New Granite Surface Plate

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

I've treated myself to a new granite surface plate, the old one from Axminster was getting too crowded, (it was one odf the 300x200x50 ones).

Not sure how good this will be, **LINK**

It's coming on Wednesday, so I'll find out then!

Jim

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

I broke mine in three pieces by accident yesterday – gutted!

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Posted by fizzy on 08/01/2018 10:39:54:

I broke mine in three pieces by accident yesterday – gutted!

If it doesn't give away anything too embarrassing how did you manage that Fizzy?

Mike

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Fizzy,

If it is any consolation, I made one for The WaterWorks Museum in Hereford. Bought a slab of marble from a stonemason in a local town.

Made up a sturdy angle iron frame, with internal cross bracing, to provide a flatt(ish) surface on which the marble could sit. Each corner had an adjustable levelling screw, at the bottom of a vertical piece of angle to prevent the marble from moving off the base.

Placed a sheet of hardboard on it, which was covered with wet, rather sloppy plaster / wall filler, before placing the marble slab onto it. In that way, the marble should be "floating" and free of stresses.

The 18" x 24" slab of marble cost me £30. Larger would have been too heavy to place / remove from, the boot of the car! You may be able to get a better deal.

Then made up, and varnished, a simple plywood cover for it.

Howard

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Given that the Chronos one is 18" sq and 4" thick, and the price includes delivery, that sounds quite reasonable to me!

[Enough!Participant @enough]

They don't seem to specify the weight – which is a bit of an omission for something like this.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

C'mon Fizzy spill the beans ! How did you break your surface plate ?

Ian.

[DullnoteParticipant @dullnote]

Hi I got granite composite cutting board from Tesco very flat, well flat for my skills, cost £12.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Bandersnatch on 08/01/2018 17:20:08:

They don't seem to specify the weight – which is a bit of an omission for something like this.

.

The density of granite is fairly consistent, so; unless they have milled it out [which seems highly unlikely] it should be a simple matter to estimate the weight.

MichaelG.

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

According to UPS it’s 56kg,

Jim

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 08/01/2018 18:38:45:

…….it should be a simple matter to estimate the weight.

I don't doubt it. Why should I need to? This is a sales page and the weight seems rather a critical characteristic for what they are selling.

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

I had it propped on its sude against the hydraulic press….moved predd, plate dropped and kaput! Ordered a new one but that one had sentimental value – gutted

[Matt HarringtonParticipant @mattharrington87221]

Well, I have just received my one from Chronos – 400 x 250 x 80 @ £52 (free delivery) – 25Kgs (bargain)

I haven't put it in the workshop yet but it appears to be good and certainly good enough for me!!

Matt

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

Mighty impressed!

Its a big un! Measures 18" x 18" x 3 1/2".

 

The poor chap from UPS carried it up the drive! I've had a quick check of it, looks perfect, the enclosed "certificate" gave a max error of 2.5 microns. I've ran my "tenth" clock across it and get almost zero error.

With a discount code, it was about £78, delivered

 

Happy chap today

 

Jim

Edited By jimmy b on 10/01/2018 17:03:35

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by fizzy on 08/01/2018 23:05:07:

I had it propped on its sude against the hydraulic press….moved predd, plate dropped and kaput! Ordered a new one but that one had sentimental value – gutted

If that was me it would have landed on my foot so i would be nursing a broken foot along with a broken plate !

Ian.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by fizzy on 08/01/2018 23:05:07:

I had it propped on its sude against the hydraulic press….moved predd, plate dropped and kaput! Ordered a new one but that one had sentimental value – gutted

 

Oh dear!

I trust the sentimental value wasn't because it had 'In Loving Memoriam…' carved on one side!

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 10/01/2018 18:01:46

[James Wilkinson 3Participant @jameswilkinson3]

Hooorah! I bought one on Friday from Chronos as well, SCT 400 x 250x 80 Granite surface plate. It will be here tomorrow. Can't wait! 😀

I also managed to bag a unused 1981 670mm Chesterman vernier height gauge the other week as well in mint condition with box and everything. 2018 is looking like a proper job 😀

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

Posted by James Wilkinson 3 on 10/01/2018 19:20:03:

Hooorah! I bought one on Friday from Chronos as well, SCT 400 x 250x 80 Granite surface plate. It will be here tomorrow. Can't wait! 😀

I also managed to bag a unused 1981 670mm Chesterman vernier height gauge the other week as well in mint condition with box and everything. 2018 is looking like a proper job 😀

Excellent.

I hope you are as pleased as me!

Jim

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> 2018 is looking like a proper job

Or you'll end up miserable because now you can check everything you make you will see how wonky it all is…

Neil

[James Wilkinson 3Participant @jameswilkinson3]

Neil, I am a professional and it will be used as evidence against those who doubt my skills . Thankfully, I will not be using this gear to check my work, but to accurately mark out hole positions for the musical instruments I manufacture (Low whistles and penny whistles).

Cheers Jim!

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Believe it or not, even a thick (circa 150 mm) granite surface table will warp. My late employers ruined a large one (6' x 4&#39 by removing from the steel table frame, and leaning it against a wall. When replaced, some time later, it had warped!

That was a mistake costing well over £3,000!

One of my friends loaned one to a friend, who used it to lap the joint faces of a car engine manifold! And so ended another friendship

So treat them with care and respect.

Howard

[James Wilkinson 3Participant @jameswilkinson3]

I am very happy indeed with this surface plate! I made a box for it and it sits in the bottom part permanently with a piece of cork (3mm thick) underneath to ensure it is fully supported. I have lined the top of the box with cork as well. I purchased a selvyt cloth as well for cleaning before and after use. Only thing I will say is that when it came it had a very small chip off the edge, I think you can just about make it out in the pictures but it is no problem at all. Price is bang on. Happy days!

 

 

Edited By James Wilkinson 3 on 18/01/2018 22:14:40

Edited By James Wilkinson 3 on 18/01/2018 22:19:39

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Should they not be supported at three points?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by not done it yet on 19/01/2018 09:13:25:

Should they not be supported at three points?

.

For "anti-rocking" stability, three-point support is ideal … but that does permit the risk of the plate sagging under its own weight [minimised by selecting the right three points, but never zero].

Otherwise; distributed support, as provided by James's cork sheet, should be good.

MichaelG.

[Author]

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