The "What Is This?" game

[Watcher]

Interesting.  So I wasn't really wrong that it was a slide rail, just got beaten to it (and beaten with a more specific answer).

The slide rail is different from the locking block. There are four rails embedded into the polymer frame that the slide, well, slides on. The locking block locks the slide back after an empty magazine.

That's wrong.  That's part #26, "slide stop lever", and only part #26 is involved with locking the slide back.  Follower lifts lever, lever fits into groove on the slide, slide gets captured.

The locking block cams the barrel into the lugs into the slide, locking the action into battery.


In retrospect I was wrong, the slide doesn't contact that whatsoever.  I mistook it in the blowup diagram.  Apparently on Glocks the side rails are permanently in the frame.  My Ruger SR9 as well as my buddy's FNS9 both have a dual purpose block that is both slide rails and locking block.

[Slack]

Here's a hint: It's a tool.
And like I said, watchers guess about a spindle was on the right track.

Rage: every man needs a shot gun

[ragecage23]

Here's a hint: It's a tool.
And like I said, watchers guess about a spindle was on the right track.

Rage: every man needs a shot gun

So it's a type of spindle? Would I put a roll of seeing thread onto that piece then into the sewing machine?

And you know, I tried using a shotgun and I really didn't like it.

[Slack]

It is not a spindle, it is not part of anything, it's a tool used to work on something very specific. Something watcher may have mentioned in his spindle guess.

[Slack]

What were you shooting out of and at with the shotgun? High brass (slugs and buck) is painful, but field loads are pure fun.
Paper sux. But I love setting up 8 bottles randomly down range and seeing how fast I can make all 8 jump 10 feet in the air! And there is nothing like shooting clay pigeons. Very few things can replace the smile on your face after breaking several moving targets in a row and watching the pieces shatter down to earth. Don't get me wrong, the first one you ever break is great. But the first time you break 8 or 10 straight, your on cloud 9.

[Elmojo]

Blade balancer for RC heli?

[Slack]

not quite, but your close

[Elmojo]

Wheel balancer for RC car/truck?

[Janx101]

Clay targets, didn't happen all the time but I used to get an even bigger smile when I got the sucker dead centre at close range and it just vaporized into a small cloud of dust! .. just BAM!

[Janx101]

Push key for RC battery cover? ... fancy schmancy instead of usual slide job?

[Janx101]

Or possibly push key for blade/prop/wheel release?

[Slack]

Nope, it is used for working on rc heli's, but it's non of those.

[Elmojo]

Hmmm, you're right, this is a tough one!
Are we talking about micro helis, or the larger 600-700 series monsters?
I know we're not allowed to ask direct questions, but I'm counting this as a hint.

[Slack]

You can get bigger ones for bigger heli's and smaller ones for micro heli's. The one pictured is for a 450.

(Real, Hobby Grade Heli's, not mall kiosk stuff)

[Elmojo]

That you on the sticks there, Slack? 
My buddy flies 3D, but not anywhere near that level.
Me, I'm just glad when I can fly a full pack without bouncing off the ground multiple times. 
Tick-Tocks were always my favorite moves when watching competitions. The physics and stresses involved are pretty amazing.

Ok, so it's a tool, and can be scaled to work with various size helis....
It's not a blade balancer.
Is it a diagnostic/adjustment-type tool or more of a normal operation thing?
In other words, is this a tools you'd use when there's nothing wrong with the heli?

[Slack]

Hell no that's not me, ha!
I can do some 3d, but NOTHING like that (my 3d often bounces off the ground too, lol).

The tool is sort of like a ruler for part of the helicopter.
It is Up-Side-Down in the picture, compared to how it would be used (to give you guys, and SBW if she's in here, a better view).

[Watcher]

So its a guage?  Is it for setting the blade angles so they're all uniform?

[Slack]

You use this before the blades are installed during assembly. But, If you didn't set this right, you could never get the blade angles right later, as what it effects is connected to the blades.

[Elmojo]

Rotor clamp alignment tool for a tri-blade head!

[Slack]

below the blade grips.
Standard 2 blade head.
You guys are really really close but not quite there, should I just call it?