Inspectorjoe Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I had a really cool house today - a 3,375 sf 1920 craftsman style bungalow that was in as close to original condition as you'll ever find. I found a triangular metal plate in the basement floor slab, within the outline of a large circle. In the center of the circle is a pointer, with the numbers 1 through 8. Opposite the plate is a small square that has been filled in with concrete. The blue thing in the background is a ten year old boiler. Click to Enlarge 30.26 KB Click to Enlarge 34.45 KB Click to Enlarge 34.53 KB Click to Enlarge 49.01 KB Removing the triangular plate reveals eight triangular metal bins. At least one is filled with water. Click to Enlarge 46.25 KB Click to Enlarge 42.28 KB This is the center of the assembly, under the indicator. The narrow ends of the bins surround it. Click to Enlarge 43.84 KB I've never seen anything like it before. I had no idea what it was, then it suddenly hit me what it was. "Of course, now it makes sense!" What is this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Jones Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Some kind of storage silo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Sort of - temporary storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baird Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Pie safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I'll give some more time for other guesses. Hint: There would have been a pulley attached to a joist directly above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHI in AR Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Some kind of vegetable storage? Dee-luxe root cellar style? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Ash/clinker dump...(?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 That's it! Sharp Rotary Ash Receiving System Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Man, you are finding the cool stuff lately! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHI in AR Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I guess I should have enlarged the photos so I could read the lettering! Too cool. Of course, we don't have basements or boilers around here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 From the same house. The original built-in icebox: Click to Enlarge 41.63 KB It's built-in as opposed to freestanding, so the ice man can load it from outside - no wet floor from dripping ice. Click to Enlarge 61.09 KB I live for days like today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I haven't seen a place that pristine in a long time. Very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Don't know why, but when Bill talked about a pulley above the first thing that popped into my head was some kind of freezer/ice maker wherein you'd have to lift out a long triangular-in-profile block of ice with the pulley. Then I was scratching my head wondering how they'd freeze the blocks, since there wasn't anything that looked like the innards of a typical ice maker in there. Glad someone came up with the real answer before my brain imploded trying to figure that out. The comments about the ice box reminds me, I've been thinking of putting a walk-in cooler in the garage. My wife is up to five refrigerator/freezers and one freezer to store all of her danged kimchi and various fixings for all her Korean dishes. The whole idea of that squad of frigges running 24/7/365 and the heat they give off just drive me nuts. I bet a military plane flying over using a FLIR device would see the IR signature of my garage and suspect weapons production or a grow-op or something like that was going on there. Worse, I'll bet there isn't a square inch of space in the one frig that's in the kitchen that isn't filled with something and 99.9% of it isn't anything that I'm interested in. Talk about a weight-loss device. Every time I open that door in hopes of finding a snack I just back slowly away. The thought of removing dish after dish after dish of ......stuff, in order to get to whatever leftover or snack I'm looking for is just too damned discouraging. If I get a walk-in I can eliminate the platoon of frigges in the garage, and maybe I'll be able to get into the frig again someday. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Amaral Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Great catch.. great fun.. I found a fridge like that a couple of years ago.. that clinker thing is something else.. thanks for sharing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Amaral Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I could flip through that old magazine link all day.. I eat this stuff up.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 From the same house. The original built-in icebox: Click to Enlarge 41.63 KB It's built-in as opposed to freestanding, so the ice man can load it from outside - no wet floor from dripping ice. Click to Enlarge 61.09 KB I live for days like today. You hiring?[] Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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