Help me repurpose this obsolete tool

Many years ago I did architectural drafting as a side hustle.  I doubt municipalities would even accept a pencil drawing anymore.

Perfectly good electric eraser.  Any ideas? I would love to have a reason NOT to throw it away, but I'm drawing a blank... Get it? Drawing a blank.  Looks just like this:

Make it spin one of these and hypnotize your co-workers.

Since eraser inserts for those are ~1/4" diameter, you could use it for a die grinder. I seem to recall the ones I used having a fair bit of torque and speed.

TIL there is such a thing as an electric eraser.

I've had one of those for 45 years and I still use it.  I take it you never write anything with a pencil anymore?  The inserts are still available at most any arts supply store, if you get some of the harder, more abrasive ones you can probably repurpose it for removing light corrosion and rust in the nooks and crannies of small parts.

In reply to bludroptop :

I thought maybe The Draftsman was the ole tool needing to be repurposed.  

If not for you, I could see an art class having a use case for this as an eraser, scribble the whole sheet up, and erase the picture into it...

"back massager."

In reply to John Welsh :

That ambiguity did not escape me, but thanks for the opportunity to clarify.  Recognizing my destiny as an obsolete tool, I'm purging an accumulation of associated accessories.

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Find most abrasive eraser available.

Engine turn all the things.

My dad had a few as he drew prints for almost 50 years.  He put a hook on the side of his board to hang it.  That eraser goes with this drafting board.

Ironically I disassembled his drafting board and put it in my basement last Friday for my 3rd year architect daughter to repurpose some day (it made a E36 M3ty desk)  

Swap out the eraser for a pin vise and make it a Dremmel.

I bet it is magic on cleaning up gasket surfaces.

In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :

Funny you mention that... I think I still have my disassembled drafting table in my attic. You're right - they don't make for a good desk even when flat. However, they are excellent at collecting junk.  I had a sliding rule for it as well. 

I never had an electric eraser, so I don't remember... does it spin or just vibrate?   If the latter, might be able to rebuild it into an occilating cutting tool.

I haven't seen one of those in nearly 20 years. I don't know that they have a great use. Think of it like a typewriter. It's not any use, but in 20 years it will be a cool vintage thing that people want. Put it in the attic in a box, and put a reminder on your calendar for 2044.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

I never had an electric eraser, so I don't remember... does it spin or just vibrate?   

They spin, sort of like a low power, low speed Dremel tool.  

The ones I've encountered don't have that much torque so I don't think they can be repurposed into a drill or grinder or anything like that.

So, a dremel with less power.

Dremel is the one company that I can't believe stays in business. Their "multi"tool is good at very good at a few things and terrible at all the other things they claim it can do.

When I worked in the tool store, one old guy told me stories of cutting out his old copper drain line with a Dremel tool. Apparently it took forever and used a ton of cutting discs but he got it done. Probably could have rented / borrowed a sawzall for less.

Yeah, it doesn't have the speed or power of a Dremel... besides I already have a Dremel. 

So far, Appleseed's concept seems to merit the most R&D, although I am suffering from a profound lack of imagination beyond the initial big-picture inspiration.

Not having the power or speed of Dremel might be a good thing.   I could see it as useful for model building.  Sanding, polishing etc. where your really don't want the high power for such a small area.  It's really hard / almost impossible to get a Dremel to move slow.

In reply to stuart in mn :

The eraser is like 6" long - I would spin my Dads eraser and put a razor blade near it and slice the rubber into pieces.  See how thin I could cut a slice.  

Not sure why it was so fascinating.

Appleseed said:

Something. something, something,  Pornhub, something...

I was going to say... is there a Mrs bludroptop?

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Appleseed said:

Something. something, something,  Pornhub, something...

I was going to say... is there a Mrs bludroptop?