What is it? LXXXV

Reply to
carl
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According to R.H. :

I'm getting into this late. I've been fighting a transition to a new ISP, and that has limited my web and news access somewhat.

Anyway -- posting from rec.crafts.metalworking again.

490) A strange one. The hole is obviously a wrench for square headed screws (such as are found on many lathes to lock down adjustments). The eight points allow re-setting at 45 degree intervals.

The hook on the left seems to be to allow you to get a grip while the handle is flat on a surface.

The small projection on the right may be for use in levering something which may bind. Perhaps for removing a Morse taper tool as an alternative to the usual drill drift used for that purpose which requires a light hammer blow.

491) Either a valve for releasing vacuum (or venting steam, except that I would expect a wooden handle for that purpose), or it may be a stylized chess piece, based on its size, and where it is sitting. 492) The focus knob for a center-focus pair of binoculars. 493) Just a guess, but it looks like a portable cigar humidor to me. The sponge would be wet, and the holes would vent the humidity into the chamber with the cigars stored therein.

Is it possible to assemble the cylinder with the holes not lined up? If so, it may be so the holes may be blocked in a spare cylinder until the other one dries up, and you swap to the second (or third, etc) cylinder.

494) Hmm ... a hearing aid perhaps? Normally they are made of flesh-colored plastic, as some wearers are sensitive about that, but the shape is about right to hang the hook over your ear, the cylindrical bulge at the bottom is for the battery, the cylindrical knob just above the power switch (it *is* marked "off" after all) is the volume control, and I think that a clear tube would come out of the small hole at the end to feed into an earpiece. 495) For tenderizing meat, perhaps? Or for perforating a plastic film as it is glued down to eliminate air bubbles?

Now to see what else has been guessed, and then to go to sleep.

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

#490: Is the little tab twisted in such a way that it would follow a threaded slot, or is is just a flat tab? A closeup of the tab, and another of the flat side of the handle, might be helpful. I'm wondering if that handle wasn't one of a pair that butted against each other.

#491: Again, a closeup of the top and the bottom lip would be helpful. If it were used as a 'screwdriver' at any time, I think the top piece might show some wear, and would also be precisely cut to have parallel sides, something that a decorative piece would not have. I know there were/are many devices that require a coin to turn the screw, so this could easily be a coin-shaped driver that mounted on a stick. But as such, I think it would have popped out of the screw head occasionally and left some markings.

--humunculus

Reply to
humunculus

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Lets hope you don't have to tune the radio, or look for a french fry you dropped in your lap!

--humunculus

Reply to
humunculus

I shot a couple more photos of this wrench showing the bottom and the tab:

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The taper on the star shaped hole is very slight, maybe 1/32".

And a few more of this one, I don't see very much wear that would indicate it being used as a tool:

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There is a taper on the end, going from 3/16" to 1/8" at the tip.

Rob

Reply to
R.H.

What activates the alarm is when the head tilts down as the driver nods off. What SHOULD activate the alarm is the simple act of hooking it onto your ear. If you're so tired that you have to use this device to keep you awake, then you're already too tired to be driving.

Reply to
DeepDiver

A rolling ball and electrical contacts or a mercury switch - either would work.

Greg G.

Reply to
Greg G

I agree that if someone is tired enough to use this device then they shouldn't be driving, I won't be using it.

Rob

Reply to
R.H.

495 is for poking holes into wall paper. If you want to remove wallpaper you have to whetten it. The holes you poke in with that useless tool should help penetrating the wall paper with water.

Nick

Reply to
Nick Müller

You know, I wonder if #491 isn't some sort of antique 'common sense fastener'... The shine and wear on the waist makes sense, if it is.

-humunculus

Reply to
humunculus

My mistake, I skipped a number in the answer post, there may be a similar tool for wallpaper, but this tool was correctly identified as a carpet seam roller.

Rob

Reply to
R.H.

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