Surely you want something other than a point for your granite surface plate. But how big should it be? I have two surface plates, a DoAll 18" x 18" and a Grizzly (Chinese) 18" x 24". I am using 1.5" diameter, 3/6" thick washers at the Airy Points. Is that too large?
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How big should Airy Points be?
- Thread starter sccatech
- Start date
- Replies 5
- Views 2,124
The real Leigh
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2005
- Location
- Maryland
The fed spec discusses the support points, but does not define them.
Their size would be as required to support the weight, and depends on their construction.
They must be flexible, not rigid. I use machine support feet that are flexible.
They're about 1" diameter for small plates in the size range you mention.
As long as they're flexible, the actual Airy point is the point of rotation.
That's infinitely small (theoretically).
- Leigh
Their size would be as required to support the weight, and depends on their construction.
They must be flexible, not rigid. I use machine support feet that are flexible.
They're about 1" diameter for small plates in the size range you mention.
As long as they're flexible, the actual Airy point is the point of rotation.
That's infinitely small (theoretically).
- Leigh
The real Leigh
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2005
- Location
- Maryland
Whatever you use, it's extremely important that it NOT be resilient or compressible in any respect.
You don't want the plate level to change when you put a workpiece or tool on it.
- Leigh
Milland
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
- Location
- Hillsboro, New Hampshire
So something like this: "Swivel Leveling Mounts with Threaded Hole" from this page: McMaster-Carr , perhaps ideally with a heavy washer on top of the threaded nut part. Or, flip them upside down and screw the pad to the frame or bench the plate is mounted on.
I can't remember ever seeing something like these with two identical "foot pad" sides, that would be ideal for just having it rest on a bench. Maybe just take some large ball bearings and two each thick washers, dimple the washers with the right size ball endmill, and there you go...
I can't remember ever seeing something like these with two identical "foot pad" sides, that would be ideal for just having it rest on a bench. Maybe just take some large ball bearings and two each thick washers, dimple the washers with the right size ball endmill, and there you go...
The real Leigh
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2005
- Location
- Maryland
That's exactly what I do.
Take pivoted machine support feet.
Turn them upside down, so the foot bears on the underside of the surface plate.
The threaded shaft and nut provide a perfectly satisfactory height adjustment.
- Leigh
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