In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 5/8" Beading, Moseley & Son London.Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘36’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 1" for 1/4" Tongue. Stamped ‘Melville’. Later engraved number ‘37’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 7/8" Complex. Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘36’ added on entering the collection in 1993. Later engraved number ‘38’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 3/4" Beading. Repaired.Stamped ‘5/16’. Also stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘39’ added on entering the collection in 2010. woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 5/8" Convex, Moseley & Son London.Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘40’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 1/4" Convex. Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘41’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 5/8" Ogee, Simms Queen St West London.Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘42’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 1/8" Cove, Moseley & Son London.Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘43’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, White Oak & Metal, 7/8" Curved, H Wallis Wmsburg Mass.Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘44’ added on entering the collection in 2010.woodworking tools, moulding planes, bertie greenwood, carpentry, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

In woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed.Bertie Robert Edgar Greenwood was born c. 1880/81 and died aged 82 in Hawthorn in 1963. His father and possibly his grandfather were also carpenters. Bertie’s work as a cabinetmaker required precise planing to give lovely edges and other elaborate decorations. The major item in the tool collection is Bertie’s wooden box, which houses 45 different moulding planes. Later in his life, he used these skills extensively when he worked as a patternmaker for a plastering company. Bertie worked through his seventies, retiring when he lost a finger. The tool collection was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Bertie’s granddaughter, Pamela Webster Bloom, a former resident of Kew.Plane - Wooden Moulding, Beechwood & Metal, 3/8" Angle (45).Stamped with owner name ‘G. Greenwood’, with ‘G’ subsequently over-stamped with ‘B’. Later engraved number ‘45’ added on entering the collection in 2010.moulding planes, carpentry tools, bertie greenwood, woodworking tools, burwood road — hawthorn (vic.)

Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design.Custom made wooden hinged box with a hook latch. Brass yarn spinner, attached to a mahogany wood plinth base, which spins fibre into cord/yarn/thread. It has dials to set the rate that it spins. Metal plaque with black inlaid enamel lettering. Small cork inlay. Brass rod with hinge and wingnut, and ball at end. Ball at end has an adjustment mechanism. Rod also has an adjustable circular collar. Pair of curved tweezers. Circular magnifying glass on long thin handle. Glass has two concave lenses. Weaving sample in shades of blue, green and brown. Twill weave. Alternate pattern samples separated by red thread.Brass plaque on base of spinner: 42 MARKET St / John Nesbitt / REGd TRADE MARK / LIMd / MANCHESTER Underside of wooden plinth: 4976apparatus, textile, testing, spinning, nino corda, magnifyer, tools, brass, mahogany, tweezers, yarn, spinner, design, john nesbitt, manchester, england, 19th century, engineering, manufacturing

Black box containing a Matrix Braille writing machine, with a 24mm-wide paper spool attached to the feeding mechanism. Corner of box is hinged and lifts up to reveal keyboard. Top half of box lifts to reveal Braille writer which is bolted to a wooden base that can be lifted out. The base is secured with a metal latch. Machine has black Bakelite keys with rubber pads beneath make this a "silent" machine; wooden case has black leather-like covering, hinged lid, metal clasps, and leather handle on the side. "Model G, Matrix, Coventry Gauge & Tool Company, Ltd., No. 1183, For The Royal National Institute for the Blind, London W.I." is stamped on the front,Black vinyl-covered case containing black metal writer and paper spool"Model G, Matrix, Coventry Gauge & Tool Company, Ltd., No. 1183, For The Royal National Institute for the Blind, London W.I." is stamped on the front.braille equipment, royal national institute for the blind

Used to mark butter in the boxes from the Port Fairy Butter FactoryPossibly the only butter box marker left from the Port Fairy Butter FactoryTubular embossed "Bonnie Port Western district Choicest" wooden marker. Shaped like a rolling pin. One handleBonnie Port Western district Choicestlocal history, rural industry, butter making, port fairy butter factory

Used on Orchard of James Bienvenu's family from Doncaster East in the 1940's. Mr. Bienvenu is a descendant of Mr. A.H. Bienvenu, who came from Guernsey in the Channel Islands.Wooden box containing various fruit variety and number Rubber Stamps.stamps (tools), rubber stamps

Used in the 19th century.A forged steel hatchet with a wooden handle used to open wooden fruit boxes or cases .It has a small groove to lift nails. It was used in the 19th century.woodworking tools, steel, froes, cleaving axes, axes, cutting tools, hand axes, hatchets, cleavers, tomahawks

