Give this one a try! Whatzit?

[twertsy]

Snagged this off ebay because I had never seen the Bonney name with an "S" on the end!? Now, I have only hints at what it is. Any guesses? (and no, I don't know).

A couple things to point out: 1. The top is made for a brace; 2. Notice the amount the blade would penetrate the work piece is very different for each hole.

 

[Hawk]

Looks like a chair dowel cutter. Does the center shaft have a chuck to drive or pull a piece through the different hole past the cutting chisel? Not as clean as yours.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-bonney-dowel-turning-tool-476458152

 

[Richard Cranium]

good job-hawk, you beat me to it....rich

 

[twertsy]

Looks like a chair dowel cutter. Does the center shaft have a chuck to drive or pull a piece through the different hole past the cutting chisel? Not as clean as yours.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-bonney-dowel-turning-tool-476458152

It does not have a separate Chuck nor drive.

 

[Hawk]

It should not. That was just a quick thought that should have vanished with the wind. lol

 

[KRB52]

I was thinking it could be for cutting threads in wooden dowels, the way the blade is off-set. Doweling cutter works for me, too.

 

[twertsy]

I might agree on the dowel thread cutter but the blade is very sharp.

 

[Hawk]

The top is made to put in a shoulder brace hand drill. A shaft of wood just a little larger than the finished dowel is placed in the selected hole size. The bottom of each hole should be just a little larger than where the blade is set. Then using the shoulder brace which will turn the unit to shave down the dowel into a cylinder, the size depending on which size you choose. On that unit it should go up to an inch. This was normally used to inset rungs on a chair.