Question about platens...

S

SkaerE

Joined
Sep 9, 2001
Messages
428
right now mine is just angle iron. i need something better cause the plunge doesnt look the same from one side of the blade to the other. im pretty sure its because the platen isnt exactly the same from one side to the other. maybe hardened steel or pyroceram?

anyhow, about the placement of the platen. currently my pushes out on the belt (the belt does not run straight down from one wheel to the other, it is pushed out by the platen) is that a bad way to run my belt? would it be better to have the platen run inline with the two wheels?

thanks
 
Install a pyroceram platen liner. That will give you the same edges on both sides. Just make sure to bevel the top and bottom of the pyroceram, to ease the belts way.(220-400grit)
It is not a problem to have the platen extend the belt. Better that way than it being slightly behind the belt. That way will not give you good grinds.
 
ok, great! how thick is the pyroceram material? the belt is currently extended about 1/2'' - 3/4'' or so. i guess i would just epoxy the pyroceram over my current platen making the total extension about 1''?

still ok?
 
My Bader B-2 has an angle iron platten. The angle iron had different edge shapes on the left and right sides. I laid some welding beads to build up both sides/edges of the platten using 6011. Then I milled the face and both edges flat and square. By building up the edges I had 2.003" platten width after milling. Still works great.

I know a person who milled their platten without building up first. After milling his platten was undersize in width. He has to change belt tracking to left and right sides while grinding much more than I do.
 
Pyroceram is 1/4" thick. You could possibly slot the angle iron to adjust it in a little if it is causing you problems.
You get the pyroceram the length of your platen. Just epoxy it on. I used Devcon 2 Ton.You can also use JB Weld.
 
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