3239: Simple Machines
| Simple Machines |
 Title text: It's hard to decide which simple machine system to invest in. DeWalt makes a great lever and inclined plane, but I hear Milwaukee's wheel-and-axles are really good. |
Explanation
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This is one of 68 incomplete explanations: This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page! |
There are a lot of simple tools used to give a mechanical advantage in various things. The 6 most common ones are a lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge & screw. Additionally, often for various implements all-in-one implements are made with all the features - a notable example being the classic Swiss Army Knife. This comic combines them, sudgesting the existance of an all-in-one instrument with all 6 simple tools, which is a concept not existing in real life[citation needed].
Having one of these "all-in-one" devices does not mean it does everything you can do with different combinations -- the choice of components and how they interact is important for the function of a particular device.
The title text is a joke about what brands to choose. Milwaukee and DeWalt are two common tool companies.
Transcript
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This is one of 43 incomplete transcripts: Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page! |
[a tool is shown, with a hook attached to string, going arounf a round object before linking up to a handle, which in turn links to the object. There is also a pointy end to the tool, and a corkscrew on the other end.]
[Caption below comic:] I can finally stop buying simple machines now that I got an all-in-one tool with all six of them.
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Woah, I'm first! ---GSLikesCats307(talk). 17:43, 29th April 2026 (UTC)
Is Randall referring to any specific tools made by those companies when he says "lever and inclined plane" and "wheel-and-axles"? wheel-and-axles describes anything from a toy wagon to an automobile. Barmar (talk) 16:53, 29 April 2026 (UTC)
- Doubtful. More of an additional example of Pro-Skub vs Anti-Skub -- https://pbfcomics.com/comics/skub/ behavior. 130.76.187.47 17:31, 29 April 2026 (UTC)
- It's a joke about battery-operated tools. If you buy a battery-operated drill from Milwaukee, it probably does not come with a (removable) battery and charger. So you buy the battery and charger, which are probably comparable to the cost of the tool. Now, when you need a battery operated saw, you already have the battery and charger from Milwaukee (which will work with the saw), so you buy the Milwaukee saw. And the Milwaukee blower. And the Milwaukee weed-whacker. Etc, etc. Buying one brand of battery operated tools locks you into that ecosystem, to a certain extent. Which means you wind up agonizing over which brand has the better overall ecosystem, even though all you need right now is a drill. 163.116.145.55 18:21, 29 April 2026 (UTC)
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