Can anyone machine 2mm stainless steel plate for a small project? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2019, 10:46:14 am
content: Hi,I'm not sure where else to put this, but it is a sort of project so here goes..I have an electrosense.org setup I'm installing at home and as part of the antenna installation I need to attach a few guy wires to the mast for the antenna.Problem is, the 38mm (1.5") diameter stainless steel pole I am using doesn't fit any of the guy wire attachment brackets available here in Japan, because who needs a stainless mast anyway?So, does anyone here have the capability to machine a 2-3mm thick disk of stainless steel, say 80mm in diameter, with a 38mm (plus a bit for clearance) hole in the middle and a few holes around the 'donut' for guy wire attachment?I'll draw up a dxf a bit later to illustrate exactly what I need.I can pay via paypal with a bonus of internet delivered gratitude.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2019, 10:54:19 am
content: I would see what laser-cutter places are in your area, I regularly use a local one and there prices are very reasonable

author: beduino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2019, 11:15:01 am
content: Not sure how big this thing is what you need, however I've attached images of huge oval chainring bike drivetrain made from 2mm stainless steel including freehub casette with laser cut.I takes less than 1 minute to laser cut each of these quite big oval chainrings 72T/56T/42T than grinder garage work and custom unique design made more than 11000km this year of road cyclingIt takes around a week in one of the company in Europe to fit into its production schedule with such small pieces of work but I do not complain - I get what I want made in Europe in stainless steel and it is cheapHacked Shimano Altus 13T-15T derailleur shifter custom gears ceramic bearings test cheaper probably more than 10x times than CeramicSpeedDXF need to be in milimeters - I use custom software to output DXF files based on parametric C/C++ programming, so I've designed those oval chainrings by using a piece of code rather than drawing

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 11, 2019, 12:04:37 pm
content: Beduino: Which company do you use?Just interested because they seem to accept low volume work.

author: beduino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2019, 12:56:31 pm
content: Quote from: voltsandjolts on November 11, 2019, 12:04:37 pmLocal company too small and so busy, that probably do not offer foreign orders via post office.I know them they know me and from time to time I send them via email something to laser cut.When job done I ride myself and pay in their office directly.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2019, 04:03:28 pm
content: Quote from: TERRA Operative on November 11, 2019, 10:46:14 amHow are you going to stop the part from sliding down the mast?In any case, you do not need to make that part at all. It is trivial to make some anchor points using rope or thick wire.Ask the Boy Scouts if you need help.E.T.A.: Not to mention you can get clamps that will work with a wide range of diameters.https://www.summitsource.com/Eagle-Antenna-Mast-Triple-Ring-Guy-Wire-Clamp-3-Way-Cable-Mount-Part-MTZ43A-P8746.aspx

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 12:06:58 pm
content: I have a clamp that will attach to the pole that the plate will sit on.Being a permanent installation, I want to use stainless steel for longevity, zinc or galv plating doesn't interest me at all.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 02:06:52 pm
content: You do whatever you want but IMHO you are overdoing it. Galvanized steel will last decades and even when the coating is gone the rusted steel will last decades more. There are TV antenna masts on top of my building which have probably been there for five decades. Rusty but still doing their job.Nothing is "permanent". You may want this to last a century but long before that it will be taken down because it ceased to be useful or ceased to be used or renovations or whatever. Are you sure you are going to be there and using it in 30 years? I wouldn't bet on it.You can use brass. You can use polyester or other plastics. I just don't see the need for this invention.But, anyway, if it is a whim of yours to have a stainless steel plate there I think you would be better off going to a local machine shop than to one around the world. Just my two cents.E.T.A.:Quote

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 07:21:32 pm
content: Stainless steel is notoriously difficult to machine depending on alloy. Some steels work harden, others exhibit surface tears. You will have major problems finding a machine shop for this job.Aluminium could be an option, but has galvanic corrosion problems with stainless.My suggestion would be to increase the thickness and use brass, which is easy to machine and has no issues with corrosion against stainless.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 09:27:41 pm
content: Or take the tube to the machine shop and have them weld some stainless rings onto it.No matter what you do the guys/stays will need periodic checking and adjustment.Me, personally, if I could use some cheap commercial hardware that is what I would use. If I was in a hurry or for any other reason could not use a cheap, commercial solution, I would rig something with galvanized wire and/or polyester rope. Whatever I had at hand.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 09:35:54 pm
content: Quote from: Benta on November 12, 2019, 07:21:32 pmA machine shop that can't cut a hole in some stainless isn't much of a machine shop

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 10:11:07 pm
content: I think the question really is how much it would cost to get it done and whether it is worth doing it when for just a few dollars you can get it solved with something sold off the shelf.

