[BIG IGG]

How many of you have a sub plate on your machine. And if you do what size is it. I know that someone sells a steel plate but i do not have 2500.00 to spend on a plate. I was thinking of an alum. one with a 1/2-13 hole pattern on it.Maybe like 1.25 or 1.5 think

[Steve Seebold]

I don't have one on my PCNC 1100, but I made one for a haas VF7 about 10 years ago.

I put the holes on 2 inch centers and staggered the pattern. The first row was on 2 inch centers. The next row was over and up 1 inch. Then I filled the holes with set screws (672 of them).

[dneisler]

I have a love hate relationship with mine. I have the smaller tosa tool one.

[smokediver576]

I've been looking into the same this week for my 1100. Just cannot pull the trigger on the high end plate and am also concerned as to some of the "issues" Tosa had a few months ago. Since I've not heard much here on the boards I'm assuming they get everything fixed which would be great since I think they have some outstanding products! For me, I don't need quite the accuracy that some of you do but having a fixture plate would help my operations out in so many ways. Let us know where you get your plate from and the price/size you go with.

Later,
Awall

[dneisler]

I first bought the cheap economy plate and was not pleased at all, I sent it back. Tosa made a agreement with me and I got the smaller Good plate for the 1100. So Tosa was stand up to work with and prompt. I have no issues with the new plate, but it sure is a hassle sometimes keeping all the holes clean, even with the inserts you can get from Tosa.

[smokediver576]

So Tosa was stand up to work with and prompt.

When did you order yours?

[dneisler]

I have had it maybe 6 months or so now. I do not recall exact date, but it was last summer or so.

[BIG IGG]

Yeah i will keep you guys posted. Just really started. One company i worked for had 1.5 thick alum plate with a 1/2-13 pattern on it and i really liked it I was thinking 1.25 thick my 1100

[Concepts_Design]

I have the 12 x 34 one from Tosa and love it, couldn't imagine doing some jobs without it. I got mine about a year ago and was one of the people that kept getting the run around from him but in the end he came through and was very apologetic about the whole ordeal, I would imagine that he wouldn't allow himself to get into another situation like that again. I was able to snag it when he had a 25% discount on them so with the plate was about $1,600 which does still seem expensive but it saves a ton of setup time. Plus the fact that the tolerances are actually so tight, it makes machining pieces larger than the travels much easier. I usually put the solid model of the plate into my CAM assembly when doing large pieces so that makes everything much easier to see the layout of the part and clamping and how the part needs to be rotated. Every time I've taken the plate off and put it back on it was always within .0005 and I've randomly checked dowel pin locations, usually about 7.50" apart and they've never been more than .0005 out and that's well within tolerances he advertises taking into account hole size, location and dowel pin tolerances. I makes swapping out the vise and 4th axis a breeze.

It's a lot of money upfront but over time it sure pays for itself. I personally wouldn't make one out of aluminum, too soft. My plate has taken a couple drops of the vice and not even a ding in it.

[IMT]

I made my own from Mic6 aluminum 28x18x1.5. Bought the material pre-ground on both sides and cut to size. I did a 1/2-13 pattern, 2.5" on center grid with another 2.5" grid staggered 1.25" in x and y. The bolt holes on my Glacern 6" vise are 5" centers and the super spacer 4th axis are 7.5". I use SS set screws to plug the unused holes.
It has gotten dinged up a bit over the last 3 years, but it is easy to stone the high spots down. It it gets bad enough I will pull it and have it re-ground.

[CadRhino]

I cote the bottoms of my vices with lp2 yet if I leave them in for weeks at a time there is a good chance staining will start.
I use and like koolmist so a plate is probably not something I will get anytime soon unless there is a way to prevent corrosion below.

How many of you have a sub plate on your machine. And if you do what size is it. I know that someone sells a steel plate but i do not have 2500.00 to spend on a plate. I was thinking of an alum. one with a 1/2-13 hole pattern on it.Maybe like 1.25 or 1.5 think

[R.DesJardin]

I made my own from Mic6 aluminum 28x18x1.5. Bought the material pre-ground on both sides and cut to size. I did a 1/2-13 pattern, 2.5" on center grid with another 2.5" grid staggered 1.25" in x and y. The bolt holes on my Glacern 6" vise are 5" centers and the super spacer 4th axis are 7.5". I use SS set screws to plug the unused holes.
It has gotten dinged up a bit over the last 3 years, but it is easy to stone the high spots down. It it gets bad enough I will pull it and have it re-ground.

This sounds like a good idea. I bought some mic6 to make mine out of. The hole pattern hole are seldom in the right spot but you can make do. Layout for your favorites is a great place to start.