What is it? CXXV

todd

I think 730 is a variant on the "Ames window" optical illusion.

LLoyd

727- spice grinder?

729

731- scrapes paint off glass, goes around the window frame

Dave

My father worked for the Bell System and had a commercial one of these. This one looks home made. It's used for manipulating overhead wires/cables/ropes without the need for a ladder or climbing up a telephone pole. In addition to the stated defects this one also has a misshapen hook.

Art

Oops. Previous refers to #728.

Where and when did your dad work for Bell?

Phoenix. Late 50's 'till about '80.

Art

Cool. I worked for them in Louisville from the early 80's till 2000

Ned Simmons

As usual, posting from rec.crafts.metalworking.

A runout indicator (most have dials, but this one is just a pointer moved by the lever, and calibrated to tell how far the ball tip is moving. The needle will move upscale for either direction of motion. I have one example of this sort of indicator. This one moves full scale for a motion of 0.010" (assuming that the ball tip is at the right angle to the tested surface -- at other angles, it will introduce cosine error, so the reading will not be accurate.

And a wiggler gauge, with the sharp point it is used to show how far off center a center-punch mark is, to allow it to be adjusted on center. The area where the small diameter shank joins the larger one has a ball at the end of the small diameter, fitted into a cavity at the large diameter shank, with a knurled cap to tighten it just enough so the point can be easily moved, but not too tight.

To use (one possible way) chuck the larger shank in the tailstock chuck in the lathe. Advance the point until it enters the center punch mark, and then adjust the runout indicator to touch the small diameter just behind the point.

Then (assuming a 4-jaw independent chuck), rotate the chuck slowly, by hand, and note the maximum and minimum reading of the indicator, and loosen the chuck jaw near the lowest reading, and tighten that near the highest reading. Repeat a few times to get the mark as close to center as possible. (There are other ways to do this, but this is one way that this would be used.)

It can also be used to center a milling machine spindle (or ever a drill press spindle) over a center punch mark for locating the hole to be drilled or milled.

I must admit to never having seen the two joined like this, but it is a good tool.

If a cotton gin, the seeds would collect in the drawer below the surface.

An indication of size would be nice to have, but assuming that the crank handle is designed for a single hand, I would guess that the flat surface is about 5 to 6 inches across, and the drum is about that diameter (exclusive of the points).

729) Tool for adjusting something by bending it, and verifying the adjustment by using the pivoted tab as a feeler gauge, I think.

731) It looks like a tool designed to run along taut cables and to allow that to guide the corner scraper mounted on the near end.

One possible use might be to run it along the inside of window frames to square up the step into which the glass is fitted before it gets puttyed in place.

Now -- to see what others have said.

Enjoy, DoN.

The long pole is with hooks is used for stinging lines or cable I built one myself for stringing up christmas tree lights on a large tree outside of our house. It is also good for tinsel popcorn strings and in the summer time string lights in the backyard

PJ

I believe the wood box with the gears is a bread crumb grinder or a nut grinder

PJ

All six have been answered correctly this week:

727. Wool carder, this item only has the one large drum, most of these have a second smaller drum on the same shaft as the handle, so the owner wasn't sure if was actually a drum wool carder or not. I'm going with this answer until I see evidence otherwise.

729. Spark plug gap tool and gauge

731. Window paint scraper

A couple new photos and a few links have been posted on the answer page:

Rob

Thanks for the info on this tool, I knew what it was called, but not how it was used.

Rob

If you don't mind I'm willing to ask on a fiber related mailing list. Both antique spinning equipment and modern carding drums have been discussed there in the recent past.