Base for Lapping Film

[onotoman]

hi Guys,

I've just acquired some Lapping Film with adhesive backing in various grades.

I'm struggling to think of a suitable cost-effective base on which to stick the film.

I've thought of Granite Off-cuts, Marble or Slate Off-cuts, small glass shelving etc, but I'd probably need to have any of these cut to size?

I even searched for 'Trophy Base' and 'Marble Plinth' etc on Ebay but to no avail as those of a suitable size had holes drilled in them.

Any ideas, greatly appreciated - I'm in UK, if that makes a difference.

 

[tomjr]

marble tile, grizzly.com has a surfaced granite plate the i like 4 the films also a piece of glass works well i like old window plate glass.

 

[Wid]

I use 1/4 piece of glass cut to 8x3. Put that in a stone holder and you're set.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Mine cost $5 at home depot. 4" x 12" polished marble edge tile, also referred to as a bullnose tile. I highly recommend it if you want to go cheap and don't want to cut anything.

 

[gash]

I went to a craft store and got a piece of glass that was meant for a picture frame. The edges are rounded, which makes it safer to handle. I put it on the kitchen counter, add a little water, and put the film on that (my film doesn't have adhesive). The glass is about 11 inches by 14 inches.

 

[barneykiller]

I went to Home Depot picked out a marble tile and had the saw it in half. I think it was ~$5. The cut was free of course.

 

[hokahay]

among all the other usual suspects, I also have one of these.

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2020080/19123/pinnacle-honing-plate-8.aspx

 

[Wid]

among all the other usual suspects, I also have one of these.

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2020080/19123/pinnacle-honing-plate-8.aspx

Nice, I like it.

 

[gnoils]

I use the back of DMT 325.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Oh, another thing. Avoid the PSA (adhesive backed) film. Plain back film is better.

 

[tinkersd]

I went to my local window and glass cutting store, you would call a glassier. Had them cut for me 4 pieces of 8" by 3" plate glass, they rounded the edge's for me at not aditional cost. Had it made from 1/4" plate glass.
works great but all my wet/dry fine grit abrasive paper curls up when I wet it and so I use 3m super 77 spray adhesive, makes a great temp. bond. I also put 4 self stick bumper pads on each corner for stability.

Thats my story and I"m sticking to it!!!

Most Sincerely tinkersd.

 

[onotoman]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I'll have a look in my local area and see what comes to hand.

Best Wishes

 

[onotoman]

Darn it - I've gone and bought a pack of Adhesive backed Film :-(

Hopefully it'll do until I get through it.

Oh, another thing. Avoid the PSA (adhesive backed) film. Plain back film is better.

 

[chuckr9]

If you have an 8x10 picture frame that is not in use the glass makes a good temporary base (tape edges if you plan to use it often). I used one for a while, then picked up a marble base "tile" that I use now.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Okay if you have PSA film you should have a plate for each grit in your kit. Be very very careful applying it. It should be stretched tight as it goes on and you must make sure that no air bubbles can possibly form. Squeegee it flat as it goes on and remember you only get one chance. Also your work en ironment must be really clean be ause one speck of lint or one fine fluffy cat hair or one dust particle will basically ruin your film. Also you need some acetone and lint free rags to clean residue off your plates. If your film is all bumpy you are better off with rocks. And you are kinda screwed if you want to finish over damp paper. Some guys leave the backing on but I feel that this gives you a poor level of surface quality.

 

[onotoman]

Thanks for the great information
I'll be sure to keep everything spotless - similar to applying protector film to an iPhone, I suppose - I've managed to get dust specks in a few of these over the years.

Pardon my ignorance but what's 'finishing over damp paper'? Is this dampening the film for the last (1 or 0.5 micron) honing?

Okay if you have PSA film you should have a plate for each grit in your kit. Be very very careful applying it. It should be stretched tight as it goes on and you must make sure that no air bubbles can possibly form. Squeegee it flat as it goes on and remember you only get one chance. Also your work en ironment must be really clean be ause one speck of lint or one fine fluffy cat hair or one dust particle will basically ruin your film. Also you need some acetone and lint free rags to clean residue off your plates. If your film is all bumpy you are better off with rocks. And you are kinda screwed if you want to finish over damp paper. Some guys leave the backing on but I feel that this gives you a poor level of surface quality.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Thanks for the great information
I'll be sure to keep everything spotless - similar to applying protector film to an iPhone, I suppose - I've managed to get dust specks in a few of these over the years.

Pardon my ignorance but what's 'finishing over damp paper'? Is this dampening the film for the last (1 or 0.5 micron) honing?

After regular laps on your finest grit of film, remove the film. Dampen a piece of paper cut slightly smaller than your film and apply the damp paper to your plate. Apply the film right over the paper, overlapping the paper's edges so no paper is exposed. Hone for another 40 or so light laps. The paper serves as a buffer that compensates for tiny irregularities and gives your razor a very face-kindly edge. I think that the resilience of the honing surface when you do this, gives a tiny bit of convexity to the bevel which will make it feel smoother and more forgiving. It also lets the film polish more finely. Most people like this sort of edge but YMMV.

I carry it a step further. I go with .3u film over damp paper and then I do another 40 light laps on the film over paper, but with lather on the film. When everything comes together perfectly, this edge is sharp enough to scare the whiskers off your face. Well, practically.

 

[dreaded_rust]

you should be able to find something suitable at your local hardware store. here's what I use. it's just a board and a piece of flat shelf glass. works great.