Flat bar or plate for CNC

[dfox1787]

Hi Guys

Plate is cheaper than bar but does it machine ok? Im looking at buying it from aluminium warehouse but wasnt sure if plate or bar for machining.

[spluppit]

You really need to be a little more specific. The section of any material is not what matters, its the grade. So make reference to the grades you are talking about... If you want advice on what grades are machinable and the materials application, then best ask that question.

Is that what you want to know?

[dfox1787]

You really need to be a little more specific. The section of any material is not what matters, its the grade. So make reference to the grades you are talking about... If you want advice on what grades are machinable and the materials application, then best ask that question.

Is that what you want to know?

On aluminiumwarehouse web site you can choose either t6082 flat bar or t6082 plate. So if these are the same i guess either would be fine?

[JAZZCNC]

In general, Plate tends to be flatter than flat bar. The grade determines how it machines, plate or bar no difference.
You'd choose plate or bar depending on usage but I'd always choose plate for machining med to larger parts which need to be pretty flat but don't require machining flat. If going to machine faces then I'd choose Flat bar as it tends to be cheaper than plate.

[spluppit]

Yes that is correct. 6082 is the general go to material for most general machining, unless otherwise specified or other factors dictate. Its just down to you choosing which sections, bar or plate, tube etc will work for your application as Jazz has explained.

Please be very aware you are paying way way over the odds from the company you mentioned. Many other aluminium or non ferrous suppliers will also cut materials at more competitive rates if cut pieces is what you are after.

I'm sure if you are uncertain of your application the guys here will be happy to advise you.

[dfox1787]

Yes that is correct. 6082 is the general go to material for most general machining, unless otherwise specified or other factors dictate. Its just down to you choosing which sections, bar or plate, tube etc will work for your application as Jazz has explained.

Please be very aware you are paying way way over the odds from the company you mentioned. Many other aluminium or non ferrous suppliers will also cut materials at more competitive rates if cut pieces is what you are after.

I'm sure if you are uncertain of your application the guys here will be happy to advise you.

thank you. Im making some custom water blocks for a friend of mine who is into radio.

your right about aluminiumwarehouse the price seemed reasonable at first untill i got to the checkout. If you can recommend anywhere that would be great. Even ebay offcuts seem quite expensive.

[Chaz]

Try www.clickmetal.co.uk, my general go to company.

[Doddy]

Even ebay offcuts seem quite expensive.

THIS!, I've recently realised I've been spending more by weight buying either bar or sheet material as offcuts from eBay than it would cost to buy from a decent supplier, who will supply exactly what you need.

[dfox1787]

THIS!, I've recently realised I've been spending more by weight buying either bar or sheet material as offcuts from eBay than it would cost to buy from a decent supplier, who will supply exactly what you need.

Yeah. Its just postage from these sites that have been suggested that is the issue for me. I really need to find a local supplier.

[dfox1787]

Yes that is correct. 6082 is the general go to material for most general machining, unless otherwise specified or other factors dictate. Its just down to you choosing which sections, bar or plate, tube etc will work for your application as Jazz has explained.

Please be very aware you are paying way way over the odds from the company you mentioned. Many other aluminium or non ferrous suppliers will also cut materials at more competitive rates if cut pieces is what you are after.

I'm sure if you are uncertain of your application the guys here will be happy to advise you.

Thank you. I want to to make a z axis plate to mount my spindle. If i can find somewhere that it more competitive than id be happy to purchase in small bulk. Great if you could help wit that.

i bought some flat plate off ebay and its warped and the seller said "Hi As previously stated there is no flatness tolerance on cut plate, this is industry standard. You also say on a different message that you order flat bar so expected it to be flat, no where in the title does it mention flat bar, do i'm not sure why you felt you would be getting flat bar rather than plate."

[Chaz]

Thank you. I want to to make a z axis plate to mount my spindle. If i can find somewhere that it more competitive than id be happy to purchase in small bulk. Great if you could help wit that.

i bought some flat plate off ebay and its warped and the seller said "Hi As previously stated there is no flatness tolerance on cut plate, this is industry standard. You also say on a different message that you order flat bar so expected it to be flat, no where in the title does it mention flat bar, do i'm not sure why you felt you would be getting flat bar rather than plate."

Define 'warped' ....

If you want reasonable flat (alu), you need to buy tooling plate or ecocast. Otherwise you need to expect a level of 'warped'.

[dfox1787]

Define 'warped' ....

If you want reasonable flat (alu), you need to buy tooling plate or ecocast. Otherwise you need to expect a level of 'warped'.

warped as in not flat. I would expect flat plate to be flat lol. no good to mount my spindle on.

See photos

24255

24256

[Chaz]

warped as in not flat. I would expect flat plate to be flat lol. no good to mount my spindle on.

See photos

24255

24256

True, that is nasty. My point is, what is flat? For some, flat enough is 0.05mm over a 300mm width, for others, 0.5mm might be fine ....

Warped means nothing without some specification. Clearly the image shows its certainly nowhere near flat enough. It looks like its been bent in transit or something, dont think its been made that way.

[phill05]

Looks like it's been cropped not sawn.

Phill

[magicniner]

no good to mount my spindle on

It would be if it was being bolted down to an adequately rigid structure, if it is the rigid part of the structure you might want something thicker and/or heavier anyway

[spluppit]

Phill05 is correct. The plate you have has been supplied with has been guillotined. This is very clear to see from the images you supplied. This enduces tons of stress and 'latent stress' as we know it in the trade and makes plate totally useless other than for welding and plating or general doesn't matter shit kind of work.

