Mystery Lathe Atachment???

[Cory Norgart]

This peice came with an old lathe that was given to me by a friend. Does anyone know what it is??? Thanks.

[Cory Norgart]

Here is the lathe it came with, also unidentified:)

[Bruce Smith]

I could be wrong but I don't think those pieces go with that lathe or even lathe related. I once owned a lathe similar to that and it was manufactured by Walker Turner, seems to me it was called the Driver Line. It originally belonged to my grandfather probably 1940's vintage. I gave it to a turner on Woodcentral as he planed on using the bed coupled to his lathe bed for turning long spindles for single legged tripods for a camera mount. I think they call them mono pods or something like that. Anxious to see if anyone knows what those pieces really are.

[Brian Libby]

I googled Zim Mfg and they made hade tools. Possibly a specialty tool for automotive - way back when!

[Ed Morgano]

Actually they are still in business..... http://zimmfgco.com/. They have a place where you can e-mail them. It might be something they would be interested in putting in their museum or something.

[Cory Norgart]

Thanks for the link, Ill be sure to check it out. I had a guy email me and said the part could passibly be used for the point ends on a fence post???

[Michael Mills]

Ok, you got my curiosity up so…from their web page.
Zimimages/232.jpg (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/Zimimages/232.jpg)Zimimages/232.jpg (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/Zimimages/232.jpg) http://www.zimmfgco.com/232_small.jpg (http://www.zimmfgco.com/Zimimages/232.jpg)
Under Automotive Speciality Tools - Ridge Reamers -Part No 232 Ridge Reamer Range 23/5" to 4" Machined and designed so that no particular skill is required to use it. No parts rub against the cylinder wall except the smooth surface of the stop, and that only at the finish of the cut. Also a resilient cutter arm and steel cutter blade is used, ensuring a uniform finish on out-of-round cylinders. After the cutter arm is adjusted to the size of the cylinder, a strong spring is released which presses the cutter against the ridge to be removed. No further adjustment is required on the other cylinders. No. P-32 Replacement Tool Steel Cutter for Above

I still do not know what it is really for but I like first their sentence..Machined and designed so that no particular skill is required to use it. That’s right down my alley. :D

[James Combs]

Sounds like it is used when overhauling a piston engine. The piston in a reciprocating engine doesn't always go to the very top of the cylinder. There is typically a few fractions of an inch that doesn't get any wear. The normal wear on the rest of the cylinder wall will leave a small ring at the top of which is normally removed using a metal cutting device when doing an overhaul especially when putting in new piston rings. This is apparently one of the devices. I have done the process when overhauling my car engine in younger years but the device did not look quite like this one but I can see how it might work.

Edit: The slotted part is probably the mounting flange and is used to postion the cutter centered over the cylinder hole. It is probably held down by a head bolt through the slot into the cylinder block.

[Norman Hitt]

Interesting tool. I have never seen one of those but have used the manual Ridge Reamers many times (also in my "younger" years), on automotive and oilfield industrial engines. Depending on setup time, it might have speeded up the process, as it was a necessary step when installing new rings or the top ring on a piston would break when it would hit the ridge when the engine was started and revved up, (causing damage to the cylinder).