Help identifying Starrett inch AND metric boxed set?

[jantman]

Greetings!

I’m hoping someone can help me identify or find out some information about this Starrett boxed set that I recently came across. It’s a single set of both inch and metric instruments, in a rather stately red felt lined fitted wood box approximately 25-3/4” x 12” x 2-3/4”. I’ve never seen anything like it before, and I also have Starrett catalogs from 27.3 (1961) through 28.3 (1995) and can’t for the life of me find any inch and metric boxed sets in any of them. I find it unlikely (but not impossible) that it wasn’t actually made by Starrett… mostly because of the nice crisp, clean printed logo on the box, complete with trademark symbol.

Contents of the set and box are as follows:

• No. 123 E&M master vernier caliper (inch & metric)
• No. 4R GRAD. 12” combination square with center head
• No. 35 GRAD. 300mm combination square with center head
• No. 436 0-1” micrometer
• No. 436 0-25mm micrometer
• No. C309R 6” rule
• No. C330 150mm rule

And then the paperwork and misc:

• Micrometer wrenches in envelopes
• Inspection Certificate, Form 804, signature of Robert (spelling unclear) Gallaghan
• Certificate of Accuracy, NIST traceable, R.C. Norton Chief Inspector
• satin-chrome vernier caliper instruction slip
• How to Read a Micrometer Caliper
• Pocket catalog booklet, Bulletin No. 110, Issue 6, 10-1-74

If anyone has seen something like this before, or could provide information that would help identify or date it, I’d be most appreciative.

 

[4GSR]

It's a special made by Starrett.

They made hundreds if not thousands of items that are special and will not show up in a catalog. Wooden boxes, they make them special too. You have the money; they will make it.
That looks like a set put together for first year students in a trade school. Possibly?

 

[TGTool]

For students there should have been one more item. Instructions on how to switch between inch and metric.

 

[John Garner]

Um, would saying "Use inch-graduated tools to measure in Imperial units, and metric-graduated tools to measure in metric units." be understandable?

 

[TGTool]

Back in the 70's there was a push to change to metric here in the US along with a good deal of resistance. I recall one older toolmaker where I worked saying he couldn't see any reason to change. He reckoned we could make just as good products using inches as using metric units. Well, yeah, but that wasn't the point. Given that almost all the rest of the world used metric we at least needed to be able to converse in either language. I admit that I still actually think in inches, even when I need to use metric units. It's possible that a student would get more comfortable with both units by using both mics, but they might also fossilize on one system and just transpose as needed just as I have.

 

[John Garner]

TGTool --

I wholeheartedly concur with your contention that reasonably educated people should be able to "converse in either language."

That said, I'm fully convinced that the commonplace BS of naming derived units after people instead of using what I'll call "derivation from fundamental units" notation is flat-out a mistake.

Ok, people who work regularly with named derived units learn what those unit names mean, but derivation from fundalental units naming is pretty close to self-explanatory.

The hypothetical "average adult" can understand a limit "0.08 percent blood alcohol content" far more readily than he could understand the meaning of "0.08 Beam".

 

[jantman]

It's a special made by Starrett.

They made hundreds if not thousands of items that are special and will not show up in a catalog. Wooden boxes, they make them special too. You have the money; they will make it.
That looks like a set put together for first year students in a trade school. Possibly?

Cool, thanks so much! I knew they did specials, but I guess it never clicked in my mind that they'd do... "pretty stuff" like boxes... instead of just my million dollar 23 foot micrometer.

 

[4GSR]

.............. instead of just my million dollar 23 foot micrometer.

Pics, we got to have pics of your 23 foot mike. Or it didn't happen! just picking..
Thanks for posting the thread... Cool stuff.

 

[jantman]

Pics, we got to have pics of your 23 foot mike. Or it didn't happen!

This is it right here. What they don't say in the catalog, is that guy is 25 feet tall.

 

[Cyclotronguy]

Greetings!

I’m hoping someone can help me identify or find out some information about this Starrett boxed set that I recently came across. It’s a single set of both inch and metric instruments, in a rather stately red felt lined fitted wood box approximately 25-3/4” x 12” x 2-3/4”. I’ve never seen anything like it before, and I also have Starrett catalogs from 27.3 (1961) through 28.3 (1995) and can’t for the life of me find any inch and metric boxed sets in any of them. I find it unlikely (but not impossible) that it wasn’t actually made by Starrett… mostly because of the nice crisp, clean printed logo on the box, complete with trademark symbol.

Contents of the set and box are as follows:

• No. 123 E&M master vernier caliper (inch & metric)
• No. 4R GRAD. 12” combination square with center head
• No. 35 GRAD. 300mm combination square with center head
• No. 436 0-1” micrometer
• No. 436 0-25mm micrometer
• No. C309R 6” rule
• No. C330 150mm rule

And then the paperwork and misc:

• Micrometer wrenches in envelopes
• Inspection Certificate, Form 804, signature of Robert (spelling unclear) Gallaghan
• Certificate of Accuracy, NIST traceable, R.C. Norton Chief Inspector
• satin-chrome vernier caliper instruction slip
• How to Read a Micrometer Caliper
• Pocket catalog booklet, Bulletin No. 110, Issue 6, 10-1-74

If anyone has seen something like this before, or could provide information that would help identify or date it, I’d be most appreciative.

View attachment 385780View attachment 385781

I believe that was a salesman sample.

 

[jantman]

I believe that was a salesman sample.

Thanks! That might explain why it's got paperwork from 1974 and appears completely unused...