Used to store tools and other assorted items associated with Maldon State Battery..1 storage box with compartments and lid, painted green, made from wood, leather and are chains attatched from box to lid, trapeze shape, .3 grooves on top of box parallel to wooden supports on lid, latch, nails and bolts attatching wood and inner compartments, leather straps on innner lid and inside main compartment for holding tools, main compartment contains torn newspapers, severed cloths, pieces of rock, pipe peices made of metal and plastic, assortment of metal pieces, paint lids, green bucket with grease, food packaging, tap/valve, metal mesh, leather and plastic pieces, 2 keys/padlocks, nails, nuts, assortment of tools, wooden pieces, wooden handle for screwdriver, broken chair, chalk, pieces of ceramic (Bendigo pottery) , pocket handle with inscription, bottle lids, plastic container, rope/belt for machines, piece of belt, broken canvas strap, peices of broken dark brown glazed textured pottery, large circular threaded joins, large elboiw threaded elbow joins .2 upper left compartment containing brush head, sandpaper and assorted rusty metal objects .3 upper middle compartment containing rusty weighing hook, rusty bolt and scrap metal .4 upper right compartment containing broken tan pottery, rusty threaded T join, unknown green paper with inscription .5 lower left compartment containing white cotton waste, assorted circular rusty metal objects, assorted rusty nails and washers, orange lid with insciption, nut and bolt .6 lower left middle compartment containing unknown assorted metal objects, peice of broken clamp and felt .7 lower right middle compartment containing large rusty nuts and unknown rusty metal objects .8 lower right compartment containing assorted threaded rusty circular metal objects, rusty nut and bolt, metal pump part, rusty mobil oil tin 20litres, old newspaper scraps,

The wooden crate contains a set of patterns or moulds that were once used at Briggs’ Brass Foundry for making sand moulds. The traditional method of sand casting is over 2000 years old. It is part of a crafted process used to make brass and copper alloy goods suited to marine use; bells, boat hooks, cowls, propellers, handles, lids, rowlocks, hooks, letters, bolts, rail holders, brackets, deck plates, flanges, rudder guides, portholes and covers. Briggs’ Bronze is a copper-based alloy made from local ingots of copper, tin, zinc and lead in carefully measured quantities. The finished product is non-corrosive and can last indefinitely. The crate of patterns was donated by the Briggs family in the early years of Flagstaff Hill, along with other related items such as brassware, tools and machinery. The donated items were displayed in a simulated Brass Foundry in the Village. The items were on show from the completion of the building in 1986 until 1994 when the building was repurposed. The patterns represent the trades of foundering and metalwork, both supporting maritime industries such as shipwrights and boatbuilders. Farmers, manufacturers and other local industries also needed the castings made by foundries. The Brass Foundry display was one of the early ‘working craft’ shops at Flagstaff Hill. It included a historic Cornish chimney that was set up as a working model, telling the story of heat from furnaces to smelt metal, which would then be poured into the sand moulds. This chimney is made from specially curved bricks and is about two-thirds of its full height when originally located at the Grassmere Cheese factory. HISTORY of BRIGGS BRASS FOUNDRY: - The family business was founded in 1912 by Herbert Harrison Briggs (1963-1931) with his son George Edward Briggs, trading as Briggs & Son Foundry at 70 Wellington Street, Collingwood. Younger son Cyril Falkiner McKinnon Briggs joined the foundry in 1922, and it was renamed H H Briggs & Sons Foundry. Both sons ran the firm after Herbert’s death in 1931, making products mainly for marine purposes. They became Bell Founders in 1936 and were known for their specialty of high-quality ship bells. They produced miniature varieties of these and other decorative items such as small propellers. The firm became known as Briggs Marine Foundry. The great-granddaughter of Herbert Briggs inherited the Briggs Brass Bell, similar to the one at Flagstaff Hill. Cyril became the sole family member of the firm in 1965. The Briggs Marine was an exhibitor at the 1965 Boat Show, where he advertised as “non-ferrous founders” and “Bell Specialists”. The foundry relocated to Chesterville Rd, Moorabbin. Cyril passed away in 1967. It is thought that either Cyril or his business partner Frank Lee donated the objects from the Briggs’ Foundry around the time when the business moved to Moorabbin. However, Flagstaff Hill hadn’t been thought about until 1972. The donated items were registered in the Collection in 1986 but they could have been in storage from an earlier date. In October of that same year, Briggs Marine restored Schomberg Bell, a shipwreck artefact from the collection at Flagstaff Hill. Peter Oram, who had worked for the previous owners of Briggs Marine as a fitter and turner, took over the firm in 2014, reviving some of the old casts for current use. The business is now located at Seaford in Victoria and is part of Alliance Casting & Engineering Solutions (Alliance Casting Pty Ltd). In 2016 the original Collingwood Foundry building was repurposed as a thriving business hub named The Foundry. The crate and its patterns are significant for their association with brass foundries locally and generally in coastal areas of Victoria. Marine industries such as ship and boat building rely on good quality castings for their machinery, equipment and fittings. The patterns are associated with the long-running firm, Briggs Brass Foundry, that specialised in cast goods for the marine industry, ready to supply the needs for once-off or mass-produced items. Their products would have been fitted to sail and steam vessels along coastal Victoria including Warrnambool. Briggs Marine is also associated with the Schomberg Bell in Flagstaff Hill, restoring the bell to is former state to show an example of the bell from a luxury mid-19th century vessel. The craft of sand-casting from carved wooden patterns to create metal is an example of skills from the past that are still used today. Wooden rectangular crate with removable wooden lid. Inside is a set of wooden patterns of various shapes and sizes for making sand moulds in a metal foundry. The crate is made from thick wooden planks nailed together. The extended wooden struts on the long sides form a frame to hold the wooden lid. A pair of metal handles are at each short end of the crate, fixed with strong metal bolds. Between each pair of handles is an inscription stamped into the wood. The underside of the crate has red paint splashes. There are insect holes in the wood but no sign of current infestation. Stamped: "H.33 / II" (H may be N or a square B)flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, pattern, mould, foundry, brass foundry, metal foundry, crate, box, wooden container, briggs, traditional method, trade, sand cast, cast, brass alloy, copper alloy, marine equipment, marine tools, marine fittings, briggs' bronze, copper tin zinc lead, non-corrosive, briggs family, brassware, metalware, foundering, metalwork, maritime, casting, cornish chimney, curved bricks, grassmere cheese factory, 1912, herbert harrison briggs, h h briggs, george edward briggs, briggs & son foundry, collingwood, cyril falkiner mckinnon briggs, cyril briggs, h h briggs & sons foundry, bell founders, schomberg bell, alliance casting & engineering solutions, collingwood foundry, ship chandlers, marine products, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, briggs & son brass foundry, briggs marine, moorabbin

