can fathom fact from fraud and fiction.

• Is it:
  1) Herpetologists rattlesnake immobilizer for venom milking
  2) Yarn winder and skein maker
  3) Sugar cane chopping clamp
  4) Plumbers copper pipe joint cutter and soldering bracket
  5) Rowboat fishing rod clamp-on holder
  6) Adjustable demolition blasting dynamite stick holder
  7) Garden hose watering guide and directional
  8) Telephone lineman’s feed-out guide
  9) Manual celery stalk chopping machine
  10) Coal miners lantern and birdcage hanger
  11) Cigar makers wrapper and drying rack
  12) Pizza makers pepperoni slicing frame.

You have the whole month to ponder – use it wisely. Answer in the May issue. Till then.

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Answer to March  2002 Issue 'Guess What'..?

In days before shopping baskets and rolling carts, the local department or dry goods store –  then known as Emporiums or Mercantile establishments – did not always have the merchandise on open self-help shelves, but, in large part behind counters or  in display cases. This called for the personal touch of a sales clerk. If you were looking for a pair of gloves, rather than guess the size (they didn’t come in sm., med., or lge.) – the clerk would save time and guarantee an exact fit by measuring your hand. The glove hand sizer performed this task with its spring action sliding bracket and calibrated number plate. 

*From the “King of Stuff” Mike Goodman’s vast gadgeteria - Ma, Vt.