Whatzit for the High Fliers -Airplane Tool?

[RTM]

Hey all

Or maybe a Whyzit?


I am pretty sure this one is not a saw set. I got this from the estate of a guy who used to work on commercial airliners, then retired to work on smaller stuff. It was in a rolling workbench and storage unit. Been sitting on this trying to decipher how it works for a few years, since I never knew any A & P guys.

It made by Gad-jets in Dayton Ohio in 1961. As it’s assembled, I assume it’s a compression gauge, for measuring the force between the anvils on either end. The dial can be rotated to zero it, but I can’t get it to compress under much more than zero, but less than 30 lbs of pressure.

So the real questions; is it worth playing with, or should i just toss it? Can anyone use it?

Thanks for any guidance

 

[Air21]

Maybe for balancing control surfaces on the aircraft? I'm not sure... Lots of planes have weird proprietary tools for keeping them in the air.

Some Hawker business jets would get a replacement APU shipped in a crate and one if the pieces of timber that was PART OF THE CRATE had a notch pre cut in it and instructions to pry it out and lever on one of the longerons out of the way in order to fit the new engine in!

 

[ZRX61]

You're going to toss it because you don't know what it is???

 

[ZRX61]

It's a push-pull gauge. I'll take it if you want to find a home for it.

 

[RTM]

You're going to toss it because you don't know what it is???

No, I would only toss it if someone told me it was unrepairable, or said even if repaired it was worthless.

I have started to open it up, and didn’t get very far before I hit the phase where I expected a spring snake in a can effect.

If no one else has clues, it’s yours. You read that it doesn’t work, right?

 

[ZRX61]

No, I would only toss it if someone told me it was unrepairable, or said even if repaired it was worthless.

I have started to open it up, and didn’t get very far before I hit the phase where I expected a spring snake in a can effect.

If no one else has clues, it’s yours. You read that it doesn’t work, right?

Yup, I still want it

 

[ZRX61]

Thought I'd update everyone:
It has arrived & two things are going to happen:
1: Tool is going to a buddy who works in the tool calibration shop at a local aircraft manufacturer for fixing & calibration (if possible).
2: I'm going to sort the box out as it's a bit wonky. The glue holding it together has failed so that's an easy fix. It will also get a sympathetic clean up.


Called the company today to see if they had any info. Turns out it split into two different companies some time back & neither one has anything in the way of paperwork/manual etc.

 

[ZRX61]

It's buggered. What ever connects the internal gubbins to the dial is broken or missing.
Spring rate was spot on though..

 

[Ohmthis]

Well that ****! Nice try on saving it.

 

[RTM]

Glad someone intelligent made the confirmation that it is broken. I would have looked at all those pieces, and still not known.

It was worth a try. At least you got a nice* wooden box out of it.


* Sarcasm mode running high since I sent it.

 

[ZRX61]

Box is in the process of being glued back together. Probably hit Michaels this weekend to see if I can find new hinges & maybe the missing latch

 

[bpjr]

The Collings Foundation preserves/flys vintage warbirds and may have info or a reference for a manual...