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Blanchard / Surface grinding or just machining

Manfred

Manfred

Active Member
Premium Member
Hi All

For the base of my DIY mill I have purchased a large piece of C-section steel. C10x25 26 inches long. The C-section is 10" wide, 26" long, web 0.526" and flange 2.886". 50lbs. https://www.advantagemetalservices.com/materials/carbon-steel/channel-chart/

I need the surface made suitably flat so can mount the linear rails, bearing blocks and z-column on it.

I thought this should be relatively easy. Just get someone to machine it to a reasonable flatness.

Well, not so fast. Shops that can machine the 26 inches struggle with the 10 inch width. Some of the machine shops that I have been to have suggested I go to Hamilton Grinding Limited or Eureka. Hamilton is very busy and may be able to do this in "weeks" while the voicemail at Eureka is full.

Anyone have any suggestions other than manually scraping? I'd prefer someone in the Western GTA, Tri-Cities or towards St Catherines.

Manfred
 
Manfred said:
Hi All

For the base of my DIY mill I have purchased a large piece of C-section steel. C10x25 26 inches long. The C-section is 10" wide, 26" long, web 0.526" and flange 2.886". 50lbs. https://www.advantagemetalservices.com/materials/carbon-steel/channel-chart/

I need the surface made suitably flat so can mount the linear rails, bearing blocks and z-column on it.

I thought this should be relatively easy. Just get someone to machine it to a reasonable flatness.

Well, not so fast. Shops that can machine the 26 inches struggle with the 10 inch width. Some of the machine shops that I have been to have suggested I go to Hamilton Grinding Limited or Eureka. Hamilton is very busy and may be able to do this in "weeks" while the voicemail at Eureka is full.

Anyone have any suggestions other than manually scraping? I'd prefer someone in the Western GTA, Tri-Cities or towards St Catherines.

Manfred
Click to expand...
If your rails are sufficiently rigid and your steel bed merely milled flat you can achieve good results if you install them in a bedding layer of slow cure epoxy. You'd tighten down each bolt while using and indicator to ensure the rail is level. The epoxy will fill gaps (especially if you use a filler in the epoxy such as glass beads and squeeze out at the high points to provide a pretty goof level rail.

So maybe a member with a bridgeport and a decent face mill would help you out?
 
While the photo is for a different job, the process might work for your project.

IMG_3612@0.5x.png

("blanchard" grinding a face using a rotary table and a flared cup wheel)

If your mill table will allow, after clamping and shimming the work, use a 4" flared cup wheel 320 grit at about 1000 RPM, taking slow light passes (0.0002-0.0005) with plenty of flood coolant. The 10 inch width of the part is covered by the 4" wheel ( 9" mill travel + wheel dia).

Now the flatness is nothing like what a good SG can do of course, but for your application as a linear rail base, I think it will be well within acceptable tolerances. Then of course scraping may be a second operation for final flatness if that matters here.

Patience pays.
 
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TorontoBuilder said:
If your rails are sufficiently rigid and your steel bed merely milled flat you can achieve good results if you install them in a bedding layer of slow cure epoxy. You'd tighten down each bolt while using and indicator to ensure the rail is level. The epoxy will fill gaps (especially if you use a filler in the epoxy such as glass beads and squeeze out at the high points to provide a pretty goof level rail.

So maybe a member with a bridgeport and a decent face mill would help you out?
Click to expand...
If someone has a large enough mill I'd be more than happy to supply the face mill and inserts.
 
Arbutus said:
While the photo is for a different job, the process might work for your project.

View attachment 59340
("blanchard" grinding a face using a rotary table and a flared cup wheel)

If your mill table will allow, after clamping and shimming the work, using a 4" flared cup wheel 320 grit at about 1000 RPM, taking slow light passes (0.0002-0.0005) with plenty of flood coolant. The 10 inch width of the part is covered by the 4" wheel ( 9" mill travel + wheel dia).

Now the flatness is nothing like what a good SG can do of course, but for your application as a linear rail base, I think it will be well within acceptable tolerances. Then of course scraping may be a second operation for final flatness if that matters here.

Patience pays.
Click to expand...
I'm trying to figure something like that out but I'm still building my mill - that's what the base is for. A bit of a chicken and egg situation. May end up rigging up something that can do the job. Agree that SG isn't necessary.
 
Give Oldershaw Steel a call. They’ll Blanchard grind up to, I think, 48” square. East end Etobicoke, near Royal York and Lakeshore. My recollection is they were pretty affordable.
 
My first thought when I read your question was epoxy pillars. Then I saw @TorontoBuilder's suggestion which I agree with.

The thing about slow cure epoxy is that you can use it with a release agent and some modelling clay dams to create mounting pillars where you need them and then wait till it starts to harden, then clamp down your rails as needed to be level with an indicator. You won't have enough time with fast cure, but slow cure will allow you to align the rails and then let it harden in place. Almost any good Epoxy will have excellent strength in compression. But I do like Devcon Plastic Steel.

I've had really good success doing that and I might save you a ton of cash you can use elsewhere.
 
I was considering using an epoxy, however, the steel still looks a it did coming out of the factory, slag and all.

Don't think epoxy onto slag is a good idea.
 
Manfred said:
I was considering using an epoxy, however, the steel still looks a it did coming out of the factory, slag and all.

Don't think epoxy onto slag is a good idea.
Click to expand...

It's not. But it doesn't have to stick. It's just a compression pad. You can also clean off spots where you need to and even drill some holes to provide anchors.
 
Stuart Samuel said:
Give Oldershaw Steel a call. They’ll Blanchard grind up to, I think, 48” square. East end Etobicoke, near Royal York and Lakeshore. My recollection is they were pretty affordable.
Click to expand...
More broadly, if anyone's looking for heavier steel cutting in the GTA, they're worth a call. CNC plasma and torch cutting, just heavy stuff (not sure what the thinnest they stock is, but I don't think they do sheet). One of those businesses with next to no advertising (that I've encountered), quietly chugging along with existing customers.

Edit: They made a website! New since I last looked them up 5-10 years ago. Looks like they do 10 gauge and up.
Oh, and if anyone uses them, my work's by the next main street over. I don't mind having stuff go there, and I can load it (well, up to 3000 lbs) after hours, if it helps.
 
I should be able to do it on my boring mill. I’m near St Catharines. Can you send a picture of the piece you need machined? My face mill is 10” I believe and I have a fly cutter to do around 20”.
20230820_084557.jpeg
 
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I did what Stuart suggested and took the piece to Oldensteel. Haven't got it back yet - but then I did tell them it wasn't urgent.

Appreciate your offer Martin, might just take you up on it depending of the workmanship I get back from Oldensteel.
 
Manfred said:
I did what Stuart suggested and took the piece to Oldensteel. Haven't got it back yet - but then I did tell them it wasn't urgent.

Appreciate your offer Martin, might just take you up on it depending of the workmanship I get back from Oldensteel.
Click to expand...
What'd they quote you?
 
Manfred said:
I did what Stuart suggested and took the piece to Oldensteel. Haven't got it back yet - but then I did tell them it wasn't urgent.

Appreciate your offer Martin, might just take you up on it depending of the workmanship I get back from Oldensteel.
Click to expand...
+1 we want to know the cost please.
 
One hour for grinding the 26 inch long C10x25 section, ie 10"x26" including machining the flanges parallel to the section surface. Rate is $130 per hour.

Have since asked for a quote on two pieces 3/4"x5"x26" and 1/2"x8"x13"to be ground on both surfaces. Both quoted at 1/2 hour each. Will keep you posted.
 
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