dzimmerm
Member
good one
GunGoBoom
LOL.
dzimmerm
GunGoBoom
LOL.
dzimmerm
What is this thing?
- Thread starter dzimmerm
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BluesBear
member
I have used a lapidary roller to flatten precious metals for jewelry use and the principle is similar but the device is made quite differently.
Now I don't know what this particular device was designed to do, but I know what I've seen one almost just like it used for.
In the late 1960s, my next door neighbor ran a lucrative harness shop out of his barn. His name was Red Meeks and he was well know around Churchill Downs.
He had a gizmo similar to this that he used for several things.
One was to roll wet leather strips into a uniform thickness.
Another was to roll braided leather laces into flattened braids.
And the other use he had for it was to compress layers of wet cardboard and roll them to a uniform thickness. He then used a wadcutter and a mallet to cut out card wads for shotgun reloading.
He had several "tables" for it that enabled it to roll out differing thicknesses.
I never asked him what the name of it was or what it was originally designed for. Like many things in a working shop, he might just have "adapted" it for these other uses.
Now I don't know what this particular device was designed to do, but I know what I've seen one almost just like it used for.
In the late 1960s, my next door neighbor ran a lucrative harness shop out of his barn. His name was Red Meeks and he was well know around Churchill Downs.
He had a gizmo similar to this that he used for several things.
One was to roll wet leather strips into a uniform thickness.
Another was to roll braided leather laces into flattened braids.
And the other use he had for it was to compress layers of wet cardboard and roll them to a uniform thickness. He then used a wadcutter and a mallet to cut out card wads for shotgun reloading.
He had several "tables" for it that enabled it to roll out differing thicknesses.
I never asked him what the name of it was or what it was originally designed for. Like many things in a working shop, he might just have "adapted" it for these other uses.
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dzimmerm
Member
shot gun wad maker?
BluesBear,
That sounds like the most likely idea I have heard so far.
It would make sense if it was a "general purpose" roller presser that it could be used for a number of things. As the person who used to own this item was almost entirely devoted to guns and gun accessories I would bet it has to do with shot gun wad making.
I suppose it could be used to help shape leather for holster making but I saw no other signs that he had worked in leather, judging from the other odds and ends that came with the rest of the reloading equipment.
I will search the internet for leather rollers and see if I get any pictures or other info.
dzimmerm
BluesBear,
That sounds like the most likely idea I have heard so far.
It would make sense if it was a "general purpose" roller presser that it could be used for a number of things. As the person who used to own this item was almost entirely devoted to guns and gun accessories I would bet it has to do with shot gun wad making.
I suppose it could be used to help shape leather for holster making but I saw no other signs that he had worked in leather, judging from the other odds and ends that came with the rest of the reloading equipment.
I will search the internet for leather rollers and see if I get any pictures or other info.
dzimmerm
stencil machine
It looks like a smaller version of one of the stencil machines we use at work. You put blocks of letters like typeset on the tray to spell out something, then a pice of stencil board (think paper) and the a thinker piece of backer board over that. Then crank the tray over to the other side and the leters will cut out a stencil. I haven't been out to use it in a while, and on strike so I can go take a look to see if there is a name on it. It is a bigger size, only have to go use it when i need stencils with over 1 inch letters. Not to say they don't serve duel duty as some kind of printing press. Hope this didn't kill the cat.
It looks like a smaller version of one of the stencil machines we use at work. You put blocks of letters like typeset on the tray to spell out something, then a pice of stencil board (think paper) and the a thinker piece of backer board over that. Then crank the tray over to the other side and the leters will cut out a stencil. I haven't been out to use it in a while, and on strike so I can go take a look to see if there is a name on it. It is a bigger size, only have to go use it when i need stencils with over 1 inch letters. Not to say they don't serve duel duty as some kind of printing press. Hope this didn't kill the cat.
FireBreather01
Member
Does the roller come off easily or can you slide a tube over the roller - as in a 12 gauge size cardboard tube that would then have the end crimped???
dzimmerm
Member
Roller removal
No, removing the top and the bottom rollers is a bit of a job. I also don't think the roller is long enough. The length of the roller , or the width of the table, is only 1 3/4 inches. The length of the table is about 11 inches. It is too narrow for even a standard business card or credit card. I did think it might be able to stencil name plates but that is a reach and in no way related to reloading.
dzimmerm
No, removing the top and the bottom rollers is a bit of a job. I also don't think the roller is long enough. The length of the roller , or the width of the table, is only 1 3/4 inches. The length of the table is about 11 inches. It is too narrow for even a standard business card or credit card. I did think it might be able to stencil name plates but that is a reach and in no way related to reloading.
dzimmerm
Ben Shepherd
Member
Seriously- Contact antiques roadshow!! They would know someone who knows, I'd think.
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