Hello All, I been here a couple of months but am new to post. I have just finished building a water table for our new 4X8 Torchmate 3. We have been cutting for a couple of weeks now and most everything is going very well except for a few concerns.

1. during operation of the torch cutting the flame is throwing water back up onto my machine and all around. Most guys I've asked say they set the water level at just right under the material thier cuttting. Is this correct or should it be a little lower? What is the recommended height of water to material?

2. and -- Is there any chemical or process I can add to my water table to get rid of the rust the water is causing not only on the slag left by the cut but also (more importantly) to the support slats in the water? The table itself is coated in rubber --but the slats are not. I am having a lot of rust build up on the support slats of the table.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
hot rod kid

Don't worry about the rust, as you will need to replace the slats long before they will rust out. The interesting thing about rust is once it totaly covers a piece of metal it acts like a coating, and slows down it's own progression. Most coatings that you could put on the slats would give off fumes as you cut into them.

Contact the following company about a water table additive.

Koal Industries
Elk Grove Village IL
847 956 9720

Product would be Koal Quench 617.2

Never thought about that. Before the time they would rust away they'd need replacing anyway. The side supports that hold the slats in place are stainless so there is no worry there. I was going to use the old method of arm and hammer wash and a battery charger connected to two stainless rods in the tank to just keep the water cleaner --but on second thought and a little research I am afraid the current will affect or harm the motors and torch height control on my machine! Don't want to do that---- they don't give that stuff away.
Thanks for the input.
hot rod kid

Thank You --I'll check into this today.

The water splashing back shouldn't be of any concern unless it were possible to soak the motor or height control connections enough to short out the electronics. On the Torchmate 4 we've never had any issues with it.

We also recommend the Koal Industries plasma quench. Although we haven't had any issues with tables that don't have any additives in the water. The slats will rust, as will the material if you let it sit in the water.

While cutting we usually recommend having the water level at the top of your slats or just touching the bottom of the material, this is the most efficient at collecting smoke and dust as well as an added bonus of keeping the material cool.

Hello Mike, I think I'm going to try the Koal Industries plasma quench --I think it'll solve my problems with that. The water splashing up is not terrible but does make a little bit of a mess. The water does not get on the connections or motors but does splash back up on the T gantry slide rail some.
I'd like to say --- You guys have been GREAT as far as helping me out with getting the TM3 up and going! There has been no lack of support from your end at all --and I really appreciate that. Not to mention the machine itself is WONDERFUL! I researched many machines on the market and scanned cnc zone a lot before buying. And at this point I couldn't be happier.

I'll post some photos of my table before long. We made 2 tables in one. The outer table is made in the shape of a square U. The inner table is the water table which I can unbolt and roll out of the U table for cleaning away from the machine itself. Water table is sealed on the inside with a truck bed undercoating spray on rubber. I'll have photos later on.

Thanks again Mike
hot rod kid