Granite Surface Plate: Drilling & Cleaning

[John Winston]

I want to install a BB post on my new to me surface plate (Mojave 36x48x6). (anyone got an extra post?)

Should I through drill or drill for inserts? Best method/tooling for a success?

As far as cleaning, what are VS peeps doing?

What should I avoid?

Hey, thanks in advanced-

John

[OhYeah Bicycles]

I drilled some granite last week for my table.

1st hole, no problems... 2nd hole, still working on, lost the grit on my hole saw. Aggravating... but I guess I will have to slow down my drill even more. Gonna order a new core bit soon, but another 45 bucks just to make hole gets to me a bit. Then what do I do with the bit? In the drawer for a decade until I find a use.

5/8 diamond grit core saw. (McMasterCarr) 10 inch arbor I made out of a grade 8 screw (local bolt supply store). Set up has some run out but one you get going it works fine. My hole only needed to be in a round about location on the table

Set up my drill press table to be flush with the bottom of align table. Rather... vise versa.

Posted some pics on last weeks friday night lights... i have more.. and some video if you are interested... Let me know.

Problems: Drill press only has 4 inches of travel and my table is 4.5 inchs thick... Tossed in a spacer, chucked up as tight as i could and that got me a bit further. Last eight inch i used a hand drill and took it slow while rocking bit back and forth a bit so it could catch on some material.

Little bit of a mess because i kept my saw wet the entire time.

Gotta keep cleaning out the core saw.

Make sense?

[anthonymaietta]

I want to install a BB post on my new to me surface plate (Mojave 36x48x6). (anyone got an extra post?)

Should I through drill or drill for inserts? Best method/tooling for a success?

As far as cleaning, what are VS peeps doing?

What should I avoid?

Hey, thanks in advanced-

John

I just drilled a 1 1/8" dia hole in my 10" thick table last Saturday. I went to Home Depot and rented a hammer drill for 4 hours (the min). They supply carbide tipped bits for free with the rental (~$57/4hours). I drilled a 1/2" hole to start, and jumped right up to the 1 1/18". I was shocked how easy it was considering the level of quartz in my slab. Shop>HD>Drill>HD>Shop in like 2 hours. Have a friend help spot your perpendicularity.

[anthonymaietta]

As far as cleaning, what are VS peeps doing?

Starrett granite cleaner. Don't use water (from what I hear).

[OhYeah Bicycles]

I just drilled a 1 1/8" dia hole in my 10" thick table last Saturday. I went to Home Depot and rented a hammer drill for 4 hours (the min). They supply carbide tipped bits for free with the rental (~$57/4hours). I drilled a 1/2" hole to start, and jumped right up to the 1 1/18". I was shocked how easy it was considering the level of quartz in my slab. Shop>HD>Drill>HD>Shop in like 2 hours. Have a friend help spot your perpendicularity.

My experience with hammer drills steered me away from using one because they tend to create unwanted chips on the surface at the start of the hole and especially at the back end of the hole as they break through. Never used one on granite so that concerned me even more and I steered away from it.

As of yesterday, the idea has popped into my head to use a hammer drill to finish my second hole just to avoid waiting for a new core saw in the mail and even more so to avoid the potential loss of grit on the saw again. Since my hole is already started I would not have to worry about chipping on the top surface.

Anthony... worked well it sounds. Did you experience any chipping or do anything to minimize this? Any pictures of the completed hole?

[John Winston]

Thanks fellas.

Just got the plate today. What a beast! 1122 lbs of granite and I'm guessing 300 lbs of stand. Glad I don't have to move this everyday.

Anthony/Justin- how much oversize are you going on the hole?

[OhYeah Bicycles]

I picked up the Bringelli suite... and his whipping post attaches with at 1/2 bolt/course. Drilled at 5/8s to be safe... Felt if my set up was at all off perpendicular with a 1/2" or even 9/16 it would compromise a flush attachment.

I know all about moving those beasts around. Bought mine in Buffalo, NY just before I moved to AZ. Makes it a fun task when you don't have friends in the area to help you move it. I should have taken pictures of the ramping system I devised to get it off my trailer. Felt like an Egyptian slave moving that thing around. But hey, I proved a saying my father taught me to be true. "With a big enough lever I can move the world." Actually, I didn't even break a sweat. With a 5' 2x4 you can INCH that thing along anywhere you please.. that is if time is on your side.

