Manual plasma installed on a cnc problem!

[baranac]

I have a 8'x5' cnc made for wood cutting and I have decided to install a manual plasma torch on it instead of the motor. When I finished all that I noticed a problem. I have no idea how to start the cutting. The machine does everything I tell it but I don't know how to ignite the torch! oes anyone have a similar problem and possibly a solution. I could buy an automatic torch and the software needed but it is too expensive for my needs! Maybe some kind of a leaver so when I move it down on z axis it presses the button on the torch!

[massajamesb]

I have a breakout board from Hubbardcnc I got off ebay, it has built in relays for a plasma torch. You need to find out which wire is in circuit with the torch trigger, and splice into it. You don't have to use that exact board, but it is very easy to hook up, install, and is in the 50 dollar range. You can use whatever output pin you like, with a solid state relay, if you don't want to buy any extra hardware, like a board. you will tell your software when to turn on the torch, most programs it is the spindle on/off or a charge pump. Does not matter which. Does this help, or is that not specific enough, not what you are looking for, ????

[massajamesb]

you could also mount a switch on the side of the table, and tie it into the torch trigger circuit, just watch the machine move and turn it on and off that way. Kinda a cheesy way of doing it, but it would work. Not that it is that great of an idea, now that I think of it.

[baranac]

Thank you for your help but I have managed to solve the problem. I mounted a switch on to the machine and connected it into the trigger circuit so when the machine goes down on the Z axis it turns the switch on, and when it goes up again it turns it off! It is working quite well!