"Mystery" Tool

I made this very handy gadget the other day and it has already come in useful used with the lathe and mill.

Can anyone guess what it is for?

No prizes I'm afraid!

Steve

I imagine it's for holding or centering something in a 4 jaw chuck?

It's that legendary 'backstop' that was on the news so often...

Neil

Looks like a Geneva Drive Indexing Plate.

Looks like the (expensive brass) work support of a model arbour press.

Bill

Looks like a UFO traveling on the A6 toward Matlock!

Holding the jaws of a 4 Jaw so that they can be ground externally?

Intermittent motion drive for a cine projector?

Howard

Howard

I made a few just like that in different lengths for gripping short parts in the lathe chuck.

Back stop for short lengths in a chuck so you can machine to length easily. Very useful if you need a number of parts turning to the same length. I put a collet in the spindle and put a length of pipe or tube in the collet to do the same thing.

Martin C

Is it used for wall tunnels or channels?

First reply (Mr. Hollowpoint) and others were correct. I've got quite a few parts to make from short pieces of 1/2" square stock. This gives me a back stop and a support for small stuff. And it also helps with centering. Very handy!

I've learnt something already 🙂

This is my smug face. 😇

I believe, someone, somewhere called it a 'spider''......

Physicaly handicapped spider