From: Robert Bastow <teenut@home.com>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Faceplates advice/opinions
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 12:27:27 GMT

Hi Boris,

I isn't often you are presented with the golden opportunity to have a bit 'o kit
EXACTLY to your liking..so it behooves taking a close look at your options and
what you need.

Having recently gone through the same exercise with the faceplates for my own
11" lathe here are my thoughts and conclusions.

Firstly, a single faceplate will not cover all you requirements..so this large
one of yours should be made and reserved for use on "large" bits.

That means that you can go ahead for starters and bore a hole right through it
as big at least as your spindle bore.  Bigger even!  It si surprising how many
jobs have a big boss or somsuch on the back that you need to "lose" in order to
bolt the important bit to the faceplate.

But when you bore this big hole, counterbore for a plugging plate with a
retaining flange.  You could make this out of the cut off boss.  Drill and tap
for csk retaining screws and bore the center for a half inch dowel to act as a
set up refference.  Finisch machine the two pieces as a unit.

You could go a step further and make the center plug in two or even three
steps..so you can select the center hole size to suit the job.

Location/set up aids:  Mill 1/2"wide x 1/8"deep, slots across the faceplate..Six
of 'em..four at 90 deg and two extra to form a 120 deg set with one of the other
four.  Drill and tap these slots so that you can fasten in locating keys as
required

Forget through slots and tee slots...They look pretty but are never in the right
place!!!

Drill and tap the face plate with a matrix of 3/8 - 16 holes.  Figure out a
pattern that includes both a diametric and a chordal (Square) pattern. Drill as
many as you can!!

Counterbore each of your tapped holes and ream 3/8" diameter for 1/4" deep. This
will allow you to use dowels in the same holes for locating purposes.
Occasionally one or more of your set up screws will be called on to provide a
torque stop, so it is a good idea to have the pressure taken on the cylindrical
shank rather than on the root of the thread.

Now make an 8" and a 5" to match!  8^)

Teenut

Good luck

boris beizer wrote:

> I picked up (ugh) a big unfinished backing plate for a chuck yesterday.  11"
> diameter, 1.25 thick, with a 5" diameter x 4" boss for the spindle hole.  I
> making a faceplate out of it for my 12" Clausing (1.5 x 8 spindle).  Finally,
> a faceplate that's big enough.  I don't intend to use this for working between
> centers with a dog -- my smaller face plates are fine for that job.  This is
> strictly for setting work up for boring and faceplate machining.   I will
> machine the blank down to a simple plate 1.125 thick and 11" in diameter.  The
> big boss would just increase the overhanging weight and increase the tendency
> to chatter.  The 1.125 thickness is more than adequate for the 1.5 x 8
> spindle.  I'll use the cut-off for some other spindle tool.
>          Here's the opinions I seek.  What should I do with respect to
> T-slots, through-slots, and threaded holes?  T slots would be 1/2", through
> slots 3/8" and threaded holes tapped for 3/8-16 -- all picked so I don't have
> to get new clamps, fixtures, etc.  Here are some pros and cons as I see it.
>
> Through-slots: Pro:  Easiest to machine, flexible to use.
>                         con: unless I hollow out the back, the plate can't lie
> flat for set-up.   Harder to adjust, things can wander.
>                         How many slots (I already have a 5" 4-slot and a 7" 6
> slot)?  Eight slots?  What pattern?
> Drilled holes:  Pro.  Easy to machine.  Rigid.  Not very flexible.
>                        Con:  very easy to ruin. I don't have an edm to take
> the broken taps out -- have to sweat out tapping all those holes in cast iron.
> T-slots.           Pro.  Rigid.  Flexible.  More than enough room for 6 slots,
> but also for 8.
>                        con: hardest to machine.  Weakest.  The metal on this
> blank seems a bit more porous than I'd like.
> Other?           Can't think of any but am open to suggestions.
>
> Combination?  Infinite variety possible.  So what are your  favorites and why?
> If you were making the ultimate11" faceplate, what would your choices be?
> Why?  What have you done/bought?
>
> Boris
>
> -------------------------------------
> Boris Beizer Ph.D.                 Seminars and Consulting
> 1232 Glenbrook Road                on Software Testing and
> Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006        Quality Assurance
>
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