MYSTERY OBJECTS

[chinatyke]

They could be trepanning cutters for cutting holes in people's heads but they don't appear to be of surgical quality. Some sort of hole cutter?

[Stanley]

I think you are near enough China. They're old fashioned tank cutters for making holes in sheet metal, usually water tanks. I've used them and they work well.

Have a crack at this one. OK, they're reamers but can you give an exact description?

[Bodger]

Taper reamers, but what for ?, my eperience lead me into three types, tapered sprue bushes used in injection moulding, "morse" or similar as used on lathes , drills, etc, and taper pin reamers used in machine assembly, i'll plump for the latter ?

[Stanley]

Good lad Bodge! Can't deny you that one even though you plumped for the wrong one. They're a set of Morse taper reamers. You only use them once in a blue moon but when you do they are so useful. You'd be amazed the number of times I have lent them to my mates. I wonder what they would cost today?



Not a mystery, just showing off! A drawer full of reamers, most of them adjustable parallel reamers which I got for a song from a scrapyard. £15 the lot I think. Just goes to show how important it is to keep your eyes open when you are in such places.

[Stanley]

[chinatyke]

I guess it is a drinking vessel made from bamboo, possibly varnished, and illustrated with an ink drawing of a Chinese sage. These are widely produced in the hill villages by ethnic minority groups in Guangxi where I live, for daily use by the villagers and for sale to tourists.

I have a similar bamboo vessel which I keep near my computer and use as a receptacle for bits and bobs. I've just checked and it is mouldy, a constant problem with the high temps and humidity, so It's in the bin now. It was a sunny 95f with over 80% humidity today.

[Stanley]

China, again near enough to my understanding. I was told it was most likely a holder for writing brushes. You're getting too good at this!

[Tripps]

Circular slide rule?
Cheated a bit here - if you get the magnifier out you can see the word 'calculator' on the dial.

[chinatyke]

I know exactly what it is but I'll let someone else guess. Did I mention I studied Textile Chemistry and ASDC in Manchester? This is where this object was made around 1930 I think.
There is a scale (or scales) on the back which would give the purpose away.
I would hang on to this as it could appreciate in value and in the age of computers I doubt if anything like this will ever be made again, but they served a useful purpose and saved much time in their day. I wonder if they are still used in third World countries?

Tripps is right but it is for a special purpose.

[chinatyke]

Does anyone know how to use it?

[Stanley]

Spot on. See this LINK.

[PanBiker]

Carbolic soap block.

[chinatyke]

Block of wax?

[Bradders Bluesinger]

A block of paper.......Cards maybe ....?
Aaaah..."Compliments" slips......

[Whyperion]

An unopened pack of filing cards for stanleys 7 x 4 file index system ?

[Stanley]

Very close Brad. I'll turn it over and then you can tell me exactly what they are.

[Bradders Bluesinger]

I'm guessing that they are cards for a Barograph.......

[Stanley]

Very close Bradders but work a bit harder at it and remember my interests... all the clues are there.

[Tizer]

Something I photographed last week. You can see about the first three feet of the mystery object...

[PanBiker]

V1 Flying Bomb A.K.A. Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug

[Bradders Bluesinger]

Very close Bradders but work a bit harder at it and remember my interests... all the clues are there.

.......I started a mental list of interests....
"Jack , Falcon pipe ,Single malt ,History , Politics ,Mutton......etc, etc..."
It wasn't until I got to "Women" , that I realised that I'd cracked it .!
In a previous life there was a photo of a steam indicator (?)in a lovely box , and these must be the cards that Dot used to ink in, to make the records permanent , if they'd faded...........

[Stanley]

You've got it Brad. The plain charts are clipped on the drum of the indicator and the copper point on the indicator arm traces a faint line on the paper which is actually a very mild abrasive, china clay coating I think.
I got as far as a bomb, the clue was the propeller to activate the fuse after take-off. Almost certainly German (!) so yes, I'll go for a V1.
Here's something completely different...

[Tizer]

Can't get anything past these OG members! Yes, Panbiker and Stanley are spot on - nose of a V1 `Flying Bomb', photographed at the RAF Hendon Museum. It's now indoors but I think it once sat outside where the car park now is. (I must try harder next time I choose a Mystery Object!)

[chinatyke]

Curry box or packet labels? I'm sure I've seen similar but now I'm racking my brains to come up with the right answer.

[Stanley]

You're half way there China......