What is it? Set 262

Can you find out the spacing between holes? Are the marks in the center of the holes, or the center-to-center distance *between* the holes? Or offset from the center - just can't tell from the pictures. Also - what is the threading of the holes? Is this made from aluminum?

Both the holes and lines are spaced at 1/4", in the photo below you can see that the lines are centered on the holes, in reference to the photo the owner says "seems like it's supposed to be held like this":

I'm starting to back off of the carpet stretcher idea, if that were the case I don't think the lines would server any purpose. Others have suggested that the missing parts could have been markers for drawing lines on paper or a blackboard, there are sufficient spaces to make the lines any distance apart needed.

I'll ask the owner about the threading and what the tool is made from.

Rob

I don't think it would be for writing on a chalkboard. The music staff liners I've seen don't use threading, as this would be murder on the chalk. See

for an example.

I'm thinking that its for scoring some sort of lines. I imagine the holes being fitted with little pointed inserts, and as they wear down the user can adjust them by turning them in the threaded inserts.

Either that, or maybe some sort of squeegee that has a screw-on blade. I figure its made of aluminum so as to be non-conductive...maybe a specialized tool for working on high rise buildings. I'm imagining a scenarip where all the tools are made of nonconductive materials in case of a storm.

These are just guesses....I'm lost on this one. Are there any more clues? What does the other side of the handle look like (is it possible that there is a different way to hold it?) How about the base of the handle, and I could use a good look at the screw holes to see if there is any evidence of damage from a screwdriver bumping the holes while adjusting the inserts.

--riverman

You'd lose on -that- "figuring". Aluminum is actually quite a _good_ conductor of electricity. Most high-voltage power transmission lines are made of it, in point of fact.

An off-the-wall guess -- a hand-forming tool for making corrugated cardboard, or similar.

The person who sent the photos has posted them on Flickr, they can be seen here:

I think I've posted all but the last one, but you might be able to see larger versions than what was on my site.

Rob

[ ... ]

That may be -- and possibly you can remove inserts to make skips in the pattern.

Umm ... where did you find non-conductive aluminum? At best, the very thin layer of oxide on the surface is non-conductive, until you get to a high enough voltage. And an anodized surface is also non-conductive -- again until you get to a high enough voltage. Past that, it conducts very well. I've had a 240 VAC difference break down the anodize coating on a chassis thanks to a mis-wiring.

And remember -- aluminum house wiring was used for a period, until it started starting fires as the wiring aged. So yes, aluminum conducts quite well.

For that matter -- the leads from the meter to the breaker box in this house are aluminum, so if it were non-conductive, I would not be able to run the computer on which I am typing this, and would be sitting here in the dark.

Even a very thick anodize on aluminum would not protect against the voltages present in a thunderstorm. Forget that theory.

Enjoy, DoN.

Wow! I'm the guy who sent these pictures to Rob & just found this thread.

I had no idea this would be such a tough nut to crack. Yes, I've tried holding it different ways. The way shown in the picture

just seemed the most "natural" but I guess it doesn't have to be like that. I'm leaning towards the line scriber or scorer theory myself. The 1/4" spacing would accommodate making lines of various spacings. But, that still doesn't explain what it's actually used for.

Maybe it's a kitchen tool? Pasta cutter?

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0..maybe a

Well, we can forget the non-conductive component (so it won't be for lightning protection on high rises), but not that a blade of some sort could be screwed on.

--riverman

I was leaning toward a masonry scarifier of sorts. Is there any writing of any sort on it, or any scratches that might provide clues?

--riverman

It reminds of the serrated edge on a spreading tool for floor adhesive, to get the right depth?

How about applying stucco, plaster, or adhesive? You could screw in rounded points and use lock nuts to set the depth you want, and you could space them at intervals of your choosing in 1/4" increments. You slap the material on the surface, drag this tool across, and end up with the depth you want with grooves at the interval you want, ready for the next step.

Hmm ... perhaps it is for decorative grooving of wood paneling, in which case you might want to change the groover inserts to various sizes for various groove widths.

Enjoy, DoN.

I spent over 15 years installing floor coverings , and this is not a carpet stretcher .

Besides, it seems to be traditional here that any unexplained item is either a carpet stretcher or a wire tightener. :-)

--riverman

humunculus fired this volley in news:3ad52c30- snipped-for-privacy@i18g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

After all that, I think I remember what 1488 is...

The replacable tips are a clue. The lightweight cast handle is another.

I believe this is a plasterer's "scratch coat rake", for back in the day when they did two-coat plaster work over lath.

The first coat was done on the lath -- the "brown coat" or "scratch coat". It had a nasty, organic odor to it.

When it was just to the "cheezy" stage of cure, the surface was "scratched" to give some tooth for the finish coat.

There appears to be some nomenclature stamped on the left side of the handle. ??

LLoyd

The writing on the handle (which I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't noticed until now) says "McBee Patent Pending".

1488: For making grooves in concrete?

OK I've got it.

It is a handle for sorting punched cards

It is supposed to have several rods that poke out of the threaded holes. You put the rods that match the alignment of the mounting holes for your card set (cards like old business forms with mounting holes for a binder). Then you can manually sort them and stack them on the rods.

Paul K. Dickman

Thanks! That would have been very difficult to guess.

Rob