Glass Platen

Walt2

Walt2

Joined
Mar 13, 2001
Messages
1,157
This is for the makers using glass platens. What was the noticable differences from metal platen to glass platen?
 
lack of friction. When I got the first glass platten and started to taper a tang I was amazed at the difference in the way the belt went. You can even hear the difference in the drive motor sound.
 
lack of friction pluss a steel platten will show wear after awhile where as the glass won't. I've used the glass plattens ever since they first came out. I am still using the same ones.
 
I put one on for the flatness, but I also notice the difference in heat. After quickly changing belts, it appears to be cooler to the touch than the steel was.
 
Ill be different here. I only used a full hard and 400 grit polished D2 steel platen 1/2 inch thick and a ceramic glass platen. I didn't notice any differences besides slightly less heat on the glass. In the end I prefer the steel platen. After 6 months I still have not had to surface it. It wont break and scare the crap out of me if I press to hard like the glass could. Also If I ever did need to surface it it is very easy to do. I soaked it at 1850F for about 30 minutes and plate quenched with no temper.
 
Difference was night and day for me.

Wears MUCH MUCH slower than mild steels, and even slower than hardened steel according to other makers I've talked to. Stays flatter for much longer.
 
I went to glass because my mild steel platten was getting worn and grooved. Not good for flattening things, so went to glass and while it does wear slightly it is wearing much much slower than the mild steel underneath was.
I am currently getting about a year w my glass plattens before needing to replace them. Upside is last time I got my glass from Usa knifemaker it had a beautiful radius on the edges which instantly made my plunges much better.
 
I switched last week and it seemed to me that I was able to make the grinds faster than before. Do not know if it was my imagination or not.
 
I have been using glass as well but only seem to get a month out of it before it breaks. Don't know if I'm using the wrong kind of glass or just abusing the one I have.
Jim
 
The glasds oners do wear , but much slower than the hardened metal ones. Place a straight edghe bon them and some light behind. You must be using the wrong glass or have va warp in you backing piece. I have never cracked one but have had to nreplce bthem because of a shgallow groove forming at the level I do my contour grinding. The glass can be piroceran. Don't try regular plate glass, please. Frank
 
Jim hope your not using regular glass, you want to be using pyroceram which is glass that is used for fire place/ wood stoves. I have been using pyroceram for several years and I have been real happy with it except when I get shocked from the static shock from the belt LOL. Next time I replace mine think I will see if I can figure a way to get a copper ground wire to contact the belt to dissipate the static charge.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I am not sure what kind of glass it is but I will try to find some piroceran glass and give it a try. I am also going to harden some 0-1 and give that a try as well.
Thanks again
Jim
 
I've been using glass (from USA Knifemaker) and have been VERY happy with it. The steel one I had on my small grinder before I replaced it with glass wore out very quickly. I've been using the same piece of glass on the small grinder for over a year now.
 
regular plate glass works just fine . I do my rough flat grinding on the steel platen and then use one with the glass on it to smooth and finish . Get about a year of work out of the glass and never had one break . Of course I do not do the rough work on it .
 
I have a few people that will use my grinder and I think someone uses it for profiling and other rough usage. That is most likely why the glass has been breaking. Do you use the piroceran glass for profiling and rough grinding or just for putting bevels on the blade?
Jim
 
I use pyroceram for both. I have a couple of platens and try to remember to switch to the profiling platen when I'm doing a lot of profiling, but it's the same glass either way.

Usually rough profiling will cup the edges but not break the glass. What will always break the glass it putting the screws that hold the platen in too tight. If the screw gets against the glass and is tightened it will break. A washer between the platen and screw will generally resolve the problem.

Gene
 
My only beef with my pyro-ceram platen is that static can be an issue. This is easily addressed.
 
i got a few pieces of the pyroceram glass today and glued them on 2 of my platens. I surface ground both platens before gluing the glass on. I hope this works.
Jim
 
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