Today I acquired...........

[Pete.]

Picked up a little 18x12 surface plate.
No idea what the best way to clean this is without doing more harm than good, although I've no way of telling how flat it is to begin with.
Still, I assume going at it with the DA would be a bad move!
View attachment 399115

Looking at that I'd get a wire cup wheel from screwfix and have at it with a mini grinder. It won't change the physical dimensions but it'll bring the surface up nice. 5 minutes work and you'll have a working setting out plate. A rub over with a fine stone might even render it good enough for normal surface plate duties.

 

[GraemeVW]

Looking at that I'd get a wire cup wheel from screwfix and have at it with a mini grinder. It won't change the physical dimensions but it'll bring the surface up nice. 5 minutes work and you'll have a working setting out plate. A rub over with a fine stone might even render it good enough for normal surface plate duties.

I've probably got a cup wheel somewhere, got a cupboard full of that kind of thing.
I may have enough citric mixed to soak it in too. I'll probably gently scrape the bits of paint off, soak it, then see where it's at.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Picked up a little 18x12 surface plate.
No idea what the best way to clean this is without doing more harm than good, although I've no way of telling how flat it is to begin with.
Still, I assume going at it with the DA would be a bad move!
View attachment 399115

Mix citric acid powder and flour with minimum am out of water to form a stiff paste.
Apply and leave.

The with scotchbrite on a decent size bit of wood polish.

 

[Anguz]

A new to me lens

 

[Pete.]

I've probably got a cup wheel somewhere, got a cupboard full of that kind of thing.
I may have enough citric mixed to soak it in too. I'll probably gently scrape the bits of paint off, soak it, then see where it's at.

Be careful using citric. If you leave it in too long it may grow a crust that will be 10x worse than any perceived damage the wire wheel would cause.
Obviously, don't use a hard knotwheel, just a soft bristle one.

 

[GraemeVW]

Be careful using citric. If you leave it in too long it may grow a crust that will be 10x worse than any perceived damage the wire wheel would cause.
Obviously, don't use a hard knotwheel, just a soft bristle one.

I've never experienced that. They normally come out either black, or sometumes still looking a bit rusty, but when rinsed they are spotless.

I ruined a kickstart once by forgetting about it. Left it in for weeks, maybe a month. It ate about 1.5mm into the metal!

Not sure I've ever put cast iron in it before though.

 

[MattF]

Won't be here until tomorrow, but I've ordered one of these, to have a play with.

https://amzn.eu/d/hcl2pdt

About time I tried to improve my welding skills, (or even achieve any ), & for the price, even if it's a bag of crap, it's no massive loss. Easier to take outside than an oil-filled too.

It'll probably still be sat unused in its box in a years time, knowing me.

It's turned up. Seems weird to think that something so small & light can possibly achieve the task it's designed for.



Cup for scale.

 

[Barking Mat]

It's turned up. Seems weird to think that something so small & light can possibly achieve the task it's designed for.

View attachment 399165

Cup for scale.

My wife said that about her vibr........

 

[Gragson]

Not sure I've ever put cast iron in it before though.

I did one recently I got off @My Old Landy similar size 20"x20" ish , posted it but can't find the pics.
Wouldn't bother with citric , just used a wire cup and wheel, no need to go hard, that just looks like surface rust same as mine was.
Finished it with beeswax/turps/graphite mix

 

[GraemeVW]

I did one recently I got off @My Old Landy similar size 20"x20" ish , posted it but can't find the pics.
Wouldn't bother with citric , just used a wire cup and wheel, no need to go hard, that just looks like surface rust same as mine was.
Finished it with beeswax/turps/graphite mix

Yes, it's very light, powdery rust.
Its small enough I may just use 0000 and some oil.

 

[MattF]

Yes, it's very light, powdery rust.
Its small enough I may just use 0000 and some oil.

That'd be my choice, for something like that. Quick & simple.

I avoid citric whenever I can. Its results are too variable.

 

[GraemeVW]

That'd be my choice, for something like that. Quick & simple.

I avoid citric whenever I can. Its results are too variable.

I've used citric alot and apart from the one piece I left in for AGES, I've always had fantastic results.

 

[Onoff]

Citric ruined the vice and knurling tool I made at college 40 years ago and the MK1 Focus sub frame. Mind I did leave them in for a year...

Things were looking good. Then people started dying, Covid happened and I forgot.

https://flic.kr/p/2hHWiWs

https://flic.kr/p/2hKzNEv

 

[JOEPRO]

I went to screwfix and got 2no of these LED light fittings



I will install these in my front single garage. It currently has a single knackered florescent tube so these new LED lights should make a world of difference

 

[roblane65]

Another hammer But what's its purpose


went to a car boot this morning first time in about 12 months and the only thing I bought was this hammer for a £1 !
I think it's a roofers pick for holing slates ? . Thought I might grind it back a bit and use it for a chipping hammer it's a bit on the light side though .

 

[6ply]

Won't be here until tomorrow, but I've ordered one of these, to have a play with.

https://amzn.eu/d/hcl2pdt

About time I tried to improve my welding skills, (or even achieve any ), & for the price, even if it's a bag of crap, it's no massive loss. Easier to take outside than an oil-filled too.

It'll probably still be sat unused in its box in a years time, knowing me.

Did you read the reviews? Specifically regarding the "fuse" in the plug. I'd check that if I were you.

 

[MattF]

Did you read the reviews? Specifically regarding the "fuse" in the plug. I'd check that if I were you.

Aye. Already replaced with a proper fuse. Didn't fancy leaving this in there.

 

[tigdlo]

Another hammer But what's its purpose

Could be an archaeologist/geologist pick.

 

[Onoff]

Another hammer But what's its purpose

Could be anything, take your pick...

 

[JOEPRO]

Aye. Already replaced with a proper fuse. Didn't fancy leaving this in there.

View attachment 399210

That's scary.

Certain online retailers clearly do not care or carry out checks for selling compliant/ safe products. Given reviews on many such retailers site(s) are recording such issues it is a total disgrace and shows their hunger and greed for sales.