Not that it changes your argument, but Techshop did actually provide some of those things, dial calipers, gauge blocks, dial test indicators. You just had to c

Not that it changes your argument, but Techshop did actually provide some of those things, dial calipers, gauge blocks, dial test indicators. You just had to check them out, and not everyone know what/where they were. As far as work-holding tooling, it did seem pretty random and probably varied depending on the location.