Comments on: In the Archives: Retrospective Lip Smacking

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:11:26 +0000

Seems like once you have one screw you can make as many more as you like (using the first one to turn a dowel as you cut into it with a bit). Or get one of these.

By: cosmonıcan

cosmonıcan — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:49:03 +0000

Problem solved, rotate the object, not the bar; who says the screw has to be on top? As far as carving screws goes, I can recall making those in 7th grade shop class (do they still have that?) and you can find wooden screws on things like nutcrackers, gift shop junk, et cetera. Wood workers have been making screws since before the pyramids, so they are very clever, but not rocket science either.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:20:40 +0000

ABC: Well, you can make marshmallows at home in a pan. And if I were to go through all that trouble I'd definitely want a tool to mark cutting lines to ensure optimum-precision marshmallows.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:13:06 +0000

Cosmonican: Now here’s the strange part. I noticed that too, husband (engineering background) also commented on that aspect, and we very gently tried the rotation you mentioned (this is an artifact I have at home). For whatever reason, it does not fit that way. The bar and its hole (and the sliding piece with screw) are not square but shaped ever so slightly like a barrel, with very slightly curved sides. The bar does move very smoothly in its current position, with inscribed inch markings on the top and the little hole (unaccountably!) parallel to the surface it’s resting on. Which certainly adds to my bafflement.

By: abc

abc — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:12:32 +0000

Oh and as cosmonıcan says, “…they still make them, just like that.” Except that they come with metal screws now. So the skill and patience to carve a wood screw is no longer needed.

By: abc

abc — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:07:50 +0000

Its a woodworker’s scribe tool. Used to translate contours from one place to another.

Sorry Laura, I could not think of a marshmallow joke. Must be rusty.

By: cosmonıcan

cosmonıcan — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:05:30 +0000

I know exactly what that is, in fact they still make them, just like that. I would point out that the long part should be pulled out and rotated 90° left because there is a pin that goes in that hole on the right side, and it aids in it’s use if the ruler is on the side, not the top.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:41:49 +0000

Jim: It’s really a beautiful object…whatever it is. Imagine the skill and patience it took to carve that wooden screw…accurately no less.

By: Jim Rees

Jim Rees — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:37:11 +0000

I think it’s a depth gage, but I’m guessing it’s for some particular purpose and you want us to tell you what that purpose is. It would be too short for measuring how high up the greased pole that freshman made it…