Why Is it Called A.....

Nothing is more pleasurable than designing something
and building it from scratch. I wanted a swing out table
for the new laptop, one that swung out over the bed and
hovered in front of me. I drew it out and built it from
materials on hand, which is always nice too. Used lots
of tools, drills and saw and power screw driver. Makes
you feel worthwhile.

I had to use washers on the carriage bolts. I was wondering
why they're called washers and can't find any info. Makes
no sense.

http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/words-and-trivia/rob-kyff-word-guy/hammer-out-these-word-origins.html

Quote: GWAE

http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/words-and-trivia/rob-kyff-word-guy/hammer-out-these-word-origins.html

"4. washer — A. This small metal disk with the hole in the middle was invented by German engineer Gustav Wascher."

Nope, that's false. Some teacher invented that
story because he couldn't find the truth.

Wiki also failed to find the truth as well. Considering the date it began to be used...it's not totally surprising.

that article that I posted was kinda hard to read. The answer was towards the bottom, which is actually no answer.

4. washer — D. The disk meaning of "washer" dates to the 1300s; amazingly, this was 100 years before "washer" was first used to mean "one who washes." But just how "washer" came to mean a small disk remains a mystery.

Quote: GWAE

But just how "washer" came to mean a small disk remains a mystery.

And they're so important, you have to use them.
They evenly distribute the force you apply when
when tightening a nut.

I like this answer it makes the most sense to me.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060913124148AAFToZX

I remember not so long ago when washers were just sort of extra stuff left over at the end of a project lol. A thing I'd use if I remembered and didn't care much if I forgot.

I can't help on the origin of the word; I'm just here to give a shout out to the greatest invention ever, the locking washer. Building this race car of mine has given me an appreciation for a lot of things that I used to find simple, and no thing has risen in adoration from me so much as the humble locking washer. Every time I use one is like a hand on the shoulder from your hero, letting you know he's here, and everything is going to be alright XD

Quote: rainman

I like this answer it makes the most sense to me.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060913124148AAFToZX

Could be. My bet is it was originally a foreign
word, that got shortened and changed over
the centuries. It originally probably made sense.

Quote: Face

I'm just here to give a shout out to the greatest invention ever, the locking washer.

Tools are amazing. I think of things like bolts and
washers and screws as tools. I am always admiring
bolts because the head doesn't twist off when
you're torquing it. I'm sure it wasn't always like that,
there had to be long period before they learned
to make them properly.

My grandfather was born in the 1800's and he had
tools he inherited that were a mystery to me. He
must have had 15 different kinds of hammers, woe
unto you if you used the wrong hammer on a job.

I just know from college that playing "washers" was a big deal at Mizzou. Definitely more popular than "cornhole" there.