"What Is This Thing?" Running Thread

[intjonmiller]

I don't see a running thread for this topic (at least not by browsing and searching through Tapatalk) and I think it would be appropriate to have one. It doesn't seem to make much sense to make a separate thread for each mystery tool, and personally I find it fascinating to browse them, so having them in one place makes sense to me. Any objections?

 

[intjonmiller]

I'll start.

This was in the box of change and reversing gears, tooling, and random workpieces and offcuts that came with my father's Logan 850 lathe. Any idea what I is? It appears to me to have been cut off of something else, as there is a rough end and no apparent mount point. Not sure if it's worth keeping.

 

[JimDawson]

You ask two very good questions.

1) I have no idea what it is

2) Of course it's worth keeping, you never know when you'll need something like that. Camera mount, coolant nozzle mount, lamp mount, whatever mount for whatever?

 

[coolidge]

Its a muffler bearing alignment tool.

 

[intjonmiller]

Well I'm not going to throw it out! The only things I throw out are too small to be modified for some new purpose and can't be melted with other scrap to make something new (or burned to melt the metals).

Let me rephrase: I'm not sure if I should keep it AS-IS.

 

[intjonmiller]

Its a muffler bearing alignment tool.

Figures. I already have several of those. I was hoping for something a bit more useful.

 

[aliva]

looks a bit like an indicator holder. I can't be sure as there's no scale to compare it to.
What are the dimensions? Or better yet take an other photo with a scale beside for size.

 

[intjonmiller]

I can't be sure as there's no scale to compare it to. What are the dimensions?

I realized that issue as I was making the post, but I was no longer with the mysterious tool to take another picture so I posted it anyway.

 

[chips&more]

It looks like it needs to be repurposed.

 

[British Steel]

OK, if we're getting all "what is it?" - bronze, about the size of a grenade, three sprung fingers, the screws lock the two halves together (hinge on the opposite side)...
It *might* be marine / military-related as it was in a box of tools with War Department stamps on 'em!

If I can't find a use, it goes in the "yellow metals" bin for eventual melting and casting...

Dave H. (the other one)