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Tools you waited too long to acquire

I also bought my first vernier caliper at Canadian Tire about 30 some years ago. It had a 1/128 vernier scale which I never figured out. I was told it was for carpentry.
Now for the last 15 years I have been using two Japanese digital I had ordered online, but they are getting tired. I might buy the dual scale PaulL mentioned. And for really long things I use my 4' Etalon.
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I always assumed the 1/128" scales were for industries other than mainstream machining. Woodworking kind of makes sense on one level because its inch based fractional, but I don't know too many woodworkers who work to that kind of precision. But the length of your vernier makes me think they had some higher purpose - but what? Google seems amazingly stupid on this subject, lots of how to read them, not much on where they were used. Mind you I tap out after about 15 seconds of Googling before bed time. I might be a lazy AI candidate sooner than I thought LOL.
 
I waited too long to buy good files. When I bought my new lathe last summer I also got a couple of pick up loads of miscellany items. The old gent was a machinist back in the day and he had what seemed to me to be an unusually large number of files and chisels (maybe someone will say that of me now, in 20 or so years ). I found that there are quite a few Globe branded files and that they are nice indeed. There are the two shown below in the box, still wrapped in paper. So I did a Google search and found that the Globe File Company had closed down/sold off in 1905. When I first looked there was an amazing website with a very detailed history and with lots of photos. You could hover on a face in a pic and all sorts of info would pop up, name, DOB, parents, where they were from etc. I remember one pic of a few young ladies folding files into paper and boxing them up just like these.
 

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TorontoBuilder said:
all of them

seriously.
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Ignoring that voice inside my head I bought a 4x6" horizontal bandsaw -- and hated it. I eventually found someone else who wanted it a lot more than I did and we worked a trade. Quick upgrade to a 7x12, which is just great.... on the horizontal. In vertical mode it was fairly crappy and I eventually got a 20" Powermatic vertical saw from my arch enemy "ebay".
 
jorogi said:
So I did a Google search and found that the Globe File Company had closed down/sold off in 1905. When I first looked there was an amazing website with a very detailed history and with lots of photos. You could hover on a face in a pic and all sorts of info would pop up, name, DOB, parents, where they were from etc. I remember one pic of a few young ladies folding files into paper and boxing them up just like these.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I think maybe the name was resurrected somewhere along the way as I think I one or 2 "Globe" files, and I'm sure they are not from 1905 or before.
 
fixerup said:
I also bought my first vernier caliper at Canadian Tire about 30 some years ago. It had a 1/128 vernier scale which I never figured out. I was told it was for carpentry.
Now for the last 15 years I have been using two Japanese digital I had ordered online, but they are getting tired. I might buy the dual scale PaulL mentioned. And for really long things I use my 4' Etalon. View attachment 45115
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Just my curiosity kicking in.
What were you measuring that needed a 4 ft caliper ?
 
LenVW said:
Just my curiosity kicking in.
What were you measuring that needed a 4 ft caliper ?
Click to expand...
I used it to measure studs spacing for when I built my precision tool shed. :rolleyes:
Bought at a Kijiji tool sale for $110, I didn't need or have a use for it, just couldn't resist buying it at that price. I said 4ft but I actually think its closer to 5ft (its metric) and KBC sell there Mitoyo 60" for $4535, which is probably comparable to this Swiss made one.
It has been about 3 years and I only used it once, just for fun I measured my motorcycle fork springs just to see how well they were match length wise. Don't think I will ever use it again but I have one if needed and I think I should be able to make my money back when I sell it. Finding a buyer might be hard, time will tell.
 
historicalarms said:
W Susq, we could use one of those to measure free bore bullet jump from the muzzle end
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Back in the dark ages before transistors and colour TV, I actually made a wooden one that did exactly that!

But I'm not sticking any tool steel down my bore.......

I actually like the HOAL system. What don't you like about it?
 
wrap a few circles of electrical tape around the tool steel prong that goes down the bore and your golden ( also works for quick & easy squib rod if only steel rod is available).

Dont really have anything against the Hornady...this would just be easier, drop a slug into the lands & measure from the bore then insert a dummy round with slug seated and measure again.
 
historicalarms said:
wrap a few circles of electrical tape around the tool steel prong that goes down the bore and your golden ( also works for quick & easy squib rod if only steel rod is available).

Dont really have anything against the Hornady...this would just be easier, drop a slug into the lands & measure from the bore then insert a dummy round with slug seated and measure again.
Click to expand...

Please forgive me for having some fun. I wanna watch you wrap some electrical tape around your Mitutoyo caliper rod and then clean it for a month to get the tape adhesive off.......;)

I used to use a wooden dowel in the dark ages. I actually worked pretty good. I think maybe better than candle smoke.

I also keep various sizes of brass rods in my range box for squibs. Never had a squib since I got them...... Amazing how that is......
 
Here are two of my new tools the timeless classic toolmakers clamp. I made the small one first and really liked it so decided on a larger version with plans for a matched pair someday. Spinning them open and closed never gets dull and they have incredible clamping power. Not sure why I didn't make them sooner a very fun project with lots of single point threading and mill work and knurling.

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combustable herbage said:
Here are two of my new tools the timeless classic toolmakers clamp. I made the small one first and really liked it so decided on a larger version with plans for a matched pair someday. Spinning them open and closed never gets dull and they have incredible clamping power. Not sure why I didn't make them sooner a very fun project with lots of single point threading and mill work and knurling.

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Looks good !!
I like the large diameter knurled handles.
I have to search for gloves because I have ‘palmed‘ basketballs since 1978.
The small clamp looks ‘very robust’.
 
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