Kowalski Heat Treating Blog - Kowalski Heat Treating

Measure Up

August 1, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

The other day, I was reading a report on a new car about to launch, and the author expressed one of its features in horsepower (even though it was a hybrid). It got me to thinking about where everyday measurements like horsepower came from and how we measure things – something that’s critically important here at KHT, when we’re happily solving your PIA (Pain in the @%$) Jobs. From ancient rulers to internet routers, our need to measure and compare is deeply human. These units – scientific, historic, and occasionally silly – reveal not just how we understand the world, but how we interact with it. So, I went to the internet and found some interesting history and facts about random measuring – from the speed of a car to the spin rate of a golf ball (to help explain why my ball sometimes spins off into the woods). Not surprisingly, humans have invented all kinds of clever ways to quantify the world around us. Some systems are rooted in science, others in history, and a few are just plain quirky. Around both my home and here at KHT, one of my personal favorites is when I need to express a large amount of anything (It’s a Crap Ton!) Here’s a fun dive into fascinating units of measurement, how they came to be, and why they still matter. Be sure to click the links if something catches your eye so that you can dig a bit deeper into each one. Enjoy, and if you think of anything I’ve missed, shoot me an email at skowalski@khtheat.com. Read more

QWERTY

July 25, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Doesn’t it seem like things we use all the time, we just take for granted, and don’t think much about their origin or original design? You know – things are just what they are – stoplight design hasn’t changed much since it’s inception, US cars have drivers on the left, TV’s have bulky, easy to misplace remotes, mobile phones barely fit in your pocket, two handle faucets have hot on the left, new shoes come wrapped in tissue paper, eggs are mostly sold by the dozen, butter sticks come in four packs, microwave ovens beep when they are done and almost all English language computers use the QWERTY keyboard layout. Looking down at my keyboard the other day, (not only do I peek sometimes when I type, but I’ve realized that I’m always wearing out the “E and R” keys first?) I remember early on that I struggled a bit to understand the logic behind the layout – I wasn’t the best typist in High School Typing class. Why does the top row begin with the letters Q, W, E, R, T, Y (followed by U, I, O, P.) Now, of course, the center row left to right makes sense: A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K, L – perfect logic there, right? And I’m not even gonna comment about the bottom row – Z, X, C … – YIKES! Found on nearly every computer, laptop, and smartphone worldwide (at least in countries that use a Latin-script alphabet), this seemingly random configuration of keys has an interesting history, though perhaps not the what you have been led to believe. Thanks to Wikipedia, historyfacts.com, techcrunch.com, invent.org and YouTube.com. Enjoy!

My Favorite Green Dip

July 18, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

When it comes to snack foods, I gotta admit I’m a champion. And if it involves dipping, just move aside, as I rock. You name it – cheese, veggie, fruity, chocolate, spicy, sweet, creamy – I pretty much like ‘em all. But, during the summer, for me, there’s nothing quite like all kinds of salsas and guac. I must admit I’m not a guac on wraps, toast, burgers kind of guy, simply just out of the bowl with chips. And, I like how it gradually can turn brown – sort of a built-in timing device that tells me I gotta eat more and faster (cause, of course, you would not want it to go to waste – called enzymatic browning. Now, on to the open debate (one in which I’m sure you have an opinion – the right chips to use to dip, here in America we have SO many options: Corn, blue corn, purple, white, Fritos, sesame, lime, round, triangle, scoops … the list goes on). Guacamole has roots as deep as an avocado tree. So, for my foodie buds out there, here’s some fun info below. And be sure to email me YOUR favorite recipe – I know I’ll try it!! (skowalski@khtheat.com).