we all get sucked into a pile of "interesting stuff" from time to time - I bid on and won this e-bay auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190034302694 (the link is there if you want to see a photo) - the pile was described as: "a random mix of metal tools. I have no idea what most are used for. There are 2 drafting tools marked Park Instrument Co., a metal two sided scribe marked General, a 6 inch metal ruler marked #603, can't read name, Athol, Mass, USA, Tempered #4, 6 inch ruler with a sliding T, unmarked. Small aluminum pliers marked W. C. Slocumb, Peeler Howe Co., St. Paul, Minn., USA, Unusual Drill sizer, Marked A. Stubs, 19 or 61, and last is like some type of micrometer or part of one. All are in pretty good condition, some have rust or oxidation. "
the stuff arrived today - the "drafting tools" were some cheap dividers - no gloat the metal scribe is a trammel type tool made by General - usable, but no gloat the ruler was Starrett, hardened, cleaned up nicely - no gloat, but at least I'm close to even with that the other "6 inch rule" cleaned up OK, but it has no name on it, is pretty old though - no gloat the aluminum pliers are cute - wonder what they are for - anyone have a clue? the "drill sizer" is the item of great interest - it's not a sizer, it has nothing to do with drills, it's a watchmaker's thread plate made by PS Stubs, of the type described here: http://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioStubs.htm, it's a #61 (or 19?) in pretty good condition, screw sizes from about #4 to someting really tiny, total length is 5.6 inches from the tip of the handle to the end of the screwplate - very nicely hardened too - no idea what I'll use it for, but it's cool - is this a major gloat or a femto-gloat? any opinions?
oh, the "micrometer part" is really part of some optical device (anyone have a clue?) it has a dial graduated from infiinty to 0.5 meters, has a 0.275 inch diameter mounting pin, and two mirrors - it may be part of a camera range/viewfinder? or maybe part of a transit? I'd like to figure out what this is, but it's probably not a valuable or useful item once I figure it out - it's the thing with the round dial in the photo. it is plated brass, aprox square in cross section (.433 inches), 2.440 inches long - the side with the dial has one window (the thing wth the concentric circles).178 inches in diameter, the other side has two such windows, one in line with the window visible in the photo, one at the oposite end of the device - rotating the mirror changes the mirror angle on the through window pair. If I wasn't convinced this was waaaaaay too old, I'd say it was part of a laser range finder. It's nicely machined, if I had to guess, I'd say it's German, and pre 1965, maybe pre WWII - anyone got a clue?
-- bill to email me, to to my web page, www.wbnoble.com and find my email or unscramble the following by removing spaces and correcting the obvious spelling errors
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