Wearing of ceramic glass platen

[Ken S]

Wise decision, Youngbin. If you smooth up your ceramic glass plate a bit with your diamond plate, you can try using both your present ceramic platen and the new metal platen side by side.

Please post your thoughts if you decide to try that.

Ken

[Mark Reich]

Finally, someone is producing ceramic platens fairly reasonably and reliably. 

It's not hard to cut this stuff if you're handy at cutting glass. The last time I needed to re-stock platens, I called glass shops until I found one that had a scrap of pyroceram big enough for several platens.  

When I got there he noticed my neck knife and we started visiting. I asked him if he had any recommendations on cutting it into 2" strips. The guy took it over to his cutting bench, scribed it four times and gave me 4 (four) 2"x 10" platens plus the 1.5" scrap for $20. I've cut pyroceram before, but I gave him $10 for the 15 second demonstration.

It's not hard to finish the edges of Pyroceram either. A 220 grit belt works well but a 220 grit flap wheel for an angle grinder works better. Always abrade glass away from the cut. No big deal.

[SHARPCO]

Finally, someone is producing ceramic platens fairly reasonably and reliably. 

It's not hard to cut this stuff if you're handy at cutting glass. The last time I needed to re-stock platens, I called glass shops until I found one that had a scrap of pyroceram big enough for several platens.  

When I got there he noticed my neck knife and we started visiting. I asked him if he had any recommendations on cutting it into 2" strips. The guy took it over to his cutting bench, scribed it four times and gave me 4 (four) 2"x 10" platens plus the 1.5" scrap for $20. I've cut pyroceram before, but I gave him $10 for the 15 second demonstration.

It's not hard to finish the edges of Pyroceram either. A 220 grit belt works well but a 220 grit flap wheel for an angle grinder works better. Always abrade glass away from the cut. No big deal.

Hello Mark, 

Do you think ceramic glass plate generate much less heat than steel plate?

[Mark Reich]

Yes, but only if you're using the platen hard enough to make it hot. I have not heard of this being a problem with Kallys.

I do one event every year where it's not unusual for me to let my Kallys run non-stop for an hour or two every day for a week. You can try it yourself. The Baldor motors are rated for continuous duty at 40°C ambient temperature. Nothing gets hot.

I've sold lots of modified Kally platens in the past decade without a single word of them wearing, although they have to wear as much as the ones I've been using. I just don't think a little wear at the top edge makes any difference.

It would be very easy for me to re-flatten the steel platens I make, but they'll always wear again. If you do nothing they do seem to stop wearing past the little bit at the top.

My 2x72s get glassed immediately because that type of duty is a totally different ballgame.

[SHARPCO]

Yes, but only if you're using the platen hard enough to make it hot. I have not heard of this being a problem with Kallys.

I do one event every year where it's not unusual for me to let my Kallys run non-stop for an hour or two every day for a week. You can try it yourself. The Baldor motors are rated for continuous duty at 40°C ambient temperature. Nothing gets hot.

I've sold lots of modified Kally platens in the past decade without a single word of them wearing, although they have to wear as much as the ones I've been using. I just don't think a little wear at the top edge makes any difference.

It would be very easy for me to re-flatten the steel platens I make, but they'll always wear again. If you do nothing they do seem to stop wearing past the little bit at the top.

My 2x72s get glassed immediately because that type of duty is a totally different ballgame.

Thank you Mark, 

May I see the modified Kally platen?

[EOU]

We've been following along on this discussion with some interest SHARPCO. Mark makes a great platen for the Kally and there are lots of people who use them that would agree with us. Grepper also made a stainless steel platen that is used in conjunction with his knife rest. The only apparent wear after months of use is a shiny spot where the back of the belt comes into contact with the platen. Here are a few pictures of Grepper's platen mounted on our Kally and hope that they help.

                                                                                             

[SHARPCO]

We've been following along on this discussion with some interest SHARPCO. Mark makes a great platen for the Kally and there are lots of people who use them that would agree with us. Grepper also made a stainless steel platen that is used in conjunction with his knife rest. The only apparent wear after months of use is a shiny spot where the back of the belt comes into contact with the platen. Here are a few pictures of Grepper's platen mounted on our Kally and hope that they help.

                                                                               

Thank you so much EOU

I predicted that it would look similar to platen of Viel S5. Is this made to use a knife guide on a slack belt?