Base plate needed UK

[Jem]

Hi all

Is there anyone on here in the UK that may have a spare bit of aluminium suitable for use as a projector baseplate?

I need something 250mm x 132mm. Thickness somewhere between 6mm x 12 mm. Cut to size would be preferable.

If you have something suitable and are able to cut it to size please get in touch by PM stating price.

Many thanks

Jem

[LaNeK779]

jem try these guys mate, i have had a couple of pleasant transactions with them in the past
they even shipped to me to the other side of europe. i think david was the guy that i was talking to

http://www.forwardmetals.co.uk/

[danielbriggs]

How soon do you need it Jem?
I'll have a root around.

[Jem]

Thanks for the link Chris

@Dan. No particular hurry, this is just for a little ongoing project. If I could get a baseplate I was going to try to have something knocked together for the Surfleet meet

I once got a baseplate cut at metal supermarket, but they guillotine the sheets and the flatness of the plate gets spoiled. Also with guillotining there's untold stress introduced into the metal, not good for alignment, as the plate heats up alignment goes out.

Cheers

Jem

[danielbriggs]

Ok, I'll let you know tomorrow.
Is it just a plain plate, or do you have a drawing with all the required hole sizes and locations?

[Jem]

Hi Dan

A plain plate is absolutely fine. I've not finished planning what I'm going to put where exactly

Cheers

Jem

[tonyaztec]

Jem.

Are you able to cut it?

I have had some from this guy before, or I could cut it for you.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176mm-x-25...8ea9072&_uhb=1

Tony

[Jem]

I wouldn't have a hope in hell of cutting 10mm aluminium

Thanks Tony. I'll probably be needing another baseplate shortly as this particular one is just for a 'side project'. Nice to know that contact, and thanks for the offer of cutting, do you use a water jet?

Cheers

Jem

[tonyaztec]

No water jet I'm afraid, I know a local guy that sorts it for me.

[kitatit]

hi Jem, you can cut up to 50mm ali plate with a circular saw. It's quiet a common practic.
Here is a blade http://www.milwaukeetool.com/accesso...ing/48-40-4530 they aren't that hard to find.

Lubricate the blade with bees wax or another lubricant that prevents the Ali chips from sticking to the blade.

Clamp it down well, use masking tape to protect the surface, ear muffs and safety glasses and you are set.

For 10mm plate, a safer and and more accessable method is a jigsaw. Use a course metal blade and lubrication. People often use kero.

My preference, is buying it cut to size as their machine will do a nicer cut. Buying it cut to size can be surprizingly cheap. Go for a place that sells thick plate. There is no way you can gillotine 40mm plate. that way you know they have the purpose built saw table for the job. If you buy it from a sheet metal supplier that only goes up to 10-12mm, they will probably only have a guillotine. Ali a usually sold buy weight so thick plate isn't necessarily expensive. I'd say it would be around 10GBP ish.

They usually have lots of pesky scrap pieces that need a home too.

Good luck Jem.
Kit