I spotted this ebay listing and like the lister can't figure out what their use was intended to be.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-RARE-UNUSUAL-UNKNOWN-LATHE-BIT-CUTTER-TOOL-HAND-CRANK-BRACE-DRILL-OLD-DOWEL-/380576924013?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item589c27016d

Are they chair spindle tennon cutters?

My guess is that they are for making tenons on the end of dowels.  Perhaps for chair making?

Mike

The diameter looks too small for full scale adult furniture -- maybe cutting a "step" for blunt tips for practice arrows?  Any archers in the group?

How about the step on pool cues where the tip goes?

Mike

My guess is that they are for cutting metal, not wood..... and the position of the cutter looks as though they cut a groove a little way back from the end of the bar...

Quote from: Billman49 on February 12, 2013, 06:07:25 PM
My guess is that they are for cutting metal, not wood..... and the position of the cutter looks as though they cut a groove a little way back from the end of the bar...

That's what I'm thinking, too.  Looks like a metal cutter, perhaps for cutting the end of a rod into a tenon.  Seems a bit of a difficult task for a brace.

How about a specialty carpenter like the stairway railing baluster tenons or some of the fancy victorian trim that used rows of turnings like finials? Wood toy parts?

Quote from: johnsironsanctuary on February 13, 2013, 12:55:06 PM
How about a specialty carpenter like the stairway railing baluster tenons or some of the fancy victorian trim that used rows of turnings like finials? Wood toy parts?

Maybe for some of the tiny Victorian stuff, but the standard hollow augers take care of stair balusters.