# How does a 12x18 granite surface plate for ~$25 sound!!!



## anotherBob (Oct 28, 2009)

Hi all,

Stumbled on this somewhere tonight:

Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies
use promotion code: PFSMAR

This is the one I got for $24.95:
Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies

Hard to believe, but it's 70lbs, and *FREE SHIPPING* for who knows how long. Minimum order size is $25 for the free shipping, so I added a pint bottle of "surface plate cleaner" for like $3. This is alot better than a sheet of thick glass for scary sharp sharpening... can't wait till it arrives...


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## r32 (Feb 19, 2010)

I'm a total newbie, but what are they used for and what is their usual price range?


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## Swallow (Jan 13, 2010)

anotherBob said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Stumbled on this somewhere tonight:
> 
> ...


Well if the stats on the plate are correct and you can get it to your door at that price I say go for it'.
But I have seen some of the imported plates be out as much as 5 thou on 24" and that like way far to much.


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

Looks like they have an over stock of grade B, When I was in the trade we couldn't use grade B, .0002 would be out too far. A couple of tenths here and a couple of tenths there can cause a lot of PITA when ya go to assemble a 20 or 30 cavity injection blow mold; all them tenths add up. :moil:

I have a pink rock 24 x 24 two ledge 4" thick accurate to .00003. Or at least it was since I'm not in that trade any more I don't have to get it certified every year; my guess is it's still close though I take good care of it; it stays covered all the time unless some one ask what it is.

Makes a good conversation peice now, every once in a while I use it but not that much any more. 

Good buy though.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Not sure what good it would be in a wood shop, unless you use it for sharpening. Grade B is about hobby grade though. Your table saw top is probably all you need.
When I repaired precision tools, I used a AA lab grade. Overkill for a hobby shop.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I hate to dampen your enthusiasm Bob, but the price tells it all. Save your money, for similar "accuracy" go to a glaziers and ask them to cut you a piece of plate glass from a damaged shop window, I did just that many years ago and still have it albeit rather scratched after so many years of work. I use it with a height gauge also for flat sanding by placing a full sheet of sand paper on it.


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## anotherBob (Oct 28, 2009)

r32 said:


> I'm a total newbie, but what are they used for and what is their usual price range?


Hi r32,

I'll start at the end and work my way back ok...

Check out the video here.

The following answer is a quote from the plane maker on the web when asked how the plane was honed:



> "Actually I do know the specifics of the sharpening procedure. Jameel and I are always trying new sharpening methods and recently we've come upon a method that certainly helps in creating these kind of results.
> 
> The initial grind angle is 25 degrees either hollow or straight doesn't really matter. The iron is then jigged to create a slightly higher angle when creating the primary bevel on 15u psa backed 3m micro abrasive film, the burr is wiped off on a piece of 5u film and then the honing jig is tweaked to increase the honing angle by one degree thus creating a micro bevel on the bevel side with the 5u film and any burr created at this stage is once again wiped off the back on a piece of the 5u film. Then the jig is tweaked to create an additional 1 degree steeper micro bevel that is created on either 1u or .3u film. The iron is worked bevel and back with the finer film and then is not just SCARY sharp it is FRIGHTFULLY sharp.
> 
> ...


This is where I have purchased my 3M film in the past:

3M Micro Abrasive Film for Scary Sharpening - PSA
3M Micro Abrasive Film for Scary Sharpening - PSA at Tools for Working Wood

A couple articles on "Scary Sharp" found on the web... google will show you more though:

How to Hone a Chisel - Fine Woodworking Video

Getting an Edge with Waterstones, Oilstones, and Sandpaper
Different woodworkers use different sharpening methods
Getting an Edge with Waterstones, Oilstones, and Sandpaper

So, rewinding to the beginning... you use a surface plate to maintain a flat surface onto which sandpaper is mounted to grind/hone your chisels and plane irons and such. hth... 

@Swallow, jd99, AxlMyk - ya, I wasn't expecting an AA slab at that price...  If it's out a couple thou from the corners, it'll be fine for my purposes, it'll be out far less @ around 3" at any point when a honing jig is holding a plane iron or chisel. Ought to be flat enough...

@harrysin - good advice sir, but I already have a 1/2" thick x 4" x 30" glass plate. A fellow at the the local glass shop gave it to me for I think ~$2. Problem was... I managed to loose it till this last weekend... , now I'll have a good backup.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

I just went down to my local orange box and paid $2 for a 12 X 12 granite floor tile. For a hobby woodworker it works just fine.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Work Sharp™ WS3000 Tool Sharpener and Accessories - Rockler Woodworking Tools

The wheels are 1/2" thick glass, once the blade is sharp you can see your reflection on the edge..now that's sharp...

I and a another member got it 18.oo bucks on a misprint sale...so to say it pays to read the posted items on the forum..

