[Metrology] Taft-Peirce surface plate question

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09kevin

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My dad bought a 24" x 48" cast iron surface plate from Boeing surplus about 20 years ago, he isn't using it anymore so I brought it home with me yesterday. It is steel stamped on the top "TAFT-PEIRCE. MFG. CO. WOONSOCKET. R.I . U.S.A" I can't find any other identification on the plate.
IMG_1673.JPG IMG_1678.JPG IMG_1679.JPG IMG_1671.JPG

I did some research on the internet and they make all kinds of other things but I couldn't find anything about a Taft-Peirce surface plate. I was wondering if any of you have seen one before?

Kevin
 
Taft-Pierce made all kinds of metrology equipment, but I have never seen one of their surface plates before, though there were probably plenty of them out there at one time. Taft-Pierce made high quality equipment. They were in business from 1875 to 1995, 120 years total. They started out making sewing machines. Your surface plate appears to be in nice condition. It could probably be scraped back into high tolerance with some skill and some perseverance. It would require a larger and accurate granite surface plate to properly scrape it in.
 
Never used a surface plate from TP but they made some high end stuff. Something like that plate would have cost a bunch of money. If I owned it, I would try to get someone to certify its state of flatness/accuracy.

Edit: Bob, you beat me to it! :)
 
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Thanks for the reply's. For now I am going to clean it up and make a cover for it.
 
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