Vintage tools

Tools, fabrication, measuring, storing...
JSinMO United States of America
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by JSinMO »

Eugen wrote: Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:31 am
thebuildist wrote: Fri Oct 21, 2022 9:22 am I have a cheap set of adjustable reamers, and I can easily use them to --














--MAKE A COMPLETE MESS.
:violin: :violin: :violin:

I don't know if it's the lack of quality, the lack of user skill, or the lack of user patience to dial them in properly. But SOMETHING is lacking.

So they sit there in the reamer drawer, ready if I need them. While I hope and pray that I DON'T need them.

Bob
It seems your experience is pretty common from what I've been reading on machinists forums, even for quality adjustable reamers. Very few accounts of using them successfully. Oh well, I guess it's about 15% chance I may be able to use them ok. When I get to do the bushing for the 644 loader repair I'll find out. :33:

I would like to request a write up when you use them. I figured you would document the process when you get to that point, but I thought I’d throw it out there. I have no experience with reamers so I like to see how they work, successfully or not I think it would be interesting.
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Eugen Canada
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by Eugen »

Definitely Jeff, I'll do that. This set comes with those typed instructions too, and I intend to abide to them. Others around the net have pretty much agreed that these adjustable manual reamers can be easily destroyed if not used correctly. Whoever owned this set definitely used them, I'd say successfully, as they have metal shavings all over yet seem to still have sharp blades. :cool:
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Eugen Canada
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by Eugen »

@JSinMO I apologize I had no opportunity to do a writeup on how the adjustable reamer is used. Not that I really know what I'm doing anyway, which is also something that makes me reluctant to provide instructions for others. :blush: For using the reamer I looked on the net and tried to find what other people do. I was concerned to not damage the reamer, and basically adjusted it a tiny bit at a time without measurement, and did a pass through the hole then adjusted again, did another pass, and so on. Fortunately it was only cleaning the hole a bit, not really bringing it to size.


A few words about the main topic here, vintage tools. From time to time people wonder how prices are crazy high on eBay or the second hand market in general. But I tell you, there are still deals to be had. As I was working on the big backhoe it kinda became apparent that I might need to use the old sleeves, so the need to measure their bore arose. Guess what, the 4-5" micrometer was a tool not in my drawer. Have been looking for one since then, and the other day something came up in my search on ebay. A Scherr-Tumico 4-5" micrometer without a "Buy it now" price, which means people bid what they want and it gets sold to the highest bid. The bids went up to 3.5 USD. Shipping was 26 USD. It arrived today. The dial was stuck and required full disassembly, cleaning, lubrication. After zeroing it again, it measures right on. Imagine that shipping for one of you in the US would have been really cheap. See, a quality vintage tool for what I consider a really good price. OK, it's not Starrett but it measures well. The anvils are not scratched or deformed, it's not bent, and the inner thread is not forced and/or damaged. This means it should measure with the accuracy it was meant to, which is 0.0001". Tested with a couple of gage blocks 4" and 4.5" and it's right on. I also like that it's stamped -- Scherr-Tumico Inc-- --St. James, Minn. USA--. Hope to pass it on to my boys when I'm done wrenching in this world.

:cheers:

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Toolslinger United States of America
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by Toolslinger »

Ain't nothing wrong with a Scherr-Tumico. They were right there with Starrett, B&S, and any of the other major players. Glad to hear it cleaned up nicely for you.
All my mics are used from Ebay. I went with old NSK and Fowler up to 5" because they have the mechanical readout to speed me along... The 6" is a B&S. Above that I got Scherr-Tumico 6-9, and 9-12 with changeable anvils from US navy surplus. I really prefer one piece mics, but I so seldomly use anything above 3" I figured the changeable units would be fine... And so far, they've been ok, since I think I've only used the 9" option once... Threads are all glassy smooth. The navy crew certianly took good care of them.
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Eugen Canada
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by Eugen »

@Toolslinger to my shame I never heard of Scherr-Tumico before :blush: The other micrometers I have are either China made or Etalon, and are more refined in the look and feel, but it doesn't matter to me. Seems Starrett always sells for a lot more $$ and I'm not interested in paying more.

The same seller had a few more sizes up for sale and me being in the "buy only what you need" mode that I usually am in, didn't bid on those. Now I kinda regret, though for larger sizes the digital callipers might be good enough. Oh well... :wave3: :violin:
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ras101 United States of America
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by ras101 »

Wow, interesting subject!

So my father was a design engineer back in the day.. I inherited most of his tools (well at least those that my mother thought about!) I still have most and I cherish and those are from probably 1940-50 England to this day
One of my most treasured is my Starrett 1 inch Micrometer from the 1940s inherited from my father that is complete with it's wrench (the wrench as far as I can tell was never used and still in its original wrapping) and comes with the chart too! For me it's not just the sentimental value but also it is complete with the wooden box, charts, wrench, etc. and still 70 plus year new! I also have a More & Wright Micrometer from the early 1970's that I used when I started work too. For me I have a complete digital caliper set and also a digital micrometer too. I guess father like son...
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Toolslinger United States of America
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by Toolslinger »

I've got a couple Starrett mics from my father. Just the basic old school plain steel units. I've found I really don't like their graduations all that much. I'm sure the quality is just fine, but I find that I can read some other bands more easily. If I had money to burn, I'd have a full set of Mitutoyo mics. The other designer/machinist at work has them, and they really are super nice. I still prefer my MSK/Fowler mechanical digitals for speed, but they're just not quite as nice feeling as the Mitutoyos.

We've got a Mitutoyo digital mic at work too, and when it is coming down to something in the tenths, that's my go to. Much easier to read an LCD than those tiny lines at this point in life...

The digital calipers are also the only way to go at this point. They're not expensive, and even the China units seems to be dead on. My every day at work is an 8" Mitutoyo, and then we've got a 12". Until we get above 12" I don't touch my old vernier units. I do have a 36" (or longer, possibly 40) vernier I picked up second hand for when things get silly. If I'm reaching for that, it's likely a bad day already...
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Eugen Canada
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by Eugen »

@Toolslinger must be nice to have access to all that! My needs are very modest, just hope to rebuild the odd small tractor engine. Won't probably ever work on a big tractor like the Case 680 when this one's gone.


How's this for a rigged test with a $40 cheapo from China. :D

What I find annoying with the digital caliper is that the amount of pressure changes the reading. Wish it had a way to apply pressure so that repeated measurements are more consistent.
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DavidBarkey Canada
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by DavidBarkey »

Quote
What I find annoying with the digital caliper is that the amount of pressure changes the reading. Wish it had a way to apply pressure so that repeated measurements are more consistent.
Quote

If you hole the jaws against the block with you finger on the jaws to confirm the zero then use like normal and apply just enough pressure holding normally to recreate the setting and just learn the "feel" is how I was taught .
Dave
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Eugen Canada
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Re: Vintage tools

Post by Eugen »

Dave, I appreciate it, I just don't have the "feel". :blush:

For now I just accept the 0.001" possible error and reach for the micrometer when more accuracy is necessary. For quick measurements it's nice though.
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