Justin

[anthonymaietta]

My experience with hammer drills steered me away from using one because they tend to create unwanted chips on the surface at the start of the hole and especially at the back end of the hole as they break through. Never used one on granite so that concerned me even more and I steered away from it.

As of yesterday, the idea has popped into my head to use a hammer drill to finish my second hole just to avoid waiting for a new core saw in the mail and even more so to avoid the potential loss of grit on the saw again. Since my hole is already started I would not have to worry about chipping on the top surface.

Anthony... worked well it sounds. Did you experience any chipping or do anything to minimize this? Any pictures of the completed hole?

I actually used a cordless drill with a regular jobber bit to start the hole. I burned up a new bit making about a 1/4" deep divot, but it was perfect for keeping the hammer bit from walking. There is a fairly big chunk missing from the bottom of the slab, but at 10" thick its not an issue at all. I drilled a 1 1/8" diameter hole for a 1" - 5 acme threaded rod.

[Craig Ryan]

Tony, do you think it might have helped if you'd have drilled in from the bottom for a little bit? Something to help keep it from breaking through.

[John Winston]

Thanks for the direction-

[steve garro]

. "With a big enough lever I can move the world." Justin

not without a fulcrum - Garro.

[OhYeah Bicycles]

not without a fulcrum - Garro.

True... good point. establishing a pivot point for my lever was actually the only main issue that I ran into. might be a bigger problem when it comes to moving the world.

[EricKeller]

actually, you don't really need a fulcrum.

[OhYeah Bicycles]

actually, you don't really need a fulcrum.

? please explain

[EricKeller]

ok, so technically the floor is a fulcrum if you are lifting something with a lever.

[WadePatton]

ok, so technically the floor is a fulcrum if you are lifting something with a lever.

exactly. you have a fulcrum with the floor. the "longer lever" argument needs a fulcrum too. the floor is not good because it is part of "the world"--which is the work to be moved. get it?

and you don't need to drill a hole in your granite. a post can be attached by sandwiching the granite with steel. i started that way and then found the cast iron table i'm using now. yes, i do have an extra post but you've never responded to any of my attempts at communication yo.

[Kevin Maxwell Ostrom]

Wade,

Was your sandwich method just clamped together or did you make some other attachment method? What was the reason for changing your system?

I want to be able to use my table for other projects and was thinking of making a clamp for my post so that removal would be easy.

[John Winston]

and you don't need to drill a hole in your granite. a post can be attached by sandwiching the granite with steel. i started that way and then found the cast iron table i'm using now. yes, i do have an extra post but you've never responded to any of my attempts at communication yo.

was thinking just this. Attaching post to another piece and clamping to plate.

ZING yo! Missed a response to your last communication. All others replied.

Thanks VS for playin-

[WadePatton]

Wade,

Was your sandwich method just clamped together or did you make some other attachment method? What was the reason for changing your system?

I want to be able to use my table for other projects and was thinking of making a clamp for my post so that removal would be easy.

i think i had 3/8 flat steel on top and 1/4 angle on the bottom--scraps yo. one can flush mount the post and have it over the table and bolt outboard of the slab. shim that puppy vertical and go to it. the post i have is too short for rear triangle work. i dreamt it up and my buddy made it at his work from 4140. my second post is better, but i need to trim some off for stay clearance.

3wfab: aye, maybe so, i have no record or recollection of it now (my inbox got cleaned out--only goes back to aug). maybe i cornfused you with the guy somewhere near nashville who builds a few. i meet the "locals" at nahbs-go figger.

back to drilling. talk to the monument folks. if they don't do it, they'll know who can. some builder reported hiring an outfit who showed up with a suction-cup drilling fixture--poked the hole, got their money and left. no moving and only a little watery mess. _that's_ the way to go.

mine method is a bit crude (with the overhanging metal), but functional and a good option for those of us who eschew places with rush hours and such.

[wbarocsi]

I bolted my BB post on a 1" surface ground steel plate, and use clamps to hold the plate onto the granite. It was originally going to be temporary
until I drilled the plate, but it has worked so well, that I doubt I'll change it.

Wade Barocsi
CycleDesignUSA.com