North Star II Field Tripod Construction - Fabrication of the Faceplates 3

 

The edges of one of the large faceplates being chamfered on a bench grinder... (Click for enlarged view)

 

This is a shot of one of the large faceplates after having its sharp edges chamfered on my bench grinder to alleviate the chance of someone getting cut, as well as providing a more pleasing appearance.

NOTE: Though I did not use one, it is best to use a grinding stone specific to grinding aluminum. If you look closely in the photo you will see that the aluminum oxide grinding wheels I used are becoming clogged with aluminum debris. This is very dangerous and could cause the wheels to become out of balance during operation, which could potential cause the wheels to disintegrate and fly violently into the operator. So, I recommend using the correct grinding wheels.