Black box containing a Matrix Braille writing machine, with a paper spool attached to the feeding mechanism. The front portion of box is hinged and lifts up to reveal keyboard. Top half of box lifts to reveal Braille writer which is bolted to a wooden base that can be lifted out. The base is secured with a metal latch. Machine has black keys and the wooden case has black leather-like covering, hinged lid, metal clasps, and leather handle on the side. "Model G, Matrix, Coventry Gauge & Tool Company, Ltd., No. 792, For The Royal National Institute for the Blind, London W.I." is stamped on the front,Black vinyl-covered case containing black metal writer and paper spool"Model G, Matrix, Coventry Gauge & Tool Company, Ltd., No. 792, For The Royal National Institute for the Blind, London W.I." is stamped on the front.braille equipment, royal national institute for the blind

a early tool used to press wine corks a wooden object used to press wine corks handle that moves in and out a hollow sectionmildara wines, cork press

barrel bung extractor tool used to extract ream holes often sealed with hessian in hogshead ( Wine Barrel )a metal pipe with a screw at end and a wooden handle mildara wines, wine, tools

The most common technique to measure fuel moisture content in Victorian forests until recently was the Speedy Moisture Meter. Originally developed in England during the 1920s for measuring moisture in wheat and other grains it was adapted for Australian forest fuels in the 1950s. Fuel was first ground using a Spong mincer, often attached to the bullbar of a vehicle, and a small sample placed into the Speedy together with a measure of calcium carbide and then sealed. A chemical reaction created gas pressure which was read on the external dial. There were important techniques with cleaning, mincing and using the chemicals with the Speedy to give reliable readings, but it was quick, inexpensive, robust, portable and practical in the field. It was used routinely before igniting a fuel reduction burn or measuring fuel moisture differentials on slash burns. In about 1996, Karen Chatto and Kevin Tolhurst from the Department’s Creswick Research Station developed the Wiltronics Fuel Moisture meter which measured electrical resistance.First reliable tool for measuring bushfire fuel moisture content in the fieldSpeedy Moisture Meter in wooden boxmanufactures marks and instructions on usebushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)