Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: Bill M on January 20, 2018, 09:38:05 PM

Title: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 20, 2018, 09:38:05 PM
Hi, I’m new here so I’d like to say hello, my name is Bill and I need mental help here. I found this thing around 40 years ago in Brooklyn NY, I picked it up because it was a big old heavy piece of metal, and I took it home because that’s the type of thing I did when I was 10.

I’ve always wondered what it was, and upon the invention of the internet started doing searches every once in a while to see if I could find one like it with a name or purpose attached. This is getting to be a ‘bucket list’ type of thing here, so I figured I’d stop by and ask you fellas “What in Gods Name is this thing and what is it used for? Railroad? Sewer? Farming?
Regards,
Bill
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: skipskip on January 20, 2018, 09:59:08 PM
Pipe reamer?

very serious EZ out??

Lemon Juicer?

Welcome Bill
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: p_toad on January 20, 2018, 11:24:17 PM
Welcome to the forums.   Some dimensions on that would help, but it would appear to be a hand reamer for building construction (like clearing holes before riveting, etc.)
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 20, 2018, 11:36:24 PM
Thanks so much, gentlemen.
It’s about 13 - 14 inches, weighs about 3 pounds.
I’ll go do some more searching, now that I’ve something to go on!!
Bill
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 21, 2018, 01:21:33 AM
No luck so far, searches with hand and pipe reamer, vintage or otherwise - don’t give anything close. Tomorrow’s another day. Nite!
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Lewill2 on January 21, 2018, 07:45:50 AM
Internal pipe wrench?
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Lostmind on January 21, 2018, 09:09:52 AM
Internal pipe wrench?


How about to remove broken pipes? looks like it was hammered on to drive it into something.
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: oldgoaly on January 21, 2018, 11:06:51 AM
sure looks like it is made for hammering into ?  the broken pipe or a short nipple. the diameter part that would go into  the pipe?  need better pic and the size. Would they have few of these to make a set?
Boilers, radiators, etc
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: turnnut on January 21, 2018, 03:45:27 PM
 it does look like a ezee out for broken pipes,  whatis the lettering on it ???  (old eyes are not focusing today )
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: lptools on January 21, 2018, 04:41:03 PM
Hello, It's hard to read it when it is upside down!!!  ????? APPLIED FOR  Regards, Lou
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Plyerman on January 21, 2018, 07:21:07 PM
I do like the broken pipe EZ-out idea, but if that were it, wouldn't the tapered end piece have a left-hand twist to it?
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: oldgoaly on January 22, 2018, 03:18:24 AM
a better pic of the end would help.
how about a tool that flares the end of a boiler tube to hold it til it's welded? and another tool finishes it off?
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Chillylulu on January 22, 2018, 03:31:20 AM
That would only make pipe up.

I'm guessing its a bung wrench.

Chilly
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 22, 2018, 08:54:30 AM
I’m going to try to get more pics but I have to shrink them because this forum doesn’t tolerate the size pictures I have. Hang on a few, thanks for the replies. Bill
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 22, 2018, 09:12:43 AM
2
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: oldgoaly on January 22, 2018, 05:35:10 PM
Wonder if it got that twist from trying to remove a nipple or broken pipe from a ?  So let guess if the small end fits 1/2" pipe the larger one would fit a 1"pipe?  or 3/4" and 1 1/4"
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: lptools on January 22, 2018, 05:45:09 PM
Hello, I was thinking the same as Chillylulu, but my 2 cents worth is that the lower ( smaller) section has been twisted from its original shape. Regards, Lou
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 22, 2018, 07:38:37 PM
No, it doesn’t look bent by accident, this thing would put a dent in a bank vault.
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: wvtools on January 22, 2018, 07:44:24 PM
The bent end close up looks like what the old tool catalogs call a nipple wrench.  I have never seen one with a handle like that.  They are usually brass.   My grandfather was a steamfitter who overtightened everything (he passed that trait on to me).  His nipple wrench was bent like the one in the photos.
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 22, 2018, 08:01:55 PM
Straight on
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 22, 2018, 08:14:50 PM
Socket at end of handle is about 3/4 inch
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 22, 2018, 08:18:57 PM
I have other angles, the twist is too perfect. I think that whatever it is, it was cast this way.
The writing on the side is simply “patd applied for” in all caps.
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: turnnut on January 22, 2018, 08:38:52 PM
 can you remove the twist piece from the handle ?  is it possible that the handle does not belong with it ??
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 23, 2018, 03:04:39 PM
Nope, it’s all one big solid Mjolinir type of thing. I bet I could drop this thing from a plane and it would still do whatever it is that it’s supposed to do...
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: bill300d on January 23, 2018, 06:18:21 PM
No doubt. All I can come up with has all been suggested and discussed all ready.
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: mvwcnews on January 23, 2018, 09:56:28 PM
"Spud" wrench for the left / right hand threaded nipples that connected sections of cast iron heating radiators.  The nipples had internal lugs that these engaged.  This one experienced extreme torque to get that twist.  At some point in the past 35 years a catalog illustration for one was shown in the Missouri Valley Wrench Club  newsletter but I can't track it down right now.

P.S. == Probably  the twist is original -- would that help keep it in place?  At any rate, the MVWC Newsletter appearance was a 1911 W. D. ALLEN Co. catalog listing reprinted on pg. 12 of the 1993 MVWC Newsletter & the listing includes mention of the 3/4" socket in the end of the handle.  But the tool may be  broken --    By coincidence, a MVWC member forwarded a photo of a complete one in his collection & gave me the page citation for the newsletter item.  The attached image is an edited version of the catalog listing along with the MVWC member's photo of his wrench.  His also shows the twist, but has two sizes extending in the opposite  direction from the handle.
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: turnnut on January 24, 2018, 10:45:38 AM
 if you read Stan's picture, and look at #1  they describe the hexagon opening like on Bill M's wrench,  the picture does not show his,
 but it does describe it.

 ?? the hexagon opening; if I remember right, the radiators were made up in sections and had to be bolted together.
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Plyerman on January 24, 2018, 11:13:28 AM
Yay! Great detective work Stan
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Yadda on January 24, 2018, 01:30:43 PM
Yay! Great detective work Stan

I agree! Super Sleuth work!
Title: Re: Big old heavy thingamajig
Post by: Bill M on January 24, 2018, 08:35:32 PM
I’ll need to read this more than once but this is it, I’m sure. I was looking at it just before I checked back in and was about to suggest it was a sort of ‘star’ drill because it appears to have been hammered at the opposing end, but....

This has been nagging at this 51 year old since he was about 11!
Thank you, Stan. I hope I can help someone out sometime in the future like this, like I said (or think I did): this was ‘bucket list’ stuff; hadda find out what it was before I died!