Milling flat stock

I have a (home made) side plate of a Browning 1919 that the fella started making from a piece of 4130 that is .250 thick. It has to be thinned to about .180 in places, leaving a raised portion along the (more-or-less) center of the plate.

Right now, the plate is flat but I understand that when you mill a plate thinner, it tends to warp.

I have a Bridgeport and the biggest milling cutter I have is .750/carbide. My objective is to mill along the length of the plate without warping it.

I'm thinking that if I mill in several thinning passes I can alleviate the warping. Or am I wrong ?

Reply to
Fo
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Probably wrong. The machining, itself, is not the usual cause of the warpage. It is stresses left in the metal when it was cold rolled. If you do a stress relieving heat treat, the warpage will be vastly less.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

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