On 2007-11-24, Jon Elson wrote:

[ ... ]

Well, I tore up my back trying to drag a 375 Lb surface plate
out of the back of my car. I have slid heavy stuff around
before, but I was at the wrong angle, the skid caught on the
carpet or something, and I did major damage. I was in great
pain for a couple months, and it slowly healed. But, my back is
never going to be the same. As long as I take it easy, avoid
exhausting the back muscles and avoid the movement of pulling
something toward me hard, with my back, then I'm OK.

Ouch!

With my back totalled, I did manage to rig the surface plate to
my lawn tractor and pull it around to the basement door and then
winch it in. It sat on the floor for a year, then I built a
table for it when I got my TIG machine.

Is that a granite surface plate -- or a cast iron one? The
edge looks granite, but the top looks rusty -- perhaps the appearance of
the spotting compound on it already?

and how big a plate it it? My largest is an 18x18 cast iron,
plus a 12x18 granite and a small 6x12 ping granite from Starrett
(through some other ownership along the way. :-)

Sorry about the clutter in the picture :
http://jelinux.pico-systems.com/surftable.html
There are plugs in the pipes that have angled 1"-20 TPI threads
so the adjusting feet go straight up and down. I milled those
threads by CNC. It has 6 feet, 3 on the floor, and 3 holding
the granite plate.

O.K. I can't seem to see the near leg on the right actually
touching the plate -- but it must be, or it would be toppling.

Yes -- three point support is the right thing to do with either
the granite or the cast iron.

The project came out great, but I sure wish I hadn't wrecked my
back. I'd managed to save myself from wrecking my back up until
I was 55 or so.

It is a pity that you did in your back. Any hopes of it getting
better over time, or is what you currently have as good as you can
expect?

Good Luck,
DoN.

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