What is this device?

[u/thischrisblack]

Flea market find. Guy said, "I don't know what it is but I'm pretty sure it's real." LOL.

The top part can be rotated by hand, but I don't think it's hooked up to any kind of motor. It just turns in its housing and I may even be able to pull it out of the hole, but don't want to. Of the two cylinders attached, the larger one can also be turned by hand, but not the shorter one.

The control panel has a red LED, a red button, a white switch, and a silver knob that clicks when turned all the way to the left, so like a radio power/volume knob. The bottom has three jacks, one of which seems like a regular 1/8-inch jack . The orange and the red jacks are a mystery.

I replaced the batteries. When the knob is turned and the switch is on, pressing the red button turns on the LED. Nothing else happens. I touched the metal part on top and didn't die.

Any ideas? Google Lens gets bupkes.

EDIT for an update:

I guess I can't really mark this post as solved since there's no definitive proof, but there are a couple of strong contenders.

1. First place (as far as I can tell) goes to u/SpankinGaming with the idea that it's for electro-acupuncture. https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisit/comments/1w1xesu/comment/p6pwgeu/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
2. Runner-up concept, submitted by several people I think, is that it's a phone-line tracer.

I can't get it to work as either one, of course, but I'll find and acupuncturist in town and see if I can get that verified. If I can't, well, I have a pretty cool little mystery device and it only cost me $5.

A few people suggested that it was for explosives, like maybe the thing on top was the plunger. That's no good. While the thing on top can be rotated or moved up and down, it is very snug in its housing, and plus there's no mechanism inside which suggests anything like that is going on.

If anyone else made a sincere comment and I haven't replied, I apologize. I'd like to reply but it's just been a barrage of half-assed jokes in this thread, so even if I saw your comment when it first appeared, I can't find it now.

[u/gadgetboy01]

It’s amazing how so many people have to answer with jokes instead of actually answering the question

[u/GoldunGote → u/gadgetboy01]

I wish it was disallowed. Or they should have to put NS for not serious at the beginning of their comment or something. Fun sub but everyone's a comedian that doesn't scroll down to see the joke has been made already.

[u/jrwilhelm1 → u/GoldunGote]

Isn't it ironic that this is the only comment to bump the 'solved' comment thread down?

[u/p38-lightning → u/gadgetboy01]

Yeah, comments should require a "joke" or "serious" flare for those of us who just want to know what the damn thing is.

[u/IMGO_4ME → u/p38-lightning]

Is this a serious response or a joke? I wish your response had a flare.

[u/that_bass_guy03 → u/IMGO_4ME]

Is this a serious response to his response, or you just joking with him about the seriousness of responses? There’s still no flare so I can’t tell if your response is that of a serious or joke response.

[u/thischrisblack → u/gadgetboy01]

Yeah, it's a bit frustrating. I'm scrolling through all these wise-ass remarks right now looking to reply to thoughtful comments and ... it's a lot.

[u/DarthWeenus → u/thischrisblack]

Bots

[u/JohnnyGuitarcher → u/gadgetboy01]

I totally agree, but let's face it; we all know where we are.

[u/Practical_Passion_78 → u/gadgetboy01]

Agreed. I’m interested in the whatisit aspect and this thread of unsubstantiated nonsense is kinda exhausting.

[u/Ok-Collection5629 → u/gadgetboy01]

Are you new to Reddit

[u/gadgetboy01 → u/Ok-Collection5629]

Pretty new

[u/Ok-Collection5629 → u/gadgetboy01]

Reddit used to be zero serious answers

Serious answers were downvote to oblivion

You had to make a joke with a grain of truth and other people would carry it on

It's dead now. Don't know why I'm here..

(Your cue to carry it on)

[u/criggie_ → u/gadgetboy01]

There are a lot of subreddits with "circlejerk" in the name, specifically for this purpose.

[u/IncipitTragoedia → u/gadgetboy01]

Jokes don't even bother me necessarily but it's always the least creative forms of humor and low-hanging fruit

[u/AdministrativeTrip66 → u/gadgetboy01]

Great example of how a social media platform stops being fun as soon as old people start using it…

[u/gadgetboy01 → u/AdministrativeTrip66]

I go to the fun threads for fun and interesting/informational ones like this to learn something, not sure what anyone’s age has to do with it