What Did You Buy Today?

It was a GOOD day here! I brought home a bit of GM history....5x6' table with a webbed, cast iron base and 2.25" thick ground steel top. I calculated the weight of the top at around 2,600lbs, but after seeing the base and legs I'm guessing the table is way over 4K. My track loader was light on the back like when I unloaded my 20-24 Industrial Universal G&E shaper...yikes! I'm not leaving the table where it's pictured, but I had an idea and rolled my two MIG welders over to it and created my own version of "MIG Alley" (Korean war reference for you youngsters). The table has a Fisher Body G.M.C. property tag as well as a manufacturer's tag I though was pretty cool.

I also got a box of goodies from Clausing....the last couple of parts to put my 6913 back together and a new VS bushing (plus spares) for a 5904 I plan to sell soon.

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wow! best thing I've seen in a long time. what do you think the original use was?
 
wow! best thing I've seen in a long time. what do you think the original use was?
Not sure, but if I had to guess I'd go with a layout table. Most of the surface plates I've seen with this kind of webbed base also had cast iron tops, and this is definitely steel so I don't think it was a surface plate. There aren't any bolt holes in the top so that pretty much eliminates a base for some sort of machine. All I do know is that it was heavy...lol.

This was an odd auction pickup. I got there, they showed me where the table was and said something like "when there's a forklift available grab it and load your table" which I've never seen before. I'm shocked they didn't have some sort of insurance liability issue with that, but it was better than paying a rigger. The forklift I used had a stated lift of 4,750lbs and when it groaned and I had to rev it a bit to lift the table I knew it was heavy!
 
Not sure, but if I had to guess I'd go with a layout table. Most of the surface plates I've seen with this kind of webbed base also had cast iron tops, and this is definitely steel so I don't think it was a surface plate. There aren't any bolt holes in the top so that pretty much eliminates a base for some sort of machine. All I do know is that it was heavy...lol.

This was an odd auction pickup. I got there, they showed me where the table was and said something like "when there's a forklift available grab it and load your table" which I've never seen before. I'm shocked they didn't have some sort of insurance liability issue with that, but it was better than paying a rigger. The forklift I used had a stated lift of 4,750lbs and when it groaned and I had to rev it a bit to lift the table I knew it was heavy!
with the art deco look of the columns, I'd guess 1920's to early 1940's latest. in fact, both the Fisher Body tag and the manufacturers tag have the number 28 on them. 1928 would not be an unreasonable guess.
 
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