a little tooling gloat and a "what is this" question to you guys

[PurpLev]

so I have a little tooling gloat after finding the following today:

I was pretty excited to get this as it has some really good quality cross slide (left) and 2 compound slides (far right) as well as a bunch of parts/bearings/shafts and whatnot, as well as something that looks like an indexer and a base for it:

looks like it has a taper for some sort of collet but am not sure which type, the entire spindle turns freely and it has degree indications on it. the top has a round hole for what looks like a pin to index(?) and a push shaft to keep the spindle from turning which allows the front knurled ring to turn to lock/unlock the collet from the look of it. anyone familiar with this beast (it's quite large and heavy)? any info I could find on it for use/purpose/etc?

Thanks in advance,
thinking of all the things I could use these for.... aaah, dreams...
Sharon

 

[pdentrem]

Some sort of grinding attachment? Perhaps for end mills or anything one can think of?
Pierre

 

[joe_m]

If it spins and it has index holes then maybe it's a spin indexer? For use on the milling table. Could be MT2, could be 5C, I can't see from the pic. But you put the right collet in, put your rod to be worked in there, slap it on the mill table and you can make a groove in the rod, rotate any desired number or degrees and make some more grooves, rotate again. If you do it right you can turn a round rod into a square one, or a hexagon, or a triangle.....

That's my guess.
Joe

 

[Sandro]

I think Pierre got it right that it's a gizmo for sharpening endmills, or any cutter, on a surface grinder.

Probably could be used for indexing like a spin indexer.

Sandro Di Filippo

 

[Hawkeye]

It may have come from a cutter grinder. Note the dovetail base. For strictly surface grinder use, I would expect the base to be full width to take advantage of the magnetic chuck.

 

[PurpLev]

Thanks guys, looking at it a bit more, thre are no markings/mfg/model of any sort. and what I thought was a pin hole on the top for indexing may not be a through hole to the spindle so it am not sure what it's for at this point - maybe grinding attachment for end mills?

once I have more time I'll clean it up and maybe discover something new... worst case it can be a center piece somewhere.

 

[November X-ray]

That cannot be a center piece, but it will make a great conversation piece. I can just see it now, "whats this do"? 'OH That, well it is a most extremely and expensive precision piece of tooling that is only used for the most demanding of applications when it is imperative that the upmost quality be provided'........or, heck if I know but it sure is cool looking, ain't it?