Is a hammer on a surface plate worse than leaving a chuck key in?

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

Seen on eBay

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

I just saw this listing on eBay. Vintage Engineering Surface Plate Work Bench with hammer 12”

I've heard what was shouted at a student who left the chuck key in, but I'm not sure what would have happened to anybody who took a hammer NEAR a surface plate.

Or have you seen something worse?

Brian G

[Chris Pearson 1Participant @chrispearson1]

Perhaps it is an oddly shaped anvil?

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

A hammer on a surface plate could damage the plate. Leaving a chuck key in the chuck could harm you.

[VersabossParticipant @versaboss]

At least I think it is not a scraped surface plate. Maybe more suited for tinplate bashing.

Regards.
Hans

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

It looks buggered already.

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

You are too funny Brian. That surface plate would take a lot of work to get it to be a surface place of any usefulness.

On a real surface plate, there would not be a hammer anyway.

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

A Tech college instructor mate was nearly sacked when he gave one student a clip behind the ear for using a hammer to bash a piece of metal flat on a surface plate. This was sixty years ago.

Regards Ian

[NealebParticipant @nealeb]

Posted by Neil Lickfold on 19/08/2023 11:48:37:

You are too funny Brian. That surface plate would take a lot of work to get it to be a surface place of any usefulness.

…but it says "cosmetic wear only"…

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Both would have got a sharp clip round the earhole where I was trained, I certainly got one for the chuck key and another for sharpening a pencil on a grinding wheel. But,as for the kid who laid a file down on a lathe bed……., I'm pleased to say that wasn't me! He's probably still got some residual soreness nearly fifty years on.

Dave

I've just realised it is 50 years on, feeling very old just now!

 

Edited By Dave Wootton on 19/08/2023 13:47:50

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Don't shout at me but I use my cast iron surface plate to put wet and dry one so I can clean pieces of metal on it.

OK I confess it was one I brought very cheap and I use a granite one for my marking out no where near that one

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Posted by Circlip on 19/08/2023 12:00:01:

A Tech college instructor mate was nearly sacked when he gave one student a clip behind the ear for using a hammer to bash a piece of metal flat on a surface plate. This was sixty years ago.

Regards Ian

Add on another ten years and no one bother in that i was bashed over my knuckles because I was left handed but I shouldn't complain I been ambidextrous for many years

H

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

When I opened the link above ebay thoughtfully provided a popup "we have made some improvements".
They were right.
Just to the left of the hammer head someone has thoughtfully started removing that nasty dangerous sharp right angled edge….. More work to do though which is why they are selling the hammer with it.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Totally agree with Dave Wootton where I was trained you would be taken in the office for a severe boll**ing, as Dave says its 50 years ago, strange that I can remember it all so clearly but cannot remember where I put a parting off tool yesterday.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

I've milled and re-scraped cast iron surface plates that were in better condition than that one seems to be.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I can't se the problem, the guy is selling a surface plate as a workbench, the plate which is not in any condition to be used for the purpose it was made for. You could buy it and have it refurbished if you want, but it can be brand new one, and as long as you have paid for it out of your own wallet, you have the right to use it how you wish.

Regards Nick.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Well-said, Nick

I suppose it comes down to “When is a surface plate not a surface plate ?”

.

John Cleese and the Norwegian Blue Parrot spring to mind.

MichaelG.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi MichaelG, ah! the Norwegian Blue Parrrot, I remember that, and I think it lead onto the Lumberjack song, which had a few innuendos in it. You had to be a bit broad minded to watch a lot of those shows, don't know how many people would understand them now.

Regards Nick.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

"Is a hammer on a surface plate worse than leaving a chuck key in?"

Correct answer is 'No'. Injuring people is usually far more expensive than damaging objects.

Putting a hammer on a surface plate only risks damaging a physical object that can be replaced or repaired. Yes it's bad. but only in the way scratching a car with a supermarket trolley is bad. Leaving a chuck key in is worse because it can damage people as well as the lathe and job. Very bad in for the same reason a car crashing into a crocodile of schoolchildren is bad.

Dave

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Both are bad workshop practice, in the case shown in the picture I think the surface plate is past caring. Personally I don’t like tools placed on guideways and tables of machine tools, the back of the vice is handy for light centre punching but not heavy hammering. There are many do and do nots in a workshop most for personal safety or avoiding damage to expensive equipment

Mike

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Definitely not. Far heavier items might be placed on a surface plate – but still bad practice to leave other items on it other than those i use. The hammer would be better stored elsewhere, but is unlikely to injure anyone (too much).

Perhaps the vendor was indicating that he/she had knocked down a few(?) divots on the vintage plate with a vintage hammer?

Sandwich boxes with no cable strain relief, unprotected terminals and used for mains operation outdoors – used/recommended by one youtuber (whose name I have gladly forgotten) – is one insanely stupid demonstration of ‘safe working practice’ that I remember.

[Graham MeekParticipant @grahammeek88282]

One apprentice in my year lost his middle finger from leaving a chuck key in. From what I had been told the Turning Instructors usual trick was to drop such an offending chuck key on the apprentices foot. Just behind the steel toe cap. Clearly he missed this person.

Surface plates especially the old cast iron ones get used for all sorts of things these days. As seen on TV. Seeing a hammer on a surface plate is not so bad. It was what that hammer was used for in connection with the surface plate and whether that surface plate was still in used for the purpose it was intended, that bothers me.

It certainly is not the sign of a good craftsman and I would give these video's a miss in future.

Regards

Gray,

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

There are many opportunities for finger-wagging zealotry and imperious statements beginning "Never" and "Always".

Plus there are sometimes instructors or authoritarian deputies who take advantage of excuses to injure or humiliate learners.

The important thing is to get the learner to cultivate imagination of possible unintended consequences of actions or neglect.

The worst injury I ever suffered in my younger days was from finishing a part-off with a hacksaw when I'd left a knife tool in facing position in the toolpost. That took a few stitches and is the only time I've seen my own bone.

I wouldn't normally expect to see a hammer in close proximity to a proper surface plate – they don't generally have any business together – but there are far too many worse things to list.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Mike Poole on 21/08/2023 10:17:51:

Both are bad workshop practice, …

Mike

Though what's considered bad practice varies.

I was brought up to treat the humble flat-bladed screw-driver with great respect, never using them as crowbars, chisels, scribes, stirrers or wedges. Soon realised that screw-drivers are excellent for all those jobs, and collected a bunch of battered old ones for what I call bodge-driving. Now when the old ones are past it, I'm happy to buy new screwdrivers specifically for abusive work. I think it's OK as long as I never use my bodge-drivers on screws!

Dave

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Posted by Bazyle on 19/08/2023 15:45:09:

When I opened the link above ebay thoughtfully provided a popup "we have made some improvements".
They were right.
Just to the left of the hammer head someone has thoughtfully started removing that nasty dangerous sharp right angled edge….. More work to do though which is why they are selling the hammer with it.

Ironically a damaged edge might not even affect that plate's certification grade since the specification allows for a border area of 2mm per 100mm length of the shortest side (up to a maximum of 20mm), if it was in a condition to achieve one which that one isn't. Being a 300mm sqare plate it could have damage extending inwards up to 6mm and still be certified so long as the damage caused no high spot.

Anyway, that plate looks like it's been heavily rusted then dumped too long in citric acid and it's grown a skin. A flat anvil is all it's good for, unless you could get it planed.

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