1 mo. ago • 98%

A piece of metal in the center of France used as a garden table.

20 comments

At the beginning of the first world war they plotted all military operations using these giant pins. Later in the conflict ‘map pins’ were developed and these ‘land pins’ became obsolete. Another fascinating example of how the horrors of war pushed technology forwards in civilian applications.

26
- Imho joke answers should be against the rules of the sub.
  
  24
Looks like piece of a wheel and an axle from a tractor or a truck or something.

23
- It’s in the centre of France so it’s actually the France axle.
  
  25
  
  Please don't touch it or you'll make France all wobbly
  
  9
  
  …otherwise it’d just be sparkling wheel shaft.
  
  6
- Or train
  
  7
Marking the exact center of France

9
- i remember seeing somewhere in paris the prime pin
  
  must be around Notre Dame
  
  edit: yes, it indeed is there : point zéro
  
  6
It looks very rough, it could be an unfinished part: a fusion that hasn't received the subsequent machining.
Maybe a flywheel.

7
- I think that's just from many years of rust and wear. I doubt that's the original surface finish
  
  5
  
  Could be both
  
  1
A large ship engine valve? Maybe an unfinished casting? Finished ones here

4
- If that's a valve, the cylinder is probably big enough to climb inside!
  
  4
  
  I think it might be a riser or part of a sprue from a larger cast part
  
  2
I wouldn't have known it was metal just from the picture. It looks like a stone bird bath.

3
What does the top look like?

2
It is flat (and round obviously).

1

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