That effort of guillotining is particularly bad and i would not accept a plate guillotined to that standard and condition of deformation from a supplier. It would be returned immediately, you would expect some deformation but not as bad as that. Either the blade clearance is wrong or of the blade is blunt to induce deformation like that or his equipment is clapped out. That plate would have been flat enough from the mill and this is why people often buy plate because it is flat being produced from a rolling process. I would return that plate to the seller for a refund and tell him he needs to clearly state on the add that it is/ has been guillotined and this induces deformation he needs to clearly show that in an image.
I get this kind of stuff regularly either plate cut or guillotined pending application. For your application using plate you need it plate cut.

As already mentioned, Normally tooling plate which is 5083 is used for a lot of router builds because it is fly cut flat and is flat. (its not ground contrary to popular belief) It is also cast which means there is no induced or latent stress from the manufacturing process, because it is not produced by mechanical means. This is why tooling plate is often the first material of choice and it does not have to be machined on the faces to make it flat and it is good for size normally. You wont find a supplier guillotining tooling plate! Try smiths metal centres I use these guys a lot, they are not the cheapest but the reliability of quality is very good compared to other suppliers.

Please feel free to quote my post to the seller.... I have been in the trade for 30 years plus. Sadly there are rouge traders out there that will palm you off it even happens with bigger suppliers at times.

One lot i had plate cut from a supplier was obviously rejected material and had be been re-worked after being left outside in a yard or had been wet and picked up corrosion that had eaten into the material. The answer was to brush the plates (very badly) it to try to cover up the corrosion and hope i would not notice it was scrap material. Needless to say they refused point blank to do anything about it because it was cut to order and insisted the material was prime material. Its stunning how people can lie so point blank!. This was a grands worth or material. Yes i did get my money back after taking them to task :)

[dfox1787]

Phill05 is correct. The plate you have has been supplied with has been guillotined. This is very clear to see from the images you supplied. This educes tons of stress and 'latent stress' as we know it in the trade and makes plate totally useless other than for welding and plating or general doesn't matter shit kind of work.

That effort of guillotining is particularly bad and i would not accept a plate guillotined to that standard and condition of deformation from a supplier. It would be returned immediately, you would expect some deformation but not as bad as that. Either the blade clearance is wrong or of the blade is blunt to induce deformation like that or his equipment is clapped out. That plate would have been flat enough from the mill and this is why people often buy plate because it is flat being produced from a rolling process. I would return that plate to the seller for a refund and tell him he needs to clearly state on the add that it is/ has been guillotined and this induces deformation he he needs to clearly show that in an image.
I get this kind of stuff regularly either plate cut or guillotined pending application. For your application using plate you need it plate cut.

As already mentioned, Normally tooling plate which is 5083 is used for a lot of router builds because it is fly cut flat and is flat. (its not ground contrary to popular belief) It is also cast which means there is no induced or latent stress from the manufacturing process, because it is not produced by mechanical means. This is why tooling plate is often the first material of choice and it does not have to be machined on the faces to make it flat and it is good for size normally. You wont find a supplier guillotining tooling plate! Try smiths metal centres I use these guys a lot, they are not the cheapest but the reliability of quality is very good compared to other suppliers.

Please feel free to quote my post to the seller.... I have been in the trade for 30 years plus. Sadly there are rouge traders out there that will palm you off it even happens with bigger suppliers at times.

One lot i had plate cut from a supplier was obviously rejected material and had be been re-worked after being left outside in a yard or had been wet and picked up corrosion that had eaten into the material. The answer was to brush the plates (very badly) it to try to cover up the corrosion and hope i would not notice it was scrap material. Needless to say they refused point blank to do anything about it because it was cut to order and insisted the material was prime material. Its stunning how people can lie so point blank!. This was a grands worth or material. Yes i did get my money back after taking them to task :)Brilliant thank you. I have no experience when it comes to how the material should be and the seller convinced me this is normal. The piece in question cost me 10 pounds for 200mmx100mmx6mm. He told me tooled plate would cost £53 for the piece I want.



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[spluppit]

The cost you have been quoted for Tooling plate does seem rather excessive. A piece like that would come under a minimum order charge of approximately £30 depending supplier plus delivery + vat. You could shop around and see what else you get offered.

If you can find the time to look through the for sale section I had a load of 6 mm plate for sale which would cover the size you wanted. This is 6082 and what is known as strain hardened which is even flatter than standard plate. Saying that, you will always get some deformation of some kind but it won't be anything like you experienced. Any material which is produced by mechanical processes have some stressing in it of some kind. The only real exception to this is hot rolled materials, but aluminium is not one of those.

If you want to go for Tooling plate and you don't have any success from a supplier. I do keep a small stock at my works. I will happily cut you a piece and send it to you for a donation to the tea fund the long as it covers costs.

Let me know if it is any interest and I will see what thickness is I have on the shelf.

[dfox1787]

Thank you that would be very helpful. I'm after 140x108mm. I'll have a look at the for sale section. At this stage I just need offcuts to practice on.
The cost you have been quoted for Tooling plate does seem rather excessive. A piece like that would come under a minimum order charge of approximately £30 depending supplier plus delivery + vat. You could shop around and see what else you get offered.

If you can find the time to look through the for sale section I had a load of 6 mm plate for sale which would cover the size you wanted. This is 6082 and what is known the strain hardend which is even flatter than standard plate. Saying that you will always get some deformation of some kind but it won't be anything like you experienced. Any materials which is produced by mechanical processes have some stressing in it of some kind. The only real exception to this is hotrolled materials, but aluminium is not one of those.

If you want to go for Tooling plate and you don't have any success from a supplier. I do keep a small stock at my works. I will happily cut you a piece and send it to you for a donation to the tea fund the long as it covers costs.

Let me know if it is any interest and I will see what thickness is I have on the shelf.

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