How can I save this platen table?

**cvc9216** · 07-11-2012, 09:24 PM

Just picked up a well used, if not abused, Acorn platen table. Looks like they tacked the work piece to the table every time they used it for the past 40 years. At least half of the surface has had multiple tacked and ground spots. I don't need it to be perfect but it would be nice if it was reasonably flat. Is there anything I can do by hand? Does anyone know a place near MD/DC/VA/PA that can grind it? The table is 30" x 60", the one place I found on google couldn't handle a piece this big

**Forrest Addy** · 07-11-2012, 11:35 PM

Good score there. I always wanted a good platen and 30" x 60" is perfect for a small shop.

Got a heat-treat outfit nearby? Haul your platen to them and have them thermal cycle it to maybe 1300F. This will draw the hard spots. Next sand-blast and paint the back side if you wan't it pretty. If you don't care, don't.

Finally if actual flatness is important take it to a shop having a large vertical spindle grinder and have them clean it up. No grinder? Well that's why you ran it thorough the furnace: to draw down the hard spots to machiniabilty. A planer or a big milling machine can face it off. Probably cost $200 to $700 depending on personal connections, ability to whine, and the local market.

BTW arc strikes, grinder dings, rust, dents, crumbled edges, etc are run of the mill for welding platens. They are made to be used. The platen in the picture looks pretty good compared to some I've seen.

Got a range of platen tools? Acorn, Iron, Welding, Stands, Tables, Platens, Supplies, Equipment, Tools, Philadelphia, PA, Platen, Steel Round up a representative set and you can quickly fixture anything from a bird cage to a thousand ton press frame. These tools are easy to fab up.

**smdubovsky** · 07-11-2012, 11:55 PM

Keith at Total Shop Services down in Milford VA has a monster grinder.
Total Shop Services - Shear and Blade Grinding / Way Grinding

**cvc9216** · 07-12-2012, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by smdubovsky

Keith at Total Shop Services down in Milford VA has a monster grinder.
Total Shop Services - Shear and Blade Grinding / Way Grinding

excellent I will give them a call thanks

Originally Posted by Forrest Addy

Good score there. I always wanted a good platen and 30" x 60" is perfect for a small shop.

Got a heat-treat outfit nearby? Haul your platen to them and have them thermal cycle it to maybe 1300F. This will draw the hard spots. Next sand-blast and paint the back side if you wan't it pretty. If you don't care, don't.

Finally if actual flatness is important take it to a shop having a large vertical spindle grinder and have them clean it up. No grinder? Well that's why you ran it thorough the furnace: to draw down the hard spots to machiniabilty. A planer or a big milling machine can face it off. Probably cost $200 to $700 depending on personal connections, ability to whine, and the local market.

BTW arc strikes, grinder dings, rust, dents, crumbled edges, etc are run of the mill for welding platens. They are made to be used. The platen in the picture looks pretty good compared to some I've seen.

Got a range of platen tools? Acorn, Iron, Welding, Stands, Tables, Platens, Supplies, Equipment, Tools, Philadelphia, PA, Platen, Steel Round up a representative set and you can quickly fixture anything from a bird cage to a thousand ton press frame. These tools are easy to fab up.

I've been looking for a while and this is the first one that came up for sale reasonably close to me. Compared to some of the ones on ebay (for double or triple what I paid), this one isn't bad. I don't think heat treating it is necessary, I just want it flat. I'm not unhappy with the condition but it will live an easy life in my shop, tig welding only. I'm willing to take some time to clean it up and make it nice again.

**JRIowa** · 07-12-2012, 10:23 AM

There aren't that many large Blanchard type grinders in your area. At least that are in job shops. Why grind? Mill or turn that part. Chesapeake Machine has some large mill and a Cinci 84" vertical. Rose Corp. in Reading has 2 large King verticals and some huge milling machines.

The only place that might grind that I know of is Gaum in New Jersy. Call and get an estimate. Make sure you're sitting down.
JR

**Ries** · 07-12-2012, 11:42 AM

Acorn, which makes platen tables, is in Philly. They routinely regrind platen tables flat. Not sure if yours is really an Acorn, or you are just using that as a generic name, but call em up. Nothing like a factory rebuild.

Acorn, Iron, Welding, Stands, Tables, Platens, Supplies, Equipment, Tools, Philadelphia, PA, Platen, Steel

the other big manufacturer of platen tables is Weldsale, and they are in Philly too.
they also regrind platen tables.

Weldsale

**gwilson** · 07-12-2012, 12:02 PM

Why bother with it? You'll just mess it up again welding on it. Prolly cost more than it's worth to get it repaired. Years ago,they even made me pay for the cutter when I had a job done.

