A Quest For An Aluminum Plate

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Buffalo20

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I have 4 steel milling machine fixture plates

1 - 12" x 12" x 1/2" with (120) 1/2"-13 threaded holes
1 - 12" x 12" x 1/2" with (100) 3/8"-16 and (110) 1/2"-13 threaded holes
1 - 16" x 16" x 1/2" with (256) 1/2"-13 threaded holes
1 - 16" x 16" x 1/2" with (200) 3/8"-16 and (200) 1/2"-13 threaded holes

These were made up over a few years, for various jobs, while very flat, they were never ground (ungodly expensive). I've used them many times to hold oddly shaped parts. Last week I could have used a bigger one, so I decided to make a larger aluminum one. So the quest for an aluminum plate.

We have one of the largest aluminum plate cutting operation in the state, here locally. I went to see the manager, Mark, saying I was looking for a piece of 5/8" aluminum plate, about 12" x 24" or 16" x 32". There was nothing in the drop section, even close, but there is a job coming in that will yield a piece approximately 16" x 48" x 3/4", that at this point is not earmarked for another order, to be cut to the 16" x 32" size, plus the drop for future use. So that my piece, the plate is to be in next week, with the original order to be out the door by the end of the month, so I should be able to get it around 8/30.

Then the drilling and threading will start, approximately (150) 1/2"13 thread holes in a 2" square grid.
 
A question, why would you drill and tap more holes then any single job requires?I do not understand this, please explain.
 
set the machines up, do the plate and be done with it. the last thing I want to do is stop in the middle of the job and drill holes in a fixture plate.
 
I am with Wreck. I was going to make a catch plate to go on a back plate for turning between centers, but then remembered that every time I need to work between centers none of my dogs will fit the job and all have different extensions beyond the work. I decided to hell with it. When I need a setup, then I will make it. When it needs to be modified, I will modify it. A blank plate is like a blank artist's canvas. It can be anything you want. Once a bolt pattern has been drilled on a fixture plate, many of the places you might want a hole for a setup have been compromised by all the other holes. In my book, more options is more better, and drilling a hole or three to set something up exactly like you need it is not a big deal. YMMV.
 
I made this aluminum face plate for lathe work, 34" in diameter.
Drilled and tapped it for the first job, the second, third, fourth jobs and so on until it has 100 or so holes now, never once have they been in the correct positions for a new part. There is no way to guess where mounting features need to be placed until you have the drawings in hand.

 
I also find that directly bolting work to a fixture or plate (or, even better, directly to the table and t-slots) is much more solid than using step clamps and the like, which are more likely to let the work slip around on the fixture. It also leaves less stuff in the way of getting to the work to cut it. My goal is always a rigid setup with a short tool reach. Sketchy setups make for iffy results.
 
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Wreck™Wreck said:
I made this aluminum face plate for lathe work, 34" in diameter.
Drilled and tapped it for the first job, the second, third, fourth jobs and so on until it has 100 or so holes now, never once have they been in the correct positions for a new part. There is no way to guess where mounting features need to be placed until you have the drawings in hand.

Click to expand...
That is a set up where my X & Y Trav-A-Dials would be very awkward to read.
 
My DP came with a pre drilled fixture plate, so I don't have the experience with making, vs premade. Seeing the plate is screwed to the table, making hole each time as needed would be a pain in the rear.

photo 2 (2).jpg
 
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