Favourite old tools…….

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Rik, yes you are correct, and as Danny M says it's an opisometer but this one you compare it against the scale given on the map you are measuring although the notches along the frame represent approximatly 5".

Chris H, not everyone can understand having a shortened shaft on a hammer and they won't use it, but when using them in a tight space, it very often stops you hurting yourself in a tender spot. I also agree the the modern Barco adjustables are not so nice as the old style.

Regards Nick.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Ooh well, I went to the second hand shop, and bought the Leytool Micro Divider Setter, It will set dividers up to 6" to .001". I also bought a set of vernier calipers made by Zeus, they are calibrated in thous, and 1/128". On the back is a convertion table, fractions to decimal. Listed price $NZ24 each, got them for $NZ15 each, whether the Leytool device is any use or not, I'll just have to wait and see. Ian S C

[thomas oliver 2Participant @thomasoliver2]

The disc on the opisometer is on a very fine thread – the finer the better. I made umpteen of these many years ago. The wheel is run along a route to the end and then is run back in reverse along the scale of the map until it locks at zero. This gives an accurate measure of the most convoluted route. We used them in our office to check travel expenses claims.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

My brother used to have one that resembled a pen, it had a rubber band inside with a red mark that ran along a scale behind a window. I think you could change the scale (which was on a sheet of paper) by turning a knob.

I got a digital one many years later – it didn't work!

Neil

[MikeParticipant @mike89748]

My favourite tool was my dad's Stanley hand drill. I could be wrong, but I think it was acquired from the US Air Force during WW2 when he helped fit British radios to American B17s. It had a gearbox, and on one setting the chuck only rotated clockwise, no matter which way the hand wheel was turned. Just the job for drilling holes in tight corners. Does anyone remember this tool?

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Nicholas,

It's a long time since I saw, and used, your little screwdriver, possibly 35 years or so. The secret is, if it's what I think it is, is that it opens up, I forget where, possibly the top, and holds another three blades of varying, smaller, sizes inside.

Used when I was a GPO/BT technician. Screwdriver, Watchmakers perhaps?

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw

 

 

 

 

Edited By Peter G. Shaw on 09/04/2014 19:57:10

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Peter,

Am I right in thinking that the real beauty of these is that the smaller screwdriver can be "stacked" onto the blade of the larger one?

MichaelG.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Peter, yes you are correct, however in this one there are only two and always have been only two. As you say the top unscrews and the smallest one fits inside the middle one, which fits inside the main one.

Michael, you are right in thinking that the smaller ones can be stacked onto the blade of the larger ones.

When the smallest one is in use the total length is 140mm, the main screwdriver length is 95mm long.

Regards Nick.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks Nick

MichaelG.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Nick

Peter refers to a " Screwdriver, Watchmakers" ( a good old GPO / PO / BT tool and designation!) which is not quite the same as your example. The PO version had, like yours, a brass body but the end cap – against which pressure was applied by the index finger – was free to rotate whilst the body was turned under the control of the thumb and middle fingers. The cap could be pulled out and revealed space in the hollow body which contained other blades. There were, if I recall correctly, three blades of varying sizes. The blade selected fitted into a "collet" at the business end. ( Telephone exchanges, in the electro-mechanical age, contained many, many intricate mechanisms in constant need of adjustment  – I've made a few adjustments in my time!)

Regards

Norman

Edited By NJH on 09/04/2014 23:36:04

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Nick & Norman,

Norman is correct, Nick's screwdriver, although basically similar to the GPO one, is definitely not the GPO one. The GPO one definitely did have 3 blades inside, although until Norman reminded me, I could not remember either how to get in to them, or how they fastened on the outside.

Interesting though how two very similar tools they are, yet with different ways of achieving the same objective.

By the way, Screwdriver, Watchmaker's was a guess at what it was called.

Peter G. Shaw

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Well here is another one of mine, I actually have two of these and find them very handy on the Micro Lathe, it is marked 5 and 10 but units of what I wouldn't like to guess :

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Graham,

There was one on ebay last December

… listing mentions the Patent number.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: That was the application Specification number

… here is the Patent.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 12/04/2014 22:26:23

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 12/04/2014 22:30:54

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 12/04/2014 22:13:30:

Graham,

There was one on ebay last December

… listing mentions the Patent number.

