Hi mechman48 back
Well I finally got myself a granite surface plate
I paid a call to a local kitchen worktop supplier & explained what I was after & if I could purchase a dirt cheap piece of polished granite; the guy went off & came back with a super piece of black granite, 17"x 20"x1". it was a scrap piece cutout from a worktop, I asked what he wanted for it, he said it was out of the scrap bin anyway & he's only too pleased to get rid of it
needless to say I was chuffed.
It did have the cutout holes in two corners but with it being a freebie who cares
on the way home I noticed a builder just up the road from me in the process of building a bungalow & one of his guys was using using a stihl saw on the block paving..
being on a roll I asked if the guy could trim it for me, ..no probs! I hurriedly marked off the piece to what I considered a decent size..a quick cut with his saw & voila! a piece of polished granite 17"x18"x1". thanks to the builder gave him the price of a pint
Follow up - Having just recently received a digital DTI from Honk Kong(A damn site cheaper than UK prices & just as good quality) I did a flatness check on it, measuring from corner to corner..boy was I pleased, it measured virtually all over as 0.000" apart from two points which were 0.0005" & 0.001"low respectively & these were toward the outer edges anyway, I could confidently say this piece was 'flat', for anyones needs in model emgineering.I have att. pictures & drawing showing measurment process
The following show selection (4) digi readouts (Took 13 readings all told)..inc the low spots:
Have also got a belated crimbo pressie - more storage for my workshop setup, expensive but what the heck get what you can afford I say
(Of course with permission of SWMBO
) just the roller toolchest, already had the other stuff.
Well madmodders that's my update so far, will keep you posted on garage / workshop conversion (as suggested by SWMBO)
George
