Vintage fuel nozzles as design elements
One of the more aesthetically valid petroliana trends to surface recently (that means I saw a bunch of them on Pinterest) is the use of a fuel nozzle in designing furniture and fixtures for garages. A healthy variety of nozzles are available on eBay and Etsy, from around $10-$100. It also looks like there are some deals to be had, because many of the for sale descriptions include wording like "I got this at a farm auction; not sure where it's from. $15."
Two of the more common applications are as sink faucets and door handles.
Some faucets. Beautiful with wheel/tire as sink. Extra credit for using the trigger as a soap dispenser. This could easily turn me into a compulsive hand washer.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...zle_sink1a.jpg
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...zzle_sink2.jpg
Some door handles. I wonder if these can be made such that depressing the trigger actuates the door handle mechanism.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...or_handle1.jpg
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...or_handle2.jpg
Some of the better lamps. Being used to make a lamp is almost a rite of passage for a previously-disregarded but interesting item. Like the idea of using the nozzle trigger to actuate the door handle above, here the trigger can be the light on/off switch.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...zzle_lamp1.jpg
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...zzle_lamp2.jpg
You have to be careful with the lamps; it's easy for them to come out gimmicky. People are trying to mimic the "dispensing from the nozzle" look, and, done incorrectly, it can make the lamp look slipshod and dangly:
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...zzle_lamp3.jpg
It's difficult to find applications beyond the fuel nozzle design triumvirate of faucet/handle/lamp. But here's a gem: a walking cane, for the distinguished and automotively-inclined gentleman.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...zzle_cane1.jpg
You'll need to carefully select the correct nozzle for this application, and might even have to alter it a bit to reduce weight. Small pocket tools can even be stored in the nozzle body, perhaps in a small caddy that's accessible when unscrewing the large hex bolt. Of course a bottle opener can be added with a minor modification. And, it can double as a fearsome set of brass knuckles to give a wallop to a youngun' who won't stop texting. How to use the trigger here? Modify it to dispense emergency spiritous beverages stored in the cane body.
Previously: Toolbox from Chevy Advance Design pickup truck