MichaelG.

Patent number is on the back Michael. I didn't take a pic of the back but it mounts quite simply, on the back there is a small piece of plate retained by the two thumbscrews you see on the front, very convenient and attaches to almost anything, round, square, oval and so on.I have had one forever and the second, more recent acquisition was in a job lot of tools I bought.

graham.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Bogstandard2 on 12/04/2014 22:46:31:

… and I still have loads left

.

A little evidently goes a long way

MichaelG.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Posted by Oompa Lumpa on 12/04/2014 22:25:27:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 12/04/2014 22:13:30:

Graham,

There was one on ebay last December

… listing mentions the Patent number.

MichaelG.

Patent number is on the back Michael. I didn't take a pic of the back but it mounts quite simply, on the back there is a small piece of plate retained by the two thumbscrews you see on the front, very convenient and attaches to almost anything, round, square, oval and so on.I have had one forever and the second, more recent acquisition was in a job lot of tools I bought.

graham.

Hi, I also have one of these which was my farthers, but it dosen't have a patent number on it, **LINK** and the other side **LINK** I believe the units are 0.001"

Regards Nick.

[“Bill Hancox”Participant @billhancox]

I am pleased to see that other members have a device that was a puzzlement to me until now. I too have a sample of "The Unique" indicator that came in a box of tools with my Speed 10. I often wondered if it had a special application. I once miked it and found it to be calibrated in one thou increments and quite accurate. Thanks for the post. Blessings upon you and may the moths never infest your woolens.

Bill

[Robert DoddsParticipant @robertdodds43397]

Continuing the idicator theme I recall seeing an alternative, may be even a de-luxe, version in the bottom of my toolbox. The pic shows a Verdict Junior, which research suggests was patented in 1943 so its a bit later than the Unique (1928)

The mounting arrangement is a bit more sophisticated, clamping securely on a 1/4" bar and also incorporates a split nut that allows the indicator body to be swivelled round to any angle and as with later Verdict indicators the stylus has a stiff slip joint to alter the strike angle

regards 

Bob D

Edited By Robert Dodds on 13/04/2014 20:28:26

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

I have got two of these verdict ones one with stylus sprung to the right the other sprung to the left they are both very useful

Roy

[maurice bennieParticipant @mauricebennie99556]

Hi please can someone explain to me what on earth they are for as in all my very long life I have never seen one .

Because if they are so useful I want one ! Thanks Maurice

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Whilst the modern DTI's may well be more accurate and easier to read, these little Verdict indicators are physically small and in some instances this can be very useful indeed.

I have one of these along with a plunger type DTI and a lever type DTI. All have their uses.

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by maurice bennie on 14/04/2014 11:15:16:

Hi please can someone explain to me what on earth they are for …

.

Maurice,

This is a very good place to find the explanation:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 12/04/2014 22:13:30:

… here is the Patent.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Ideal for setting up work in the four jaw chuck on the lathe. Ian S C

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Favourite old tool thats a difficult one as I have some of my Dad's old woodworking gear

Our old next door neighbour an ex-navel engineer gave me some of his old tools scribes, callipers, drills, centre finder

Others I have like the Engineers clamp made at school and scribe post then others I procured in my own working life as well as after.

I attend here in Sydney The Traditional Tools Group sale each year a good source of old tools. As well as at field days. I am not a collector as such if the tool can't be of use its doesn't follow me home.

I know I was in anxiety mode for months trying to locate a missing double wire/sheet metal gauge I had had since my first year as an apprentice. It was found in a draw almost placed so i would find it.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Haven't used it for years, now, but did regularly, my late father's pre WW 2 7/16 hexagon drive Britool socket set.

Borrowed and used this set to earn my first money for repairing cars. Have only ever replaced one socket, (which was already cracking, before I took ownership). It must have been one of the last Britool 7/16 hexagon drive sockets around in the late 1960s. Everything else is flame marked instead of chrome finish.

Have worn out more modern sockets, so that says a lot about the quality.

Howard

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