Massive Starrett Surface Plate Score!

[dr_clyde]

So, I got lucky this weekend. I acquired this wonderful surface plate for my shop.

Its a Starrett Grade AA Laboratory, and is absolutely huge, at least for my needs. It measures 56" x 30" x 8.5", and weighs close to a ton.





When new, a Grade AA Lab plate is ground flat to a tolerance of: Laboratory Grade AA = (40 + diagonal squared/25) x .000001" (unilateral). In the case of my plate, this works out to a fuzz better than .0002 flatness over the entire surface. I doubt it still is exactly that, but its way flatter than anything else in my shop.



There are a couple blemishes on the legs, but the top appears unmolested. The best part is, I didn't set out looking for a plate this saturday. I was helping my machinist friend do some re-arranging, and discovered that he didn't have any room for the plate anymore. He asked if I wanted it. I asked how much, and he said; FREE. For that price, I can live with a few dings on the sides.

 

[Dust Devil]

10k ?

 

[dr_clyde]

10k what?

 

[Dust Devil]

That plate new 10K$ Or pretty close to it.

 

[dr_clyde]

Oh ok. I didn't price a new one. I knew it would be expensive though.

 

[Dust Devil]

Big bucks for that, you scored.

 

[drivesitfar]

Dr.: it's good to have friends like that and also having the machines to move it at his place and yours. find a good spot for it and you are right about it being flatter than anything you already own.

I'm picking up a cast iron 3 x 4 foot surface plate this week and not sure i'll ever get the full use out of it, but like yours i thought i had to own it and mine was a bit more $ than yours.

that thing is awesome and your machinist friend must have some pretty cool machines in his shop.

 

[dutchgray]

A great score that, would make a great coffee table although it would be sacrilege to use it for that.

 

[Steinmetz]

A great score that, would make a great coffee table although it would be sacrilege to use it for that.

A vibration-free coffee table.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I think he *****!

 

[e30bradley]

you ****!

 

[A_Pmech]

Very nice score!

I was on the phone with Challenge Precision recently about a new plate for the shop. Soon!

 

[dr_clyde]

Dr.: it's good to have friends like that and also having the machines to move it at his place and yours. find a good spot for it and you are right about it being flatter than anything you already own.

I'm picking up a cast iron 3 x 4 foot surface plate this week and not sure i'll ever get the full use out of it, but like yours i thought i had to own it and mine was a bit more $ than yours.

that thing is awesome and your machinist friend must have some pretty cool machines in his shop.

You would be right, its very good to have friends like that. My friends shop is extremely full. I'll see if he will let me take some pictures. Lots of cool machinery. He's a generous guy, and very talented.

 

[BigMike782]

Shazammmm, that's a nice Mayberry coffee table

 

[zkling]

A great score that, would make a great coffee table although it would be sacrilege to use it for that.

How about a super flat garden bench?

 

[nine4gmc]

Call me Fred Flintstone, that would be my bed!!

And...YOU ****!!

 

[madcrisis]

YOU ****!! That thing is awesome!!!

 

[dr_clyde]

It's nice if you have a use for it.
if it's just stuff in the garage...ANYTHING would be better.

While I don't need a plate of this quality and size, I was halfheartedly looking for a plate to augment my machine shop. So, it fits the bill quite nice.

 

[sberry]

Hard to beat the price. Get a Lexan or plexi top, make table.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Call me Fred Flintstone, that would be my bed!!

And...YOU ****!!

At least your posture would be rock solid...

 

[Exceller8]

I hate you, you ****, and yes I'm jealous as hell! Congrats!!!

 

[tarbellb]

Pretty jealous, im doing some welding right now and wishing my table was much flatter then it is.

What do you think youll be using it for mostly? I ask because while a granite surface plate (specially a free one) looks tempting I wonder for my use, mostly welding fab, how useful it would be?

Either way, enjoy and serious suckage.

 

[bobadame]

I've never said these words to anybody but, YOU ****!

 

[dr_clyde]

Pretty jealous, im doing some welding right now and wishing my table was much flatter then it is.

What do you think youll be using it for mostly? I ask because while a granite surface plate (specially a free one) looks tempting I wonder for my use, mostly welding fab, how useful it would be?

Either way, enjoy and serious suckage.

I wouldn't really want to use it for welding. I have a pretty nice fab table for that. I have already used the plate for checking alignment of some weldments, however.

I plan to use it as a layout table for my machine shop, as well as doing some inspection and measuring. I commonly have to reverse engineer really old parts to re-manufacture, and it really helps to have a flat reference plane.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Nice Score. Nothing says I'm serious about stuff being flat like an enormous surface plate.

 

[Steve from Socal]

That is a fantastic plate, it looks like it started life as a base for a coordinate measuring machine. I really like the legs! Standard surface plates are just big slabs of granite, the legs for them are the steel base the plate sits on. Not only is that a very functional plate it is cool as hell. You **** 30.00 HG

Steve

 

[dr_clyde]

That is a fantastic plate, it looks like it started life as a base for a coordinate measuring machine. I really like the legs! Standard surface plates are just big slabs of granite, the legs for them are the steel base the plate sits on. Not only is that a very functional plate it is cool as hell. You **** 30.00 HG

Steve

Funny you should mention a CMM. It was part of a laser measuring system that got parted out. It sat on top of another plate that was roughly the size of a small car.

That part my buddy kept...

 

[Farmall450]

How about a super flat garden bench?

I kinda wonder how rain would look on it.
One uniform surface?

I conclude the OP *****!

 

[Exceller8]

I've been dreaming about the plate all night! Still pretty darn jealous...