Is Osb A Good Choice For A Surface Plate Cover?

I don't see why OSB wouldn't work. I built mine out of some cabinet grade 3/4 in plywood I had kicking around. I built the sides high enough that the cover sits off of the surface about 1/2 inch.
 
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thanks gents for all of the information and suggestions!
i have the OSB on hand
:D
 
I'd be worried about the hard glues holding together all of that wood would be abrasive to the polished granite surface and damaging it over time. I would prefer using plywood like Baltic Birch or Fir myself. That reminds me, I need to do the same for my surface plates, too.
 
i would take the advice of Brav65 and add cushioning pads or a sheet of felt perhaps.
i do like the idea of a nicely finished plywood too.
 
Another thing to consider, OSB can give you some nasty splinters. I would sand it throughly, especially the edges and give it a couple of coats of paint or polyurethane.
 
Use a lot of osb for packing parts at my job its ok to use. i would use regular plywood if I had a choice for a cover. Or paint the osb. It has a tendency to loosen with moisture and swell like others have said. Also it makes some nasty splinters if you move stuff around on it. Whatever glue they use is very abrasive like others said. We used a high speed end mill to cut it and after a day it was destroyed.
 
I just used some spray on adhesive on the edges and bottom and placed felt over it then trimmed to suit.
No splinters and easy on the hands when moving.
 
Don't know what size your surface plate is but I would much prefer a rubber mat for a cover, even if I had some OSB on hand.
OSB is heavy, uneven, ugly, looks cheap, made in China and all that. Anyways thems would be my reasons to avoid it as a cover for a surface plate.
 
You have the material but it is far past ugly and it chips.

Spend the money and get a sheet of birch or other good cabinet plywood and check around as some are poor quality with few layers and others great with many and this can be in same store as they often get mixed batches.

Coat with clear floor finish but be certian it is oil based as the water base stuff is said (by the sellers) to be far better but it us garbage and common things like alcohol will blister it.

Use these materials and it will be a show piece that can be used to display your work or to use for photos while using the Osb you will still be covering with something else to hide it.

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UD, I would hope that you have your bar set as high as it will go! Let’s go for it! And it won’t break the bank either. I would use some pre-finished Baltic Plywood or similar. Then run a nice mitered exotic wood border around the plywood. And cover the inside with some green felt. Make it right, and then you will not need to worry about using any fake materials. If you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly…Good Luck, Dave.
 
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