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But why not just buy a new plate?

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We were wondering if there was a cheaper way. Seems like these suggestions would be much cheaper, but now the question is, Is it really worth the hassle?

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Ken, they cost like $12. Like John said, buy a new one...unless you like to tinker. But smashing the thing with a sledge hammer seems like a lot of work to me and not too accurate.

Frank
 

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Posted by Chris Markiewicz (Member # 1415) on 11-21-2003, 05:02 PM:
 
$12? not for a Christie plate!
Silver solder works just fine.
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-21-2003, 07:01 PM:
 
Note,

These plates are made of brass and don't need that big a hammer to do the work...if it takes you more than a couple seconds, you took too long! As to flatness...I always ran the file across the face of the plate to ensure that...also...using a good solid surface to do the peening will yield good results. BTW...you'd be amazed at how far you can expand the plate!

Steve
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-21-2003, 07:36 PM:
 
"But why not just buy a new plate?"
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Actually Simplex and Century plates are about the only 12.00 plates left in the world!! DP-70 plates list at a hundred bucks while Christie and some other dual aperature machined brass plates are not far behind the DP-70's pricing.

Mark
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-21-2003, 08:49 PM:
 
Hmmmm, sounds like a job for Mueller's Atomic Machine Shop!

(Maybe Greg could make undersize plates that are actually undersized too! Strong can't seem to do it.)
 

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Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 11-21-2003, 10:14 PM:
 
The last time I checked Strong Mellinium plates were $36
 

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Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 11-21-2003, 10:25 PM:
 
And sometimes it's just one side or an edge that needs to be filled out a little. I really don't know any one who likes to file plates... if you can save a plate, I'm all for it.

It would be nice if someone could make an aperture filing machine. Something where you could just shave a little off at a time, then just file the curve.
 

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Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-21-2003, 11:58 PM:
 
Hundred bucks for the Norelco plate? And that really is just a plate; nothing pressed or embossed or anything. Only the notch and the hole require any degree of precision.
 

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Posted by Daniel Braun (Member # 1869) on 11-22-2003, 12:34 AM:
 
asfhosdighlbngf,.dfm,cdfnmmldfdf
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-22-2003, 11:17 AM:
 
The Norelco plate is a bit more than just a plate. They are still, stamped, cut, bent, engraved and painted.

Remember too...just how many DP70 plates do you think are sold in a year? Nobody is going to get rich on them.

The Simplex P-8005 plate is indeed rather reasonably priced and lists in the $30-$40 range...considering it is two plates in one...very resonable.

Steve

[ 11-22-2003, 10:15 PM: Message edited by: Steve Guttag ]
 

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Posted by Peter Mork (Member # 1336) on 11-22-2003, 07:39 PM:
 
I have done it this way: mixing up some high-temp epoxy cement (JB Weld is my favorite), smearing some on aluminum foil, folding the foil to make a cement sandwich, cutting off a narrow strip and cementing it to the plate; the folded edge is straight and makes a dandy new edge that, when hardened, can be filed if needed. Quick, and it holds up to lamp heat surprisingly well.

But I like this idea of pounding them out - must try it.
 

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Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 11-22-2003, 07:50 PM:
 
I make my own for the Noreldo (damn, shouldn't have said that). At first I used aluminum, then I switched to hard brass. I know the originals are curved slightly, but I haven't had any problem with just using flat stock. I took a while to figure out, a lot of cutting and fitting, but eventually I got it right and made one for each format I could think of, so they'd all be in reference to each other. Sounds screwy but it works. Ultimately less than $100 per
 

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Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 11-24-2003, 01:41 PM:
 
Mark G. beat me to a response....

First, Century and Simplex plates are dirt cheap, just replace the damn things if they are really bad....

As for Christie plates....pretty damn expensive. And ya, if they are messed up, high temp silver solder will do the trick. Ideally, any reputable jewler should be able to fix, seeing as how high temp silver solder will require the use of a jewlers torch. A Bernz-O-Matic might work, but it is going a little overboard for this purpose. Just beware that the cost of repair might equal that of buying a new plate.

Christie plates are too damn expensive for what they are, gee whiz, the material only costs a few bucks. The hyped up cost is probably due to cnc shop time. In reality, these plates are more suited to a cnc converted Sherline mill...or a cnc converted Bridgeport. Another way to reduce cost...investment cast the damn things...through this process...Christie would definately turen a profit at $15.00 a pop.

In another post, someone mentioned "special aperture plate files". No such thing...in other threads where we spoke of tools for the booth, I mentioned the use of Grobet nontapered "safe" files...as well as how to properly use and care for files.
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 11-24-2003, 02:08 PM:
 
What's the going rate for Simplex PR-1014 (non-turret) plates? Last I checked, they were significantly more than Century "C" or "SA" plates (~$7 the last time I bought them).
 

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