Anybody know of a west coast shop that can grind or relap an existing surface plate for use as a reference standard for scraping machine surfaces and straightedges? I am thinking my OK ish grizzly Grade B surface plate could be upgraded to a Grade A or better for this use.
Thanks
Glenn B.
US labour rates don't care that the stone was cheap nor dear. so the closer to good, the faster and cheaper the vetting and touch-up.
First, "upgrading" a Grizzly plate, even if you are inclined to do it, may cost more than the plate did.
Second, it SHOULD be less costly to purchase a used plate of far heavier section that is either already a grade A in need of but vetting and "good enough" or at least more likely to hold any hired improvements for far longer years with lower risk it will need them again, soon.
Natural stone is natural stone ancient beyond human comprehension and not made by men, careless or keen, so it isn't as if Grizzly cannot have a good plate, but.
Most are not very thick, are they? "Real" Grade A are thick and heavy bastards. They need to be to hold what they are meant to be.
An "honest" Grade B, eg not grooved and munged in spots by years of careless nor "concentrated" by area use, should actually be all you need for a great deal of realistic work.
My B&S "B" would have been fine. It was, however, no longer "good all over", nor long enough for the longer SE's.
The ancient Herman 30" X 48" Grade A turned out to be astonishingly better and "good all over" than I had any right to expect for under $400. Former owners had taken rather good care of it, had the certs done year after year.
Old practice for machine castings was to leave them outside for a summer and winter or two. I'd be looking at the seller's other stuff to gauge if it's old surplus.
