Any idea what this is?

[Guido Salvage]

I picked this up at an auction when no one would bid on it. It is about 36.5” long and the rotating discs at each end are 6” across. The threaded spindles are about 9” tall and as you can see it expands out. Looks to be made of aluminum, I have no clue what I bought.

 

[67L36Driver]

Guido! Long time guy. [emoji4]

 

[Guido Salvage]

Guido! Long time guy. [emoji4]

Carl, I have been around sporadically. I have sold some Studebakers and bought a band sawmill a couple of years ago (I have a thread on the milling page). I hope you are well.

 

[Philbert]

Spinning yarn balls?
Rewinding VHS tapes?
Taffy puller?

Philbert

 

[legdelimber]

Any sort of rub marks that would tell what was pulled over it?
What's in the gunk on it?
Does the "dirt" on it have any sort of distinctive scent or texture or color?
If'n it was found in the projector room of an "Adult Theater", uhm...ya might skip the sniff test.

 

[Bill G]

What type of auction was it. What I mean is what types of things were they selling. Ya know birds of a feather flock together

 

[Guido Salvage]

What type of auction was it. What I mean is what types of things were they selling. Ya know birds of a feather flock together

Annual consignment auction, everything from furniture to tools to farm equipment. It was in a row with mostly tools.

 

[JB-PlantHeirloom]

my google search for "external lock snap ring tool dual aluminum 36" ship transmission" turned up nothing, though I think it is along those lines.

 

[JB-PlantHeirloom]

Hi,

I was thinking, this might be the bigger brother of a camshaft phase positioning tool, such as you use on the newer Ford modular engines. Seeing the back would help. It does look like it is meant to be inserted into snap rings or maybe through a chain and into a hole drilled into the gear, so, you lock the gears in place when working on the crankshaft or when removing the camshaft. Though at 36", I would think we are into marine or Caterpillar sized engines and fairly new ones at that.

 

[TNTreehugger]

I'm going to guess it's part of a gunsmithing lathe.

https://cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/m1112_m.pdf

 

[Guido Salvage]

Update, it turns out this is a homemade jig for making bowstrings. After sitting on my desk for months I had a customer make it a mission to figure out what it was.

 

[JB-PlantHeirloom]

I guess it is along these lines then:

BCY Yellowstone String Making Jig
https://lancasterarchery.com/products/bcy-yellowstone-string-making-jig

It has the little posts on top of the spindles, but, the spindles are tapered. I bought an inventory of a sporting goods store, I sold dozens of guns and bows, but, I never saw a tool like that in the inventory. Very interesting to know what it is, thank you.