THE MODEL 64 CASH BOX
Here is the Model 64 cash box overall view.  The box is released from the register by raising a lever at the back of the box that is "L" shaped with the downward going leg normally behind the register frame.  When it is raised the leg clears the frame and the box can be removed.  The mechanism can be seen near the divider between the right two folding money bins.  The bin has delightful patina.  At the back of the front four change bins the bottoms of the rear dividers are worn away from countless finger trips in to scoop up change.  The right rear bin has almost no wear at all.  It also appears that the top of the very front board is worn in a "U" shape with the wear highest on the left and getting less to the right.  This would follow the convention of lowest denomination bills on the left for a right handed clerk.

The front panel shows very little wear and the lines are crisp and clean.  This is typical of almost every square inch of this cash register.

The rear of the drawer (upside down) shows the release mechanism and the (in my view) Rube Goldberg spring that throws the drawer forward when a key is pressed.  It is fairly powerful.  Do not defeat the drawer release mechanism and strike a key if the drawer can be propelled out of the register to fall to the floor.

The under side of the drawer has lovely patina and carries most of the original delivery document.  Unfortunately the year is missing from the paper.  However, as I recall, it said 1904 and that agrees with the serial number date.  It originally went to Springfield, Illinois.  My dad found it in Staunton, Illinois and the story was that it had been retired from a business there and stored away in a garage.

Here is a blowup of the paper:

For human interest, the bins were full of change that had been put into the register over the many years since I have had it.  In one drawer had been put memorabilia including some British coins, a P-38 Vietnam era folding can opener and prizes from Cracker Jacks packages dating from my childhood in Chicago during WW II.  One bin was full of Susan B. Anthony dollars that were given out for match winner or small groups in rifle shooting.  Several of the original screws (which have been replaced are seen.  The largest screw fits the top sign mounting holes.)  Notice that there are two artillery pieces and an old train from the Cracker Jacks boxes.  The small gold train comes from a later period.

NOTES:
The images were all taken with a Nikon D5 hand held in available light.  Background clutter was removed from around the subject matter in Photoshop.  A layer added below that and filled with a foreground color that then becomes the surrounding background color for the finished image.  This was all done rather quickly and is not up to professional standards but will do for this post.

Top Sign for the Model 64 Cash Register
I ordered a top sign just to "finish up" the image of the cash register and take some pictures.  It does not fit the 64 but it is close enough that a couple of little brass tabs will make an adapter.  So I took a couple of pictures.  One more "politically correct" than the other.  But, think about it ... when was the last time you heard of a 7-11 getting robbed with a cap and ball revolver??

Model 64 National Cash Register

MODEL 64 NATIONAL CASH REGISTER
I recently uncovered my Model 64 Cash Register from the accumulated pile of collectibles my wife had acquired over many years.  It was dusty and grimy but will clean up nicely.  It has (as I recall) three counters.  The cash total, no-sales, and the number of times either the front cover or cash drawer was cycled.  I don't remember now but it worked 100%.  It has the sales slip under the cash drawer and was sold in 1904.  I had asked my dad to look for a register back in the '70s and this is what he came up with.  I paid $100 for it.  It had been stored in a garage by the family of the store where it had been used when it was retired.  The thing is extremely heavy (cast iron by the magnet test).  Too big for one person to handle.  It needs a top sign but otherwise is perfect.  I understand that the model 64 is fairly rare so one in this condition should be even more rare.  The top is drilled for a sign on 11 7/8 centers (11 3/4?).  It has joined my old (also 100%) Toledo scale on the kitchen island as conversation pieces.  I see reproduction dolphin signs that could be made to fit with a brass shim piece (a bit too wide) and might use one.  Comments or advice welcome.

PILOT PROGRESS  +Dale Jackson  +Harley Harp +Daniel Eledut 

I finally figured it out.  I am playing paper dolls.  Just about exactly 70 years ago when I was about in the second grade I suffered an attack of "paper doll envy" watching my two female cousins and their friends at play.  I let it be known that I would also like a paper doll book. My (very wise) mother made sure that I got to visit the local Five and Dime and get a paper doll book.  She would have NEVER reacted negatively and just watched to see how things went.  Here I am 70 years later still playing dolls but his time in computer space and 3d with my Spitfire project and C4D.  Here is the latest:

It was not long before my paper dolls of 70 years ago were sporting bandages, slings and carrying all manner of cut-out weaponry.  Soon they would fall victims of the "trash burn". Those were the days when breakfast cereal came in carton collections of various "flavors". Each little box could be opened individually to receive milk and sugar or honey.  The boxes went out with the trash and each week or two it was my task to incinerate the collection of burnable stuff and to put the tin cans, etc. into a big box for transport to the local land-fill and rat farm.  I carefully arranged the trash and cereal boxes in rows and populated them with my now discarded paper dolls.  A few fire crackers left over from the 4th were placed strategically and the "stage" set fire.  And that ended my paper-doll period ... something akin to the Picasso Blue Period.  I went back to slingshots, model airplanes, improvised explosives and other activities of exquisite boyishness violence.  And here I am again 70 years later playing paper dolls again.  Hmmmmmmm.  I have learned how to control the reflectivity of the "brain bucket", added seams, refined the headphones and added wiring. Each of these steps is worth two or three hours of research and trial and error in C4D.  I am posting this via blogger because G+ (much to its detraction) is not much of a platform for any kind of lengthy written communications.  In fact a great many of the images posted do not give a clue about their "back story".

BRUNCH FOR TWO

Here is the makings for two brunch burritos.  It is made with tortillas smeared with avocado, bits of double mahogany smoked bacon, a sprinkle of onion and Pico de Gallo then rolled into burrito style.

AL PASTOR ACTS 1 THROUGH 4

Since having Al Pastor taco (also could be made as burrito) at a street fair in Palm Springs I have been wondering how it was done.  Here is a reference:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/05/food-lab-tacos-al-pastor.html

Starting from here I brought home a pork shoulder and some bacon.  I also obtained guajillo and ancho peppers and some achiote oil.  Plenty of garlic is always on hand.  I sliced up the shoulder as thin as reasonable using a big chef's knife and layered up the spices shoulder and bacon in a bread pan.  Pictures of the preparation follow:

 

ACT 1, THE SLICING UP STAGE

ACT 2, THE LAYERED UP STAGE

ACT 3,  THE SLOW COOK STAGE: 4 HOURS IN THE BBQ ON LOW HEAT (300F)

ACT 4, SLICING AGAIN AFTER CHILLING

I had to modify the procedure in the interest of time.  I did no marinating.  I simply layered in the spices along with the meat and achiote oil.  4 hours at 300F in the big Weber propane grill ought to blend the spices into the meat better than a week in the refrigerator.  I also added no salt at all.  I figured there would be plenty of salt in the bacon.  The result is very tasty even as a cold cut sandwich.  The next steps are to crisp some of this in a 100 year old cast iron skillet and then to build burritos toasted lightly on the propane flame.  On top will go shredded cabbage, onion, Pico de Gallo or salsa, cilantro, avocado and a dab of sour cream.  The meats stuck together like a nice terrine.  

Stay tuned for the "eating" session.  This is so tasty I think I will do four bread pans worth all at once next time.  It won't take any more propane for the grill and ought to last for a year frozen.

BOMBARDIER VISIT

Here is one of the two Bombardier Super-Scoopers that visited here a couple of months ago.  I did a high-pass sharpening on the image.  I selected a high shutter speed because I was only going to get one chance with hand held images at 360mm focal length.  It worked because virtually ever one of the 150 or so shots I took were pretty solid ... but it did stop the props.