Warco ZX15 Mill/Drill spindle runout

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This is off-topic: I've tied to post a new thread, but couldn't seem to manage getting it done. I have I think, attached pix of a gadget which I've had since Adam was a boy and I've never really found out what it is, or what it's supposed to do. I do contend, though, that it's a woodworkers' dowel grooving tool, made in the days before readily available dowel. I have, as have many before me, repaired old furniture and often notice that the dowels seemed to be very second-hand and chewed up. perhaps the dowels were made individually by the craftsperson?
Does anybody have better ideas than mine? What the hell is it?
 

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This is off-topic: I've tied to post a new thread, but couldn't seem to manage getting it done. I have I think, attached pix of a gadget which I've had since Adam was a boy and I've never really found out what it is, or what it's supposed to do. I do contend, though, that it's a woodworkers' dowel grooving tool, made in the days before readily available dowel. I have, as have many before me, repaired old furniture and often notice that the dowels seemed to be very second-hand and chewed up. perhaps the dowels were made individually by the craftsperson?
Does anybody have better ideas than mine? What the hell is it?

To me it would seem way too complicated a tool for such a simple task (grooving dowels). That doesn't mean that's not what it is - sometimes tools have been made and marketed, which are solutions looking for a problem!
 
Looking at the gadget again, it seems that the 'dowel receiver' part - the bit with the 2 wing nuts - is intended to take square material, not round, as further inside the housing, there is a larger square recess, cast-in. So that doesn't help in the slightest, does it? then, it may be that the square idea acts as a sort of V-block for round. As awake says, way to complicated for a seemingly simple task.
 
This is off-topic: I've tied to post a new thread, but couldn't seem to manage getting it done. I have I think, attached pix of a gadget which I've had since Adam was a boy and I've never really found out what it is, or what it's supposed to do. I do contend, though, that it's a woodworkers' dowel grooving tool, made in the days before readily available dowel. I have, as have many before me, repaired old furniture and often notice that the dowels seemed to be very second-hand and chewed up. perhaps the dowels were made individually by the craftsperson?
Does anybody have better ideas than mine? What the hell is it?
Where I grew up (ha! got ya on that one!), our barn was constructed with hand whittled dowel pins and square nails.
 
Yes, Richard I have a few square nails myself. But we still don't know what in blazes this thingamajig is!
 
ShopShoe It certainly seems as though the problem is solved! I'll sleep better! The idea is there, if all the parts are not. Some form of rotating the valve, as on the pictures you've shown, would be needed and that's the bit which would clamp into the squared, wing-nutted holder. Mine had had a fair bit of use, I'd reckon, as the pressure screw end is mushroomed, but then again, the screw end may be hardened with that shape. I haven't tested the hardness. I can see how the relief angles on the tool would serve the valve seat. I might even try to make up some form of rotator/holder. Thanks again. Wazrus
 
Awake: I think it wouldn't be the last word in precision and doubtful in refacing valves. I can see the orientation of the cutter square can be suited for the valve angle, but with my (limited) appreciation of automotive parts, I do think - I could stand corrected - that valves are from pretty hard stuff and the carbon steel cutter might not cut the mustard, let alone the valve. Maybe cheaper, earlier engines were not so sophisticated. Many of the 'refacers' I've subsequently seen, have a hand crank, but mine doesn't. It's simply gone AWOL. There would also, I'd expect, be some collet arrangements to grip the valve stem. If so, that's also missiing. Anybody have any further thoughts?
 
What got me looking for the link I found (above) was that I had a different version of the same thing that used a square toolbit. It was also missing parts. I got it in a box of junk and never used it, even though I worked on a lot of small engines.

I think that since these were made to work on small engines, like Briggs and Stratton 2 hp ones, they were meant for a simpler time. I also think the idea was to use this device for starting the refacing, then you would finish with lapping the valve to the seat in the engine.

To paraphrase a former co-worker: "They probably make a special tool for everything. If you really need it depends on your brain and your money."

--ShopShoe

--

P.S.: Mrpete222 (aka Tubalcain, aka Lyle Peterson) on YouTube periodically posts "What is it?" videos for unusual tools and objects, then follows up with the answers a few weeks later.
 
This is off-topic: I've tied to post a new thread, but couldn't seem to manage getting it done. I have I think, attached pix of a gadget which I've had since Adam was a boy and I've never really found out what it is, or what it's supposed to do. I do contend, though, that it's a woodworkers' dowel grooving tool, made in the days before readily available dowel. I have, as have many before me, repaired old furniture and often notice that the dowels seemed to be very second-hand and chewed up. perhaps the dowels were made individually by the craftsperson?
Does anybody have better ideas than mine? What the hell is it?
Looks like and early engine intake/exhaust valve "grinder".
 

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