Thread: Calling the brains trust- help identify tooling please

Gday All.
The slow, (very slow) ongoing "fix up stuff so I can use, if not cull" quest continues.
Today I sorted a bit more "stuff" out and fixed a bit of stuff as well.
I have this set of arms that appear to be for holding maybe a dial gauge?
The main arm has a nut on the bottom with two flats, a stud that runs right up to the top and a knurled nut to tighten it. Obviously designed to go into a T slot. The rest is self explanatory in the pics.

arms 001.jpg arms 002.jpg

The main arm is approx 230 long X 23 dia.

I have no idea what this might have been on originally. No makers marks etc. I've had it that long I cant even remember where I got it. Probably got it in stuff I bought at auction way back when I was young, single and had a little bit of money.
Can anyone ID for me please?
Thanks Peter

Hi Peter, that would be something like pic below from here :
Shreepad Industries

You're right about the t-slot

Well there you go - that's my "learn something new for the day" moment for today. I have never seen one of those before.
Thanks for posting that.
How did you find that? Just a search on dial indicator stand or what? I wouldn't have thought of that as I didn't realise these were even available.
I wish I had the rest now.
peter.

Originally Posted by bollie7

...I wish I had the rest now.

Yer got a mill..

Getting the profile would be the hard bit though all do-able..




.

Originally Posted by YBAF

Yer got a mill.. .

True, don't have the need or the enthusiasm though. Will probably try and sell this to someone with more need for it than me.

Hi Guys,

I have one of those ! I think mine belonged on a ward capstan lathe, basically holding gauges for various jobs.

Mine has sat in a cupboard now for years only being used as a straight edge. It is just too big and heavy to use on a little lathe like mine. I did try to use it on the mill table for tramming but its too big even for that job. But its a lovely lump of cast iron. The post is 7/8" ths ground steel with a 3/8" ths hole all the way through with a rod running through, the ends of are Whit threaded with a tapered "T" nut on one end a knurled thumb nut at the other.

Originally Posted by BaronJ

Hi Guys,

Mine has sat in a cupboard now for years only being used as a straight edge. I.

Whereas mine has just been sitting in the cupboard for years, taking up space.

Hi Peter, Guys,

I had thought about cutting it up and making a steam engine bed with it, just never found the time or inclination !

Peter,

The arms look similar but not identical to those featured in this 1967 Verdict Gauge catalogue. The radiused top to the post's bottom flange is the same but the knurling on the thumbscrews differs. Mercer and Baty made similar looking comparator arms but didn't feature the radiused flange, theirs being left square according to the images in a Buck and Hickman catalogue I have in my collection.

IMG_20201108_081254626.jpg IMG_20201108_081303664.jpg IMG_20201108_081331307.jpg

Many manufacturers made similar stands and arms. I have a simple Brown and Sharpe 730. Sees occasional use.

IMG_20201027_060942516_HDR.jpg IMG_20201027_061010223_HDR.jpg IMG_20201027_061157343_HDR.jpg

Bob.

Thanks Bob.
Your pics are great
Years ago, someone probably bought a box of stuff at the same auction and ended up with the the rest of this.
Peter