I can only imagine what was going through Lytle S. Adams’ mind when, upon hearing news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he thought, bats. An Idea Takes Flight On December 7, 1941, Adams, a dentist and inventor...
Author - Sarah Simonovich
Sarah Simonovich
What Does Grease Color Mean and How Does it Affect Lubrication?
Greases are solid or semi-solid lubricants generally composed of oil(s) thickened with soap (or other thickeners). These high-viscosity lubricants are meant to protect, seal, and lubricate various equipment components...
Steam and STEAM: How We Can Power the Next Industrial Revolution
History repeats itself, they say. And they, of course, often attribute this to the mistakes we make. Humans like to make the same errors over and over, never learning from their mistakes. This is an incredibly...
Petroleum Product of the Week: Lotion
When the air is cold and dry, you’re probably going through buckets of this stuff. But what exactly is in the lotion that makes our hands and legs and feet feel so soft and supple? It’s all about that moisturizer, baby...
The Importance of Reading: Supporting Local Read Across America Events
Every year on March 2nd, children (and adults, too!) celebrate National Read Across America Day and National Reading Month. In support of reading programs in our local community, some of us from Industrial Outpost and...
How to Get Your Lawnmower Ready for Spring: Maintenance Essentials
Hopefully, those of us in the Northeast will soon get to put our shovels and snow blowers away for weedwhackers and lawnmowers—a different kind of work, sure, but one that involves far less snow. I, for one, am getting...
What’s in a Barrel of Oil? The 42-Gallon Breakdown
Have you ever wondered what, exactly, is in a barrel of oil? It’s certainly not full of monkeys, that’s for sure. The obvious answer, you might be thinking, is 42-gallons of gooey, black crude. And that’s technically...
Petroleum Product of the Week: Acrylic Paint
Color my life with the chaos of trouble. Or, you know, paint works, too. Humans have been making art for a really long time—and that’s no exaggeration. Actually, if you tried to guess the oldest known creation of...
Can a Car Corrode in Space?
A car in space is out of this world SpaceX’s recent Falcon Heavy rocket launch has given us plenty to think about these last few weeks. One thing I never thought I’d have to think about (at least not outside the realm...
What is Rust (and how can you stop its reign of terror)?
From automotive undercarriages to old boats, chains, trains, and wheelbarrows, rust is pervasive. And it’s destructive. But what, exactly, is it? If you haven’t picked up a guitar in years, you might be a bit...