Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.
I found this in Alaska about 10 years ago, and have never been able to ID it. It is an aluminum piece, about 3 inches square. It has 15 teeth and is numbered 1-15. There is a stop preventing it from spinning freely. The back has two tabs that may have been used to mount it. ANY GUESSES?
Thanks,
MC
PS The quarter used for size was found yesterday! 1935S Yeah!
Re: Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.
Originally Posted by musclecar
I found this in Alaska about 10 years ago, and have never been able to ID it. It is an aluminum piece, about 3 inches square. It has 15 teeth and is numbered 1-15. There is a stop preventing it from spinning freely. The back has two tabs that may have been used to mount it. ANY GUESSES?
My guess is a counter for keeping track of maintenence or some other task.
Middenmonster
There are things you can replace. And others you cannot. The time has come to weigh those things. This space is getting hot. Whoa! This space is getting hot!
Re: Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.
Hmmmm, most intriguing. What gets counted to 15 before starting over? Most things are counted in sets of 10, the decimal system. Hmmm, perhaps in counting liquid ounces? Hit 15 and the next ounce gets counted as a pint? The aluminum composition must mean that whatever it was used for, it wouldn't necessarily take a beating or be roughly handled since aluminum won't hold up to abuse like steel would, although it won't rust like steel would, which leads me back to liquid measure. I'll be anxiously awaiting the correct answer...if we ever get one.
Re: Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.
The problem with the idea that it is a piece of machinery is that there is no visible linkage that would connect it to anything. I think that whatever it is, it had to be operated by hand. TreasureTales asked what gets counted to 15, and noted that most things get counted in groups of 10. That may be true for objects and items, but what about duty cycles, tasks and other intangibles? I'm still thinking that it is a counter, and that it was used to track usage or when preventive maintenence was due or parts needed to be replaced.
Middenmonster
There are things you can replace. And others you cannot. The time has come to weigh those things. This space is getting hot. Whoa! This space is getting hot!
Re: Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.
Originally Posted by dg39
The end on a hand operated pencil sharpener?
Don't think so, as there doesn't seem to be anything different about the indvidual, numbered semicircular spaces. Can't see any way for it to vary the size of pencil accepted, length to be sharpened, fineness of point, etc.
Nevertheless, it's an interesting guess— and a perfect excuse to post this link to a great site on antique pencil sharpeners!
Re: Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.
This IS a mystery! I checked out this awesome site... and like PBK, find it the perfect time to share it. I keep it on my desktop for reference, but only found a few possibilities for this item.
I've been thinking along the lines of tabulation... but the # 15 has me stumped too.
Re: Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.
I got it!!! 15 millilitres = 1 tablespoon! LOL
anywho.. my guess would be
a scale..many hand held spring type fish scales come in 15 lb versions...but
you would expect to see a zero on the dial eh?
my second guess..
due to its aluminum lightweight construction it was simply an indicator on some type of machine or appliance and just gave a visual # of where you were set at..speed control, heat setting..??
(aa is see you posted the same thought as I was typing )
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Originally Posted by musclecar
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