Plate staying flat

I for the life of me cant get a plate to lay flat so my tip stays the same. I use 14 gu on everything I do. I have wasted a couple sheets. The machine works great, but how do u keep the plate flat on slats. Any advice would be helpful

It’s impossible. Here is what I do though.

A 2X4 and clamps. The material will get pretty flat if you run a 2X4 across it and clamp down to the table. You have to get the wood as close to the cutting area as possible but make sure you do a “torch off” run to confirm you don’t have interference.

I have also used a car battery sitting on the material to get it as flat as possible.

I have also started storing my metal flat on the shop floor but that still doesn’t do the trick but the metal is flatter.

I cannot wait to get my Pro table with THC!

1 Like

I do a few things. Sometimes I shim the one side that is popping up. I also will use deep throat c clamps but sometimes won’t work considering how much yield per sheet your are squeezing in. I run about .5" to my ends typically so a clamp isn’t ideal all the time . I also have 2" thick steel bars I put down on my sheet while cutting.

I have had luck with flipping the sheets over so the bow is down. but short of weights or clamps or standing there with a hammer handle pushing things down I don’t have any “new” tricks.
Wait for the THC to come out?

Yeah I will second what these guys say. I use several pieces of cut forklift forks, about 6-8 inches long, several inches thick as weights. I store my sheets standing up against a wall, but mine are cut in half, only 4’ tall. For the most part I haven’t run into too much bowing or curvature, but if it’s really bad, I just turn the sheet over.

Good luck.

These clamps work great to pull a little warp out,
This 3/16" plate had a little bow on one corner, clamp pulled it right down.

1 Like

Since I got a deal on 7000lbs of 18g steel that is all cut 19 x 31.5 inches I took the time to build a small angle iron frame. I then lift the end with the orange clamp and slide out the old and in with the new. I do lose a little bit of material but I can still squeeze 18 x 30.5 out of it all day long. I had to cut the slats down a little bit for clearance but didn’t hurt a thing.



4 Likes