Given the quiteude lately, I figured why not go with the weekend not much of a
gloat.
I had to get out of the house. I am going nuts. Zoom meetings or equivalent
pretty much every day,
paperwork in a vacuum, and so on. Hit a couple estate sales. Nothing real
exciting in the realm
of things in charter, but I did stumble on a caliper. Starrett 38-8, the outside
caliper match
for the 39-8 in the show off thread the other month. This is a lock joint with
fine adjust, and
as of a couple years ago, they are no longer made, though the 36 (and
corresponding 37) still are,
those being transfer calipers and having a release that allows the caliper to
maintain setting
yet still clear other features. (I think I misidentified in the last thread. I
didn't post the
36 or 37 there, just the 38 and 39) These were the first of the style, patent
1895.
These were made in a LOT of sizes early on, but the number of versions was
culled over the century
of production to 6, 12, 18, and 24 inch. Originally, they came in 4, 6, 8, 10,
12, 14, 16, 18, 20,
and 24 (as of 1900). The 38-8 went for the princely sum of $1.25 in 1900. Each
model was $0.25 more than the next size down, making hte 24" $3.50. Today, the
equivalent #36 is about 100 times as much at $340.
Can you tell these are my favourite? I am missing a few sizes of the 38 and 39,
but am nearing
collection completeness, but am no where near with the hermaphrodite (#42, with
the adjustable point)
Yes, I really like the 75 (Fay patent with quick adjust nut, still made) and use
them (as well as
the inside and hermaphrodite brethren), but that is my go-to mostly for the
divider edition
(#77). I really do not like the Yankee versions. Not very sensitive. With the
Fay versions, and
the lock joint type, I can transfer to well under a thousandth. Ok, enough. Why
am I going on,
other than that it is what I do?
The 38-8 was almost complete. Almost. Key word. But, at the price, that was ok.
The price, you ask?
The sale was the third or fourth, run by the real estate agent, and though the
stock is apparently
diminished from the showing a month ago, the variety and quantity of, shall we
say, STUFF, that
remains is mighty impressive. The price was "I need to get this stuff out before
the end of the
month. Just take it" This included a slew of other (irrelevant- strictly
machinist and motorhead
interest) things.
What was missing is the question on the tip of your tongue. We'll get there, but
first, the
initial condition as I began disassembly:
https://postimg.cc/wRhp3M5Q
A lot of rust. This was a block from the ocean, and it showed on everything in
the place. Not terrible
though. The lock knob, where the legs meet, the fine adjust. Easy enough. Take
it down, brush
each part by hand with a brass brush to get from rusty to `patina'
https://postimg.cc/dLYFpRvH
wax the parts with Johnson's and reassemble. The only real interesting part on
the reassembly,
that might help someone out, is getting hte adjuster leg back on over the screw
stud. The spring
is a tough one, and will make a mess of the threads if you try to just shove it
on. So,
https://postimg.cc/PpDGFJ7n
A short length of tube that fits over the stud. Use a small screwdriver to open
the hole (push the spring
end) and put in the tube. Then, it drops right over the stud with no damage
https://postimg.cc/nCkyW63r
and pops right out. This is a type of method that works for a LOT of things with
springs. Don't
fight a spring. It will hurt you, physically and emotionally. Use holdbacks,
spacers, and the like
as needed to make life easy.
Now the question. The clues are there. Does anyone see what is missing yet?
You're right! What does the fine adjust bear on? There is just a hole. Not the
only missing part
(the ball for the end of the locking knob stud is also missing), but a key one.
So, to make one.
First, measure the part, the nubbin, if you will, on the 39 (inside edition).
Then reproduce it,
press it in, and finish the job and get
https://postimg.cc/hhb4SZCW (note the
nubbin now in place allowing the full 1/8" of fine adjust)
See the gallery for all of the gory details.
https://postimg.cc/gallery/T1qz22q
If this doesn't make you want a comparator and a metal lathe I don't know what
will. No, I don't
think I will make the ball to cap the end of the lock nut stud. I don't have a
5/32-40 tap handy,
and it isn't critical to operation.
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