Which surface plate?

Nice picture Tadd.

Chris
 
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Would a grade B plate be good for the home shop scraper or is grade A required

What do you plan on rebuilding? I have Grade AA plates, but I scrape jig bores and CNC machines and I need to scrape my straight edged to that accuracy.. But the mfg. says I need to use my AA in a temp control room which I don't.

If you are going to be using it in your garage to scrape occasionally a conventional machine Grade B should work for you. (see below)
A Grade B is 1/2 the spec needed.


Grade B +/- .0001" /12"
Grade A +/- .000050" / 12"
Grade AA +/- .000025" / 12"

When we scrape machines we have 2 standards
Conventional; Engine lathe, vertical and horizontal milling machine, surface grinder, shaper, planer, etc accuracy +/-.0001" /12"
I generally just say .0002 / 12" and skip the +/-/
Precision; Jig bore, jig grinder, CNC machining centers, precision surface and cylindrical grinders, etc. accuracy +/- .000025" / 12"
I generally just say .00005" / 12" and skip the +/-/

Price can be a factor too as a AA compared to a B, the price is 50% to 75% higher.
 
The plate is 425 pounds on a pallet according to the trucking company. Will be coming next week. I have a loading dock at work where it will be delivered. Simple process to then put into my truck. Would hockey pucks work for the three support points?
 
The plate is 425 pounds on a pallet according to the trucking company. Will be coming next week. I have a loading dock at work where it will be delivered. Simple process to then put into my truck. Would hockey pucks work for the three support points?


I would think so, but if they have some with it use them. Pucks are how thick 1"? Might be a bit to high.
 
Holland freight delivered the plate strapped to a pallet. Had them deliver it to the loading dock at my worksite. I was able to lower the dock and move it onto my truck via a pallet jack. Got it off the truck and into the shop with my engine hoist and leveler. Anyone considering ordering this size of plate needs to be PREPARED! Now to building a suitable cart.
 
Richard,

You mention using a piece of leather to spread the media. I've always used a piece of dense felt to spread the media. Dad always did it this way and I guess that's how he was taught. I will agree, felt will leave lint once a while and have taken impressions smeared from the lint. I'll have to try the leather, I have a few belts that are too short for me now, I'll cut one up and try it.

Ken
 
I use a foam ink roller on V's and Flats and a paint brush with 60% of the bristles cut off to get into dovetails. I've used hard felt but as you said it leaves lint. I have used a tongue from an old pair of boots and the thumb off an old glove. If you use the Canode Water based Inks (blue for blue and Yellow for the red lead highlighter. You can wipe things off with your hand feeling for the lint and dirt and I can't remember the last time I had blue stains on my fingers from using the Dykem High Spot Ink. But as I have said many times. I don't care what you use for a scraper, your equipment, your techniques, your ink as long as you get the same results in the same amount of time... That's all that really mattesr.
 
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