mfisher
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2006
- Location
- Annapolis, Maryland
I have found many threads talking about cutting a granite surface plate down, but have not found any that have actually done it. I hope this thread does not suffer a similar fate.
Background:
After taking the 3 day Maryland / Tuckahoe scraping class with Richard King (which was well worth it, although regretfully I could not stay for the full 5 days), I ended up with a mill table that was fairly well documented to be worn in the middle (big surprise there). Not having a large surface plate or straight edge long enough for the table, I have been on a search for said items in order to finish up the work. This is not my day job, so picking up the phone and ordering was not in the cards.
After looking for a while, I came across a Craigslist 'find', the past history of which is a bit foggy as to how things got into the state they are. It involves some aircraft part shop in western Maryland, a retiring machinist, who then later passes away, and the cleaning out of the shop which resulted in the plates sitting under a rollback in the drive. That's about all I know there.
Two Scherr-Tumico Ultra-Flat surface plate, one 24x36x4, and one 18x24x2 3/4. They are both, well, let's say far from pristine.
I do not know if sitting buried down 1" in mud counts as being well supported at their airy points. Maybe. Kind of like grouting something in place?
Number of chips on their edges and sides (which are beveled).
Many chips in the surfaces, along with some rust stains and grease.
Many scratches of all depths for most of the surface.
Neither sticker had an accuracy or grade listed. Whatever they might have been, they are not any longer.
As a rough start, I plan on trying to print one against the other, just for grins, not sure if anything can be learned from that.
Now, as to the question:
I will probably keep the 18x24 plate, and try to qualify it in some way.
The 24x36" plate however... I have a local stone shop that has a 18" blade automated saw. In first discussions, they gave the impression that slicing it up into pieces is not a big deal, and they can price it per cut pretty easily. Their first guess was reasonable. They also have the ability to grind the surface, but with a 1.5" stone on a robot arm, and would have to make several passes, but could do it. They of course cannot give any sort of accuracy numbers, since they go for 'shiny and smooth'.
I will take the plate over to them, and get firm costs, but if it actually does pan out, is there any market for straight edges made from slicing a surface plate? I was going to go with around 10 pieces, 35" long (clean off the bevel end), 4" high and either 1.5 or 2" wide. Maybe with two holes, each on center line about 30% in, about 1" diameter? Just one surface, the top, would be original, others saw cut, but still fairly nice finish.
Again, I have not found any results from anyone actually trying this, so if someone has, please let me know the results.
Would there be any interest in 'rough' granite straight edge blanks? I know the price would vary with how accurate / good they turn out, but I could print groups of three to get an idea of accuracy (so some level at least).
Thoughts?
Comments?
Flames?
Thanks in advance for any and all.
I have not found much on the Scherr-Tumico plates, don't seem to be too common, but in general the company made good quality.
Matt
Background:
After taking the 3 day Maryland / Tuckahoe scraping class with Richard King (which was well worth it, although regretfully I could not stay for the full 5 days), I ended up with a mill table that was fairly well documented to be worn in the middle (big surprise there). Not having a large surface plate or straight edge long enough for the table, I have been on a search for said items in order to finish up the work. This is not my day job, so picking up the phone and ordering was not in the cards.
After looking for a while, I came across a Craigslist 'find', the past history of which is a bit foggy as to how things got into the state they are. It involves some aircraft part shop in western Maryland, a retiring machinist, who then later passes away, and the cleaning out of the shop which resulted in the plates sitting under a rollback in the drive. That's about all I know there.
Two Scherr-Tumico Ultra-Flat surface plate, one 24x36x4, and one 18x24x2 3/4. They are both, well, let's say far from pristine.
I do not know if sitting buried down 1" in mud counts as being well supported at their airy points. Maybe. Kind of like grouting something in place?
Number of chips on their edges and sides (which are beveled).
Many chips in the surfaces, along with some rust stains and grease.
Many scratches of all depths for most of the surface.
Neither sticker had an accuracy or grade listed. Whatever they might have been, they are not any longer.
As a rough start, I plan on trying to print one against the other, just for grins, not sure if anything can be learned from that.
Now, as to the question:
I will probably keep the 18x24 plate, and try to qualify it in some way.
The 24x36" plate however... I have a local stone shop that has a 18" blade automated saw. In first discussions, they gave the impression that slicing it up into pieces is not a big deal, and they can price it per cut pretty easily. Their first guess was reasonable. They also have the ability to grind the surface, but with a 1.5" stone on a robot arm, and would have to make several passes, but could do it. They of course cannot give any sort of accuracy numbers, since they go for 'shiny and smooth'.
I will take the plate over to them, and get firm costs, but if it actually does pan out, is there any market for straight edges made from slicing a surface plate? I was going to go with around 10 pieces, 35" long (clean off the bevel end), 4" high and either 1.5 or 2" wide. Maybe with two holes, each on center line about 30% in, about 1" diameter? Just one surface, the top, would be original, others saw cut, but still fairly nice finish.
Again, I have not found any results from anyone actually trying this, so if someone has, please let me know the results.
Would there be any interest in 'rough' granite straight edge blanks? I know the price would vary with how accurate / good they turn out, but I could print groups of three to get an idea of accuracy (so some level at least).
Thoughts?
Comments?
Flames?
Thanks in advance for any and all.
I have not found much on the Scherr-Tumico plates, don't seem to be too common, but in general the company made good quality.
Matt