A what is it question!

[PixMan]

It's a rare day that I don't know what something found in my dad's shop might be, but cleaning out a "home mechanic grade" toolbox tonight I found one.

This is a cast steel box base with what appear to be a chromed or polished stainless steel hinged cover. The black base has an art deco period paint stripe around it. The cover has deep fins as though it were a heat sink of sorts. Sorry, I didn't think to touch it with a magnet to see if it is a 300 series stainless.

The bottom of the casting reads "North Bros Mfg Co, Philada PA". Seeing as how they used a 2-letter abbrvation for Pennsylvania rather than the older style "Penn", it can't be all that old. I just don't know what it is. Any ideas?

[arvidj]

You sir, are the proud owner of the original George Foreman Grill prototype.

[PixMan]

LOL...I wish.

In looking around the 'net it seems the North Bros Mfg Co was better known for the hand tools they made. Most common were the ratcheting screwdrivers and hand drills. I could find nothing in the market looking like this.

[oldgoaly]

they made a crimper, it had two rotating dies, not for metal but fabric I believe. Just maybe that was to have a heated iron?

[TomG]

North brothers made the original Yankee screwdriver, but this thing looks much older. Perhaps a fancy snuff box?

Tom

[Highpower]

It's a hand fluter base for putting pleats in your dress.

http://www.wrinkledwillytreasures.com/No...p_796.html

http://collectibles.about.com/od/pricegu...Fluter.htm

[PixMan]

Nice find Willie!

I notice that one of those doesn't have the "slug" but does have the roller, while the other one has the slug but no roller.

I imagine that the slug is something you would heat up on a stove or in a fire, insert into the base and then roll the pleats in a fabric once the top plate is hot.

This looks like it would be a nice project to make the a heater slug and the roller, rather than throwing it away. I'm going to start a big cleanout of the shop this weekend, so I'll be on the lookout for the missing pieces just in case they are there.

[Highpower]

oldgoaly gave it away when he said it was for fabric.

That is an interesting piece though. After you find the remaining pieces (and I know you will) and get them cleaned up it would make a great conversation starter sitting on a coffee table. "What is that thing?"

[TomG]

I suppose once you finished putting the pleats in your dress you could still use it as a snuff box.

Nice find Willie.

[Highpower]

That would be an awful lot of snuff!

I would say he could store his carbide inserts in there, but then it would have to be the size of a 5 gallon bucket.