# DIY Epoxy Inspection Plate



## bikeabuser (Aug 12, 2012)

I've spent the last week going back through this entire section ... Very cool, and some great builds/ideas :thumbsup:

And,
I think I ran across something worth adding (via a find on another forum).

TableTopPlate

It seems that for very little money, a nice inspection table can be made, with fairly good accuracy.

Thoughts/suggestions ?
Anyone using this method, already ?

ETA: A bit about accuracy - Surface Plate


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## BigHank53 (May 19, 2011)

It'd work. There are a couple problems, though they can be worked around. The first is that this stuff isn't going to be cheap. Epoxies can easily hit triple digits per gallon. The second problem is that your new surface plate is going to be made out of plastic. Soft plastic. Sliding a height gauge over this thing....well, it wouldn't be an accurate surface plate for very long.

Now, you could figure out a way around that. But there isn't any way around the price. I'm currently using a 20" x 40" granite countertop. It was a piece of scrap from the local stone dealer, and I got it by asking for it. I doubt it's much flatter than .005"--probably fifty times worse than any commercial surface plate--but more than good enough for a bike frame.


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## bikeabuser (Aug 12, 2012)

Misread the pricelist ... Yea BH it's more expensive than I originally thought.
FP-90 $110 per gallon.

ETA:
BH,
How are you supporting that piece of granite ?


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## Chopshopchopper (Aug 18, 2009)

Search surface plate at hgrinc.com. Good ones can be found for $200. They had steel ones 3' x 6' for $400 a while back. If your close it would be the way to go. Or find an industrial surplus place close to you.


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## adarn (Aug 11, 2009)

Not to go too far off topic, but has anyone looked at using glass for this? Is it too fragile? Seems like you're not going to be banging stuff around on it too much, but it might work.


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## fixxer (Jan 26, 2004)

I was just looking into this the other day. I too was considering the Precision route, but it is kind of expensive. (I mean really, the whole reason to go epoxy is because it is supposed be cheap, right?)

Well I was looking through the cnczone forums and found some support for using table top epoxy to make a surface plate. Epoxy :*Kleer Koat Table Top Epoxy

For $40, you could have a 3'x5' plate 1/8" thick. Seems like one could build a table out of 2x4's and a relatively flat piece of 1/2" plywood and then coat it with this epoxy for a level surface. How level? I have to build it first, then I'll let you know.


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## bikeabuser (Aug 12, 2012)

fixxer said:


> I was just looking into this the other day. I too was considering the Precision route, but it is kind of expensive. (I mean really, the whole reason to go epoxy is because it is supposed be cheap, right?)
> 
> Well I was looking through the cnczone forums and found some support for using table top epoxy to make a surface plate. Epoxy :*Kleer Koat Table Top Epoxy
> 
> For $40, you could have a 3'x5' plate 1/8" thick. Seems like one could build a table out of 2x4's and a relatively flat piece of 1/2" plywood and then coat it with this epoxy for a level surface. How level? I have to build it first, then I'll let you know.


The FP-90 from that site has a claimed .003 inch accuracy over whatever size surface you pour.

I'm also looking at used slate from a pool table ... I can get 30-36x51 inch pieces (locally) for around $100, and the standard for such is .2mm or .008 inches.

I do think the epoxy will work, but you'll want a very stable base, that won't settle ... Just a thought.


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## BigHank53 (May 19, 2011)

> BH,
> How are you supporting that piece of granite ?


I built a plywood top for some discarded kitchen cabinets and laid my chunk of granite on top. Put some casters on the bottom as well so I can (a) move the surface plate out of the way, and (b) hopefully prevent myself from piling a ton of crap on top of it.

Using a chunk of plate glass isn't unknown. It should sit on something soft like a chunk of carpet in order to keep high spots in your workbench from distorting it. Set it up so there's a good way to look at a reflection on the surface of the glass--that's an easy way to see if it's bending.


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## bikeabuser (Aug 12, 2012)

BigHank53 said:


> *I built a plywood top* for some discarded kitchen cabinets and laid my chunk of granite on top. Put some casters on the bottom as well so I can (a) move the surface plate out of the way, and (b) hopefully prevent myself from piling a ton of crap on top of it.


Thanks !!!
I'm probably gonna try the slate, and absolutely go with casters.

Glass IMO is to flimsy without a very good base ... But I agree, it could be done.


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