LS STARRETT CO (and not a vise)

[Mintgrun]

The transit came with a user's manual that's kind of fun.






It shows some related tools in the back pages and one of them is the tape I found last winter.
I keep it in the transit box now.






I paid a dollar less than it cost new, so I think I did okay... (although I did not get the legs).

$91 in 1939 translates to $1680 today. Crazy.

 

[Provincial]

Old transits can do good work if not damaged or out-of-adjustment. They have been replaced by laser units for short-range work, like laying out grades for buildings because they require two persons to operate. One to use the transit and the other with the stadia rod and/or stakes to mark the line and/or grade.

The elevation of Mount Everest was established quite accurately using transits! Often, resurveys with modern instruments verify that monuments locating property corners were very accurately established over 200 years ago.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

That is a beauty...


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[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Lower right is an add to this family ... auction win at $40 and in pristine nearly perfect and mint ...

View media item 107188

 

[davethorik]

Recently picked this up bc it was only $1 and i had no idea what it was.

Starrett no. 65 center finder (incomplete)

I think it is fairly old with that font.

 

[leg17]

Recently picked this up bc it was only $1 and i had no idea what it was......
I think it is fairly old with that font.

I believe that they added "& Co." to their name prior to 1900.

 

[larry_g]

Recently picked this up bc it was only $1 and i had no idea what it was.

Starrett no. 65 center finder (incomplete)

I think it is fairly old with that font.

Those are neat tools. I was using one the other day to center an offset hole in a cam,

The tool;

View media item 107194
In use on the lathe;

View media item 107195
The point is located in the center punch divot on the part in the chuck. The tail stock end is lined up with a center in the tailstock. If the center point is rotating on center with the lathe then the tailstock end will be steady. If the part is off center then the tailstock end will rotate in a circle around the tailstock center.

So Dave you only need the rod to make it work. and the rod is just a straight rod of the proper size to fit the holder. Without going into the shop I'm thinking the rod is 1/8" dia.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[davethorik]

I believe that they added "& Co." to their name prior to 1900.

I figured it was old but that is cool. Notice how larry's looks like it is steel, the gimbal on mine is some sort of red/yellow metal. I should search for the patent.

Those are neat tools. I was using one the other day to center an offset hole in a cam,

Thank you for the explanation Larry. That makes sense to me.

 

[davethorik]

U.S. patent 617,501 invented by Charles P. Fay, patented January 10, 1899. Patent filed Feb 16, 1898. Assigned to the J. Stevens Tool & Arms Co. of Chicopee, MA.

I think this is it- https://patents.google.com/patent/US617501

Interesting.

 

[Provincial]

Dave, your castings appear to be bronze, a material that can be stronger than brass, and is also a bearing material. It also machines well, which was an important attribute before carbide cutting tools became available.

All of which supports it being an early version.

Nice find!

 

[RTM]

Is it possible a patternmaker recast the top piece after his was damaged? I'd be curious if his is the same size as other, or 3% smaller due to shrinkage of bronze.

 

[Cleave]

Speaking of oil drying to a hard deposit, I picked up this Starrett micrometer at a local antique farm equipment swap meet from one of the $1.00 tables. It was stuck solid, but I took a chance. I soaked it with Kroil for a couple of days and gently applied torque to the thimble. It started turning and I was able to polish the shaft as more became exposed. Then I unscrewed it and polished the rest. I ran a brass brush through the bearing surface in the frame, but didn't work on the threads. A cleaning and lube with light oil and it works like new. The zero adjustment works properly, too!

6/30/18: added photo of gently freeing up the spindle using dead soft aluminum and vise grips.

I found a Starrett 3-4" mic, frozen, for $3, and got it working great using a similar process. Now I just need the 1"-2" and the 2"-3" to fill in the "set". I have several 0-1"

 

[RTM]

While cleaning up the garage a bit, I cleared off enough workbench space to haul out the Starrett tools at my Woodworking bench. These are the ones closest at hand, in one of the smaller drawers of varying depths. Others that get less use are further away.

user cut 9" rule, guess they needed to get it into a smaller space
scribers #70 (actually, one is a general in this pic, the other LSS is in a box closer to the outside door
small bevels #47
drill gauge #187
protractor #493b
hook rule #603
depth gauges #236 (a favorite tool, all bought for less than $5 each have a B&S with a rod in the drawer too)
centering combo rule, usually for lathe work
rule
4, 6, 9, & 12" combo squares (no idea why two 12")

All my Starrett tools were purchased used, except one thread pitch gauge, which was my first Starrett purchase over 10 years ago.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

While cleaning up the garage a bit, I cleared off enough workbench space to haul out the Starrett tools at my Woodworking bench. These are the ones closest at hand, in one of the smaller drawers of varying depths. Others that get less use are further away.

user cut 9" rule, guess they needed to get it into a smaller space
scribers #70 (actually, one is a general in this pic, the other LSS is in a box closer to the outside door
small bevels #47
drill gauge #187
protractor #493b
hook rule #603
depth gauges #236 (a favorite tool, all bought for less than $5 each have a B&S with a rod in the drawer too)
centering combo rule, usually for lathe work
rule
4, 6, 9, & 12" combo squares (no idea why two 12")

All my Starrett tools were purchased used, except one thread pitch gauge, which was my first Starrett purchase over 10 years ago.

Depth gage.. when I worked for Kelsey Hayes Gunite, we used the 12" version to quickly inspect a brake drum.. easy to get brake surface depth, backface thickness, etc. got really good at it. when it came to writing down numbers we used the usual, depth mic, micrometers,. etc.... but for a quick check, the dipstick worked just fine....

