Please see this photo ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghb624/3755258669/

The item was among a variety of odds & ends which I inherited. It
came to me along with an old Goodall Pratt lathe which had been in the
family for 60-some years. I have no idea what it is used for, and
would appreciate any ideas in that regard.

Thanks much.

ghb624 wrote:
Please see this photo ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghb624/3755258669/

The item was among a variety of odds & ends which I inherited. It
came to me along with an old Goodall Pratt lathe which had been in the
family for 60-some years. I have no idea what it is used for, and
would appreciate any ideas in that regard.



Looks like a center for wood stock. It would actually bite into the end of
the piece.

--
John R. Carroll

ghb624 wrote:
Please see this photo ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghb624/3755258669/

The item was among a variety of odds & ends which I inherited. It
came to me along with an old Goodall Pratt lathe which had been in the
family for 60-some years. I have no idea what it is used for, and
would appreciate any ideas in that regard.


Looks like an auto-centering center punch to spot the end of a shaft.
Appears from the photos that the outer sleeve and 4 angled blades move
together, and independent of the center rod.
Would work best with stock that has been turned square on the end. Place
flat against the end of the shaft, slide the sleeve/blades down until
it's centered up, smack the center rod to spot for center drilling.


Jon

Looks like an auto-centering center punch to spot the end of a shaft.
Appears from the photos that the outer sleeve and 4 angled blades move
together, and independent of the center rod.
Would work best with stock that has been turned square on the end. Place
flat against the end of the shaft, slide the sleeve/blades down until
it's centered up, smack the center rod to spot for center drilling.

Which would make it perfect for centering a chunk of square stock for a
wood lathe. Beats marking it with a pencil and hoping you get the point
in the right spot between grain marks.

In article ,
Jon Anderson wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghb624/3755258669/

It is a Goodell-Pratt "Bell Centering Punch" No 529 up to 1" or 534 up
to 1 1/2". PAGE 438 IN Catalog 15. If you wish a photo copy I can send
one to you. However, I will not be able to do so for two weeks.

Chuck P.

RoyJ writes:

Looks like an auto-centering center punch to spot the end of a shaft.
Appears from the photos that the outer sleeve and 4 angled blades
move together, and independent of the center rod.
Would work best with stock that has been turned square on the
end. Place flat against the end of the shaft, slide the
sleeve/blades down until it's centered up, smack the center rod to
spot for center drilling.

Which would make it perfect for centering a chunk of square stock for
a wood lathe. Beats marking it with a pencil and hoping you get the
point in the right spot between grain marks.

It should work with round stock as well i.e. finding the center.