We’ve already had some great reader suggestions for Natural Materials month. The first that caught my eye this morning is from MAKE pal and Flickr-pool-roundup regular John Honniball, aka anachrocomputer, who directs our attention to the use of natural slate panels as insulators in vintage electrical equipment. Above, a beautiful example from the Canada Science and Technology Museum: The switchboard control panel from the Sault Ste. Marie canal power house, manufactured in 1895 by Canadian General Electric.
And this is a set of wonderfully “mad science” knife switches on natural slate baseplates. I’m not sure if these are antiques or reproductions, but John photographed them at Maker Faire Newcastle 2010. If anyone has more info about their provenance, please do let us know, below.
Artifact Spotlight – Switchboard Panel from the Sault Ste. Marie canal power house
Maker Faire 2010: Knife Switches
[Thanks, John!]
ADVERTISEMENT
