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Friday night "What is it?"

reible

The shop is going through yet another reorg and this showed up so I figured it might be interesting to know if anyone knows what it is. I've had this for a long time so I had to check to see if they still sell them and they do. A lot more expensive then I remember but so what else is new.

It is something that I learned about 56 years ago. They were in common use back then but it doesn't seem like something that is used much anymore.

So what is this?

Either a common name or what it is used for will work.

bainin

Is that a dipstick for a house oil tank?

RonKlein

Grain thief?"\

reible

I'll add another image that might help.

edma194

Until I saw the second picture I was sure it was what we used to call a 'yardstick'. Apparently this is about the other thing. Doesn't look very interesting so maybe it's a boring tool.

JPG

That second pix has created confusion fer me. Until it 'appeared', I was thinking that what appears to be threads may be coiled spring wire and therefore it is a plumbing snake but the long part makes it unable to negotiate bends(traps...) :confused: :confused: :confused:

If it is threaded I assume the handle can reach the close end of the threads(closer to the near end in the pic). So some kind of boring bar???

Majones1

The second device looks similar to a dead center, but it looks like it would cut out a piece of the material. I had two thoughts, first was that it would be used to cut into each end of a piece ce of stock that had just been turned for a lamp. You would then need to chisel out the remaining material. The the first tool could be used to clean up the long hole through the newly turned lamp so you could put the electric cord through it.

Second thought was that the second tool would be used to cut rubber, felt, or moleskin grommets.

I don’t see threads on the first tool. I have no idea what these are.

RobertTaylor

It's a lamp drill, it will fit through the center in the second picture.

Majones1

RobertTaylor wrote It's a lamp drill, it will fit through the center in the second picture.

Ha! Our posts were one second apart. :)

reible

Lamp auger bit or sometimes called a shell auger. This one is a 3/8" but I have seen 5/16" versions.

The dead center has a removable point and guess what the hole left behind is 3/8".

Now this is only one way to do this operation and lamps are only one thing that can be drilled this way.

Stay tuned for some other goodies a bit later today.

Majones1

The reason I didn’t think it would be an augur is because it would seem that the core would fill with chips and would only go so far before you had to clean it out, and cleaning it out would be a PITA. And having to do that several times just to get even a 12” hole would likely make you want to find another way to drill that hole.

I still think you could make those grommets with the dead center. :D

reible

We are going to take a slight change of direction for a moment. I think I posted this home made drill tool here somewhere but it was a while ago.

This bit is also 3/8" and it too works with the dead center as shown here:

If you think an auger bit fills up with swarf fast you haven's seen anything yet..... these bits also compact the materials too!

Now back to the other information I wanted to share. If you have the Nova live center you can use the shown dead center and end up with a live center that can take a 3/8" bit.

If you have the Oneway live center I think that is limited to 5/16" but I have not gone back to make sure of that......

Of course if you have one of these live centers it eats up a lot of the drill bit as seen here:

The lamp auger of course gives you a lot more bit.

And so ends this little excursion unless of course you have questions???

JPG

So no threads, just different(darker) finish.