We are providing lots of automotive coverage this month.  Being a blog, this coverage may add a bit more editorializing than this month’s podcast or editorial/commentary.

The history of “rail roads” goes back to as early as 1550 when roads of rails – called wagonways – came into use in Germany. The first tram road was laid down in England in 1776 with cast-iron angle bars on timber ties. In 1789, Englishman William Jessup designed the first wagons with flanged wheels to run the rails.

The news is full of automotive activity. This column covers electric vehicles, materials and OEMs ... and it takes a look at the future of the industry.

Blacksmithing continues to be a very practical field with the farrier, a specialty smith who makes horse shoes. This blog describes blacksmith-like metalworking for very practical purposes while creating works of art. Before we get there, let’s quickly review the history of the trade.

Webster’s online dictionary defines a faucet as “a fixture for drawing or regulating the flow of liquid, especially from a pipe.” Today’s faucets are comprised of the following components: spout, handle(s), lift rod, cartridge, aerator, mixing chamber and water inlets. Some of these components rely on thermal processing for their existence. Before we look at that, however, let’s consider the history of the faucet.

If asked which instrument most people would like to be able to play, their answer will probably be the piano. Whether they know it or not, this is because the piano has the broadest range of any instrument. Because of this range, music for all other instruments can be composed on a piano. 

In our industry, fire is most often used to refine, purify or harden. The key is control and using temperatures appropriate for the specific processes. When fire is out of control, however, destruction ensues.

Let’s take some time to learn more about aluminum bats. Much is proprietary about the material and its processing, but we can discuss it in a general way.

Here is my annual holiday reflection that has little to do with technical stuff. Call it Miller’s Musings, if you like.

You may recall seeing some images from the Somerset, Pa., crash site in the days following September 11. Shortly after the crash, an American flag was raised on the top of a dragline crane used for mining coal in the area. The equipment and the flag became a symbol of the effort in Somerset.