One of my vices is vises...

 (Even the little clamp-on ones that the manufacturer couldn't be bothered to put their name on.)

Gulflube Single

 

 Gulf making a fancy presentation for a single grade oil in a multigrade world. It was introduced in about 1960, the SB classification says for engines before 1951. It disappeared when Gulflube merged with Chevron in 1985.

Monday Mystery, Ken Tool S17

     Apologies for the poor images, I see Ken Tools (formerly Kennedy Tools) has been in business since about 1920 making tire changing tools, but I can't find any reference to this one.  Basically just a bar with 4 different-sized square knobs on both ends. Any ideas what it could have been used for?

Solved! a multi-tool for removing recessed square head drain plugs.

Kennedy catalog 187. Thanks, Dave!

 

Lenk No. 222 Alcohol Blotorch

  A very cool looking alcohol burning torch from Lenk, out of Boston, Massachusetts. Pretty sure it was part of Buck Rogers' collection of weapons. It was apparently capable of making enough heat for silver soldering or light brazing.

  I'm not really sure how it works and, as a face-saving measure, I'm not inclined to try it without more information.  For an earlier sample of their offerings, see Unusual Tools:  Lenk Improved Automatic Torch.

Below, an ad for a very similar tool from the American Products Corporation:

Popular Mechanics, February 1951

1955 Pontiac

Sidecar Sunday

 

Alfred Angas Scott shows off his own sidecar outfit. 1913

Universal Marine engines

  I was perusing a 1938 Yachting magazine and found the Universal Engine Co. line of marine engines. The ad wasn't the most visually appealing and I set it aside for later...

 There were at least two Universal companies making engines and light plants through the teens but it appears this Universal marine engine company opened in Oshkosh in 1913. Their advertising focused on the fact that the engines were built from the ground up (keel up?) as a marine engine, they were not adapted from automobile engines. In 1947 they introduced the Atomic 4 inboard gas engine which became a popular choice for auxiliary power in sailboats. The 1050 cc engine was produced until 1984 when diesels were taking over as the preferred powerplant. In response Universal marine-ized a Kubota tractor engine.  Westerbeke purchased Universal in 1990 and discontinued the line.

 

Triple compound steam engine

Once the simple steam engine had been developed to a useful level, it didn't take long for people to realize there was still potential energy in the exhausted steam and it could be utilized by routing the steam into progressively larger cylinders, this machine dates to about 1880.

 

Mascot egg grading scale

 Things ya learn, I never considered that eggs were sized by weight.

Vintage hovercraft

Hovercrafts seemed like they could have been useful and fun, but they were so loud!