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 11:15:41 pm
content: Bi-metal toothed hole saws would work if you have a means of turning them slowly. Stainless doesn’t like too high of a cut rate and gets hot very fast; cutting fluid is highly advised.Alternately, a hole saw for the inner circle and a variable speed hand-held jig saw for the outer would work. I like stick wax formulated for metal cutting on things like jig saw blades and stainless formulated tapping fluid would be perfect for the hole saw.I can make it if I have the material, but the shipping probably won’t be worth the cost. What is the maximum thickness you want and will 304 stainless work, or does it have to be 316?

author: darrellg
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 11:27:00 pm
content: https://www.oshcut.com/can do the work, but it's across an ocean from you.

author: beduino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 11:30:14 pm
content: Quote from: TERRA Operative on November 11, 2019, 10:46:14 amDXF not needed to illustrate - sketch with dimensions is fine tooWelding stainless steel with special electrode gives nice clean path, so depending of shape needed sometimes it is possible cut a few parts using laser, than glue them together using welder, especially when it is not production of many of such things but rather something custom to have job done.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 11:46:38 pm
content: Quote from: Gregg on November 12, 2019, 11:15:41 pmthe trick to drilling/cutting stainless is going slow and using lots of tool pressure, you want to be cutting not rubbing because rubbing work hardens itstainless cuts like butter with a thin cut off wheel in an angle grinder

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2019, 12:58:29 am
content: I have one of thesehttps://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Drilling/Magnetic-Drills/4208-1that is perfect for large hole saws; it can go as slow as 15 RPM with adequate torque because of the feedback speed control. I have drilled lots of 5 inch holes through 1/2 inch thick steel using bi-metal hole saws and tapping fluid. I also have a nice chunk of thick I beam to set it on and clamp non-magnetic work sufficiently. I've found the secret to cutting stainless and other hard materials is reasonably slow speed and make sure chips are forming with smooth feed pressure; cutting tools work better when they are actually cutting away virgin material and not riding along just producing friction.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2019, 10:28:47 am
content: Cut off a (very) short length of 40 mm stainless pipe so you have a ring now. Weld half rings to the sides.Again, I cannot see how doing this abroad is going to be any cheaper or easier than doing it locally.

author: TassiloH
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2019, 12:11:43 pm
content: Just out of curiosity I just made a sketch and got the pricing from my go-to laser cutting service:Made from 5mm thick stainless steel, that would cost around 10 EUR (about 11US$) without de-burring of the cut edges depending on lead time here (plus shipping/packing 10 EUR and tax on everything 4 EUR, so about 20 to 25 EUR delivered here, single pieces are a pain...). So it is not totally unresonable to make such a disk compared to other off-the-shelf solutions.Look around - there must be a similar service near you. If it helps, I have attached the file (80mm outside, 39.6mm inside, 8 holes 10mm diameter, 5mm thick).

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2019, 06:15:31 pm
content: Quote from: TassiloH on November 13, 2019, 12:11:43 pmWow, that is areallygood price for the part. I cannot imagine getting it for that price in Spain. I don't think I could get the raw material for that price, much less the machining. Maybe the postage would be comparable.

author: beduino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2019, 06:54:59 pm
content: Quote from: soldar on November 13, 2019, 10:28:47 amYep, probably shipping costs will be a few times the cost of this thingCan't imagine that in Japan world of AI robotics it will cost more than in other countries

author: home_listening
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2019, 10:55:28 pm
content: No relationship to me, but I've been using sendcutsend.com lately with good results.

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2019, 12:15:00 am
content: I have a scrap of what appears to be 316 stainless that is 3mm thick and big enough for your project. I also have a scrap 90mm wide that looks like 304 stainless that is 3.25mm thick. Let me know if you want me to cut one out and send it.

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2019, 11:44:48 am
content: Thanks all for all the info and stuff!I ended up having a poke around the back streets near my friends factory and we found a guy who used to go drinking with my friends brother who has a small machine shop (This is how you find many of these places here in Tokyo, they often have no internet presence at all....)Looks like he can do it in 3mm 303 stainless so I'll get a couple made and see how they turn out.I'll post my results in the next few days.

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2019, 05:27:52 am
content: Good news everyone!I found a place that was able to make me the parts.2.5mm thick, 303 stainless steel. Should work well I think.