**blcksmth** · 07-12-2012, 12:24 PM

If flatness is not a major issue, use a 9" wheel in an offset grinder and lay it flat on the surface while slowly moving back and forth across and up and down the surface. Its not fast but it works.
Bob
WB8NQW

**cvc9216** · 07-12-2012, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by JRIowa

There aren't that many large Blanchard type grinders in your area. At least that are in job shops. Why grind? Mill or turn that part. Chesapeake Machine has some large mill and a Cinci 84" vertical. Rose Corp. in Reading has 2 large King verticals and some huge milling machines.

The only place that might grind that I know of is Gaum in New Jersy. Call and get an estimate. Make sure you're sitting down.
JR

I called Chesapeake, they seemed very helpful and even offered to come look at it to see if they could do it. Whatever process gets the surface flat again is OK with me

Originally Posted by Ries

Acorn, which makes platen tables, is in Philly. They routinely regrind platen tables flat. Not sure if yours is really an Acorn, or you are just using that as a generic name, but call em up. Nothing like a factory rebuild.

Acorn, Iron, Welding, Stands, Tables, Platens, Supplies, Equipment, Tools, Philadelphia, PA, Platen, Steel

the other big manufacturer of platen tables is Weldsale, and they are in Philly too.
they also regrind platen tables.

Weldsale

It is a genuine Acorn table. I contacted them via their website form, couldn't find a phone number. Haven't heard back yet

Originally Posted by gwilson

Why bother with it? You'll just mess it up again welding on it. Prolly cost more than it's worth to get it repaired. Years ago,they even made me pay for the cutter when I had a job done.

It will be used relatively delicately in my shop. If it's too much to fix, so be it I'll just hand sand it

Originally Posted by blcksmth

If flatness is not a major issue, use a 9" wheel in an offset grinder and lay it flat on the surface while slowly moving back and forth across and up and down the surface. Its not fast but it works.
Bob
WB8NQW

That's my last resort if I can't get it fixed locally or it's too expensive

**JB @ C and L Machine** · 07-12-2012, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by JRIowa

There aren't that many large Blanchard type grinders in your area. At least that are in job shops. Why grind? Mill or turn that part. Chesapeake Machine has some large mill and a Cinci 84" vertical. Rose Corp. in Reading has 2 large King verticals and some huge milling machines.

The only place that might grind that I know of is Gaum in New Jersy. Call and get an estimate. Make sure you're sitting down.
JR

JR...how does one from Iowa know my area? lol

**Ries** · 07-12-2012, 02:29 PM

Acorn Iron & Supply Co
(215) 922-7070

915 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19123

**JB @ C and L Machine** · 07-12-2012, 02:36 PM

FYI...I know the gentlemen that grinds for weldsale, and I have been asked to quote the larger tables that are not able to be ground on his machines.

**Forrest Addy** · 07-12-2012, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by cvc9216

... I don't think heat treating it is necessary, I just want it flat. I'm not unhappy with the condition but it will live an easy life in my shop, tig welding only. I'm willing to take some time to clean it up and make it nice again.

Look at my post again. Arc srikes and tacks in cast iron are glass hard. You said you wanted it flat and mourned no large grinders in your area.

Thermal cycling softens the hard spots resulting in a cleaner surface if ground and the possibility of a skim milling cut without expending a zillion inserts or having to take a cut deep enough to get under the hard spots reducing the thickness of the platen.

**atty** · 07-13-2012, 03:02 AM

This reminds me of my old '70 Chevy PU that I was going to get around to restoring, but then it dawned on me: I need a pickup. If I get it all clean and shiny, then I don't have a pickup anymore.

**kpotter** · 07-13-2012, 08:42 AM

I dont want a nice one because then I wont use it. Kinda like having a cherry table on your mill the first ding stands out real bad but once the table is hammered you just treat it like a tool. Too bad they look so nice when they are freshly ground.

**wippin' boy** · 07-14-2012, 03:11 AM

If flatness is not a major issue, use a 9" wheel in an offset grinder and lay it flat on the surface while slowly moving back and forth across and up and down the surface. Its not fast but it works.

if you do as described with a 7" (or 9) cup shaped wheel on a bevertail grinder.(emphasis on "keep wheel flat and move around") also called type 28

keep a straight edge handy and it will end up flatter than you need it.
its very possible that you have no real deformation of the overall flatness just a bunch of grind dimples that will do little to affect the flatness of most projects
little bumps throw stuff off, not little voids

**cvc9216** · 07-14-2012, 09:06 AM

From the quotes I've been getting, looks like I'm going to have to go with the grinder option. ^Thanks for the info, I didn't know about that type of grinding disc

**JB @ C and L Machine** · 07-14-2012, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by cvc9216

From the quotes I've been getting, looks like I'm going to have to go with the grinder option. ^Thanks for the info, I didn't know about that type of grinding disc

For shits and giggles...what are the quotes coming in at?

**reggie_obe** · 07-14-2012, 10:31 AM

Since this platen isn't exceptionally large, would surfacing it on a planer (if you could find a large enough one locally) with a single point tool be the cheapest way to go?