Gauge plate as bought

As it comes, is Gauge Plate annealed, or normalised, or what exactly?

And while you are thinking, what do our American cousins call it (I can find no reference in Machinery's 1980)?

Thanks, Tim Stevens

Attentive MEW readers would remember Richard Rex's recent article on steel hardening.

O1 (O for oil hardening) steels are the US equivalent of gauge plate and W1 (W for, you've guessed it, water hardening) are the equivalent of silver steel. Their drill rod is the equivalent of our precision ground silver steel, although silver steel contains something extra (Molybdenum?) to reduce distortion.

Neil

Thanks, Neil

I remembered seeing details somewhere, but (a) not exactly where, and (b) I have an unsorted pile of MEWs, so looking would have take ages.

It is supplied annealed and so is machinable. it can be welded but the heat affected zone becomes very hard. It can also be described as ground flat stock or tool steel. See WWW.RSWWW.COM for example stock number 682141 or WWW.BUCKANDHICKMAN.COM stock number 233833B. They give typical tolerances and BS standard numbers it conforms to. I was cutting some recently using a carbide end mill without coolant. Chips came off a nice blue colour without causing any problem for the 6 flute 12mm cutter and with a nice finish on the cut path. 25mm holes were put in (1/2" thick stock) with a broach cutter (trepanning cutter) and other holes drilled and tapped M10 without problems.

You may also find more information on **LINK** the Sheffield Gauge Plate Ltd web site.

Hi Tim,

I currently manufacture gauge plate and ground flat stock in the UK. Gauge plate is a broad term for the product itself as it is manufactured by us in three different grades of steel, companies in Germany manufacture it in up to 25 different grades of tool, high speed and powder metallurgy steels and the US in 10 grades. The most common in the UK is O1 tool steel. All gauge plate and ground flat stock as it is more commonly known across the world is always supplied in its annealed condition. O1 is supplied at a maximum of 229hb. If you need any other information or tech specs please let me know

David