What is it/they called?

[bill ellisParticipant @billellis45274]

[bill ellisParticipant @billellis45274]

I was having a discussion with one of my sons today when I had a lightbulb moment. The discussion revolved about the internet and the information which is available (ignoring the duff, dubious, fraudulent etc), it occurred to me that almost everything I want to know about is available if only I knew what it/they are actually called. It then takes seconds to search out the required info and be on my happy way.

I then realised that a lot of the issues/questions raised on this forum are related to people not knowing exactly what something is called and are therefore unable to find the info themselves. So to the lightbulb, would it be useful to have a sticky note which can be added to by members with such info?

I'm not suggesting common items or usually well known things but the oddities and scarcer items that may not come to mind.

I would suggest a short description followed by what it is usually known as. If something has more than one name then add that as well.

As an example from the broken handle thread :-

Common Handle for operating a machine tool = Ball Crank handle

What do others think? And from a webmaster perspective would it be doable?

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

In that example, a simple photo of the handle tells us what we need to know to offer help – though there the requestor had managed to add the photo, something that baffles me!

Otherwise, fair guides to the terminology are operating/service manuals, and standard engineering reference books, if not for the actual application then for reasonably close matches. Also of course, perusing other but related posts on here!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Problem is if you search "bell crank handle" you won't find what the poster wanted.

"Balanced machine handle" or "Balanced crank handle" will give plenty of suitable handles

Who will edit out all the duff and dubious names?

Edited By JasonB on 27/10/2019 18:41:45

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

It was the lack of knowing what the type of handle was called that made me start that post but now I know it has helped with a search.

Even the most common things can throw me if the name is not immediately at hand

[bill ellisParticipant @billellis45274]

Posted by JasonB on 27/10/2019 18:40:34:

Problem is if you search "bell crank handle" you won't find what the poster wanted.

"Balanced machine handle" or "Balanced crank handle" will give plenty of suitable handles

Who will edit out all the duff and dubious names?

Edited By JasonB on 27/10/2019 18:41:45

I fully realised I may be suggesting the creation and opening of a can of worms. What I was trying to get at is it sensible to have a fairly centralised resource of less well known stuff as a starting point. An existing post from 6 months ago may well contain the info needed but finding it may be a problem if I don't know what to look for.

Probably a better example can be found in the Microsoft Office suite of applications. Say for instance I am using a spreadsheet (Excel) and want to summarise some data using a pivot table. If I did not know that I needed to use a pivot table I could look through the help files till the cows come home and not find out how to do it. I just need a starter for 10 to point me in the correct direction 

 

Edited By bill ellis on 27/10/2019 18:58:57

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 27/10/2019 18:40:34:

Problem is if you search "bell crank handle" you won't find what the poster wanted.

"Balanced machine handle" or "Balanced crank handle" will give plenty of suitable handles

Who will edit out all the duff and dubious names?

Edited By JasonB on 27/10/2019 18:41:45

.

Or even “ball” instead of “bell” would help

… a bell crank is a different thing entirely.

MichaelG.

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

I often find it easier to look at a suppliers web site to find what something is called, at least in their mind. Coming from a UK design background it is probably easier to do it that way round as I am more likely to know who makes a thing than what it is called, old age.

[DanielParticipant @daniel]

I find that, often, even suppliers can use a variety of names for a given item.

My preferred search engine is Google; I then click on Images, on the results page.

That frequently throws up a lot of the variant appelations of said object, and is very

quick to find what you may be looking for.

Often, after that, it's correct term is usually found in it's description.

ATB,

Daniel

[bill ellisParticipant @billellis45274]

Thanks to everyone for your responses, it looks like Googling suppliers and looking at their pictures is a pretty good way to locate the engineering thingy I may be looking for. Please consider my lightbulb extinguished .

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Perhaps ‘one small step’ might be for us to have a dedicated Topic available for these identification questions: The current list has nothing particularly suitable

**LINK** https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/

Is there room to add ‘Mystery Item’ to that list ?

… and would people remember to use it ?

MichaelG.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Daniel had it with the use of google images.

I enjoy the 'what is it' threads. Where it hasn't been an obvious item and we do identify it future searchers would benefit from the original photo in albums being clearly labelled with its final identity. Then search engines will find it.

[Brian Sweeting 2Participant @briansweeting2]

I sometimes find when searching for things that writing the full question that you need to ask is often the best way of starting. Let Google, or whichever search engine you use, pick out the best key words for you.

On the theme of this topic I came across a site with pictures of a good range of different handles…

Machine handwheels

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 28/10/2019 08:05:30:

… and would people remember to use it ?

Doubtful

Even if we did have a topic would anyone bother going back to look rather than just asking? . Yesterdays thread gauge question being a good example when a simple google ( not even specific to this site) for "Starrett No7" would have found the answer I posted in 2016

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 28/10/2019 14:10:25:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 28/10/2019 08:05:30:

… and would people remember to use it ?

Doubtful

Even if we did have a topic would anyone bother going back to look rather than just asking? . […]

.

Agreed, Jason … that’s why I asked the rhetorical question.

MichaelL

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Bazyle on 28/10/2019 10:59:41:

Daniel had it with the use of google images.

[…]

.

Well … it didn’t do much for me in a recently

I was looking for examples similar to a particular Hour Hand from a longcase clock; so I did a good clean scan of it, and uploaded that to Google Image Search.

This was what it returned:

So can someone please tell me what image search engine they use on CSI

MichaelG.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Been trying to find info on the following 'milling cutter' (??) , without success. The cutter bit is held in position by a central plunger tighhtened by the knurled portion. It will only fit to cut TOWARDS the taper mount. There is a slot in the knurled portion to allow a pin to be drifted out to split the shaft. The taper is friction fit only, so cannot provide cutting pressure for the blade. there is a hole at the cutter end but not suitable for a centre. Approximately halfway between the knurled portion and the cutter there is a groove which is fitted with a spring ring. All in all, a total mystery! suggestions would be very welcome!!

rgds

Bill

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Bill That is a proper 'counter-bore' used for making a spot face or recess on the far end of a hole on a casting that has been drilled through, perhaps on a boring machine, to avoid the trouble of remounting the workpiece to get at the outer side. So you put it through the hole without the cutters in place, add the cutter and away you go. The taper should have a drawbar to hold it in or the main arbor a centre to position it with a tailstock.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Thank you Bazyle – that's what I assumed originally … except that there is NO drawbar! Also, the lack of a 'proper' centre hole at the tool end means it can't apply pressure from there. It is a fairly complex item to manufacture with the internal rod securing the cutter using the knurled portion. All very puzzling!

rgds

Bill

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