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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Default A Simple Table for My Surface Plate

    Hi all,

    With the school holidays all but another distant memory and my SP showing signs of collecting dust, I figured it was about time to build a table for it.

    The table is going to be a no thrills affair. It will have adjustable feet and casters. The casters will engage the ground once the feet and screwed in, allowing it to be moved around. I really liked Bob's design (see here //metalworkforums.com/f65/t2024...=surface+plate with the cam lever, using it to lower and engage the wheels and I was going to copy it. Unfortunately, the casters I have for this job are a bit big, meaning the lower horizontal beam would need to be a fair bit higher which would mean I couldn't use it for a shelf.

    Anyway, The plate will be supported at the usual points, being the Bessel Points to minimise deflection of the plate under it's own weight. (Realistically, I'm sure I could support my plate at any location and it probably would not make any difference to me or my use but, it's just as easy to make it right as it is half right!)

    To support the plate I have employed 3 x 30mm ball bearings and made 6 sockets for them to sit in. Three of the sockets will be welded to the table frame (at the Bessel points) and the other three will sit on top of the balls with the plate resting on them.

    Some table designs have adjustment both at the feet and at the plate support points but I don't see any need for this. All the leveling adjustment will be done at the feet.

    Pics of the ball and socket arrangement so far...

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  2. #2
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Consider Likes sent!

  3. #3
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    Default

    I like those mounts! Were the 30mm balls pricey?

    Sent from my Nokia 8 Sirocco using Tapatalk

  4. #4
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    Default

    Thanks for the comments.

    Cask, they were about $6 each including delivery.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  5. #5
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    The frame is now tacked together. Its made from my usual 75x75x3mm RHS. This is the last of the recycled 75x75 that I had. Future projects will no doubt be made of a lighter material!

    Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  6. #6
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    Apr 2014
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    simonl
    where did you get the mounts
    cheers steve

  7. #7
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    May 2013
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    Rockhampton, QLD
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    Thanks for the photos.

    Ross

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by shaper07 View Post
    simonl
    where did you get the mounts
    cheers steve
    Hi Steve,

    The mounts are a 3 piece arrangement consisting of 2 pieces of 50mm BM bar, bored at an angle of 45 to give a cone shape of 90 included angle. These two cones are to house the 30mm ball bearing that I bought on ebay from here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Single-C...lKQ:rk:34:pf:0 for $6 each.

    The two concave halves were finished to the same depth on all three using a carriage stop, fixed cross slide and using only the compound set to 45. The top and bottoms were finished all in one go on the surface grinder to give the same height.

    The 3 mounts did not really need to be the same height as any level adjustment can be done from the feet of the table. Also the top mounts will naturally swivel under the weight of the plate to find their natural position. However given it's to hold a surface plate, I thought it was in keeping with the theme of precise tolerances. Besides, I often finish things to higher tollerances than needed, it's good practise for when it is needed.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  9. #9
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    Gee...your fussier than me...I just used 3 small blocks of waffle pad glued at the approximate spots....but I do like your mounts... maybe I should consider same as you have done.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by eskimo View Post
    Gee...your fussier than me...I just used 3 small blocks of waffle pad glued at the approximate spots....but I do like your mounts... maybe I should consider same as you have done.
    I'm no expert for sure but I'm sure a waffle pad would be fine. The main reason I have used a solid mounting system is so that if I want to use a precision level as part of a measurement system, I know that I will be able to level the plate to a satisfactory standard and know it won't move while I use the level.

    Of course what is unkown to me at this stage is how stable my standard 100mm concrete slab will be while walking around the plate when using my 0.01mm/m level.

    One thing I have failed to mention, the ball bearing idea I got from Stuart (Stustoys). Although he used a much more elaborate setup than me which included a super fine thread adjustment under the plate as well as adjustment feet. Also the load from the plate was transfered directly to the feet via vertical RHS.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  11. #11
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    Done a bit more in last few days. The frame is fully welded, although some of the welds are not my best work.

    I also made a start on the adjustment feet. I had some spare 1"-14 UNF bolts left from the log splitter project so figured they would be a good choice. I bought some 1" BM bar and threaded about 120mm of thread on each of the four adjustment posts.

    Still yet to decide what to use for the floor pads. Wondering whether one of the bolts lock tighted to the post would be fine.

    I have also been thinking about my design. Given that the three points that support the plate are attached to horizontal tube and not vertical posts that go all the way to the floor, I'm now wondering how much deflection or compliance I will have from the frame when in use. I'm predicting that my 0.01mm/M level will detect flex when I lean on the plate which is not what I wanted...

    I re-read a thread from Stuart when he made his plate stand. PDW reported that he was disappointed at the flex in his plate stand, which seems to be of a similar design to mine. Time will tell.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  12. #12
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    Two of the 4 leveling feet are now done.

    I turned a piece of 50mm BM bar 13mm thick and a 20mm hole and counter sunk the hole. I then turned a 20mm shoulder on the end of the 1" unf bar and chamfered the end. The Vee created between the two mating parts are then filled with weld and then faced off.

    Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  13. #13
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    Plate stand is mostly complete. I just have to organise a sheet of ply for the bottom shelf and I really want to create a single draw at each end of the stand. Actually I'm thinking of making a single draw that goes the full length of the stand. The draw will have a handle at each end and can be pulled open from each end. That way I will be able to pull the draw out a fair way at each end and still not have it fall out. I may put a divider in the middle to create two draws from the single draw carcuss.

    I also have to paint it. I could not resist the urge to test fit the plate and make sure it all works.

    I'm happy with the result.... mostly. Here's some feedback for others planning to build their own plate stand. If you want a seriously rock solid stand that you may want to level out with a precision level AND not show any movement of bubble if you lean on it, then stay away from the design I used. Even with 75x75x3mm duragal, I still get bubble movement from a 0.01mm/M level if I lean at one end. The only way to reduce this is to have the vertical legs of the stand under each of the support points of the plate. This means a plate stand with three leveling feet, one under each of the supports of the plate. This way all the load is transfered directly to the ground, no flexing.

    Of course this has other consequences, namely a reduced storage area and draw size for storage of plate related items. I guess it's a classic case of that fact that everything is a compromise. I was hoping for extra storage so I went down this path.

    Some pics of the nearly finished product getting acquainted with it's plate. Just have to figure a way to remove the slings when I'm done!

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  14. #14
    Join Date
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    Are your slings long enough to have them double, that is both ends on the hook?
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  15. #15
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    East Warburton, Vic
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    I’ve got some longer slings if you want to borrow them.
    Cheers

    DJ

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