Im not sure what you mean. AFIK The torchmate's are either a 'kit' that you bolt together, or a fully constructed machine. But the kit still costs a few thousand dollars. Did you mean the plans at the start of this thread?
Yes. I was thinking about building a cnc plasma from these plans on this thread but wasn't sure how hard it is. I don't have any experience with a cnc plasma. I am going back and forth on buying a torchmate setup or building my own. That was what i was talking about. Hopefully that makes sence. Have you built your own cnc plasma? Thanks Josh
Nope Im afraid not, but it's on my 'to do' list.
Unfortunately the list is quite long so I won't be any help in the near future! Building my first cnc router at the moment. But there are a lot of people on this site who have built their own and Im sure will be more than willing to help. Maybe start your own thread to ask for advice and let others know of your progress.
Mike, would it be possiable to start a new page here or somewhere for you to put all the best "of's" for this table? I mean like the different drives, the electronics, or for that matter anything you may be able to buy more than one style of! See I'm a machinist/welder/fabricator/old'fart/Great lover,,,,,lol,,,and many more things, but a good buyer I'm not as I usually find out I bought the wrong thing after I get it home,,,,lol,,,Again as many have praised you for your work and for being so kind as to share,,,,THANKS many times,,,,,,I'm a CNC mill and Lathe shop trying to get into CNC cutting I just can't seem to get all the info to stay in my old mind you see. I have to figure out which type of cutter I want also, see I'm told that the plasma won't cut very deep and I'll need that. I'm also told the flame cutter will cut deep and a laser will also, then someone will say a water jet will also work but it has high maintance cost,,,,,someone please help an old'fart with all the pros and cons in one place so I and others don't have to spend what few days we have left looking for all the info needed even tho you have given a lot it's spread over many post,,,,,thanks again Mike for your work and kind heart,,,,My sit is www.hitectool.com where I show just one of our many projects we work on here at Hi-Tec Tool, Phone numbers and emails there also.
Mike: I saw one of the combo units (It actually was a torch and router combo) but they built it so the carriage on the gantry went down both faces (front and back) and the plasma was mounted on one side that router on the other. Seperate Z slides and motors but they had a plug so they could swap the appropriate motor to the Z axis Gecko. On this one, they had split the table (8ft cutting area) and could use one end for routing and the other for plasma or with a change of the cutting surface use the whole table for either. That approach would work for plasma and oxy. All you would have to do is have the table be a little longer than the cutting area and be able to offset the table zero depending on the type cutting.
Is it possible to build one cheaper but still keep the quality? I am looking for an alternative to a plasma cam that would be for just sheet-metal stuff.
Thank you for your time.
I have not built one yet, but I can't see why not. I think a lot of it will have to do with what kind of cutter you want to use to cut your sheet metal with.
you should be able to build one for 5000 t0 6000. Depending on the plasma and controls you pick. How well it works depends on the care you take putting it togethor.
I have seen several that are as good as any commerical machine in the $20000 range.
I have been been making some mods to the machine. Here are some pictures of a new cabinet I am building. It houses the controls and computer and yes it does work.
It is up and cutting and there is now a THC 1000 from Cand CNC installed.
sorry the pics arent that good
mike
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so I won't be any help in the near future! Building my first cnc router at the moment. But there are a lot of people on this site who have built their own and Im sure will be more than willing to help. Maybe start your own thread to ask for advice and let others know of your progress.
