Author Topic: surface plate questions  (Read 4714 times)

Offline Bourne Bill

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 32
surface plate questions
« on: March 19, 2009, 07:12:10 AM »
hello all, I m looking for suggestions on a surface plate. I d like to keep it on the small side. What size would you thing is minimum for hobby machining, and how important is it to have a ledge on it?
Life is short, eat dessert first...........

Offline sbwhart

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3530
  • Country: gb
  • Smile, Be Happy, Have Fun and Rock Until you Drop
Re: surface plate questions
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2009, 07:26:05 AM »
Hi Bill

A piece of plate glass or mirror will do the trick,  :headbang:

As for size thats a piece of string question: but about 10" sq will do most jobs in a home shop.

I've just scrapped off an old scanner, so took the glass out of that and giving it a try:- seems ok :thumbup:

Stew
« Last Edit: March 19, 2009, 07:28:53 AM by sbwhart »
A little bit of clearance never got in the road
 :wave:

Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline Brass_Machine

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5504
  • Country: us
Re: surface plate questions
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2009, 09:24:44 AM »
Hey Bill...

If you look on ebay, you could find a 12" square granite one for relatively cheap. That should be a good size.

Eric
Science is fun.

We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

Offline ozzie46

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 260
  • Country: us
Re: surface plate questions
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2009, 11:09:01 AM »


I went to a place that makes granite countertops and got the cutout for the sink. Price was right Free!! :D



  Ron

Offline websterz

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 415
Re: surface plate questions
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2009, 01:24:29 PM »


I went to a place that makes granite countertops and got the cutout for the sink. Price was right Free!! :D



  Ron

Exactly how I got mine! :beer:
"In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird.  Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal."
 :med:

bogstandard

  • Guest
Re: surface plate questions
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2009, 04:01:42 PM »
For many years, I used the glass platen out of an old photocopier. It sat protected under my cutting mat.

But I eventually found that glass and big lumps of steel don't mix very well.

A piece of plate glass from the local window company will do just as good a job.

Almost anything with a hard and flat surface will do for what we get up to.

Anything around 12"x12" and above is ideal.

Bogs