The "What Is This?" game

[Elmojo]

Measures - yes
Dangle....err....no
Tension - no

[Janx101]

Depth gauge for a whatzit

[Elmojo]

Nope, not a depth gauge.
It measures a single parameter, but in a very complex way.
It's no longer a tool that you'll see in use, since we now have other, simpler (potentially more accurate) methods of obtaining the same data.
Any of this help?

[Janx101]

... tumbleweed here! ...

[Big Rich]

Tachometer, or something to measure lengths of wire / rope / whatever?

[Elmojo]

Nope, although you're kinda on the right track.
Ok, time for a hint I think...
It was originally sold to a technical college in the 70s for one of their design schools.
It's used to measure one thing, but the magic of this device is that it turns the thing it measures into another type of measurement that's more useful to the user.

[Watcher]

Wire gauge?

[Elmojo]

Not a wire gauge.
Read the hint above, it should get you thinking along the right lines...

[Janx101]

Technical colleges have lots of courses usually,  with probably many measuring devices..... can we narrow the field of learning a little?

[Elmojo]

As mentioned above....design school.
Specifically, landscape and architectural design.

[mennobike]

Helps measure scale, probably spits out an "actual size" number through proportions? 

[Elmojo]

Sooo close!
Find the proper name and what exactly it measures the scale of, and you'll take this round.

[mennobike]

Someone else take it! There's no way I can post anything for the next 2 weeks, Janxie would burn me at the stake!

[Big Rich]

Mojo, it doesn't measure pressure does it?

[Elmojo]

Yeah Menno, Janx and I both would be upset if you didn't post.     lol
Nope, not pressure.
Menno was REALLY close with his "scale/conversion" guess...

[Janx101]

I'm not burning anyone... too broke for the lighter fluid this week!

[axexandru]

Map scale? Building plan scale.

[axexandru]

Like you input the real distance an d it ghives you the distance that you need to draw on the map?

[Elmojo]

In the interest of moving on, I'm gonna say that axe takes it.
It's a K&E Compensating Polar Planimeter.
Back in the days before computer design software, you would take a map or aerial photo and use this device to 'trace' the outline of an area you want to know the size of.
It would calculate the area in square units, typically sq ft.

OK Axe, all yours!

[Elmojo]

Axe? Helloooo?
Did the game just die?
I realized this morning that no one had posted in 10 days!