Old tools and equipment

[northwest]

Needed to get something out of the "oddball drawer" in one of my toolmakers cabinets the other day and I just thought about the measuring and marking stuff in there and wondered what was going to happen to it. Not many people now know what most of this stuff actually does. Sure, plenty of people on here, but out in the outside world?



Yes, we all know what the micrometer is and it wouldn't take someone who doesn't know long to work it out. But the rest? (with the exception of the random template top left).

 

[zx9]

Some tool dealer will be offering your dependents a small sum and coining it on Ebay I expect.

 

[Greeves246]

I have a set of Radius gauges ( like thread or feeler but with loads of radii ) that were my father's in the war complete with WD stamp.

 

[northwest]

I have a set of Radius gauges ( like thread or feeler but with loads of radii ) that were my father's in the war complete with WD stamp.

Yes, have inside and outside radius and fillet gauges, in fact I have three toolmakers chests full of some pretty exotic kit. I have been very lucky with collecting measuring tools and so on but I stopped buying stuff a little while back. Many of these old tools have been replaced by modern tools and techniques but that doesn't detract from their uniqueness.

 

[JEZGUZ]

I've got drawers full of things like those pictured, doubt if I'll get around to using some of them.

 

[Hitch]

Could you enlighten me on this one...?

 

[MattF]

A basic form of indicator.

 

[Agroshield]

The Helix gauge is very interesting. Never seen anything like it before. I went looking for more info. and found this:

Engineering rules and gauges

A private collection of drawing instruments, slide rules and mechanical calculators, as well as a few microscopes and miscellaneous items.

www.mathsinstruments.me.uk

Inter alia, note the boiler plate gauge and the GKN explanation.

Can I identify the toolmaker's buttons?

 

[Dcal]

I made the very same centre finder when I was an apprentice many many years ago.
I think I have just re-discovered the small square I made at the same time.

 

[Shox Dr]

I like the thread pitch indicator.

 

[Brad93]

Centre finder and a 135° drill point template in the centre

 

[Parm]

I’ve got many many many many drawers and boxes of stuff like that

my grandad was a tool maker, his apprentice was my dad, he had a precision engineering business until he retired

Then we get to all the metrology stuff, I’m not allowed anywhere near that, yet...

 

[Brad93]

There’s a small bore micrometer that looks like it uses two ball bearings?

 

[Brad93]

 

[brightspark]

i have a set of them measures at bottom left .there tapered with thickness measurments all the way up so you can measure gaps between things . got em given

 

[MattF]

i have a set of them measures at bottom left .there tapered with thickness measurments all the way up so you can measure gaps between things . got em given

Bore gauges, aren't they?

 

[brightspark]

Bore gauges, aren't they?

they only go up to about 10mm thick no use in a bore though. there tapered not measure by length you slip them between a gap till it goes tight on the taper and it gives you the thickness needed .

 

[Seadog]

Could you enlighten me on this one...?

A Pattern Maker's adjustable sqaure

 

[ronan]

I have most of those tools, being a tool hoarder. Don't have a set of toolmakers buttons though. I think a lot of such things are obsolete in todays CNC world.

 

[bricol]

When you no longer care/are around to care, they'll be in a skip . .

Looking around my stuff yesterday, I was thinking I need to get rid while its worth money, and I can still spend it, when I stop needing to use it.