Webber guage block set questions what vintage ??

[10mmShooter]

Hi everyone,

Just grabbed a 43 piece gauge block set of Webber-Cleveland blocks in their original wood case off Fleabay (only $40 bucks), and am curious of their age.


I presently have a very new .300 Webber "Croblox" gauge individual serial numbered "JBY31" obviously current production.

I also have a slightly older .750 gauge says "Webber" up top and Starrett across the bottom....still newer production.


The new to me 43 piece set is complete, with 1-2-3-4 inch gauges and 39 smaller gauges, I'll post pics once I receive them.

They are in a wooden case, appears to be their original case I can see now tags on the box no felt liner so certainly older production, all blocks are marked "Webber" up top and "Cleveland" at the bottom, I'm guessing that they have to be prior to Starrett buying them out in 1962. Cleveland is Webber's original home and still is home for Starrett-Webber's gauge division.

So I'm sure they date to prior to 1962.....any ideas to determine age beyond that???

[W.R.Buchanan]

10mm; Hot Tip: would be to have a Metrology Lab "calibrate" them for you before you use them for anything important.

That way you know exactly what you've got. After that you're good to go as they won't change just sitting in the box unless they rust or something. Get some pure Lanolin (machine shop supply) and wipe them down with that to prevent rusting.

By "Calibration," what I mean is the individual blocks are checked against standards to make sure they are still what they are supposed to be as to thickness. Unless they have been used and abused they should be fine, however you never know until you check.

Then you can calibrate all of your micrometers and calipers any time you want.

I have used my set of Scherr-Tumico Jo Blocks in my shop exactly three times in 30 years. Twice to calibrate micrometers and once to set up an angle bar that had to be just so to make a cut on my mill.

Luckily I didn't have to pay for them as they were Boot from a trade.

$40 is a good deal if they are all there, and in decent shape.

Randy

[EDG]

If the set has a traceability number and certificate just call Weber. When they are manufactured they are provided with certification back to the NIST (once called the national bureau of standards). For most companies the blocks are worthless without the certs so Weber will have a record of everything.