HHIP "Grade A" Granite Surface Plate First Impressions, Storage Solution and Customer Service Review

HHIP "Grade A" Granite Surface Inspection Plate First Impressions Storage Solution and Customer Service Review
Amateur video work and amateur hobby machinist. Videos of me working on various projects in the workshop and around the home. Work using my Vevor MX400 Mini Lathe and Precision Matthews PM-25MV Benchtop Milling Machine.

[@BedsitBob]

Surface plates are not only used for inspection. They can also be used for marking out, in conjunction with say a height gauge. There are few videos out there, showing how to use a surface plate for both inspection and marking out.

[@deezworkshop]

I certainly have a lot ot learn in the inspection aspect of this craft. I will be trying to learn as much as I can as I use this thing. I will check out the differecne between dial test indicators. Not sure I need incredible precision but I want to learn the proper techniques and methods. Some of the products are very expensive but I will need to prioritize what I buy and purchase proper quality products.

[@mcaloon66]

Making an indicator holder would be a great project since you were looking for project ideas.

[@deezworkshop]

This is something I have been working on, Not done yet but trying to get something usable to use with my surface plate, Getting close though.

[@WILFRED1184]

I was going to suggest the same thing. It will be a great project to use both machines for.

[@deezworkshop]

I have one in progress, It's not complete yet, sorting out a fixture mechnism at the moment. I finally have come up with a design idea that I think will work for tool holding.

[@trits4227]

Great job, ,My Dad used to say " Aplace for everything and everything in it,s place" That protects your plate perfrctly ,well done

[@deezworkshop]

Nice saying. Smart man. This little hidey hole worked out very well.

[@robertfontaine3650]

My little granite plate isn't nearly as nice or big but having a proper flat surface is amazingly handy for lots of things. I'm sure you will enjoy your new toy. She's pretty much right about the certificate though. It requires a trained technician to measure the plates individually. Costs more that the price you paid in it's entirety.

[@deezworkshop]

Yeah. In the end I decided to keep it. It’s flat no doubt. Good enough for my hobby shop. My issue was how she (HHIP customer service) handled the call. I didn’t expect much but thought I’d give them a call.

[@mike9500]

oh, idea! flip the wood box over, put block in it and make a lid that can be listed up on hinges.

[@deezworkshop]

This would really protect it. I could do that if I had a place closer to where I will use it. towards the front of the workbench.

[@adhawk5632]

What a great addition to the shop. Like you said, for $100, its the flattest thing you own. Keep it and use it as much as possible. If for some reason it gets worn out, grab a fresh one. Youll be surprised how many thing that you though were flat, that will rock on the granite. And there amazing with some 220 silicone carbide paper, face up of course, to clean up parts and stock. Keep a scotch pad with it for final surface finishes on parts. WD40 can help too. I used some contact adhesive to stick a sheet to my plate, it works incredible 👍👌🇦🇺

[@deezworkshop]

I am looking forward to using this more and more. I am working on making a Surface "gauge" to hold tooling or indicators. I will also be buying a reasonably priced height gauge so I can do inspection with that tooling as well. I will adapt it to accept dial test indicators as well. Overall I am happy to have this added to the workshop and look forward to using it in upcoming projects. Cheers from the US...

[@franciscoflores7911]

How about a recessed pocket in your workbench that you can drop it in to and then make a removal cover for when you need it.

[@deezworkshop]

This is a very intersting concept. I could easily adapt my workbench to accomodate this. I could lay a thinner sheet of plywood or something to cover the recess when not in use. Now you have me thinking. Fantastic idea.

[@mike9500]

they make a stone sealer you spray on from a spray bottle and it will seal it to keep chemicals and liquyids form getting into the4 pours.

[@deezworkshop]

I will have to look into this. Actually I know what your talking about, I use a sealer on my counter tops as well. Which reminds me...time to reseal the counter tops :-)

[@Ducati900SS]

The plates (and most other tools) at this price level are tested in batches. What you have there is a certificate for that particular batch.

[@deezworkshop]

This is interesting information. Makes a lot of sense. Overall I am not unhappy with this plate. It will be more than adequate for all my projects. Maybe someday I will learn enough about inspection to somehow test the actual surface plate for tolerance. Would be intersting to see but unsure how I could measure it in my little shop. Surely there is a way. Just need to learn it.

[@Ducati900SS]

​@@deezworkshop I've just checked my cheap 9x12 plate. The retailer's sticker on the box says 0.0001, but the certificate inside says 0.0002 and grade B-0. A website about grades I'm looking at says: Laboratory Grade AA which means the plate has a flatness tolerance equal to (40 + diagonal squared/25) x .000001″ (unilateral), Inspection Grade A which has a flatness tolerance equal to Laboratory Grade AA times two, and Tool Room Grade B which has a flatness tolerance equal to Laboratory Grade AA times four. So my Grade B-0 plate is 'Toolroom grade'. That seems suitable for home use. My goal for anything I do in my garage is 0.01mm accuracy which is 0.0004 in inches. That seems good enough and yours should be better than that.

[@deezworkshop]

@@Ducati900SS This is great information. Thanks for putting that together. This particular surface plate will be plenty accurate for anything I will be working on. in my hobby shop. I appreciate you taking the time to outline the details. Very interessting stuff. Oh yeah, Love your videos by the way. Good stuff.

