Newbie- Combined router / plasma machines.

[chickenshed]

First of all. Hello. I'm new here.


Hope I'm in the right forum. After logging in get the advice that I should post in the 'Introductions' forum. But I'm a bit thick and can't find it

I'm looking for a first machine. Happy for it to be kit / bolt together rather than turn-key.

I want to work on a fairly large scale 8x4 or 10x5 and in wood I would mostly be profile cutting, with a bit of grooving, rather than full surface modelling.

However, I'm quite keen to be able to use a plasma cutter with the machine as well.

Now I have an appreciation that the two technologies aren't wholly compatible and that you would compromise one function to facilitate the other. But it would be interesting to get others insight in to the pros and cons of a dual function machine and where the compromises lay. If anything I would bias performance towards the wood, expecting to cut steel maybe 5-10% of the time

In cash flow terms, I would also be looking to buy a machine for routing and and plasma cutting capacity later, so machines that take a modular approach would be ideal.

I'm uk based but have been looking at a lot of US made machines, particularly as the exchange rate is quite favourable at present.


So, what are people's thoughts?

[KustomKoncepts]

I started looking at the combo machines also and quickly changed my mind.

up side one table 2 technologies.

down sides

saw dust and hot metal don't like each other.

Tables need to be diferent for both systems

mounts for spindle and plasma diferent

the fumes plasma makes..

not easy to change over.

for a weekend hobbiest it would be great but if you are a business and want to make money the accuracy and dependability of a multiple machine did not make sence to me after a lot of reasearch.. I chose a cnc router for 30K and can get a cheap plasmacam at about 10K later or if my sign design calls for metal to be cut I design it here and send the file to a local plasma or better if you have a laser cutting shop let them cut your 5-10% metal work and make money with a dependable cnc router for the other materials.

[cabnet636]

pick your poison

jim

[chickenshed]

I'd still be interested to hear from anyone who uses the dual purpose machines, or rather machines that use the same technology for either purpose, like EZ Router or Torchmate.

[cabnet636]

used search for plasma, router combo

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/search...archid=2060280

[Kent_Norway]

Hi there.

Well, I'm not sure why you're heading for a plasma cutter combo? Are you planning to do cutting in really thick metal which is heat treated etc? If not, there are machines out there which would do wood and in addition softer metal like aluminum, soft steel and so on. You do however need a water cooling setup for metal work and you need to take several steps in the cutting. Not cutting everything in one go..

That was for sure my idea of my machine, but then I have not received it yet.

K