What is it?

I've been collecting unusual objects for quite a while, and several years ago I started posting them on this site as puzzles for visitors to figure out what they are. Most of the items are mine but a few belong to others, if you aren't interested in tools there are plenty of other type objects that have also been posted.

For first time visitors I recommend this archive for a wide variety of some of my best pieces.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Set 178



1031. 3-1/2" diameter:












1032. 7" long, thanks to Simon for submitting this device:

Larger image











1033. The longer part measures 66" and the smaller piece is 28" long, take a look at Neatorama for more guesses on this tool.















1034. 15" long:


A newer model:















1035. Over ten stories tall, this tower was built for a specific purpose:





It was constructed around 1917:












1036a. 24" long, patented in 1904, next to the compass on the left is an aperture with a mirror several inches below it, a second aperture is on the lower part of the right end:


1036b. 30" long:




Larger image




















Answers
























Last week's set is seen below, click here to view the entire post:








More discussion and comments on these photos can be found at the newsgroup rec.puzzles.

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posted by Rob H. at 4:18 AM

13 Comments:

  • 1031 - skeet target?
    1033 - pool cue?
    1035 - for making lead shot?

    By Blogger Ray, at 7/12/2007 4:52 AM  

  • 1031. Clay Pigeon
    1033. Flail, used to separate grain and corn from the chaff.

    By Blogger Canem, at 7/12/2007 6:47 AM  

  • 1035 - built to house a carillon?

    By Blogger beatingdog, at 7/12/2007 7:22 AM  

  • 1035 is a shot tower.

    By Blogger Amanderpanderer, at 7/12/2007 7:41 AM  

  • 1033 is a Flail. Used to separate grain from the chaff.
    1035 looks like old towers used to dry firehoses.
    1036a looks like an instrument used on old sailing ships to assist with celestial navigation.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7/12/2007 8:06 AM  

  • 1031. clay pigeon?
    1032. Cartridge activated line (cable) cutter?
    1033. Flail for threshing grain. It's used to break the outer hull. the grain is then winnowed, sometimes by throwint it up into the air in a breeze to separate it from the hulls.
    1035. Shot tower. Too many stories for hose drying. (a quick google search will identify exactly where it is)
    1036. Clinometer for surveying?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7/12/2007 8:20 AM  

  • 1031 - Part of a clay pigeon mold?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7/12/2007 9:12 AM  

  • 1034: This looks like a boatwrights caulking hammer used with a caulking iron to drive the oakum caulk between the wooden planks on a boat.

    1035: I thik that 1916 is too late for a shot tower. It might be a water tower for regulating city water pressure.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7/12/2007 9:35 AM  

  • 1031: No clue, but a lot of folks are guessing something to do with skeet, which sounds plausible.

    1032: Fans of Terry Pratchett will immediately recognize this as a 5/16 gripley. Yeah, I got nothing.

    1033: Threshing flail

    1034: Some type of specialized mallet? Perhaps for the Pygmy Polo League?

    1035: Shot tower. There's on not far from here in VA near Galax. Smaller, but same principle. Shot production by this method went on well into the 1900s.

    1036a: Looks like an old surveyor's line-sighting level.
    1036b: Clinometer/grading scale.

    By Blogger BJ, at 7/12/2007 10:08 AM  

  • 1031 - Clay pigeon for shotgun target practice
    1032 - not sure, might be emergency cable cutter for sailboat rigging
    1033 - Grain flail
    1034 - Caulking hammer for wooden ships
    1035 - Shot tower
    1036 - Incline & bearings for calculating heights & distances by triangulation

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7/12/2007 12:11 PM  

  • Ah, yes, the Peterson Cartridge Company in Cincinnati, one of my favorite deserted (at the time) places to hang around when I was young. So much fun to see it on one of my favorite sites!

    Keep up the great work.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7/12/2007 1:05 PM  

  • Correct answers so far:

    1031. Clay pigeon
    1033. Flail
    1034. Caulking mallet
    1035. Shot tower
    1036. Inclinometers

    By Blogger Rob H., at 7/12/2007 5:59 PM  

  • 1032 - Is a quick release mechanism.
    The guys at Mythbusters use them all the time.

    By Blogger Alfredo, at 7/13/2007 4:08 AM  

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