Need recommendations for steel bar plate for work bench

[desullivan]

Looking for any recommendations on steel bar plate to put on top of my work bench. I have separate anvil but want to integrate a strip of steel in a gap between two of my benches. Any specific info is very helpful like thickness, steel type and of course any feature to look for so I do not mar leather or have it be prone to excessive rust.

 

Thanks for the help!

[fredk]

I'd go for at least 6mm (1/4 inch) thick aluminium. No chance of corrosion / rust ruining leather. About 4 inches wide and about 15 to 18 inches long. Counter-sunk brass screws to hold down. Should be able to cope with most projects

[bruce johnson]

not marking your leather or prone to rust - Stainless. The late Phil LeDuc used stainless as a tooling surface instead of granite.

Thickness depends on what you are going to do with it and if it need to be flush in the gap between benches. My flat bench plates/anvils are 1" thick, but not stainless. good solid weight for light riveting and knocking out rivets. 

 

[desullivan]

Thanks for the great advice!  I need to try and find some material now.

 

[dikman]

What are you actually going to use it for? If hammering rivets etc on it then aluminium will be too soft and will mark easily, steel plate will have to be pretty thick to avoid bounce when hammering. That's why anvils are so good (even little ones), they have mass to resist bounce.