Solid 304 Stainless Steel Block Plate 20mm 25mm 30mm 35mm - 120mm Grade 304 GS

Start with your finished part dimensions and add machining allowance — typically 2–5 mm per face for milling or grinding. If your finished part is 45 mm × 45 mm × 45 mm, ordering the 50 mm × 50 mm × 50 mm variant gives you enough stock to clean up all faces. For rectangular parts, match the longest dimension to the block's longest axis to minimize waste.

Grade 304 has a minimum tensile strength of approximately 515 MPa and a yield strength of around 205 MPa, which is adequate for many structural brackets, spacers, and fixture components. For applications involving high cyclic loads, impact, or elevated temperatures above 870 °C, consider Grade 316 or a higher-alloy steel instead.

Grade 304 stainless steel forms a self-healing chromium oxide passive layer that resists rust in most outdoor and humid environments. It performs well in freshwater and mild atmospheric conditions. In coastal or high-chloride environments (saltwater splash zones), Grade 316 offers better pitting resistance. Avoid prolonged contact with chloride-containing chemicals or bleach-based cleaners.

Yes. Grade 304 is readily welded using TIG or MIG processes with ER308L filler wire. For best results, clean the weld area with a dedicated stainless steel wire brush (not carbon steel) to avoid contamination. Post-weld passivation or pickling is recommended for corrosion-critical applications to restore the passive layer in the heat-affected zone.

Yes, but 304 stainless work-hardens quickly, so use sharp carbide or cobalt-grade HSS drill bits with cutting fluid and a moderate feed rate. Avoid dwelling or stopping mid-cut. For tapping, use a spiral-flute tap with cutting oil and back off every half-turn to break chips. Recommended tap drill sizes follow standard metric or imperial charts for the thread you need.

Square blocks (e.g., 25 × 25 × 25 mm, 50 × 50 × 50 mm) are ideal when you need equal stock on all axes — common for cube-shaped fixtures, spacers, or symmetric brackets. Rectangular variants (e.g., 30 × 50 × 100 mm) suit parts with one dominant long dimension, such as rails, slide blocks, or mounting pads, and reduce material cost compared to cutting down a larger square block.

Blocks are supplied with a mill finish — the natural as-cut surface from saw or shear cutting. This finish is functional but not decorative. If you need a specific surface roughness (Ra), plan for a facing or grinding operation. For a mirror or brushed appearance, secondary polishing with progressively finer abrasives (120 → 240 → 400 grit) is straightforward on 304 stainless.