The other day I bid on a box of misc tools on my local auction site... The pictures were of the full box, so I had no idea what was in it, aside from the 3 visible pair of tongs. So I threw up to $60 at it. Won it for $32.90

The box had 8 pair of tongs, 6 of them ATHA, a 7th possible ATHA, and a Champion. Two cold cut hardies, a lead hammer, lead hammer mold, and some misc. junk I don't really care about :P Pretty good buy!

There were also these mysterious v-shaped bent pieces of steel in the box.... They are about as magnetized as a piece of steel can get without being in an electric field... Anyone know what they are for?

Thanks.

They look like the magnets that were used in the very old telephones.

Mike

most likely magnets from a model T Ford magneto, they are a little wider at the open end, large flywheel.
phone ones are more U shaped, smaller flywheel.
nice tongs and hardies!

Eight pairs of tongs, a couple of nice looking hardies... Made out like a bandit at $32 just on these.  Good haul!

And best of all you got one of my favorite books on shop practice "Machine tool operation" by H. D. Burghardt.  Which volume did you get? Vol I is "lathe, bench and Forge" . Vol II is Drilling, Planing , Milling ,Grinding" .
Much good "old school" wisdom in these books.

Joe B

Quote from: oldgoaly on August 20, 2015, 11:32:56 AM
most likely magnets from a model T Ford magneto, they are a little wider at the open end, large flywheel.
phone ones are more U shaped, smaller flywheel.
nice tongs and hardies!

Model T Ford flywheel magneto magnets -- any other maker ever combine those functions?

Ive paid more than that for a single hardy.......

Chilly

Quote from: JoeCB on October 03, 2015, 12:16:23 AM
And best of all you got one of my favorite books on shop practice "Machine tool operation" by H. D. Burghardt.  Which volume did you get? Vol I is "lathe, bench and Forge" . Vol II is Drilling, Planing , Milling ,Grinding" .
Much good "old school" wisdom in these books.

Joe B

I got two copies of Volume I. Haven't looked at them yet ^^; But I will do so now that you mention it.

Those magneto magnets aren't worth anything, right? I'm going to weld them into my new Pontiac Grand Prix in the next couple days :P

Twilight,  take a round rod and add two small wheels to it, then hang the magnets over the rod,  use it to
pick up nails & screws off the ground.

Quote from: turnnut on October 06, 2015, 08:46:32 AM
Twilight,  take a round rod and add two small wheels to it, then hang the magnets over the rod,  use it to
pick up nails & screws off the ground.

It's not strong enough for that :P It collects every bit of metal shavings nearby, though :P