Mini 3 piece Pratt & Whitney gage block set

[tmcmellon]

I recently found a very small Pratt & Whitney gage block set at a pawn shop.
It is in very good condition. The case is only 3" x 2". It has three carbide blocks in it, two .050 and one .100 block. I only live a couple of towns away from West Hartford and P&W blocks are pretty common around here, but I have never seen a set like this before. My friend and I are guessing that it was salesman's sample or supplied as calibration for a specific machine. Does anybody have anymore info on these?

 

[MShaw]

They were wear blocks. To be used on each end of a stack that would be used to make repeat checks in production. The goal was to minimize wear on the steel blocks.

 

[leg17]

They were wear blocks. To be used on each end of a stack that would be used to make repeat checks in production. The goal was to minimize wear on the steel blocks.

What he said.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The OP appears to aware of what they are. What he's wondering with his question - and I share it - is why they'd be kept in such few numbers in a tiny, tidy wooden case with clasps and the P&W logo and address on the lid. That is not consistent with a production floor.

tmcmellon,
I think you and your friend have made two very good conjectures.

 

[leg17]

The OP appears to aware of what they are. What he's wondering with his question - and I share it - is why they'd be kept in such few numbers in a tiny, tidy wooden case with clasps and the P&W logo and address on the lid. That is not consistent with a production floor.

tmcmellon,
I think you and your friend have made two very good conjectures.

The OP did not know what they were intended for.
He offered two incorrect guesses and asked for more info.
He has received the correct answer and it has been verified.

They were very expensive.
The maker put his name on the box for advertising.
What is inconsistent with a production floor environment?

 

[MShaw]

The box is small because they were sold as an accessory. If the size of the box determined fitness for manufacturing use there would be no 1/4" drive sockets in production. See attached catalog page.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Ah. I see. Made by PW for a client, not inhouse. Thanks.

 

[tmcmellon]

Thanks everybody, makes perfect sense but I would have thought a large gage block set would have been sold with empty spaces where these would have been included or not.
The catalog page is priceless, Thanks. TM

 

[MShaw]

Per the catalog the larger sets, 81 blocks and larger, had spaces for 2 .050 carbide blocks and 2 .100 blocks. They were not part of the set and would be purchased separately.

 

[MShaw]

Just for reference here are two additional catalog pages. One showing the 81 block set with all the attachments in the fitted box and one showing all the accessories that were available.