(02-06-2015, 12:34 PM)DaveH Wrote:(02-06-2015, 12:04 PM)vtsteam Wrote: The "ways" are an I beam with another slightly narrower plate (probably cold rolled) lapped on top and intermittent welded.Hi Vt, any idea why that was done?
DaveH
Well it's similar to my Gingery and Atlas lathe ways -- square plate style, not dovetail. But they both have a single plate/slab, unlike the splitter's lamination.
I'm guessing that the splitter I beam top was judged too thin (or rough, or both) so they lapped additional thickness with a plate on top. If cold rolled it would be smooth for sliding without milling scale off.
Since the carriage has a gib style side sliding surface, they couldn't weld the the beam and lapped plate edges together because it wouldn't slide. so by making the top plate narrower, they could weld its edges to the I beam, while keeping the I beam's edge square for the slide.