I found this welding table a few weeks ago for $325.00.  The farmer said his welder was going have a fit when he learned he sold it.  Not sure if he was serious but I thought is was unique so I picked it up. It has cooling fins and a spout.  Just curious what they were for.  The label says, "Rochester Ordnance District - Property of the US government".  The last picture was before I cleaned it up and repainted.  

My guess is that was originally a surface plate used for layout or inspection of machined parts.  Is it hollow and if so, is there another outlet/inlet?  I think if it was intended to be filled with a liquid, it would not be for welding on especially if there is only one inlet/outlet.  Interesting bit of hardware and will be somewhat useful as a welding table.

Yes, there is a spout on each end.   I bought the piece near the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL so it could have been as you said, used to inspect parts such as weapons.  The farmer used it as a welding table and I will do the same. 

I'd wager that it was also used as a torch cutting table and it was filled with coolant.

On 1/18/2026 at 11:29 AM, Gazz said:

My guess is that was originally a surface plate used for layout or inspection of machined parts. 

Agreed. However, I think that it's a mistake to call the threaded holes "spouts" and assume that this is to be filled with liquid. As I understand it, these were for handles that would be used to invert the table when lapping a larger surface.

 

The fact that it is hollow suggests that it used a coolant of some kind - maybe required in the years before air conditioning was common.  Some precision parts require inspection at certain temperatures to verify that the part is within tolerance to the print.  I can't imagine what part used in ordnance that would be that critical but then I don't know much about that stuff.  Proximity fuses?  Torpedo detonators?  Those things may require that kind of precision.  Also, the thing looks to big and heavy to be easily flipped at least not without the use of some kind of hoist.  Is it pipe thread in the holes?   The lapping flats with handles that I recall were smaller and had cross hatch grooves to accommodate lapping compound.

Maybe it was used to cool the cookies after they came out of the oven.

A quick Google of the Contract plate brought this up AI. Might shed some light on it's original use. I'm thinking an optical inspection table.

I can’t control the wind. All I can do is adjust my sails. ~Semper Paratus~ USCG 1964-1970

IndonesiaA contract designated as

W-30-069-ORD-4389 was awarded by the Rochester Ordnance District during World War II, a division of the U.S. Army Ordnance Department.

 

• Context: The Rochester Ordnance District was responsible for procuring vast amounts of optical equipment, including fire control systems, binoculars, and bombsights, during the war.
• Potential Contractor: The contract falls within the range of contracts typical for major Rochester-based suppliers of optical, photographic, and precision instruments, such as Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., which was a principal manufacturer of optical equipment for the Army and Navy. 

•  

Note: Specific, public, or digitized detail regarding the exact goods ordered under "W-30-069-ORD-4389" is not explicitly listed in the provided search results, but it fits the classification of WWII Army ordnance contracts for the New York/Rochester area.

Related Context on Rochester Ordnance District (WWII):

 

• Role: The district handled high-priority, "rush war orders" for local factories.
• Key Products: Aerial reconnaissance cameras, fire control equipment, binoculars, and specialized glass.
• Major Players: Bausch & Lomb and Eastman Kodak were primary contractors. 

•  

Based on the search results, here's information related to contract 4389 and the Rochester Ordnance District:

 

• A contractor listing from FY 2022 includes contract number 4389 associated with "6 FATHOMS CONSULTING, LLC". It also lists "ORDNANCE TENNESSEE, INC." in Jonesborough, TN. Another source mentions a contract award update that includes "4389 Roaring Fork Dr., Loveland, CO" and a company in Rochester, NY.
• The U.S. Army Ordnance Corps was responsible for the development, testing, maintenance, repair, procurement, and distribution of Army ordnance and equipment.
• During World War II, the Ordnance Department's organization and activities were documented in the Order of battle of the United States land forces in the World War. Records were also compiled for individuals from Rochester and Monroe County who served in World War I.

Does the underside look like this?  Or is it truly hollow.

Maybe it was not used to cool anything but to warm things or hold a constant temp? I make parts for the F-16, they are made of a steel that when heated reacts more like glass than steel (i can not for the life of me remember what it is called). I could see this used to test thermal expansion and contraction. 

Edit: Inconel, just as i hit submit i remembered what the material was called. $800 for a 4' stick. 

Busch precision ground cast iron surface plate.  You will see it for sale on some tool supply sites.  Also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_plate

On 1/27/2026 at 10:33 AM, JHCC said:

As I understand it, these were for handles that would be used to invert the table when lapping a larger surface.

In addition to lapping, surface plates are also used as reference surfaces during scraping operations. Depending upon the size and geometry of the part being scraped, sometimes the reference surface would be supported by a hoist and lowered onto the part. When scraping, the use of the reference surface is via a thin layer of ink which then highlights the high spots of the part being scraped once the part and its reference are mated. The threaded holes certainly seem plausible as mounting points for either handles or other means of supprt.

--Larry

Since Jack has not let us know if it is truly hollow or just webbed as in the picture I provided, I agree with John, the holes are for handles.