I have a brass float that appears by its inscription to measure glycerine and methd spirit per cent by volume at 45 degrees F.
It is nicely made by Griifin London. It has a hollow sphere with a weight beneath it and a calibrated scale above the sphere. The scales are one above the other and the whole thing is about 19cm longr
So it is a bit like a fishing float. It lives in a tin cylindrical holder.
I have no idea how it came into our possesssion.
Where would it have been used? In what industry?
I assume it has little or no value .
I do not want to bin it if it can be found a good home in a museum or some sort of collection.
Any thoughts?
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>> Any thoughts?
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YES. Post a picture................
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Can't help much, but don't bin it yet. There is a hydrometer on eBay for £150.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/sikes-hydrometer-/190827040628?pt=UK_Antiques_Science_RL&hash=item2c6e2d8f74
Is it pharmaceutical?
Would someone at NPL be able to help?
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www.ebay.co.uk/itm/sikes-hydrometer-/190827040628?pt=UK_Antiques_Science_RL&hash=item2c6e2d8f74
The item I have is identical in shape to the one in the middle of that case.
Is it pharmaceutical?
It might well be but I wonder why such liquids would be diluted?
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>>It might well be but I wonder why such liquids would be diluted?
Because they can?
That's why they needed a hydrometer?
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Back in the day tinctures were made up usually with glycerine or alcohol as the solvent so maybe it's from a pharmacy.
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Its for measuring the density of liquids. When preparing a solution, you can work out how much of the solute to add to get the density (and hence concentration) you require.
(This is why you use a hydrometer to check how much distilled water to add to a car battery - what you're actually doing is altering the concentration of the sulphuric acid-in-water solution the battery contains.)
It'll be collectable to someone interested in old technical kit or the history of science. I couldn't say how much its worth beyond suggesting you put it on Ebay and see do you get a nibble.
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>>It is nicely made by Griifin London
That helps to date it to before 1928 as then they became Griffin and Tatlock before becoming Griffin & George in 1954.
collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?type=related&kv=887&t=people
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>> Any thoughts?
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Is it used in the liquor making industry? www.ehow.com/about_6674484_put-glycerin-liquors_.html
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>> Is it used in the liquor making industry? www.aciscience.org/docs/Uses_of_Glycerine.pdf
See page 8.
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>> I assume it has little or no value .
Old scientific instruments are "collectibles".
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>> I have a brass float that appears by its inscription to measure glycerine and methd
>> spirit per cent by volume at 45 degrees F.
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>> It is nicely made by Griifin London.
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>> I have no idea how it came into our possesssion.
You have to admire the luxury and old english tradition of Jaguars. My Jap Lancer just has a temperature gauge.
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>> You have to admire the luxury and old english tradition of Jaguars.
>>My Jap Lancer just has a temperature gauge.
>>
One of those that sits on top of the bonnet ? :-)
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I am familiar with the use of an hydrometer to measure the density of latex. Readings were used to calculate how much coagulant was to be added to produce coagulum and, hence, dry rubber. There is a good little article on Wikipedia on other uses, including battery acid and antifreexe testing.
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>>
>> >> You have to admire the luxury and old english tradition of Jaguars.
>> >>My Jap Lancer just has a temperature gauge.
>> >>
>> One of those that sits on top of the bonnet ? :-)
I wish it had even an once of that type of character.
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Could have been used in the alcohol industry Henrie.I was a Stillman for ten years we made alcohol from Molasses.Molasses arrived by ship and pumpend into large tanks.From there the Molasses was pumped with hot water into a smaller tank for fermentation.Mixed with yeast left for a week to ferment.After fermentation pumped to the distillation Column and distilled into alcohol.Just before my time brass instruments where use to measure the gravity of the alcohol.We used glass instruments to measure the gravity.
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>> Could have been used in the alcohol industry ..........
Keep up Dutchie! I suggested that on Sunday.
:-D
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Did you work in the industrie Les? Didn't read your post a bit sarcastic your comment aint it.
Never mind it takes all sorts!
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Herself's cousins have a small still. They have made poteen, quite decent Calvados and a sort of poire... all in small home-consumption quantities of course. They have a hydrometer, glass I think, that they use to measure the alcohol percentage (up to about 65% depending on the brew... can be and often is watered back down).
The really important thing is the temperature at which the alcohol boils out of whatever mash is being used. If you get that wrong everyone goes blind and mad and dies, like one of these Indian wedding disasters. Don't know the details but they keep a very sharp eye on the thermometer.
I wonder if Dutchie's molasses-based hooch used to find its way to the British as well as the Dutch navy... sounds like rum anyway.
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A proper job AC..;) They where German stills in the UK.We used to make high quality alcohol for the Gin and Wodca industry.Nice job I used to enjoy it.Do you ever get the feeling nobody believes you?
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I used to make soap for a living! We used a builder's trowel to judge if it was ready for settling out the lye!
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>> We used to make high quality alcohol for the Gin and Wodca industry.Nice job I used to enjoy it.Do you ever get the feeling nobody believes you?
I do sometimes, but I can't say it bothers me. We've been around Dutchman, you and I, and they can look askance and think 'Traveller's tales!' if they want. What do they know?
:o}
I often get the impression that no one reads what I post. It's a bit annoying when hours or days later someone says what you said in the first place and everyone agrees with them and gives them gongs. If this was a school I would complain to Ofsted or whatever the thing is called and say I was being ignored, perhaps for ethnic or religious reasons.
A late Hungarian friend used to go round the classy West End chemists getting the little bottles of pure ethyl alcohol which were all they were allowed to sell you, then make strong coffee, put a lot of sugar in and mix up a sort of crème de cacao liqueur with coffee instead of cocoa. He complained bitterly about the regulation regarding quantity. Countries on the continent were far more grown-up and civilised, he grumbled. One could only agree of course.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Tue 23 Apr 13 at 15:34
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>> I often get the impression that no one reads what I post. It's a bit
>> annoying when hours or days later someone says what you said in the first place
>> and everyone agrees with them and gives them gongs.
Reminds me of a classic Fast Show sketch. A group of people, all men except for one woman, are standing around a car, which the owner has managed to lock with the keys still in it. They are wondering how to get it open, when the woman suggests getting a tennis ball, cutting it in half, putting one half over the key hole and bashing it, in order to "pop" the lock. The men stand around for about 5 seconds, pretending not to have heard. Then one of them shouts out the same suggestion very excitedly and they all start running off the find a tennis ball and a knife. Except the woman who stands there asking out loud if anyone can actually see her even.
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>> Did you work in the industrie Les?
I researched the answer with the help of Google.
>> Never mind it takes all sorts!
>>
It doesn't take all sorts, we just happen to have all sorts!
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I didn't have to check up on the the answer Les.These instruments where used in the Disstilation industry which I was part of for a number of years.And stop putting words in my mouth Les you are getting on my nerves.!
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>> ............. Les you are getting on my nerves.!
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Oo-er!
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>> Les you are getting on my nerves.!
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I gave you a thumbs up for that!
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Help me with a brass float gauge - MD
