William Noble wrote:
> 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?