Newbie- New to waterjet cutting

[Gerdy]

I just picked up an older Omax 2652 with a 40k psi cougar pump. Omax is telling me that they no longer make the cougar pumps and are suggesting that I get re-built pump but I can't afford the 30-40K yet. Is there real value in a different pump? we plan on using the water jet to cut custom details from steel form 3/4" to 2" thick. Any thoughts?

[asuratman]

Good day,
Do you have any pics? I also interested in waterjet, I make drilling oiltools equipment. I need to know whether structural or table design is the same as plasma table or not. If you look your table, do you think can we DIY water jet table, the rest such as hi press pump and spindle can buy outsource. I have seen some pump on this JET EDGE Waterjet Systems - Used Waterjets, Water Jet Equipment. I think nobody cnczoner have built diy this water jet.

[Gerdy]

Don't have any pictures but you can see the Omax 2652 on the web they have not changed much. I'm not sure I understand your question. My plasma cutting machine (on a grid with down draft) is used for rough cutting, we plan on using the waterjet (on a grid in water) to cut shapes in small detail to reduce machining time.

[JakeM]

We have had a OMAX 80160 with a 3050v pump for almost 6 years now. The only advantage you are going to have with the newer pump is a marginal increase in cut speed. I wouldn't bother to up grade unless step up in hp quite a bit, like going from a 20hp to a 50hp, or a 50hp to 100hp pump. Otherwise I don't think its really worth the money or the trouble unless the pump needs substantial repair.

[Spruk805]

Thicker the materials the faster you will be cutting with a larger pump size.

[bogger44]

I don't think there is any diff btwn plas and h2o jet the tolerence of plas is .oo5 thou you would just have to know the weight of the water jet and sand hopper so the motors can be sized to drive it

[asuratman]

Goog day,

First question:
Can I build a waterjet cutting table the same design as plasma table. Looking at the precision, we can not use rack and pinion systems, right or wrong. It should be designed using ball screw from the beginning.

Second question:
Once the table done, can I use gecko G320x for cnc controller and mach3.

Third question:
When all table and cnc done, what things to purchase for waterjet equipment. Can I buy partial, not from one source. Let say I got cheap pump from 1 supplier, and I buy cutting head from another supplier, and so on. This to get whole systems cheap.

Thanks.

[asuratman]

Goog day,

First question:
Can I build a waterjet cutting table the same design as plasma table. Looking at the precision, we can not use rack and pinion systems, right or wrong. It should be designed using ball screw from the beginning.

Second question:
Once the table done, can I use gecko G320x for cnc controller and mach3.

Third question:
When all table and cnc done, what things to purchase for waterjet equipment. Can I buy partial, not from one source. Let say I got cheap pump from 1 supplier, and I buy cutting head from another supplier, and so on. This to get whole systems cheap.

Thanks.

[mario@a1fab]

Is you're the 3 cylinder pump?
We've got the large 4055v (I think that's the model) and it would be nice and all if we weren't rebuilding it all the time.

It seems the maintenance schedules should not be followed in the manuals, as they are all a little on the "optimistic" side.

asuratman, why not start your own thread? One thing I've noticed from running plasma to waterjet, the waterjet is a lot more dependent on software and modeling of the stream. The jet stream moves in different ways depending on material and thicknesses.

[asuratman]

Hi Mario,
I do not have budget now to build waterjet systems. I have router, CNC table w/Cutting Torch, and now cnc mill in progress. I am interested to waterjet and I want to build it, but the budget is so high for my small machineshop. What I need (many people need it) maybe all thing to make waterjet, cost, and technology. Nobody so far has thread on this waterjet.
Maybe, once many people know how to build waterjet, someone will develop cheap waterjet. Thanks.

[Spruk805]

Originally Posted by mario@a1fab Is you're the 3 cylinder pump? We've got the large 4055v (I think that's the model) and it would be nice and all if we weren't rebuilding it all the time. It seems the maintenance schedules should not be followed in the manuals, as they are all a little on the "optimistic" side. asuratman, why not start your own thread? One thing I've noticed from running plasma to waterjet, the waterjet is a lot more dependent on software and modeling of the stream. The jet stream moves in different ways depending on material and thicknesses.

Hi mario, do you have a chiller and reverse osmosis hooked up? If not, those two items alone should increase pump life dramatically. I can get 500-1000 hours of pump on time on all three model.