Surface Plate

[olley]

I decided to treat my self to a surface plate, couldn't believe how cheap they are, got a 400mmx250mmx80mm £78 delivered its granite which is cheaper than cast iron. Haven't used one since I finished my apprenticeship in 71, think I can still remember how.
According to the blurb its within 2.13 microns (Bit less than a tenth of a thou) centre to sides, which will be easily accurate enough for me.

 

[Ditcha]

I decided to treat my self to a surface plate, couldn't believe how cheap they are, got a 400mmx250mmx80mm £78 delivered its granite which is cheaper than cast iron. Haven't used one since I finished my apprenticeship in 71, think I can still remember how.
According to the blurb its within 2.13 microns (Bit less than a tenth of a thou) centre to sides, which will be easily accurate enough for me.

View attachment 573266
View attachment 573267

Great deal that

 

[donkey]

WOW, you are one happy chappy, so what exactly are you going to do with it?

Geoff

 

[funflair]

Little tin of "engineers blue" brings back memories …….. Just.

 

[pappajohn]

Gizza clue.
What's it for?

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[olley]

Around 1968-9 I saw a rolling ball clock in a jewellers, it fascinated me and I said one day I am going to build one, well that day has arrived.
I got the plans last year and and ordered some of the brass over xmas, which hasn't been delivered yet, its a long term project as the wife has other things for me to do.

 

[funflair]

I was looking at an atmospheric clock in a shop and reading the blurb and I thought "wow that's clever" then I realised it had stopped

 

[pappajohn]

Around 1968-9 I saw a rolling ball clock in a jewellers, it fascinated me and I said one day I am going to build one, well that day has arrived.
I got the plans last year and and ordered some of the brass over xmas, which hasn't been delivered yet, its a long term project as the wife has other things for me to do.

Paints almost dry!

 

[Spriddler]

At 78 quid I'd expect them to have drilled the holes for the taps.

 

[olley]

They only had metric taps, so I said leave it.

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[Lenny HB]

Looks a bit heavy for a plate, four of them in the Motorhome is going to eat into your payload.

 

[Burgo]

That brings back memories of hours using cast ones and dial gauges!

 

[andyman]

I found a 400 x 400 on FB last year, £40 Still in its wooden box never been opened.

 

[olley]

Scribing block I made as an apprentice. Somehow it survived.

 

[Taran_Las]

Surface plate definition ....... somewhere to place something while bashing it with a hammer

Bought a similar one about 15 years ago. £40.00 ​

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[Tea Bag]

brings back memories

Hi
White metal bearings.......?
Tea Bag

 

[68c]

Surface plate definition ....... somewhere to place something while bashing it with a hammer

Bought a similar one about 15 years ago. £40.00 ​

Heathen.

 

[Blackadder]

Oh the memories! Still got the toolkit I made as a 1st year apprentice - and still haven't found a use for the levelling jack!

 

[jockaneezer]

Still got my "Dutch Barn" toolbox I made back in '76, hand made hinges, all riveted together with "soft iron rivets". The "Footprint" style pipe grips we made still get occasional use too, although I've lost the knurled nut and bolt for them and have a 1/4" BSW job holding them together now.

 

[andy63]

I have a couple of old surface plates ..one I can hardly lift..and its been mistreated during its lifetime but still handy at times..
The smaller one which is still quite heavy I use for most of my marking out etc.. its well used but good enough for the work I do.. says on the label it is a grade A...so in its day I think that means a good quality plate..

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[1ten]

Blimey £78. I should start selling all our off cuts rather than sending them for crush!

 

[dazandandrea]

Talking of off cuts .
St/st bar
Aluminium bar
Aluminium plate?
Just wish i had a lathe or mill at home to use it all.

 

[bigwood]

I found a piece of thick plate glass in the my fathers workshop when we cleared it out. He used it as a service plate for all his marking out for the clocks he made.

 

[dazandandrea]

got more than enough to make something lol

 

[Stealaway]

OOOOhh Gimme Gimme Gimme- especially the aluminium

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[dazandandrea]

What size do you want lol

 

[olley]

What size do you want lol

That brass is worth a lot of money, here's what I have just paid.
2 Brass Sheet CZ120 1/8” (10g) 18” x 12” 168.48

4 Brass Bar 1” x 300mm 77.00
Post & Packing 26.69

 

[Reusables]

Scribing block I made as an apprentice. Somehow it survived.
View attachment 573311

Scribbling plate hey! ...found one of these in a skip a few years ago, looked interesting so I put it in the garage and forgot about it.
Now I know what it is.. but what to do with it?

 

[olley]

You need a surface plate and some marking blue.
You use the SB to scribe single or two or more parallel lines on something.
Say you want two holes at either end of a piece of plate, exactly the same distance from one edge.
Slap some blue on the bottom and place the plate upright, using a steel rule set the scriber to the height you want and scribe a line across.

 

[jockaneezer]

That brass is worth a lot of money, here's what I have just paid.
2 Brass Sheet CZ120 1/8” (10g) 18” x 12” 168.48

4 Brass Bar 1” x 300mm 77.00
Post & Packing 26.69

Some of those online suppliers prices are a bit scary, I needed a bit of chrome bar to repair a hydraulic cylinder so had a quick look online, it was gonna cost about £60, I went to our local steel stockholder and got an off-cut for just under £20.
Have you not got a metal stockholder local, those internet prices are a bit scary and then the postage on top too

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