Specialty Pallets for M&R presses

[mimosatexas]

I have always built my own pallets, but would like to start purchasing specialty pallets for my new Kruzer in anticipation of using them for a long time.  I have been looking on the M&R store and on action engineering, and I guess I am having a bit of sticker shock when it comes to some of them.  I'm confused why a youth pallet (10x22) and a single sleeve pallet (4x23) are the same price ($160), despite the youth pallet having twice as much aluminum.  The prices seem a little better on action engineering and they have more options, but many of them have 4 piece minimums.  Anyone know a good source to get these used or have advice on making them?  At the moment I really just need one sleeve and one youth/small women's cut to get by...

[Binkspot]

Digitsmith. You can also pick up used std pallets and cut them to your size with a table or circular saw.

[mk162]

the problem with used is they can be warped.

I would just buy enough stuff from M&R to get free shipping and do that periodically to build up the stock of platens you want.

[cbjamel]

I have always built my own pallets, but would like to start purchasing specialty pallets for my new Kruzer in anticipation of using them for a long time.  I have been looking on the M&R store and on action engineering, and I guess I am having a bit of sticker shock when it comes to some of them.  I'm confused why a youth pallet (10x22) and a single sleeve pallet (4x23) are the same price ($160), despite the youth pallet having twice as much aluminum.  The prices seem a little better on action engineering and they have more options, but many of them have 4 piece minimums.  Anyone know a good source to get these used or have advice on making them?  At the moment I really just need one sleeve and one youth/small women's cut to get by...

The other thing is with of brand is a shorter length "U" attachment on the bottom. I have mixed sleeve boards of M&R and Action Eng. and the  Action ones are shorter in the attachment part. Just FYI and situation.
Shane

[ZooCity]

Don't use anything but full length brackets.  It's stupid not to.  We just replaced all of our vintage '92 brackets which are about 6" long with full length ones and holy smokes, what a difference in deflection.  Al tooling plate is not made to take certain pressures without reinforcement.

But don't let that stop you from scoring deals on ones with the short brackets.  If you order new brackets from M&R they come with the correct VBR tape already installed.  This is super deluxe, easy to install and, yes, another d!ck ride on M&R b/c they deserve it.  Other companies don't even use enough or the right kind of adhesive tape. 

Do watch out for platens used by idiots who are burning them up and/or overheating them regularly.  They'll be potato chipped and of no more use to you than a pile of beer cans.  Properly used Al platens will last a very long time.  Ours on the Gauntlet are 22 years old and only one shows even a little warp that is of any concern.

Also I just pm'd you Mimi.

[sben763]

I bought some used 10"x22" platens. Then used a table saw with a metal cutting blade and cut them down used a 4 1/2" grinder and rounded the corners. You can't tell the difference from the 4x22 sleeve platen I purchased. I only paid $35 for the 10x22 platens.