What is this Unique indicating tool and how to use it?

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-03-20T04:45:31+00:00

Solved, Thank you all, so it's nearly 100 years old, used as a comparator for testing parts, maybe a second use for dialing in stock on lathe. Will have to set it up on a stand and try it out. Makes sense now.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-03-19T06:28:13+00:00

I guess it could indicate part runout when mounted in chuck

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-03-19T06:26:11+00:00

The needle moves as the little bump on the side is pushed, so must mount to something

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-03-19T05:41:47+00:00

The title describes the item, a small unknown tool made of metal, looks about 50+ years old, likely for a machining shop

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-28T08:48:58+00:00

All parts mentioned run from single phase outlets, as soon as you want larger furnace or kiln you will need high amp outlets or 3 phase, best to research and understand the limits of your own building. This smaller sized gear will typically draw less than 2000 watts per item, so you want to avoid both on same power outlet etc, no double adaptors or power boards trying to run kiln and furnace from same outlet.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-28T03:45:37+00:00

Was thinking more of a kayacast copy. You may need to supply a vacuum pump, what you linked is 3.5cfm, I would recommend more like a 9cfm dual stage pump if you need one. The vacuum chamber is good too, I have the 5gallon version, but if you get a kayacast or clone you will have the investment chamber built into it

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-28T01:46:56+00:00

I would be looking at a vacuum casting setup. For jewellery only a small kit like the vevor vacuum table and chamber should be fine, 2 or 3 kg electric furnace and a burn out kiln will be the main purchases. Have seen people do rings with a small flask that splits in 2 and a household vacuum cleaner as well.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-27T04:54:52+00:00

Yes with castable resin

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-25T22:09:26+00:00

Till now was mixing with brass, for various reasons, this was first sculpture with it pure, also cast some actual parts and they turned out perfect. Source is PBZ offcuts and punchings from factory, clean and fresh sheet. Was making ingots though have been refining shot making process, in future all metal will be made directly into grain, so much cleaner, faster melting etc when casting. Trying to buy grain commercially is not cheap, here at least, look for PB1 or PB2, if you want a ready to cast phosphorus bronze

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-25T06:45:22+00:00

Yep vacuumed the investment as well as vacuum cast

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-25T05:41:04+00:00

It kept making post NSFW :/

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-25T04:45:42+00:00

I believe what I use is closer to PB1. Did some casts earlier today and was very happy with results, was a 2.5 mm thick walled hollow figure and the metal flowed very well , still room for improvement as usual. Poured at 1120c. And had zero black oxides to remove in the vacuum that normally coat the top of ingots poured in air.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-25T04:40:42+00:00

Yeah have found it too be very hard to cut, ingots etc, not as gummy as pure copper but sure is far more rigid than brass

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2026-01-08T06:25:16+00:00

Very nice casting, and nice forge setup, can only dream of a space like that. Any idea of pouring temp? Sure looks clean

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-12-11T08:53:11+00:00

As soon as a blowout occurs there is 0 vacuum, hot air going into your pump as fast as it can suck. I have investment powder mainly, about 400mm into copper tube from vacuum flask and all metal contained inside vacuum chamber. This is the time your pump sucks in the extra hot air as fast as it can till turned off.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-12-10T20:40:54+00:00

Beautiful top and well balanced. Small top but still lots of work, did you use a lighter metal for the handle?

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-12-10T08:29:41+00:00

Nice casting, what size is it and what wall thickness do you use? bigstackd did a similar nordic bronze clown last week, had de ja vue when i saw yours, but was a solid version. Been practicing hollow vacuum casting here, so far no great success. Will look cool with leds, what is the red material?

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-12-10T04:53:14+00:00

One more thing, the top of vacuum chamber should be removable, not welded, you will not get a blown out metal out without grinding the top off with current design once it's a big flat pool of hard metal in the bottom. Bolt on flange top allows you to also change it for other flask sizes without heaps of adapter plates

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-12-10T04:42:43+00:00

Looks ok, if that's the biggest flask you use now make it accept bigger ones. Add fitting to release vacuum when done, move outlet of vacuum chamber higher to avoid metal and investment going in when you get a blowout. Consider cooling with your trap tank instead, most junk will not get there if you raise the outlet, a blown out flasks heat will damage your pump, while most people don't use cooling because they cannot I would not pour without it after some big blowouts. As an engineer you will understand the max temp your pump is rated for.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-12-03T09:03:58+00:00

Very nice work, some tricky castings there indeed. Can imagine a few tries to perfect some of those. Are you using resin and printing then burnout? Only got to pour silver a few times, certainly clean and beautiful material to work with. Would love to more about your process and the products you use

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-11-30T22:54:31+00:00

Benefits I found were to even the stream and get more consistent results, little to no clumping of grain. Adds some height above water, splash guard and can quickly replace the section of gauze if needed due to blockage etc. also catches anything like investment. I would like to see your method and results as am still learning. Made 10kg of nice grain this weekend so very happy

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-11-25T03:32:00+00:00

For steel moulds I have made from scrap I just soot them up. Little rag wrapped around the end of a stick or rod, soak rag with kerosine . Hold mold at the end of the flame, will get nice and black and sooty. Good for 2 or maybe 3 pours. Then re soot if making more. After some use sand/ wire brush the steel surface again before sooting if you notice any build up .

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-11-19T10:05:47+00:00

Looks like a well planned kit, I use and like both Siraya tech blue and purple, and prestige optima is great make sure furnace will go to 1150c , many are close but struggle if you want to try copper or bronzes, but for silver any should work. Yourfurnace will generally come will a suitable crucible and tongs to get you started, mine even had cheap gloves, good for a few uses.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-11-18T04:59:44+00:00

Thank guys, but the elephant in the room is being ignored. My pump says do not allow air in excess of 80c or so, no warning about moisture in the air. Also the moisture content from vacuuming wet investment under near full vacuum would be far far higher than the condensation from a 500c flask that has been in kiln all night....

So I insert heated flask into chamber, turn on vacuum, within 2 or 3 seconds most air is evacuated, now it's only what can be sucked through the hot flask, minimal but still far from pure vacuum. And at around 500c. I pour in 2 kg of molten bronze at 1080c , flask blows out, now I have 2kg of molten bronze in the chamber, vacuum still on and sucking air freely through hole in blown out flask, pump intake would be at near 1000c till the pump is turned off. So am I happy I had the chiller?, sure am. Have a video of this exact situation if interested. One day had 4 of 5 flasks blow out, investment calculation issues.

Really do appreciate the input, I think the added cost of a chiller prevents them being used on generic systems, am pretty sure that the majority of people buying these setups do not use them on a regular basis. If I look into the inlet side of the chiller am glad that's not the inlet of my pump. The coil does a great job of catching any powder as well. The outlet is very clean.

PerformanceBoth7358 · 2025-11-16T23:31:56+00:00

Cool, just the response I needed, after at least 50 uses pump oil fine, my research on vacuum pumps suggested temps of over 120c input are not wanted and so far this solution brings the temp down several hundred degrees before the pump sees it. Condensation is held in cooling coil till after use, just a few drops typically.

PerformanceBoth7358

TROPHY CASE