mystery tool with degrees stamped on it

[NicksRelics]

Found this metal detecting a ghost town. 1881-1912. Property was used after that for farm ag stuff I read.

I guess this is forged brass, I have no idea. Found out that whatever it is, you cant heat it up and bend it. It will fracture. I now have three pieces instead of one and most of the cool patina is gone. Oh well. Any ideas?

 

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[Gene Mean]

Hey it's still cool in 3 pieces. Maybe an ag depth guide of some kind.
On second thought, looks like degree marks on there just like you said.

 

[metrotec]

what are the distances between the marks, long & short

 

[NicksRelics]

Right smack dab between 3/16" and 1/4" on a normal measuring tape for the small marks, and exactly 1 1/8" between the larger marks

 

[releventchair]

I'd guess it related to a hand lever if tractor related. Depth or height/draft.
Manual adjustment lever for another type tractor implement maybe.

I have a lever for a tractor I don't use I've not noted any scale of measure on.
Same with a pull behind harrow with a lever to adjust.
A different brand could though easy enough.

Other options for equipment could be in there too. From spreaders to who knows what.
A scale of increments can help , but learning the "sweet spot" for a given task and material helps more.
So a moveable/adjustable " stop" on the piece with the increments marked on it it a bonus.

Being your piece is brass , I'd look into different types of scales. The more crude but effective balance type. (?)

 

[michael NY]

looks like to me it came from a car engine, that would be used to set a distributor Timeing its in degrees .

 

[GoDeep]

That was an old level indicator on a 1902 Allis Chalmers. Too bad you broke it as restorers regularly pay up to $5,000 for unbroken ones depending on condition.

 

[NicksRelics]

My luck. It was broken already at the 40 degree mark, I couldnt find the other piece.

 

[GoDeep]

My luck. It was broken already at the 40 degree mark, I couldnt find the other piece.

You can sleep well, that was just an early April fools softball to keep you from heating and bending your next find as you never know, it could be rare and valuable!

 

[NicksRelics]

lol. I was thinking that guy knows his antique tractors.

I definitely have vowed to stop trying to fix or repair my old finds.

 

[bowwinkles]

Vintage cultivator blade with depth degrees.

 

[Tony in SC]

Google antique platform scale. Its the beam from an old balance scale. It was a platform scale. The little circles are not degree marks. The end bracket with the two holes was where the adjuster mounted.

 

[NicksRelics]

Wow, thanks for this. Amazed at what this old ghost town produces

 

[Tony in SC]

Clean it up in the middle, it may be a Fairbanks?

 

[crashbandicoot]

Google antique platform scale. Its the beam from an old balance scale. It was a platform scale. The little circles are not degree marks. The end bracket with the two holes was where the adjuster mounted.

Down here they were called cotton scales,used to weigh the cotton you hand picked as you were payed by the pound.Still in use up to the late 50,s.

 

[Plug N Play]

" They didn’t hit upon the platform scale until they became the brokers for farmers raising hemp. This hemp was being managed by the Fairbanks brothers to be sold to make rope. What they had to do was take the loads of hemp out of the wagon, weigh it and put it back in. Thaddeus Fairbanks, whose mind I don’t think ever slept, said there’s got to be a better way. And hence the platform scale, where the whole thing could be weighed and not handled two or three times ”

 

[Tony in SC]

Good job on the research! After the scales were windmills, engines of all sizes, tractors, locomotives and more. I have been collecting Fairbanks and Fairbanks Morse engines for 30yrs. OTE=Plug N Play;6706923]" They didn’t hit upon the platform scale until they became the brokers for farmers raising hemp. This hemp was being managed by the Fairbanks brothers to be sold to make rope. What they had to do was take the loads of hemp out of the wagon, weigh it and put it back in. Thaddeus Fairbanks, whose mind I don’t think ever slept, said there’s got to be a better way. And hence the platform scale, where the whole thing could be weighed and not handled two or three times ”[/QUOTE]