Mystery tool

[Ped]

Hi,
I bought a job lot of frame building tools a couple of years ago and included was this gizmo:

11 5:39:14.jpeg11 11:39:41.jpeg11 11:40:50.jpeg

The electric motor you can see in the background is operated by a footpedal and turns VERY slowly with a ton of torque.

Anyone have any ideas? A bottom bracket fits snug inside but that might be a co-incidence as once it's inside and the lid is on I can't see what you'd do with it. There's also a dummy bottom bracket but this may or may not have anything to do with this particular tool (I have other mystery parts too). There are no markings on any of the tools but they're certainly factory made. The electric motor is Italian.

Using a combination of the bars and cutting tools (in the second photo) I use the motor to ream seat and head tubes and it works pretty well. You just hold the frame straight (using cones to keep the head tube square) and feed it onto the cutting tool.

I'd love to use the mystery tool, but how?

Cheers
Ped

[Eric Estlund]

Sounds like you might have it. I have used similar (shop made) tools to ream/ face head tubes.

[Ped]

Thanks Eric,
Yes, the other parts in the second photo are used for that but I'm looking for any information about the large tool with the lid. That definitely isn't for head tubes, it's too big...

[adarn]

how big is the hole in the lid?

[Eric Estlund]

Gotcha- I misunderstood. I though that was part of a collet to hold the tools.

[Ped]

I don't have it in front of me but I'd say around an inch.

[Ped]

This is what it looks like without the lid. I've put a bottom bracket shell inside.

11 5:38:56.jpeg

[Eric Estlund]

How deep is it? It could have been for chasing fork threads or a tool holder for facing fork race seats. Seams like it may have been set up to thread blank BB shells, but I don't think I would have used it for that.

[steve garro]

This is what it looks like without the lid. I've put a bottom bracket shell inside.

11 5:38:56.jpeg

BB shell or headtube facer?
- Garro.

[EricKeller]

having a vise to hold bb shells to face them is weird, but it makes sense in a way

[bencooper]

It wouldn't work for ported BB shells.

[Jake Rosenfeld]

is there perhaps another missing piece that holds a row of number stamps and slides in the flat recess to place the serial number in a straight line at the edge of the shell?

or somesuch similar dubisarial nonsensicality..... just a thought

also, does that slug with the recess in the center fit into a bb shell? it could keep if from collapsing as you stamped.
seems like it would be awful hard on the spindle of the tool to beat on it like that but you never know.

[edelbikes]

I would say fork steerer threading.
A friend of mine has got a BB thread chaser which seems to be based on a very similar motor, only difference is that it's setup on a kind of bench (like a simplified lathe). I'll try to check which brand it is next time I see him.

[Ped]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Once a bottom bracket shell is inside and the lid is on there's no room to do any facing so that seems unlikely. Threading could be possible but the only method of preventing the shell from turning in the device is by tightening the black thumb wheel which pushes an M5 bolt against the shell, and that isn't going to be strong enough.

Fork steerer theading is possible but again, I can't see how you'd hold a die tight enough with just that thumb wheel. Although perhaps the cut outs at the back are there so you can see how you're progressing?

Would be great to know who makes your friends thread chaser. It sound similar.

Cheers
Ped

[Ped]

If it helps, the hole in the lid is 1 inch. The unit is 51.6mm diameter and 85mm deep (internal).

[Will Neide]

Fancy Italian coffee bean grinder?

Should be standard in every bike shop.

[Ped]

Some more pics, if it helps!

The second one shows a bb shell inside. As you can see on the final pic, there is a step inside so one half of the shell has space around it, but not enough for a shell with ports...

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