MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Marilyn]

Ha Ha...I thought it looked like a like one of those robotic vacuum cleaners, from underneath, so turned upside down. ( she says, never having actually seen one up-ended)

[PanBiker]

When you Google images of these types of power cables (underground and submarine) you find that lot of them are manufactured in China. How did you come across a section like that? Not the normal kind of thing you have hanging around, having said that Stanley's treasure chest is full of extraordinary stuff.

[Stanley]

Remember the heavy ICI flask that is in the treasure chest? Tiz mailed me the other day to say that an article about it is in the ICI house magazine so we might get a clue as to what it is....

[Stanley]

I think we need a new object.... Try this one.



Just short of two inches in diameter.

[David Whipp]

Door knob.

[chinatyke]

Billiard ball made from ivory?

[Gloria]

Inside of old fashioned leather covered cricket ball?

[Tizer]

A used gobstopper?

Remember the heavy ICI flask that is in the treasure chest? Tiz mailed me the other day to say that an article about it is in the ICI house magazine so we might get a clue as to what it is....[/img]

I'd better just add a correction to that, because people searching after reading about the flask in the magazine may well find this web page. The flask is being mentioned in the newsletter of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Historical Group. Let's hope one of their readers can identify it fully and explain its use.

[Pluggy]

Some kind of float involved in a air purging system of some description ?

[Stanley]

Thanks for the correction Tiz....
China got it in one, an old ivory billiard ball I got in a mixed lot of ivory cut-offs from an old workshop.
Next for shaving?

[Tizer]

I'm still not convinced about it being a billiard ball - are you sure it isn't a prosthesis that belonged to an Austrian house painter who had a second career in attempting a restructure of Europe?

[Stanley]

Positive, the evidence is that his remaining testicle was 'very small'.
All right, try this one!



All right, it's a twist drill but why the fluted taper?

[Gloria]

Never in all my born days have I ever seen one of those!!!!!

[plaques]

I'm with Gloria, never seen one but can imagine its to help with the coolant supply for deep holes. A little like the long gun drills.

[Bodger]

Pre reamer taper pin holes

[Tizer]

This interesting object came to my attention the other day, it might be a bit obvious to some, but accurate description please.

For a bit more information about the cable I contacted the Collections Manager at the Telegraph Museum in Porthcurno, Cornwall, and have now received the following reply:

I forwarded your email onto one of our researchers, who has carried out many years of research into telecommunication cables. He emailed the below reply: "I thought I had seen the photo somewhere before and here it is:
http://hybridtechcar.com/underwater-hig ... -3-photos/
The other photos and the bit of text explain what it is all about. Such cables use heavy copper conductors insulated in thick polyethylene and armoured overall (two layers in this case). Overall sheathing is probably polyethylene too and marked with a bold stripe for easy identification (a bit like wasps and for similar reasons). I think that they usually try to bury such cables since they are laid in inshore waters and trawling is a hazard".

[Gloria]

I'm with Gloria, never seen one but can imagine its to help with the coolant supply for deep holes. A little like the long gun drills.

I think you may be onto something there Plaques.

[chinatyke]

Thanks, Tizer.

[Stanley]

Re the fluted taper on the drill. I've posted this before and Have never got to any conclusion, a proper mystery. I can see the thinking behind the cutting fluid but how could the source be in the tailstock or quill? Also, the fluid would have to follow the flutes and the same effect would be gained by simply flooding the flutes where they entered the hole. I tend to agree with Bodge. Reamers for Morse tapers are expensive and comparatively rare. I have a set for 1. 2 and 3 and I remember they cost me an arm and a leg. I suspect that someone had access to spiral milling on the taper on a Horizontal mill and put the flutes in to clear rags out of a taper. It couldn't be a good cutter because the taper is relatively soft. Alternatively could it be a trial or apprentice exercise? Just one additional point, the level of corrosion on the fluting of the taper and the drill is the same, it looks as though the drill was in new condition when it was done. It remains a puzzle until someone says they have seen one before.... (I've just been in the shed and examined the drill closely. Marked 'Vickers' and 'Registered design 25/32" High CW???'
Try this one while we are looking at drills. Before you leap in, look at the end, it has a centre hole and no cutting edge, also three flutes. 14" overall including taper. What is it?

[Cathy]

It's really just a stick of licorice trying to look incognito

[Stanley]

You'd have a job chewing it Cathy, it's High Speed steel.....

[plaques]

Three or more: fluted drills are used for enlarging existing holes. They will not drill a hole from start so there is no need for a front cutting edge.

A quick edit on the last drill .ISO 296:1991(en) has a comment which may be relevant. "Lastly, this International Standard specifies the dimensions of grooves and holes necessary for the design of tapers for applications where coolant supply is required." Without reading the full standard it looks promising.

[Stanley]

P is right, it's more reamer than drill. Often used for manufacturing gun barrels.
Next for shaving?

[David Whipp]

[PanBiker]

I know but I will let others have a go.