[@franciscoflores7911]

My surface plate is 1/4 size of yours and I think its heavy, but im sure its no where near what yours weighs. I have used it in conjunction with a height gauge on several projects. When you stood it on end near the edge of the bench I thought I hope those are steel toe safety crocs in case he drops it. I use windex to clean it.

[@deezworkshop]

:-) they are not steel toed and your concerns are very justified. I was trying to be as careful as I could but mistaked happen. I have been fortunate but try to be as careful as I can. I used windex so far to clean this one. I am toying with using Waterless had cleaner...Goop....to clean it. I have read many forums and people out there use it with success but I want to make sure it wont ruin it or soak into the granite.

[@adhawk5632]

Once again, ROBRENZ has some incredible content about surface plates on his channel. Its a must watch vid👍👌🇦🇺

[@deezworkshop]

I checked his video out a while ago, I believe you recommended it before. It was fasctinating. I will be checking it out again as well. I am looking into getting into anodizing and I want to make sure I have a great surface finish on my Aluminum parts before anodizing. Cheers. @ROBRENZ is great. His lapping videos are really cool.

[@fordguy8613]

I bought the exact same one 6 or 7 years ago, although mine is a Grade B. It has served its purpose well in that time. I also but the same bullsh!t paper and just threw it away. I made a very rudimentary "flatness " gauge using a 1 micron dial indicator to check the flatness of the plate. From the highest to the lowest point, it never varied more than 1 micron. I knew going in what I was buying and am happy with my purchase. I don't agree with you calling HHIP to bitch about the useless calibration sheet. If you want Starrett quality then buy a Starrett.

[@BedsitBob]

You don't want dial indicators. You want dial *test* indicators, preferably with a resolution of 1/10,000" or finer.

[@deezworkshop]

Thank you for the clarification. All these little detail matter when trying to figure out what I should be doing. I would love to get some wuality starret or mitutoyo indicators and measurement tooling. so far still out of my price range but someday will be on my list.

[@paulcotesr5623]

@@deezworkshop in the home shop i dont think any of us work in 10th thousand , me .001 is good enought . A hair is .003 so think on that .

[@BedsitBob]

@@paulcotesr5623 If you're inspecting something very precise (such as a milling vise), you'll want to be working in 10,000ths. I milling vise out by a thou, between the base rails (or along the length of one or both), is going to impact what you make.

[@voodoochild1954]

That surface plate will meet your means just fine. Don’t worry about certificate. Not necessary for a hobbyist. I wear Crocs too 😉

[@deezworkshop]

In the end I thought the exact same thing. This is the flattest thing I own. It will measure things far more accurate than I will ever need and be fun to use. Cheers and happy Easter.

[@voodoochild1954]

@@deezworkshop Happy Easter to you too my friend!!!

[@paulcotesr5623]

you are blocking some of your plugs now , you did a good job like it!

[@deezworkshop]

Oh it gets worse. :-) I am blocking most of the plugs now with some recent additions. I will be shifting things around soon though to regain some of my workbench space.

[@stephaniea9722]

That's frustrating with the customer service and the fake certificate. I wonder if Grizzly has a real cert, but shipping definitely hurts the wallet. There's a few ways to check for flatness. The term for measuring things is called Metrology. I haven't found any good books or articles on Metrology, it seems to mostly exist in academia. My favorite method for measuring is called the reversal method. This method is interesting in that you don't need an accurate surface to use as a reference, instead you use math and system of equations to calculate the surface topology. The next best method is to have a reference straight edge. You prop the straight edge on two equal height gauge blocks, and use a third gauge block and feeler gauges to check for height. The problem is that reference straight edges are not cheap.

[@deezworkshop]

Yeah not sure, As someone esle commented that I shouldnt have complained, I didn't call to "Complain" not their word they used, But I called to simply get a response as to the authenticity and how I can truly know if this was a grade A surface plate vs Grade B. The Grade B plates were cheaper. The printout certificate doesnt prove anything. I did fully understand this wasnt going to be the same as a Starret or other popular name brand supplier but I didnt expect to be hung up on either. I had to share that experience. I did receive a comment from, I think an HHIP Sales and Marketing representative,...I say I think because the youtube account was opened only to comment on the video. At the moment I cannot pin their response to this comments section, it doenst show up likely because its a new youtube account. I should say they were apologetic and regreted my experience with customer service and would look into the situation for improvements. I do commend them for caring enough to respond to this video. I will share it if/when I can. I am familiar with the term Metrology, personally I think its an art. Truly getting into the weeds to measure such minute variances on workpieces and tooling. There will be nothing I work on that requires such precision but as a hobbyist metrology interests me as well and it is something I personally want to learn. Not sure I am smart enough to use the reverse method but I will look into that technique. I need to start slow and get my bearing on using all this equipment and using a light touch. I cna be a bit heavy handed so I need to learn how to work with this plate and surface gauge. I like that reference straight edge method but at present I to now own any gauges or straight references. I will try to acquire these someday but for now still trying to spread spending out. Cheers, Deez

[@mike9500]

my counter tops are sealed with it. hehehe