Thread: need tool ID

This came with my 9A. I have no clue what it is. End is a MT3 taper with a tang. There is no apparent way to clamp anything into the slots. End has a small dead center. It was commercially made, as there is a manufacturer's stamp on it. Any ideas what it might before?

Your spindle is MT3. Using a dead center in the spindle and dead or live center in the tailstck along with a face plate on the spindle thread allows the use of a dog to drive work between centers.

Yes, it can be used as a dead center in the spindle but I want to know what it was originally made for, that is a damn good question.
Mitch

It is the original "Widget". I would hang on to it if I were you.

Ed S

Yet, it is a widget. Would be nice to figure out what it might have been designed for. Previous owner didn't know either.

Someone should offer $10 for it, that should make the OP nervous about saying yes, cause it "might be worth more".

So, in the intervening years from now to the OP's demise, it will sit on the shelf in his shop.

His heirs will put it on a folding table at the garage sale, and somebody will buy it for a dollar, then stumble onto PracticalMachinist.com, and post a "Can anybody tell me...." thread.

It's the shank portion of a Clark adjustable gasket cutter. Here's a picture of one of mine.

Wow! I never would have figured that out in a million years. Gladly would I sell it for $10! I can't see that I would ever use this half tool. It will not work in my drill press. It has sat in this lathe bench for over 40 years, likely unused and missing the cutting arms.

The real question now is do you ever cut gaskets.You can make the arms and install new bolts etc.Most regular gasket cutters only do one diameter at a time.Thats a clever one,it does both steps at once.You could turn down the MT3 shank to fit in the chuck of the drill press.

A few examples of the Clark line of tools.