Look what I found

[abunaitoo]

Clean and rearranging wash room to make room for more stuff.
Just got to much stuff.
I found this old tool.
Not sure how old, as there is no date anywhere.
265507265508

[fast ronnie]

Been a while since I've seen one of those. Does it still work?

[Winger Ed.]

That's why we never fine cool stuff here, you got it all.

[samari46]

Looks like a tachometer to get readings off rotating equipment like steam turbines,motors or pumps. The cone shaped points would be pressed into a machined recess on the shaft and readings would be read off the scale on it. Used them many times doing speed readings and over speed tests done on steam turbine driven pumps. 3600 rpm would be a normal reading over speed readings would be roughly 10% over that. which would be about 3960 or so rps at which point the over speed trip would be activated and shut down the steam supply to the turbine. Haven't seen one of those in years. Frank

[abunaitoo]

I forgot to try it.
I'll pull it out and check it on the lathe.

[farmerjim]

I haven't seen one of those since my agg engineering class at LSU 50 years ago.

[JRLesan]

No zip code in address. I have one I bought new in the '70's for working on one and two lung gas engines...

[Petrol & Powder]

https://gilmore-global.com/jones-instruments/

[Mal Paso]

https://gilmore-global.com/jones-instruments/

That is so cool! Not everything needs to be electronic.

abunaitoo you're going to sink that island!

[abunaitoo]

I love collection old stuff.
All found on island.
Like firearms, if they could talk, the stories they could tell.

[10-x]

Used to use them on some machine tool drives, way back. Not sure where mine is/ got to????

[GregLaROCHE]

Do they have electronic ones today? I’m sure there is still a need for those measurements.

[alamogunr]

The first time I ever saw a tachometer, I had to check the rpm of a horizontal lathe machining a cast iron brake drum(remember those?). It required me to stick my hand inside the drum along side the tool holder and hold the wheel mounted on the shaft of the tach against the surface being machined. Somebody wanted to know if the rpm's slowed down when the tool point was cutting metal. Once I got a reading of surface feet per minute, it could be converted to rpm. The lathe had no point where rpm could be directly read.

This was in 1965 and it was less than a year after I graduated as an industrial engineer. I was already questioning if I wanted to do this as a career, all the while trying to keep the sphincter muscles tight and trying not to let my hand shake, wondering if I could get my hand back out of that rotating drum without losing it. Obviously, I did, but I vowed not to do that again. There had to be a better way. Until then I didn't realize there were machining operations that were not much different than back in the dark ages.

The picture that abunaitoo posted looks somewhat like what I remember. Considering the passage of time, it could also be completely different.

[elmacgyver0]

HF sells an electronic one cheap, works well.

[Hanzy4200]

Can't wait till I get old. It's like getting new stuff every week!

[abunaitoo]

I have an electric tach.
need to put a reflective tape on where you want to know the rpm.
It works well, until the tape flies off.
Haven't tried it yet.
Got side tracked again.

[rbuck351]

I have one similar but it uses a pointy rubber tip pushed against the center of a rotating shaft.

[Bazoo]

Old folks and their gadgetry. Thanks for sharing.

[fcvan]

No zip code dates back to mid 1960s, before they added zip codes.

[Texas Gun]

I have one just like that
A lot of machinist have them

[bangerjim]

Nice vintage tool. I have one that is from the early 1900's by Starrett (I believe) used for steam-powered "stuff". Mechanicals are cool, but I prefer an accurate and direct reading using a modern laser tach.

And you did not even know you had it! Sounds like my shop! :killingpc

[abunaitoo]

Was going to try it today, but something is wrong.
It has a knob that sets it for low, med, and high speed.
The knob will not turn to all the speeds.
Took the side cover off and it seems the part that changes the gears is not moving.
Something is stuck on the knob.
I'll try and take it apart a little more later.
Ugggggggggggggg another project to get to,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, sooner or later.