I found the small tool in the photo mixed in with a bunch of old woodworking tools I purchased recently. It is stamped “M.F. CO. MILLERS FALLS MAS, PAT MAY 25, 1909. MADE IN U.S.A.”
So far as I know, Millers Falls primarily made woodworking tools but I can’t figure out what this tool does, but it may be part of a larger tool.
It would appear that the open edge of the “hinge” is designed to clamp on something, and with the wing nut loose, the rod with the crank on it will slide through the hinge barrel. The end of the rod is rounded and there are no holes or slots in the rod so it isn’t some sort of a winder. The straight part of the rod is 4″ long.
My guess is that it is some sort of a depth stop, the crank handle allowing you to get a good grip on the rod and to wiggle it a bit as you slide it back and forth before tightening the clamp to lock it in place. I tried it on twist drill bits and the shanks of auger bits but neither application worked that well.
Does anyone know what it is?
Thanks, John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine
Replies
Gee John, I love these sort of posts but the attachment wouldn't come through. Some sort of eror, could you edit and try again ?? OOps, never mind it finally down loaded.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Edited 7/20/2006 12:18 pm ET by BruceS
I dunno, John. Sorta looks like a depth stop for a brace. It apears to clamp onto something. But once clamped, can the rod still freely move?
MF made many, many things and or at least had their name on bunches. My favorite punches and hacksaw frames are MF.
Take care, Mike
Edited because I'm bone-headed. You gave the patent date--DATAMP is your friend:
http://www.datamp.org/displayPatent.php?number=922808&type=UT&country=US
Edited 7/20/2006 12:40 pm by mwenz
Edited 7/20/2006 12:41 pm by mwenz
While there's not an image on the DATAMP site (very cool, BTW), the link to the Patent Office shows the original document.http://patimg1.uspto.gov/.piw?idkey=NONE&docid=0922808(this link seems to work better in IE than in the Firefox browser)
Good call, Gene. If there's a link to the pat office, which I think there always is, or at least nearly all have one, I just leave it at DATAMP as the search is so much easier than the pat office.
It is a great site. It gets updated often as well.
Take care, Mike
Could you please post the url to the DATAMP site??
Thanks, SawdustSteve
Hi Sawdust...it's in my message, probably the 3rd message in the thread...
Mike
It's included in this post:http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=30873.3forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Appears to be a Millers Falls No.2 Bit Gauge, as shown here.
Cheers, Alf
Thanks to all, ukalf has turned up a catalog reference that positively identifies the mystery tool as a depth stop for auger bits.
ukalf,
So it is a depth stop, I was using it upside down, with the crank away from the drill point. I hadn't noticed that the end of the crank was a rotating ball. Thank you for turning up the reference.
John White
John, I wonder if the DATAMP folks might be interested in having your picture (well, not your picture, but the picture of your bit gage) for their web site? I was reading their home page, and it's an entirely volunteer, cooperative arrangement there. They might appreciate the contribution.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
John is obviously not a member of the MFia.....methinks he might join though, maybe even start lurking on the oldtools listserve.
I'd suggest a good evening with Salaman's dictionary to bring you up to speed on a lot of wierd things you might run across in the woodworking trade, which AINT marketed by the big-box stores.
John- this is only the start of the slippery slope....
Eric
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