Let's see what the brain trust here thinks this might be

[platoonDaddy]

Corn kernel (seed) peeler. Place a dried cob of corn in the hole, tip end down. Center the pointed peg on the large end of cob and push down. Corn seeds will be peeled off by metal plates as cob is pushed through the hole. Much faster than picking kernels off by hand. A bucket is placed below the device to catch the kernels.

Friend had something similar he made for peeling fresh corn from the cob for freezing in bags.

 

[Brickman301]

Device for removing the husk around Black Walnuts. If you have ever tried de-husking a large quantity of Black Walnuts you know it is a pain but forcing them through a hole is one method that works.

Link to YouTube Videos of creative ways people tackle this task:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=removing+husks+from+black+walnuts

I like your idea, but I don’t think that’s correct. If that’s what it was used for the wood around hole would be darker from all the walnuts staining it. Maybe I’m wrong, but i would think it would definitely be darker in that area

 

[Blacksmith101]

I like your idea, but I don’t think that’s correct. If that’s what it was used for the wood around hole would be darker from all the walnuts staining it. Maybe I’m wrong, but i would think it would definitely be darker in that area

Good point walnut hulls stain like crazy everything they touch. Maybe a forensic examination would show if the wood under the weathered surface contained walnut stain.

Or it could be an animal breeders teaching tool to teach the large animals what they are supposed to do. Anyone ever been to a Donkey show in Tijuana?

 

[outrider58]

Or it could be an animal breeders teaching tool to teach the large animals what they are supposed to do. Anyone ever been to a Donkey show in Tijuana?

Not in recent years(damned cartels)...

 

[Brickman301]

Or it could be an animal breeders teaching tool to teach the large animals what they are supposed to do. Anyone ever been to a Donkey show in Tijuana?

 

[leakytire]

Bottle Capper....height of the bottle determined by bottom adjustment blocks
...or a wine bottle cork setter....

 

[TI-tick]

Good point walnut hulls stain like crazy everything they touch. Maybe a forensic examination would show if the wood under the weathered surface contained walnut stain.

Or it could be an animal breeders teaching tool to teach the large animals what they are supposed to do. Anyone ever been to a Donkey show in Tijuana?

Large animals know instinctively what to do.
TJ you ask? Never seen anything like this device in Mexico; seen other things though.

 

[E.Shell]

I'd buy the "walnut theory" over the "corn theory" because it seems that whatever is being stripped outside the hole would be discarded, while whatever falls through the hole is retained.

In the case of walnuts, this make sense that we'd discard the outside husk and save the core. With corn, it would be stupid to lose the kernels and have the stripped cob fall through the hole into a receptacle.

 

[Clovis]

I'd buy the "walnut theory" over the "corn theory" because it seems that whatever is being stripped outside the hole would be discarded, while whatever falls through the hole is retained.

In the case of walnuts, this make sense that we'd discard the outside husk and save the core. With corn, it would be stupid to lose the kernels and have the stripped cob fall through the hole into a receptacle.

I agree but as said above the plunger/punch should show stains.

I was thinking it may have been made to do a repair job on something similarly to using a press to replace a bearing in a wheel or a farm implement disc or something although the punch seems too light for that sort of work.

 

[outrider58]

 

[Bountied]

Dekerneling dried corn?

That's kind of what I thought. I've driven by that place a thousand times and never stopped in.

 

[Matlack]

Hole punch for some metal or something?

 

[leakytire]

The Platform sitting on the bottom support is keyed, so moves up and down. Probably adjustable in height for whatever is sitting on it. The Plunger is tapered, and I bet the metal reinforced hole it fits in is tapered also. So, the 'Hole' was meant to be permanent, while the Plunger was replaceable and also stopped at a certain distance height-wise. I can see dropping a cork in the hole, then pressing into a bottle a determined distance, or something like that. Too bad they don't show more details.
-Simon

 

[G Rose]

looks like a partial arrowhead

 

[outrider58]

looks like a partial arrowhead

 

[parttimer]

Reloading press for homemade artillery shells?