On granite surface plate.

[Your Old Dog]

I was making out an order from use-enco.com to get my dovetail cutters and some drill rod for a project when I came across these granite surface plates. Think it was $27.00, 12"X18", certificated to .0001 accuracy and weighs 86 pounds. I didn't think much about it till I realized I was getting free shipping with this order because someone posted the free ship code !

Now I are the proud owner of a accurate surface. If I never use it I'm only out $27.00 but look at all the machine ambience I got for my money

I suppose in the summer it will help keep my sandwhiches cool while I'm working.

Told my wife we could damn near afford to put in a patio with them at those prices and free shipping,.

[Spin Doctor]

Just as curious note. I was at the local Big Box home center store and they had granite 12" x !2" tile for under 3 bucks. Just how flat are these things????????

[BobWarfield]

Spin, never admit to any other machinist that you asked that question!

YOD, I find my surface plate one of the handiest gizmos in my shop. You will need a few accessories, especially an inexpensive Asian digital height gage. Some 1-2-3 blocks are handy, and every once in a while the odd other metrology gadget. Buy it all on sale and on the cheap. Get some Dychem layout fluid and be happy about how much easier layout is with a surface plate.

Also, consider proper care. At least throw a cover over it, don't hammer anything on it (!), and try to keep the grit and chips off of it if possible. Don't clean it with anything that eats the granite either.

If you should choose to lay a patio with them, be sure to budget for a larger mill and lathe since you'll be able to layout much larger workpieces on your surface patio. LOL

Best,

BW

[pcarpenter]

Bob-- I don't own either yet (i only have a marking gauge), but of the two, I think I would tend to opt for a dial height gauge.

In doing scraping work and taking machine geometry measurements and needing to have a rough idea within a couple tenths, I have found that even a .001 reading dial indicator is able to be extrapolated within a couple of tenths...something that most of the inexpensive digital devices preclude. Most of them seem to round to the nearest .0005.

I have a .0005 and .0001 reading indicator that I am using now that I am down to that point, but there were several times in gauging tilt of the knee ways on my Bridgeport where slapping a .001 dial indicator on the ram and checking at several locations gave me a rough approximation of what I was dealing with.

I have several sets of dial calipers that I use in addition to my digital caliper for the same reason...although I am sure someone will remind me that is what a micrometer is for

[Your Old Dog]

Thanks Bob, maybe I'll clear out a corner of the shop and maybe hang a couple of spotlights above it, sort of like a stage or alter It's just awesome ambiance when you have a visitor to the shop and you can show'em it's papers of .00001.

I already have a set of 1,2,3's and several nice gauges. Just bought a digital gage that reads to 4 places and a magnetic holder for it. I also have the Starrett Layout block used on the surface plate with the scribe for layout. I was trying to think about how I might fashion a digital height gauge from the $15.00 Harbor Freight wonders. While that kind of accuracy isn't all that important to me I've observed that the level of my workmanship goes up as I start thinking in more accurate terms.

The rest of my Enco order came today. Some reamers to match the drill rod I bought, 3 dovetail cutters, 20 lathe cobalt bits, a 1 1/2 carat diamond stone dressor and a set of inexpensive set parallels and some other odds and ends. Enough to keep me occupied till my ankle is better.

By the way, the tool that surprised me as to how much use I'd get out of it is the Starrett 6" Machinist Level. I'm using it for all my mill setups and combined with a squre, I can use it to ballpark surface op's in the 4 jaw chuck on the lathe. I'm using it as a "comparator" and not so much a level. I think center bubble is within .0005 ! I'll never live to see the day my equipment is that level

I suppose to use the surface plate and height gauge I'll have to learn how to use Easy Cad so I can work from prints?

[BobWarfield]

You wouldn't have to work from prints. The surface plate and associated accessories is good for inspection too. In other words, for reverse engineering some part you need to reproduce or make an exact fit to.

Best,

BW

[Spin Doctor]

Spin, never admit to any other machinist that you asked that question! BW

Bob, I would never really think about using one of the tiles as a surface plate for close work. But for stuff where in the ball park (+/-.005 as in marking up stock for drill press or band saw work why not. That way if youy have an oops its no big deal

[Willy]

Bob, I would never really think about using one of the tiles as a surface plate for close work. But for stuff where in the ball park (+/-.005 as in marking up stock for drill press or band saw work why not. That way if youy have an oops its no big deal

I certainly don't have a problem using them for rough work.I didn't want to tell anybody either but they are surprisingly flat.Maybe I got lucky but the batch that I brought home from the local Home Depot will not allow a .001 feeler gauge under a machinist square anywhere on the tile except near the edges.
Now I can do my layout work on the kitchen floor and spend more time with the wife. Well other than that it makes sense.

[Your Old Dog]

Now I can do my layout work on the kitchen floor and spend more time with the wife. Well other than that it makes sense.

A real gentleman would get a bed. I don't care if there is more room on the floor

[outback]

Speaking of surface plates

I use a surface plate often but they always seem to be in the way. Small tools accumulate on them and ultimately roll off usually to the floor only to be found months or years later.



I cut a hole in my workbench top and made the surface plate "inlaid". It is only 1/4" above the workbench surface. I even calked the crack between the surface plate and bench top to keep dirt and small parts for falling through. Works great, the surface plate is always there but never in the way.
Jim