Hazard A Guess: Week of March 27, 2008

Hello from Hazard!


Our mailbox was full of hazard-ous guesses this week.


There were a few more responses to Item No. 827, confirming what we published last week.


Randy Winland of Prospect, Ohio, corroborated with the previous guess, saying the item is a tool used to install tongue and groove flooring.


He explained how it works: The U-shaped piece slips over a floor joist and holds tight while the notch on the other side of the tool slips over the tongue of a piece of flooring. The handle is rotated to push the piece of flooring tight against its neighbor, which would already be nailed in place.









Ben Jakubowski of Salineville, Ohio, agreed with Winland’s description. Jakubowski said he owns one of these tools, although the last time he used it was 20-25 years ago.


Lloyd Wiseman of Zanesville, Ohio, and Robert Matz of Cozad, Neb., also guessed that Item No. 827 is a floor installation tool.


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It didn’t take Hazard readers long to identify Item No. 828 as a spanner wrench used by firefighters.


Craig Curtis of Wooster, Ohio, offered some specific information: The eye on the right end is to hang it on the belt of the “plug man,” the firefighter that connects the hose to the hydrant.


The two hooks on the right side fit over the lugs of a rocker lug hose coupling to turn it when threading the hose sections together. The left end is a pry bar and the hole is used to turn off a gas line value.


He said it was made by Akron Brass in Wooster, Ohio.


James Freeman of Middlefield, Ohio, said the item is used in pairs. Zachery Lewton added that the tool comes in several sizes to accommodate different hoses.


Other similar guesses came from: Tom Hopper of Richfield, Ohio; Charles Boos of Burbank, Ohio; Sam Troyer of Millersburg, Ohio; Jeff Dudas of Aurora, Ohio;


Ralph Ofchinick of Harrison City, Pa.; Bob Rachel of Akron, Ohio; and Gary Howes of North Canton, Ohio.


Ofchinick and Troyer gave us some background for their guesses. Ofchinick is a volunteer firefighter in his hometown and Troyer is a retired firefighter.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in this week.


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Item No. 829 comes from Jim Hudkins of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He said he’s had this item of a long time, but he doesn’t know what it was designed to do. Can you help him figure it out?


Send your answers to: Hazard a Guess, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or via e-mail to editoral@farmanddairy.com.