Name that mystery part?

[FastEddieB]

Hint #1 - It's from the 1980's.

Hint #2 - It's about 7" long

Hint #3 - I kept it as a souvenir.


Good luck!

 

[frfly172]

Starter for aircraft heater.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Looks like an ignitor. But for what, I do not know.

 

[FastEddieB]

Starter for aircraft heater.

Nope.

Unless it has varied uses.

 

[FastEddieB]

Looks like an ignitor.

Nope.

 

[N801BH]

Some type of liquid level sensor ?

 

[Sac Arrow]

Aaahh it's an arc lamp electrode I think.

 

[Old Geek]

Radar transmit/receive switch?

 

[FastEddieB]

Nope, nope and nope, but one is getting a tiny bit warmer.

 

[CT4ME]

searchlight or lighthouse arc lamp?

 

[Sac Arrow]

Aaahh it's an arc lamp electrode I think.

searchlight or lighthouse arc lamp?

I think that's been ruled out.

 

[DaleB]

I'm guessing maybe a magnetron cathode.

 

[FastEddieB]

I suppose it could have been used for a variety of things, and perhaps recruited for the use it served.

But so far, no cigar.

 

[CT4ME]

paperweight!?

 

[Sac Arrow]

I was thinking that forward white piece was a high temperature insulator but it's not. It's plastic, with snap clips that plug in to some sort of sheet opening. Interestingly, the serrated snap release is on the side of the wire cage to the left. It's a low temperature device.

 

[Old Geek]

Antenna lightning arrester?

 

[eman1200]

is it a dual-column gas chromatograph with flame analyzation detectors?

 

[FastEddieB]

Nope, nope and nope.

Well, it could serve as a paperweight now, but that was not its original function.

 

[N801BH]

Dielectric water detector...

 

[FastEddieB]

Nope.

 

[Norman]

Photon torpedo generator.

 

[eman1200]

I mean it looks like a gas grill ignitor but why would someone save that?

 

[jpower]

Flux capacitor?

 

[eman1200]

an old glow plug? I dunno, I'm going to drink beer.

 

[FastEddieB]

Good guesses all.

Tomorrow at 6P I'll give another clue if no one has gotten it.

 

[saracelica]

Tattoo gun for use in prison. (That is what my husband said at least. Hard to tell if he's lying sometimes)

 

[flyingron]

is it a dual-column gas chromatograph with flame analyzation detectors?

Is that thing turbocharged?

 

[Henning]

Tattoo gun for use in prison. (That is what my husband said at least. Hard to tell if he's lying sometimes)

He's lying, you make those out of an old Walkman and a toothbrush.

 

[DavidWhite]

rectal thermometer?

 

[Henning]

rectal thermometer?

You wish... although it may be a part from an electroejaculator used for collecting semen... or some other cattle prod type part, or something out of an electric fence box.

 

[MAKG1]

I think that's been ruled out.

I'm not so sure of that….

It's got a pretty big gap, and a sizable insulator, but it's clearly not designed for high heat.


Maybe an arc-based landing light, prior to HIDs. If so, that sucker would be bright and harsh as hell.

 

[MAKG1]

Is that thing turbocharged?

If that probe were used anywhere near a turbocharger, the plastic parts would vaporize….its clearly a low heat application.

 

[Henning]

I'm not so sure of that….

It's got a pretty big gap, and a sizable insulator, but it's clearly not designed for high heat.


Maybe an arc-based landing light, prior to HIDs. If so, that sucker would be bright and harsh as hell.

What part of an arc based light is not high heat?

 

[flyingron]

If that probe were used anywhere near a turbocharger, the plastic parts would vaporize….its clearly a low heat application.

The answer should be "only on the floor model."

 

[pbramlett]

Is it some sort of reference electrode for a detection device? Oxygen, other gas or chemical?

 

[FastEddieB]

Nope.

Still no joy!

 

[asechrest]

I'm going to go with mummy sarcophagus. I tried to cheat with Google image search and was given this as a visually similar item:

What do I win?

 

[FastEddieB]

I think it's beneath the standards of this forum to make fun of someone's mummy.

But anyway, that's not it.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

I think it's beneath the standards of this forum to make fun of someone's mummy.

Beneath the standards, yeah. But it doesn't stop some from doing it. :wink2:

 

[DaleB]

Lately I have wondered if there is anything beneath the standards of this forum. Still puzzling over your widget, though. It may not have been built for a high heat application, but it sure does look like high voltage.

Hmmm.