Re-facing Startrite 301 Blade guides

[Jockshed]

Hello, can anyone advise on the best way to re-face the guide blocks on a Startrite 301? Just bought this 2nd hand and it's in good nick, but the guide faces have a fair bit of wear and curve off slightly toward the tips. Can I sort this on a disc sander..?

 

[johnnyb]

there fairly soft I did mine using an end mill and a pillar drill with a moving table.

 

[RichardG]

I would try by hand first on a flat plate with 80 grit, I suspect it won’t take long to improve. If you can setup guides to hold them perfectly square against a sanding disk then would be worth a go but from my experience its not easy to make something perfectly flat on a disk.

 

[Fitzroy]

I did mine by hand on a flat plate with wet and dry. They are surprisingly soft.

 

[dickm]

Just live with the curved guides on my 352. Seems not to be a problem provided the guides are set correctly at some point along the surface. But my 352 gets a hard life anyway.

 

[Lons]

I flattened mine on an old cheap diamond plate but abrasive paper on a flat surface will work just as well, I wouldn't get too concerned as the are fully adjustable anyway. Mine is a 352 btw.

 

[sneggysteve]

Changed mine to bearings based on an old post on this site but I cannot find it sorry

 

[Jockshed]

I flattened mine on an old cheap diamond plate but abrasive paper on a flat surface will work just as well, I wouldn't get too concerned as the are fully adjustable anyway. Mine is a 352 btw.

Cheers - I’ll try the diamond plate…

 

[Sachakins]

You can always glue an abrasive paper to a piece of glass, keeps it flat, and you can have several grades side by side.

I use an old glass table mat or chopping board, toughened glass, rigid and flat.

 

[--Tom--]

That’ll take a while on a diamond plate, I did mine on a bit of sandpaper on a flat surface

 

[Jockshed]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Lons]

That’ll take a while on a diamond plate, I did mine on a bit of sandpaper on a flat surface

Depends on the grade of plate. The old one I used was around 150g and certainly didn't take too long at all.

EDIT:
You made me wonder whether course plates are still available so had a very quick look and first up is this 120/180g, I'm sure a little searching will find them under a tenner.
Diamond Flattening Stone Lapping Plate Double-Sided (120&180) Grit Diamond Sharpening Plate Fixing Stone Flattener 254 × 79 × 15mm : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

 

[--Tom--]

Not disputing it’ll work, but a sheet of 60grit alox will cost less than a pound and be much quicker. Op should just use whatever they have to hand and not worry too much. Just check progress every now and again and don’t take off more than you need to