tw_wankette 4 days ago

>> The Thermette, a simple and effective device for boiling water outdoors over an enclosed fire, was invented by Manawatū plumber John Hart and patented in 1931

The Kelly Kettle was produced in Ireland decades before. The Thermette is a knockoff.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Kettle

  • harlanlewis 17 hours ago

    Did the article change, or was this a very strange quote edit?

    Here’s the current line in the article, emphasis mine:

    >> The Thermette, a simple and effective device for boiling water outdoors over an enclosed fire, was designed by Manawatū plumber John Hart in 1929 *based on similar products in Ireland and England.* He patented the Thermette in 1931.

  • akoboldfrying 17 hours ago

    As mentioned in TFA:

    >The Thermette, a simple and effective device for boiling water outdoors over an enclosed fire, was designed by Manawatū plumber John Hart in 1929 based on similar products in Ireland and England.

senti_sentient 3 days ago

This article forgets to mention the “she”ll be right mate” that goes along with it.

ctippett 3 days ago

New Zealand's history sailing in the America's Cup is another good example of their ingenuity and technical innovation with yacht design.

zoom6628 9 hours ago

Some others kiwi inventions of interest: John Britten and his motorbike of same name. Hamilton Jetboats. Electron rockets.

  • phyalow 2 hours ago

    Shane Legg, Deepmind

    Rutherford, Atomic Physics

    Those are the real pinnacles of New Zealands human output.

below43 18 hours ago

I'm surprised they didn't mention Richard Pearse, one of two people who preceded Wright Brothers in performing a successful flight attempt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Pearse

  • EdwardDiego 17 hours ago

    He flew, but he didn't achieve _controlled_ powered flight and was very adamant that the Wright Brothers deserved their fame for being able to steer the damn thing.

  • metalman 9 hours ago

    whoa! there kelly! not flight! uncontrolled hops! read up about the wright brothers at the worlds first "air show" in paris france ?1909? therabouts where they casualy went about there business, and everybody else was completely astounded, and concided there mastery....the wrights were offered the keys to all of europe, litteraly, but declined as they had to rush back to the US, to attend pattent litigation procedings, and this world we live in, happened, and another, didn't. One of the moments where a clear fork in destiny happened, and is still relevant.As per your comment!

_nalply 3 days ago

What does 'no. 8 wire' mean?

  • wodenokoto 3 days ago

    > a reference to a gauge of fencing wire that has been adapted for countless other uses in New Zealand farms, factories and homes.

    But that doesn't really make the reader any wiser, as the article doesn't talk about any of its uses in New Zealand.

    • titusjohnson 3 days ago

      Growing up on a farm here in the US, electric fence wire (I think 14ga, not 8ga) was always useful. I almost always had a roll & some snips nearby when doing any maintenance. You can fix some broken electric fence, re-bind the fence paneling to T-stakes, and if desperate cobble together some hinges and a latch for an impromptu gate, all with a simple roll of wire.

      A foot or two of this wire and you can whip up a stabilizer for hanging any old tool off of a single nail in the barn. A couple feet of it makes a tie-down for any plant or tree branch, sometimes you don't even need a stake, the wire can be pushed deep enough and into a J shape underground that it'll often hold on its own.

      • Suppafly 3 days ago

        >Growing up on a farm here in the US, electric fence wire (I think 14ga, not 8ga) was always useful.

        My dad will mention number 9 clothesline wire in a similar context. Also baling twine and baling wire are common for farmers for the same reason.

      • dzhiurgis 17 hours ago

        Kids be like nowadays: let's 3D print this!

    • defrost 3 days ago

      They're much the same as any ad hoc uses of stiff thick fencing wire anywhere really.

      Has the world really come to the point where an essay on how to MacGyver with wire is required?

      Emergency muffler reattachment, temporary gate latch, ...

      • wodenokoto 3 days ago

        It’s the essay on the New Zealand McGyver using no. 8 wire that the world needs.

        • jaggederest 17 hours ago

          I believe you're looking for https://www.youtube.com/@MartyT - I think I've actually seen him use wire for holding together a resurrected piece of heavy equipment, and he made a hydroelectric generator out of a washing machine.

  • defrost 3 days ago

       This tradition of Kiwi ingenuity is often known as the ‘no. 8 wire’ attitude, a reference to a gauge of fencing wire that has been adapted for countless other uses in New Zealand farms, factories and homes.
    
    Number 8 wire is fencing wire.

    The rural dictionary usage of the phrase refers to fixing things with fencing wire.

  • MisterTea 3 days ago

    The wire equivalent of duck tape. It represents ingenuity using a humble/simple item such as plain fencing wire to solve a wide variety of problems the item was not originally intended for.

  • quickthrowman 3 days ago

    No 8 wire on the British Standard Wire Gauge (SWG) scale is slightly larger than a #12 conductor on the American Wire Gauge (AWG) scale.

    • NikkiA 3 days ago

      #8 SWG is 4mm diameter, that's way larger than #12 AWG, closer to #6 AWG

  • Ccecil 3 days ago

    In the US I have heard it referred to as "bailing wire". Often used for an emergency or temporary fix.

    • cnasc 3 days ago

      “Baling” wire. Used to bind bales of hay.

      • mikestew 3 days ago

        Baling wire is also not as thick. 12 gauge, 10 gauge at the very most. Baling wire can be cut with those snippers you keep in your toolbox. Fence wire? Eh, better get bigger wire cutters.

        • quickthrowman 3 days ago

          #8 on (British) SWG scale is about the size of a #11 wire (never seen this size in real life) on the AWG scale.

  • _nalply 2 days ago

    Thanks for the answers, very appreciated.

    Once I yanked out about 20m of old phone wire (copper) out of a wall, and now it's my duck tape wire.

freitasm 4 days ago

Strangely missing from the article: instant or soluble coffee was invented and patented in 1890 by David Strang of Invercargill, New Zealand, under patent number 3518 sold under the trading name Strang's Coffee citing the patented "Dry Hot-Air" process.

  • Symbiote 4 days ago

    It's in the article.

rconti 18 hours ago

Huh, explains the name 8 Wired Brewing in NZ

  • dzhiurgis 17 hours ago

    Their Super Conductor and Semi Conductor ales fits this forum well

nickfixit 4 days ago

I did a different way and called my lan center 8wire for Ethernet cables. This is interesting as well haha

Suppafly 3 days ago

Reminds me of my dad, he used to always talk about number 9 clothesline wire.

chris_wot 16 hours ago

Mkes me wonder how many inventions Australia has claimed but were invented in New Zealand. Robert Muldoon did once state that the "annual exodus of Kiwis to Australia raised the average IQ of both countries".

dzhiurgis 17 hours ago

> Vacreator

> Until the 1930s New Zealand butter was often tainted with unpleasant smells.

Most of the butter here still is. I don't get it why. Only Lewi's Road is ok.

Never noticed it overseas.