What is it? Set 464

[Bill]

How about making meatballs (I couldn't locate any confirmation)?

[Rob H.]

These were not used as scrapers.

[Rob H.]

No correct guesses yet for this one, I posted a similar item a few years ago but the current one is missing an important part. Someone had sent this in to find out what it was for.

[Rob H.]

Correct, it is indeed a nutcracker.

No luck yet in figuring out the metal box but the rest of the answers have been posted here:

[DoN. Nichols]

read responses, with Sandy headed just a little North of us based on the latest predictions -- and they're talking about long power outages.

And posting from rec.crafts.metalworking as always.

However, I now have a guess for # 2696

Given the wire grid in the bottom, and the vent pipes on the sides, I find myself thinking of it as being for lost-wax casting. A master of the workpiece is made in wax. It is sometimes then coated with a refractory material which hardens and holds the surface texture, then perhaps packed in prepared sand for support -- or perhaps the wax is just packed in prepared sand if surface finish is not important, then it is baked to melt out the wax and harden the coating if present, and once that is done, the molten metal is poured in. Once it hardens, it is removed from the box and the sand (and possible coating) are broken off.

The baking out of the wax is a possible explanation for the black stains on the top.

It does not look like the usual two-part flask for straight sand casting, but it may work for lost-wax casting.

Oh yes -- also some approaches make the master of styrofoam instead of wax, and burn that out.

The pipes to the side both carry out the smoke, and possibly also can serve for lifting it while it is hot.

Enjoy, DoN.

[dpb]

On 10/26/2012 3:22 PM, Rob H. wrote: ...

The old twine binders are a real memory walk--those guys had it pretty easy w/ oats! :) You ain't thrown a bundle until shocking feed (sudan or other sorghum) bundled green at 6-ft or taller! Then, during the winter to go and pick 'em up out of the shocks to bring to house to the stationary chopper when full of dirt and perhaps snow is a second treat...

Any chance of telling what the type of ash in the metal box is? I wonder if being in coal country it's possible they're a quick'n dirty method to burn a coal sample for ash content????

--

[Rob H.]

I don't know if it's the correct answer or not but it certainly sounds plausible, I'll send it on to the owner of the device along with some of the other suggestions. Good luck with the storm, hope it's not as bad as they say it could be.

[G. Ross]

Can't imagine why anyone would want a refractory or asbestos liner in a container for wax casting. The containers I use are simply stainless steel containers. A liner would slow down the burnout process needlessly.