What's your favourite simple machine?

[LaSorcia]

I've been doing a lot of remodeling lately, and I've found over and over again just how useful levers are, so they get my vote.

Haven't had much use for pulleys. Oh well.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

I've been doing a lot of remodeling lately, and I've found over and over again just how useful levers are, so they get my vote.

Haven't had much use for pulleys. Oh well.

I like levers and pulleys.

 

[Sam91]

The spinning top. The metal ones you push the plunger down and watch spin.

I can also spend hours watching pendulums, or did as a child.

 

[cloudyday2]

How about the Slinky ( Slinky - Wikipedia )? I used to watch the commercials between Saturday morning cartoons, but I never could make them walk down stairs and all that. Really they never did anything for me. ... Cancel the Slinky vote LOL

 

[jacks]

The Petard. Just don't want to be hoisted by it.

 

[mnorian]

I've been doing a lot of remodeling lately, and I've found over and over again just how useful levers are, so they get my vote.

Haven't had much use for pulleys. Oh well.

Watches; the old wind-up kind. Was fascinated by them when I was a kid. I used to find old watches in drawers that had the face cracked; which would get the mechanism dirty and they would quit. If you took them apart; you could get them to work temporarily by cleaning them out and winding them up tight.

All those little tiny gears seemed to work by magic:

 

[Radagast]

I've been doing a lot of remodeling lately, and I've found over and over again just how useful levers are, so they get my vote.

And, no doubt, the inclined plane has been helpful too. And the screw.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Pulley.
Actually the gear which is just a glorified pulley.
Google ROKR Wooden Gear toys.
Fascinating stuff.

 

[Radagast]

Watches; the old wind-up kind.

I saw a wind-up watch once that included the date (and enough gears and cams to automatically allow for the length of the months and for leap years).

 

[Shemjaza]

The gyroscope. It reminds me of the forces that keep me up on my motor bike.

 

[d taylor]

I've been doing a lot of remodeling lately, and I've found over and over again just how useful levers are, so they get my vote.

Haven't had much use for pulleys. Oh well.

Pencil sharpener.

 

[LaSorcia]

And, no doubt, the inclined plane has been helpful too. And the screw.

Screws yes, but I prefer nails if I can get away with it. Inclined planes, not so much. Yeah, I'm glad someone knows what I meant by simple machines.

 

[Lost4words]

Dog flap on my owners door

 

[Radagast]

Screws yes, but I prefer nails if I can get away with it.

Screws are stronger.

 

[jacks]

The gyroscope. It reminds me of the forces that keep me up on my motor bike.

You mean like this?

 

[Shemjaza]

You mean like this?

You got it. The second you stop leaning the gyroscopic forces just pop you back up.

 

[SkyWriting]

I've been doing a lot of remodeling lately, and I've found over and over again just how useful levers are, so they get my vote.

Haven't had much use for pulleys. Oh well.

I enjoy the work I've been doing with random orbital sanders.
Or Scotch Brite pads and the bending elbow machine for the simpler needs.

 

[durangodawood]

You got it. The second you stop leaning the gyroscopic forces just pop you back up.

Really?

Once youre into the lean, the gyroscopic planes defined by the wheels are already "tilted".

I think its the change in direction (stopping the turn) that pops you back up. Am I wrong?

 

[Shemjaza]

Really?

Once youre into the lean, the gyroscopic planes defined by the wheels are already "tilted".

I think its the change in direction (stopping the turn) that pops you back up. Am I wrong?

You've got the causality backwards. You use the lean to turn and stopping the lean stops the turn.

 

[LaSorcia]

I enjoy the work I've been doing with random orbital sanders.
Or Scotch Brite pads and the bending elbow machine for the simpler needs.

I used to really covet an orbital sander. But once I stopped making furniture, I didn't care so much about them lol.