Message from discussion possible gloat, or is it just a femto-gloat? and what the heck is this thing?

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From: "William Noble" <nob...@nowhere.com>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: possible gloat, or is it just a femto-gloat?  and what the heck is this thing?
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:20:10 -0700
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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

wil  lia m_b_n  obl   e    at    msn    daught   com 



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