"John Rumm" wrote in message
o.uk...

I decided to go through the box of bits that I got with the ancient lathe
I was given. It seems like I have a lifetimes supply of cutters, various
face plates, a few widgets for fixing to stock and engaging with same when
turning stock between centres, plus the usual three and four jaw chucks.

Now most of them I can make a stab at identifying, however there are a
couple of things there that I don't recognise. Here is one such:

http://www.internode.co.uk/temp/UnIDLatheObject1.JPG
http://www.internode.co.uk/temp/UnIDLatheObject2.JPG

Its probably about 2.5" by 1", and about 1/2" thick.

Any idea what one is supposed to do with it?

It looks like a home-made toolholder. The diagonal bit ought, then, to be
made from tool steel. A quick touch on a grinding wheel should tell you
that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_testing

Colin Bignell