 

[d42jeep]

I found this at an estate sale on Friday.
-Don

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Looks like it’s in pretty good shape...


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[davethorik]

Picked this up today, guy had a lot of NOS Starrett stuff but his prices were up there. This was reasonably priced, the goo is rust protectant. I don't think it's that old....maybe 70s/80s.

 

[davethorik]

I know the thread title is "and not a vise" however I found this and I had to share

# 86A combination hand/clamp-on vise. In original box, all pieces present. Very lightly used. 1-1/2" jaws.

 

[MShaw]

Here are two items I purchased in 1964.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Picked this up today, guy had a lot of NOS Starrett stuff but his prices were up there. This was reasonably priced, the goo is rust protectant. I don't think it's that old....maybe 70s/80s.

I made one like this in high school, used the Starrett as a model....

 

[My Junk is Stuff]

Just added a few more Starrett items to my collection as well. Nice little 436 series 1-2" and another No2. I need to organize my stuff again darn it. Should clean up pretty easily though.

 

[shiber]

I got a thread pitch gage from a guy my dad worked with in the 1970'S still use that tool. crisp clean edges so I can identify the thread pitchon almost anything.
Dont let it go thats a high quality tool.

I picked up this No. 155 Screw Pitch Gage at the flea market on Friday.

 

[Cleave]

Here's most of my Starrett stuff, much of which I got for a buck or two each. The 3-4" mic was frozen shut, cost $3 and I was able to free it up with a good soak in PB Blaster and some elbow grease. There's a few 6" rules and a hermaphrodite caliper that didn't make it in the picture. The second protractor head is missing the nut, one day I'll turn one on the lathe or just put a nut on it from the hardware store. There's a small compass/dividers in there missing the spring and pivot pin, I'm in the process of forging a new spring, then I'll turn the pivot and make them work again, just for a little fun.

 

[WisJim]

I finally remembered to take pictures of some of my Starrett stuff, but then I didn't note what various model numbers etc were. The only item that I got new is my 0-1" micrometer which my dad gave me for Christmas over 45 years ago. Most of the items were a dollar or two at garage sales over the years, the 12" level, planer gauge and a couple others were from local auctions, and the surface gage came with my $200 South Bend 9" lathe.

 

[My Junk is Stuff]

How long did they keep putting the patent #' on the older micrometers? I've got this one with the 1902 and 1894 patents on it.... Damn, I wasn't paying attention lol, Sorry this guy is a B&S.

 

[d42jeep]

Over time when going to estate and garage sales, I’ve found quite a few Starrett tools. I have Kennedy machinist boxes that I’ve just been throwing them in. I finally dug them out yesterday for a couple of photos and some organizing. I believe that the brochure is from around 1950.
-Don

 

[engineer2]

I've got a few old Starrett measuring tools from my dad. Will a combo square clean up OK using electrolysis or is that a bad idea?

 

[macgee]

I've got a few old Starrett measuring tools from my dad. Will a combo square clean up OK using electrolysis or is that a bad idea?

Sort of a bad idea, the blade (ruler) markings is not painted, its a black oxide process. You could remove the black in the measurement marks making it much harder to read measurements.

Please post a pic to see it, combo square heads are painted black and degreaser cleaners can easily remove it depending on what you use.

 

[d42jeep]

I agree. Also I recommend against using evaporust for the same reason. I once cleaned a rusty feeler gauge with evaporust. The rust was gone from the blades but unfortunately all the size markings were gone as well!
-Don

 

[Toold_up]

I have cleaned up old micrometer barrels where the graduation lines were non-existant. A black sharpie and an alcohol wipe restores the lines to legible enough to use.

Paint over the scribe lines with the sharpie and let it dry. Once dry wipe it with an alcohol wipe. The sharpie will remain in the scribbed lines and wipe away from the smooth surfaces.

 

[Mgdoug3]

Here's most of the bigger items I have. I forgot to take pictures of my level and 454 height gauge. I'll try to remember to take pictures of them tomorrow. I have two 18B automatic punches that are awesome too.

 

[Mgdoug3]

More pictures. I think I have a machinist ruler and one of those level straight edges with the slide ruler but forgot to look in the drawer.

 

[propmaker]

Found a Starrett combination square jr rule today. The center head with it is unknown, doesn't look like a Starrett. The rule is a lot narrower than a standard 6in combo square rule, its only 19/32 wide. Also found a vintage decimal equivalent chart

 

[macgee]

Found a Starrett combination square jr rule today. The center head with it is unknown, doesn't look like a Starrett. Also found a vintage decimal equivalent chart

The centering head looks like a Miller Falls. Sweet Starrett chart.

 

[leg17]

I collected machinist tools with patent markings for a long time. Here's a couple of Starrett items, not vise.
Rule clamps all with same 2194085 patent number.
289-A
289-B
299
All in never used condition. The 299 still has rich case-harden colors.

 

[engineer2]

A few pics of my dad's tools. Nothing special ...

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Pawnshop buy today... 576XR

The 436 1" is for reference...

 

[Rusty Musket]

While we're on the subject, Does anyone know what these are? One of the few Starrett pieces I have with no model number on it which makes researching it difficult.

 

[leg17]

While we're on the subject, Does anyone know what these are? One of the few Starrett pieces I have with no model number on it which makes researching it difficult.

Toolmakers buttons.

 

[RTM]

Yup, toolmakers buttons. I have two sets, and most online sources think they are quite useless nowadays.

Mine are 494c

https://archive.org/details/StarrettToolsCatalogNo25/page/n128/mode/1up