Mystery tool. *LINK*
billp
>This is my first post here, and was refered by a fellow Woodnet guy.
If you will indulge me I'd like to repost it here.
(Original Woodnet post: http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=handtools&Number=1058179&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o= )
(OK, although this may not be a woodworking tool you'll see where I'm going with it)
While on my way back from last weeks Galootapalooza event near Chicago I took the back roads all the way home for a nice Sunday drive. Well, you'd think I'd had enough old tool hunting at the MWTCA Tool Fleamarket earlier in the day, but I drove past this guys place with a front yard full of "junk" and had to turn around and check it out!
Most of the stuff I saw didn't interest me, but then we got to talking and he said he just picked up an unusual piece of machinery from a salvage/scrap dealer and fell in love with it. He spent several hours with a rustbuster to free it up, and wanted to know if I knew what it was.
The top rotating platter is 11 1/2 inches in diameter, and a hand crank rotates the platter while simultaneously causing the bar on top to oscillate about 2 inches back and forth. It originally had some kind of mounting bracket that had rusted off. It weighs, I guess, about 25 to 30 lbs.
I'm thinking it is some sort of finishing or surfacing tool. Perhaps something automotive?
(I know what I would like to have it for )
I made him several offers, and he adamantly refused saying, "a tool this cool is too good to part with at any price. At least until I know what it is"
Then I went to the truck and showed him my mystery tool that I picked up a week before and brought along for show and tell:
Immediately he said, "I'll trade ya!"
I replied that I'm not ready to part with it yet either.
Click below: for more PICS of both tools from my web space.
So, what do ya think it is?? (the platter gizmo; I know what the other one is)