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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

> I and a another member got it 18.oo bucks on a misprint sale...so to say it pays to read the posted items on the forum..


Oh quit gloating BJ! 

Yeah I love my mine-cost-way-more-then-BJ's worksharp! But I got mine as a gift for Xmas so I can't complain!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Deb

Now who's gloating  :dance3::dance3::lol:

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CanuckGal said:


> Oh quit gloating BJ!
> 
> Yeah I love my mine-cost-way-more-then-BJ's worksharp! But I got mine as a gift for Xmas so I can't complain!


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## Sqrhead (Mar 25, 2010)

*Granite Surface Plate*



r32 said:


> I'm a total newbie, but what are they used for and what is their usual price range?


Granite surface plates are perfectly flat, extremely hard surfaces that make an excellent backing for putting a razor sharp edge on tools. They are also very heavy - not something you would think of as "portable". I purchased one a couple of years ago from Grizzly when I got tired of my table saw top rusting. The shipping was more than twice as expensive as the granite. This is a really good deal if you are in the market for one.


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## r32 (Feb 19, 2010)

Thanks for the explanation Sqrhead. I went to Grizzly's website and found them. Holy @##! they are heavy! And the freight is like shipping rocks or something. LOL. I can see why they would be good now. Chalk that up as the one thing I learned today. Woohoo 

Everything else has been ho-hum usual par. Errands, work, lunch, work, work.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Worksharp 3000: the leather wheel and the green jewelers rouge put an amazing edge on a blade


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

CanuckGal said:


> Oh quit gloating BJ!
> 
> Yeah I love my mine-cost-way-more-then-BJ's worksharp! But I got mine as a gift for Xmas so I can't complain!


I dunno, Deb... Those 50+ routers had to cost *something*! <g>


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

CanuckGal said:


> Oh quit gloating BJ!
> 
> Yeah I love my mine-cost-way-more-then-BJ's worksharp! But I got mine as a gift for Xmas so I can't complain!


And the last time I was in Denver, Bob didn't have an extra one waiting for me to take home. Bummer. :'(


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Yeah Mike at that price BJ should have bought one for all of us.:lol:


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

CanuckGal said:


> Yeah Mike at that price BJ should have bought one for all of us.:lol:


...or at *least* offered to sharpen all our *tools*!! :haha::haha:


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## DerekO (Jan 20, 2010)

BigJimAK said:


> ...or at *least* offered to sharpen all our *tools*!! :haha::haha:



Now that sounds even better....what is his address?  

I have my first set of chisels and want them nice and sharp....did scary sharp on them, 4 steps, 220, 500, 1000, 2000 but really not sure how good of a job I did as it was my first time ever. Had to do it free hand too. Got some regular knifes that need a touch up and some that just plain came dull.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

DerekO said:


> Now that sounds even better....what is his address?
> 
> I have my first set of chisels and want them nice and sharp....did scary sharp on them, 4 steps, 220, 500, 1000, 2000 but really not sure how good of a job I did as it was my first time ever. Had to do it free hand too. Got some regular knifes that need a touch up and some that just plain came dull.


This weekend I couldn't stand not honing my new planes while working on my RT cabinet so decided to at least take a step in that direction.  I got out my glass strips and affixed my SS sandpaper and ground a 1" Marples Blue Chip chisel (as a test) to scary sharpness... Along the saw I managed to shave off two *very* thin flaps of skin on a finger, so thin they didn't bleed. At least as sharp as any razor blade.

I have the Veritas sharpening guide and it makes a no-brainer out of sharpening; it holds the blade at a consistant angle throughout the process and then lets you set a 1* microbevel with the 2500 grit paper. The bevel is tiny, but works as it should.

Now to fit the plane blades in.


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## anotherBob (Oct 28, 2009)

DerekO said:


> Had to do it free hand too.


The Veritas one that BigJimAK posted works very well, I have the same setup... also have this one:










from Woodcraft, pretty sure you can get them at HomeDepot too... maybe cheaper.



BigJimAK said:


> I got out my glass strips and affixed my SS sandpaper and ground a 1" Marples Blue Chip chisel (as a test) to scary sharpness... Along the saw I managed to shave off two *very* thin flaps of skin on a finger, so thin they didn't bleed. At least as sharp as any razor blade.


That sir, sounds frightningly sharp...


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## dirkost (Jul 8, 2009)

Hi Ho: I bought a 12 X 18 inch surface plate the last time we were at Grizzly in Washington. The interesting thing is that is was the same price as a 12 X 12 inch one. We probably don't use them like they were originally intended, but it is nice to have a good flat surface for a reference. 

The real use for these things is as an anchor for the workbench. One or two on the lower shelf plus a metal working vice really keeps the bench put.

Dirk


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