Original Winder for Mills Center Tubes...

[staples57]

Original Mills Center Tube Installation Tool...

My latest find at the Toronto Military Show...

I picked up an accessory for assembling Mills Bombs that I've never seen before.
A center tube installation tool / winder.

Is this a rare bit of kit?
Can anyone tell me more about it?

 

[gothica7]

Hi Bud,

not seen anything like it before. I thought the base plug tool was a big chunky thing a that the gren was placed on as per Dave Sampsons website? Is this a home made jobbie?
Know no more ime afraid.

Andy

 

[staples57]

Andy, as far as I can tell it's not a home made tool.
It's looks professionally made, like something that would have been used on a production line at a Mills Bomb manufacturer.

It's marked...

Z
44
...along with an "R" inside a triangle.

I've seen the center tube installation tool on Dave Sampson's site.
I agree, it looks nothing like that.

I'm hoping that someone has seen something similar.

 

[gothica7]

Hi again bud,

wonder what the Z was for, usually items so marked were made from zinc and clearly thats not the case. At least its dated which is great. I will try and do some research on it but it will take a while.
Nice bit of kit, hope it didnt cost an arm or a leg.

Andy

 

[staples57]

Thanks Andy. Any info you dig up on it would be appreciated.
As for the price... I only paid $10 CDN (that's about 5.45 if my math is is right). At that price, I couldn't pass it buy.

Cheers,
Brad

Hi again bud,

wonder what the Z was for, usually items so marked were made from zinc and clearly thats not the case. At least its dated which is great. I will try and do some research on it but it will take a while.
Nice bit of kit, hope it didnt cost an arm or a leg.

Andy

 

[gothica7]

Think you got a bargain there bud. Would you mind if i used your picture to help me get more info?

Andy

 

[staples57]

No problem... go ahead.
I'll try and get a couple of better pics.

Cheers,
Brad

Think you got a bargain there bud. Would you mind if i used your picture to help me get more info?

Andy

 

[staples57]

Here are a few more (hopefully better) pics of the tool...
Thanks Again,
Brad

Think you got a bargain there bud. Would you mind if i used your picture to help me get more info?

Andy

 

[Birdseye]

How would this be used?

 

[staples57]

I'm not really sure, but I have an idea...

a) place a Mills center tube on the tool (threaded-end down)
b) hold an empty Mills casting in your left hand (assuming you are right-handed)
c) using the tool in your right-hand, simply spin/wind the center tube into the casting
d) repeat

I've tried it... it works like a charm!

I can imaging the ladies in the attached picture doing just that.
...a low-tech mass production assembly line that gets the job done

I'm hoping that someone out there has more info.

Cheers,
Brad

How would this be used?

 

[Birdseye]

Sounds reasonable. Sometimes the best tech is low. Know what I mean?