Plate screw-up help

Rooky · 04-22-2009, 01:10 PM

Dangkit all - I just tapped a 1/2" hole into a Rockler aluminum plate for a RouterRaizer ... well, I tried to. I had the beast clamped to the drill press table, started the hole and then the buzzard bit "walked" to a hole right next to this one, the hole that's there for a fulcrum pin? Anyway - made a major mess of my plate. I'm so PO'd ..... grrrrrrrrrr.

So I got a mess - if I continue on and finish it where it has to be it will be about a full 1" hole. In a metal plate. That's not okay ...... so my choices are to fill it in somehow as is, expand it to be correct for the Raizer opening or get a new stinkin' plate. Which of course is a 9 x 13, which is the discontinued one from Rockler. Every other plate out there is smaller and nope - I will not redo the top. No way no how. It's summer ime and not repair time.

So what the dickens do I do to fill in that hole?

**bobj3** · 04-22-2009, 01:29 PM

Hi Rooky

Just use it the way it is now it's not a big deal...you can fill it and start over but it will cost more than the plate..and it's good chance it will warp the plate when you fill the hole..

If you want and try and repair it,, tap the hole out to take on a ALUM. bolt,screw it in the hole/cut it off 1st. and state it in place then redrill the hole..

========

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rooky

Dangkit all - I just tapped a 1/2" hole into a Rockler aluminum plate for a RouterRaizer ... well, I tried to. I had the beast clamped to the drill press table, started the hole and then the buzzard bit "walked" to a hole right next to this one, the hole that's there for a fulcrum pin? Anyway - made a major mess of my plate. I'm so PO'd ..... grrrrrrrrrr.

So I got a mess - if I continue on and finish it where it has to be it will be about a full 1" hole. In a metal plate. That's not okay ...... so my choices are to fill it in somehow as is, expand it to be correct for the Raizer opening or get a new stinkin' plate. Which of course is a 9 x 13, which is the discontinued one from Rockler. Every other plate out there is smaller and nope - I will not redo the top. No way no how. It's summer ime and not repair time.

So what the dickens do I do to fill in that hole?

**AxlMyk** · 04-22-2009, 02:29 PM

They make JB weld for aluminum. That may fill it in.

Rooky · 04-22-2009, 02:54 PM

It freaks me out to think what might happen when I finish tapping that hole gone bad - I suppose I could live with the hole as is but then it kills the use of the Raizer and I'm back to adjusting from underneath since I can't get the wrench in w/o enlarging to where it should have been when I started to drill.
I even had punched in a nice ol' starting spot. No sense fretting that - damage done.

I guess it enlarge the stinger --- that JB weld sounds interesting if it's to nasty looking.

Why do I sense I'll be popping another $70 for a plate before they 100% gone off the Rockler earth? Money. Always comes down to money

George II · 04-22-2009, 03:32 PM

Duro, I Think, makes a liquid Alum. filler I know of someone that used it to repair a crack in a alum. engine block....Just fill it sand it smooth, zinc chromate it, paint it and rock on...That $70.00 can but a load of beer, wood, woodworking stuff, and things..

George

CharleyL · 04-23-2009, 09:49 AM

Next time, when you are going to drill a big hole, start with a small bit and then use bits of increasing size until you reach the diameter that you want. A small bit will stay in the center punched mark better. A center drill would be an even better choice to start with as they are designed to do this without walking out of the center punch mark.

CharleyL

westend · 04-23-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rooky

Dangkit all - I just tapped a 1/2" hole into a Rockler aluminum plate for a RouterRaizer ... well, I tried to. I had the beast clamped to the drill press table, started the hole and then the buzzard bit "walked" to a hole right next to this one, the hole that's there for a fulcrum pin? Anyway - made a major mess of my plate. I'm so PO'd ..... grrrrrrrrrr.

So I got a mess - if I continue on and finish it where it has to be it will be about a full 1" hole. In a metal plate. That's not okay ...... so my choices are to fill it in somehow as is, expand it to be correct for the Raizer opening or get a new stinkin' plate. Which of course is a 9 x 13, which is the discontinued one from Rockler. Every other plate out there is smaller and nope - I will not redo the top. No way no how. It's summer ime and not repair time.

So what the dickens do I do to fill in that hole?

Oooooh, sorry to hear about that. You are not alone in machinery assisted miscues

.

JB Weld will work but not guaranteed to machine correctly. I've actually used it for aluminum prop repair and it has held up.
Mtka. Rockler did have a box of discontinued insert plates back in the clearance section. Last time I was in there (about two weeks), there were about 20-30 of them. They were going for $25, IIRC. I needed the 9 x 11 for a Bosch and called around to the local Rocklers until I found one in Burnsville. $25 is what I paid. Good luck with the workaround.

ldykeman · 04-23-2009, 04:21 PM

There are a few products out there that allow you to weld aluminum with a propane torch, so there is a relatively lower head on the aluminum. DuraFix and Alumaweld are two. I haven't used them personally, but maybe someone else here has.
Larry

ldykeman · 04-23-2009, 04:22 PM

whoops, "heat", not "head"

Lemuzz · 04-24-2009, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldykeman

There are a few products out there that allow you to weld aluminum with a propane torch, so there is a relatively lower head on the aluminum. DuraFix and Alumaweld are two. I haven't used them personally, but maybe someone else here has.
Larry

If you use heat enough to get the parent metal to weld, it is at melting point and using propane to achieve this you will end up with a molten mess.
TIG welding is the only way to go. It wont be a cheap repair

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