Starrett Wood Box - What's it for?

[Bill Houghton]

Well, a dial indicator measures in fine increments (thousands or even ten-thousandths, or the metric equivalent) by connecting a plunger to a needle on a dial.  Most useful for measuring things like runout on a shaft, but many, many uses.

A bench version would be designed to sit on firmly a bench and measure things set on/clamped to that bench.

A universal version could be used to measure any number of components, rather than being designed for a specific use.

[bill300d]

Here's an ad from Popular Mechanics April 1952with a pic of said gauge.
https://books.google.com/books?id=ytwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA280&lpg=PA280&dq=652+universal+bench+dial+indicator&source=bl&ots=8ID6RFktZ0&sig=s4wpFx01K2F27KAUEFIQUu7YAI8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiFyLiRvLLMAhUCGD4KHazTC8IQ6AEIKzAC#v=onepage&q=652%20universal%20bench%20dial%20indicator&f=false