Help me identify this tool...

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Help me identify this tool...

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#98447 28-Feb-2012 16:34

Purely out of interest we would like to know what this thing does.
It was found in my grandmothers house. Her husband/man friend (weird relationship stuff blah blah blah) used to be a cabinet maker and often made caskets too. I believe he used to make model boats as a hobby but have never seen any.

It wouldn't have been touched in over 20 years since he died and appears to slide over something. Moving the central 'cage' moves the arm across the scale from 0 to 10.

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4123 posts

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Inactive user

#587919 28-Feb-2012 16:52

I tried Google Goggles and it is either a Galaxy Tab or the last picture in this series.

http://www.slashseconds.org/issues/001/003/articles/mohinata/index.php

So that's sorted then.

k1w33d

138 posts

Master Geek

#587920 28-Feb-2012 16:53

Maybe some kind of scribing tool as there seems to be a sliding blade on the arm. Purely a guess though.

Jaxson

8042 posts

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Trusted

#587921 28-Feb-2012 16:56

kiwitrc: or the last picture in this series.

http://www.slashseconds.org/issues/001/003/articles/mohinata/index.php

Well, that's 10 seconds of my life I'm never getting back.

johnr

19282 posts

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Inactive user

#587928 28-Feb-2012 17:00

kiwitrc: I tried Google Goggles and it is either a Galaxy Tab or the last picture in this series.

http://www.slashseconds.org/issues/001/003/articles/mohinata/index.php

So that's sorted then.

I clicked on that URL on my work Laptop, Just waiting for HR to call me and take me off to the nut house!

kiwitrc

4123 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#587929 28-Feb-2012 17:01

johnr:
kiwitrc: I tried Google Goggles and it is either a Galaxy Tab or the last picture in this series.

http://www.slashseconds.org/issues/001/003/articles/mohinata/index.php

So that's sorted then.

I clicked on that URL on my work Laptop, Just waiting for HR to call me and take me off to the nut house!

See you there.

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#587931 28-Feb-2012 17:02

k1w33d: Maybe some kind of scribing tool as there seems to be a sliding blade on the arm. Purely a guess though.

The silver arm has no sharp edge. The small slider ends in a point, not sharp enough to cut anything. It seems to purely be an indicator arm along the scale. The whole device seems like it would slide over a ruler or something. The four small pin-like arms are connected to the central cage which further connects to the indicator arm.

There doesn't seem to be any relevance between the distance these pins are from the end of the device and the scale. I thought it might measure 10ths of millimeters but that's not right. I'm just presuming its not imperial due to the scale only reaching 10.

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#587933 28-Feb-2012 17:02

Jaxson: Well, that's 10 seconds of my life I'm never getting back.

Agreed... odd.

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SandyJ

152 posts

Master Geek

#587959 28-Feb-2012 18:19

My fella is a cabinetmaker (old school).. I have sent him a pic in the hope he knows what it is. It actually looks quite familiar to me, but my history is in steel.

vinnieg

2260 posts

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Trusted

#587965 28-Feb-2012 18:34

Hmm, dunno, metronome maybe?

Does it sit up? or screw onto a wall?

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#587967 28-Feb-2012 18:36

vinnieg: Hmm, dunno, metronome maybe?

Does it sit up? or screw onto a wall?

Nah, it appears to slide over something. It is slightly stiff to retain the angle on the arm. It doesn't have any counter weights or the like.

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#587969 28-Feb-2012 18:37

SandyJ: My fella is a cabinetmaker (old school).. I have sent him a pic in the hope he knows what it is. It actually looks quite familiar to me, but my history is in steel.

Thanks SandyJ. It's not the end of the world but it'd just be nice to know heh.

vinnieg

2260 posts

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Trusted

#587972 28-Feb-2012 18:41

Disrespective:
vinnieg: Hmm, dunno, metronome maybe?

Does it sit up? or screw onto a wall?
Nah, it appears to slide over something. It is slightly stiff to retain the angle on the arm. It doesn't have any counter weights or the like.

Hmmmm, where it has two screws, are they for possibly attaching wires?

maybe a thermostat, or an old light dimmer?

are you able to photo the back?

This is awesome!!! Most inventive thread of the year!

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

gzt

17118 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#587973 28-Feb-2012 18:43

Looks like something an engineer custom made to indicate blade height or something similar on machinery.

Anyway, what is the distance the carriage travels between the indications of zero and ten?

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#587975 28-Feb-2012 18:54

gzt: Anyway, what is the distance the carriage travels between the indications of zero and ten?

2.8mm, give or take a few hundredths.

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#587976 28-Feb-2012 18:57

vinnieg:
Disrespective:
vinnieg: Hmm, dunno, metronome maybe?

Does it sit up? or screw onto a wall?
Nah, it appears to slide over something. It is slightly stiff to retain the angle on the arm. It doesn't have any counter weights or the like.

Hmmmm, where it has two screws, are they for possibly attaching wires?

maybe a thermostat, or an old light dimmer?

are you able to photo the back?

This is awesome!!! Most inventive thread of the year!

There are no electrical contacts on it at all. It's made entirely of metal except for the white panel which looks like formica or melamine.

The rear is totally uninteresting except that you can see that the numeral 9 has been stamped onto each piece I presume for manufacture.

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