Mystery Box!

Came upon this little odd box in a warehouse of antiques. I have no idea what it could have been used for. There are signs of repairs and being rebuilt. Holes puttied up and sides rearranged. The crank in back winds up gears inside which in turn spin the spool when it is released. An oddly complicated system for just winding things. It has a handle in top to carry it and it seems to have been made by an amateur, not a factory or professional piece.

I took it apart and there are no markings. Any help to solve this mystery so I can stop thinking about it would be great!

 

Hi New Member in No Mood!

Could you please go back into "edit" and select all full size for your images?

 

A homemade yarn winder?

 

My ideas below with arguments against

Maybe for fishing (but it should anchor somehow). Maybe a way to carry and spool out radio antenna wire out in the field (doesn't hold that much wire).

Looks like it may need an extension for that crank. Does it retract by itself, or do you crank it all back in?

 

Looks like a take-up reel for some kind of cable. Just a guess. Sure is interesting.

 

Can you see how the material attached to the spool? I mean if there's evidence it spooled a tape (may have been used to measure something) otherwise, string or cable.

Actually, I can see the spool and it doesn't hold too much...

 

When you wind the crank it creates tension which then makes the spool spin when you release it. You can't crank much though and the spool only spins for a bit without much force. The crank seems to have been made that size and there are no marks to indicate that anything fit over the existing shaft. Seems like whatever it wound would have had to be light weight.

 

It kind of gently "locks" the spool and whatever's on it? So it lets some out at a time?

The crank is nicely cast - no marks at all?

 

The crank is just a piece of rod bent and threaded. He made a few cuts about half way through he pipe, close together and then bent it at the cuts. looks homemade to me. no marks at all on the whole piece. Also, nothing locks. You turn the crank a couple of times and if you turn more it slips the gear and won't hold more tension. Let go and it whirls a bit.

 

The crank looks like a bent bolt with the head cut off.

 

Pretty much. The motor itself is harvested from something...perhaps an old phonograph but the rest is a homemade job.

 

Ice fishing mechanism?

 

And the game's a foot !!!

 

Someone else suggested this to me but I couldn't find an example anywhere of an old ice fishing homemade rig

 

maybe for an early electric cable .........

 

@i need help

Killin' it

 

On ebay - DeeLuxe

Vtg Schallers Automatic Trolling & Chugging Reel Hand Made Wood Box Ice Fishing