Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Periodic Table of Tools

periodictableoftools.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 141 posts

Re: The Periodic Table of Tools

#21

Post by gcanyon »

I find myself unreasonably frustrated by this arrangement. "Screwdriver Bits" are not the base level of the screwdriver column -- "Screwdrivers" are. And the second column from left is just a mess: stampers are similar to rivets are similar to nail guns... how?

I'm sure this is a personal preference thing but (to me) the columns should be thematically similar, off the top of my head (I am not skilled at manufacturing nor construction):

    1. Things that pound things into other things (hammers)
    2. Things that twist things into other things (screwdrivers)
    3. Things that join things (staples, rivets, etc. -- yes, I get that this covers both nails and screws)
    4. Things that shape things
    5. Things that split things
    6. Things that cut things
    7. Things that break things down
    8. Things that mix things
    9. Things that contain things
    10. Things that move single things
    11. Things that move aggregate things
    12. Things that etch things
    13. Things that measure the size of things
    14. Things that measure the mass of things
    15. Things that measure force
    16. Things that measure other attributes?
I'm sure there are more.

Re: The Periodic Table of Tools

#22

Post by NeoTar »

tyingq wrote: post #17
mpolichette wrote: post #11

I like the cataloging, but I dont see the periodic part of this.

"The arrangement follows loosely the characteristic of the regular periodic table: tools with similar functions in each column, getting heavier as you move down the rows." [1] I can see perhaps not agreeing with their decisions, so maybe the groupings don't look correct to you, but they seem to have made some effort to be "periodic". [1] https://home.theodoregray.com/printed-products

It feels like they were perhaps hindered by wanting to conform to the chemical periodic table format.

Re: The Periodic Table of Tools

#23

Post by gcanyon »

tyingq wrote: post #17
mpolichette wrote: post #11

I like the cataloging, but I dont see the periodic part of this.

"The arrangement follows loosely the characteristic of the regular periodic table: tools with similar functions in each column, getting heavier as you move down the rows." [1] I can see perhaps not agreeing with their decisions, so maybe the groupings don't look correct to you, but they seem to have made some effort to be "periodic". [1] https://home.theodoregray.com/printed-products

I'm not criticizing you for this, obviously, but "heavier" is a silly attribute to increase as you go down the table. It makes sense for the actual periodic table, but here something like "complexity" "modernity" or "scale" would have made much more sense (to me, obviously).

Re: The Periodic Table of Tools

#25

Post by [deleted] »

gcanyon wrote: post #21

I find myself unreasonably frustrated by this arrangement. "Screwdriver Bits" are not the base level of the screwdriver column -- "Screwdrivers" are. And the second column from left is just a mess: stampers are similar to rivets are similar to nail guns... how? I'm sure this is a personal preference thing but (to me) the columns should be thematically similar, off the top of my head (I am not skilled at manufacturing…

[deleted]

Re: The Periodic Table of Tools

#26

Post by jprete »

gcanyon wrote: post #23
tyingq wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The arrangement follows loosely the characteristic of the regular periodic table: tools with similar functions in each column, getting heavier as you move down the rows." [1] I can see perhaps not agreeing with their decisions, so maybe the groupings don't look correct to you, but they seem to have made some effort to be "periodic". [1] https://home.theodoregray.com/printed-products

I'm not criticizing you for this, obviously, but "heavier" is a silly attribute to increase as you go down the table. It makes sense for the actual periodic table, but here something like "complexity" "modernity" or "scale" would have made much more sense (to me, obviously).

But atoms literally get heavier as you go down the table. If the actual elements were ordered in complexity of compounds, hydrogen would be at the bottom of the table, and periodic table posters would have to come with a special “carbon” sticker to attach to the floor.

Re: The Periodic Table of Tools

#28

Post by pvg »

gcanyon wrote: post #21

I find myself unreasonably frustrated by this arrangement. "Screwdriver Bits" are not the base level of the screwdriver column -- "Screwdrivers" are. And the second column from left is just a mess: stampers are similar to rivets are similar to nail guns... how? I'm sure this is a personal preference thing but (to me) the columns should be thematically similar, off the top of my head (I am not skilled at manufacturing…

I'm sure there are more.

things that have just broken a flower vase, things that tremble as if they were mad, suckling pigs

Re: The Periodic Table of Tools

#30

Post by analog31 »

>>>> This thing is called a chain whip. No, it’s not what you think. It’s a wrench, but with no way to close the chain into a ring. So how can you use it to grip anything?

It's for grabbing a sprocket on a bike wheel.

Post reply on HN