MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Wendyf]

A drill vice?

[Stanley]

It's a vice all right Wendy but Glo is closer as she has identified the screw as moving whatever object is held in the vice. The picture doesn't show that the 'handle' on the end of the screw is a star wheel....

[Gloria]

So Stan, if it's a star wheel then you only move it with minimum pressure??

[Stanley]

You're getting very close Glo. I want you to get this one. Instead of minimum pressure, think intermittent, say once per revolution and consider what the effect would be. You can do this! It's a clever little solution to a problem with old machines....

[Gloria]

Never seen anything like it before to be honest. Does the one revolution act as a measure?? Just guessing now.

[Stanley]

I don't think you are going to get this one. In the days when lathes didn't have automatic cross feed to get a nice even cut across the face you used one of these. (They came in lots of different sizes) You bolted it on the faceplate and set the cutter in a position just outside the edge of what you were working on. The small star wheel on the end of the shaft was knocked round a quarter of a revolution by a peg mounted on the lathe in a suitable position so as the face plate revolved the screw put on a little cut each revolution. The result was a nice even automatic cut. Simple when you know how! I don't think there will be many of them about these days..... Let's try another oldie to see how good your memory is....

[Gloria]

Not sure, but could it be a copying attachment for a lathe ??

[Stanley]

You're right! But go a bit further and give it its proper name....

[Gloria]

I'll pass on that.

[Stanley]

I'll give it another day. Think Ornamental Turning.....

[PanBiker]

It's one of them things that turns your lathe into something like Newton had. An epicyclic thingimibob for making complex geometric shapes. You can tell I'm not sure of the correct name!

[Stanley]

Time you were educated Ian! You're right, it's one of the complicated thingummies connected with OT. Glo had it right but I was after the name, I thought someone might remember it. It's a Medallion Machine used for copying cameos etc. in soft materials like ivory.



This was what it looked like when it fell into my clutches, years of neglect. It took about a fortnight to strip it down and get it back up to speed as part of the refurbishment of Johnny's 1956 lathe. I think Johnny would have been pleased! Try this one, another rescue job but this time for the 1927 lathe.

[Stanley]

No offers?

[Gloria]

A taper turning attachment, which looks very clean.

[Stanley]

Good Lass Glo! It looks clean because it's another of Johnny's bits that I rescued. It's actually an ornamental turning slide rest and can be used for many purposes but one of them is straight taper turning. Like all Johnny's stuff, it's beautifully made and entirely practical. Try this one, same subject

[David Whipp]

Dr Who prop.

[Gloria]

Is it a spiral turning attachment?

[Tizer]

It's the machine that cleans out Stanley's pipe.

[David Whipp]

Mark VI treacle drilling machine. (Unused, one owner, buyer collects.)

[Stanley]

Slightly more complicated than that. At the moment we've lost images so I shall wait till we get them back!

[Stanley]

Not surprising that nobody got it. It's an epicycloidal chuck that Johnny pickles made for the 1956 lathe I have in the workshop. In fact in the image it's mounted on that lathe. Jonny made it just to try out the technique and also made the attachments for it that are laid on the bed. The article on the right is a small ornament he made which incorporates all the functions the chuck is capable of. I shan't attempt to explain it because I can't, it's slightly more complicated than there dimensional chess! Incidentally, I found out that the chuck is now in the Science museum so I asked them if I could have it back as I had the lathe it had been made for. They said no but could they have the lathe! I'll leave you to speculate on what my reply to them was.... Now we need another object....



What's unusual about the cross slide on Johnny's 1927 lathe?

[David Whipp]

Unusual quantities of dust.

(am just off to look up epicycloidal.)

[Stanley]

How dare you! Can I remind you that it is a site convention that individual members are not criticised! People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones....

[Stanley]

Giving up on me?

[David Whipp]

It's not very cross; as appears the current owner...