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Aluminum Backplate

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fluxcored:
Hi All,

Can you please comment on the feasibility of using an aluminum backplate to mount a 160 mm 4 jaw chuck on a screw thread spindle.

I've got a little bit of scrap which I want to melt this coming weekend to produce a rough casting for a backplate.

Its mostly aluminum siding with motor housings and some hard disk cases thus keep in mind that the casting's aluminum is going to be of unknown pedigree.

Regards.

Bogstandard:
It will definitely be too soft to withstand being taken on/off, plus the pressures being put on it during cutting. Either the spindle nose threads will shave material off, or the metal will deform under the rigours of machining.

For something like an RT mount, then that would be OK, as it will be working under lower forces, but for a lathe, I personally wouldn't use it.


Bogs

fluxcored:
Allright, I'll just have to save up and order me some steel blanks then.

Thanx.

John Rudd:
I thought cast iron was the preferred material for backplates?

fluxcored:
I heard so too, till I saw a guy on the net making his out of mild steel.

As I'm currently building my house without a home loan, I've been trying to save money visiting the scrappies looking for suitable flywheels or barbells to make a backplate out of, with no luck. Which is why I hoped the ali idea would fly.

I'm happy to go with CI, I like doing things right the 1st time around - or at least I try to.

I'm still a few weeks off, really badly needing a backplate. Am in the process of setting up to cut a change gear to cut spindle nose thread and still need to make a few parts to achieve that. So I've got some time to save up or find some suitable scrap material.

Regards.

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