Old Machinist's Tools

[KellyJones]

My wife and I just came back from her relatives. While there we helped the family tackle the sad task of sorting through her father's tools. Although he passed 5 years ago, it was still a bittersweet task for the siblings. Among his possessions was a couple of tool boxes he had inherited from her grand uncle, who "worked for the railroad". I guess my eyes bugged out when I recognized a machinist's tool chest. In the end, the family sent three tool chests home with me. I didn't find any hidden treasures, but I did find some nice old tools that I am happy to have. Among them: two Starrett micrometers ( a 2" and a 4"), various calipers, dividers, taps scribers and so forth. I also found the man's seniority list notification from 1953, his certification as a machinist from the railroad, and a receipt or ticket for a micrometer repair, undated. There were a number of tools I can't identify as well. I tool some pictures and hope to post them here from time to time for the collective wisdom of the group. Tonight i start with a reamer, but one unlike I've ever seen. It seems to only have one blade, which is removable and adjustable. It is also about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. I had hoped someone could tell me something about it. Thanks

[Harold_V]

Kelly,
I could be wrong, but that tool may be a ridge reamer, used when dismantling engines. It is used to remove the remaining portion of the cylinder before trying to remove pistons. The ridge can be the cause of breaking pistons (the rings hang up on the ridge, preventing removal). If that's not what it's for, I have no clue.

Harold

[hammermill]

That is my opinion also. A ridge reamer

[BadDog]

Agreed, I once had one just like it (some 25+ years ago).

[Richard_W]

Kelly,
I could be wrong, but that tool may be a ridge reamer, used when dismantling engines. It is used to remove the remaining portion of the cylinder before trying to remove pistons. The ridge can be the cause of breaking pistons (the rings hang up on the ridge, preventing removal). If that's not what it's for, I have no clue.

Harold

That is exactly what it is! I have 2 of them. One I bought new when I was about 20 years old. The other was left in my grandfathers garage. He died back in the 50's and I got it in about 2007. It was sitting on a make shift shelf between the studs on one wall. His kids didn't know it was there or what it was. I was 3 or 4 years old when he passed. Don't remember ever seeing him, but mom said I did. They gave it to me because I knew what it was. I have never used it, but when I run across it I often wonder what his many talents were.

Richard W.

[Frank Ford]

I thought it was a ridge reamer, too. Not knowing what a ridge reamer looks like, I based by guess on the lettering on the knob in the first picture, that says "RIDGE REAMER." (Nyuk, nyuk.)

Sorry - just couldn't resist. . .

[golfpin]

That Sir is most definitely a ridge reamer..used more times than I can Remember. It was standard "issue" for the apprentices of the day circa 1955. it was a a back breaking laborious job. The bigger of the 2 nuts is the Drive nut, probably 3/4 socket and Power bar. The smaller was to set the diameter if th 3 Hss cutting tools that removed the ridge. below the cutters was a bearing face/surface that acted as the guide so to speak [ crude form of cats paws] that registered against the bore. It was mentioned in an earlier post the it was used to get the pistons out this is correct but equally it was to remove the ridge so as to fit new rings so that on start up the new rings would not hit the ridge. Just to give us old timers a memory jolt one of the big American ring suppliers Hastings, Grant, American Hammered to name a few supplied a ring set with what was called a "Ring dodger" it had a step in the top ring to avoid the ridge. Know a bit about this, used to be an apprentice,s target to do 2 ring and valve jobs on a Morris minor 1000 in one day, we had a small bonus/incentive system salary at he time was about $1.5 a week .
PS anybody out there know what I good might earn in the US per week or month or year as the Brits quote, would be very interested to know. Linked to this tool was a hand crank pin grinder that had a adjustable corborundom stone and a pieces of felt for lube [kerosene] set in a "hook" that could be used to reapair a slightly damaged big end in place.
Thnks for the memories Golfpin

[Harold_V]

I thought it was a ridge reamer, too. Not knowing what a ridge reamer looks like, I based by guess on the lettering on the knob in the first picture, that says "RIDGE REAMER." (Nyuk, nyuk.)

Sorry - just couldn't resist. . .

Chuckle!

Thanks for making me look like a fool, Frank!

Damn, had I taken a look, I'd have seen that, too. Still, it feels good to be able to identify a tool I've heard of only. I've never used one.

Harold

[Harold_V]

supplied a ring set with what was called a "Ring dodger" it had a step in the top ring to avoid the ridge.

Without that step, new rings, which would have sharp corners, would hit the ridge, which tend to have a marginally sharp inside corner. A sure way to create engine problems, assuming the engine would turn over at all.

Harold

[ronm]

Yep, new rings would come just a bit higher than the old wear pattern, (ridge), And create a hellish "knock" at best, or break the top ring land on the piston at worst...a mechanic we had at the JD store for a while did the engine in a JD B, when the owner took it home he called back & said it sounded terrible, had a bad knock...we got it back in & pulled the head, & he had not ridge-reamed it, just honed the cylinders...we took the ridge out , & it sounded much better. The list of screw-ups that guy put through the shop would fill a book...the boss felt sorry for him 'cause he was poor & had a bunch of kids...finally canned him when he almost burned the shop down...

I have 2 ridge reamers, one is a big ol' thing, for the 2-cyl. JD's up to 7" bore, & it's a pig to use, it will overcut & make a mess if you don't watch out.

[golfpin]

Old memories, got to go with ronm on that point, bores of that size.... the reamer if the blades were not correctly ground were inclined to chatter then you were in deep "dudu" because to get under the chatter marks you had to increase the depth of cut so as not to repeat the chatter, same as on a lathe at that point you called in the biggest strongest guy in the shop so he could lean on the drive and turn the cutter at the same time!! small digression had a 6 cyl Mercedes come in for a re-ring turned out the ridge was so bad they had to bring a Van Norman portable boring bar from the machine shop upstairs and cut the ridge away to get the pistons out ... yes I know engine should have been pulled but those days labour versus money???
Cheers Golfpin

[KellyJones]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I too, read the thing but a ridge reamer didn't mean anything to me until it was discussed here.

Following along the same lines, here is another tool I found in the box. In one direction it has an elongated eye, like a sewing needle. In the other plane the pointy end is flat and shaped like an elongated diamond (seem to have misplaced the picture). If I had to guess, I would say this was used to lace belts. Any other thoughts?