Plasma Table size recommendatation? 4x4, 5x5, 5x9

[bseibenick]

I am getting ready to start a cnc plasma build. I am looking for recommendations for what a good size table would be to build. I am a hobbyist and for the most part I figure I will be cutting brackets, decorations, etc. I can't see a single part needing to be bigger than 4'x4'

I figure a 4x4 would be a little small because you couldn't really cut a 4'x4' sheet on it.

A 5'x9' or 5'x10' would be good because you could drop an entire 4'x8' sheet on it and cut away. The down side of this would be the space required as well as the shear weight of the 4'x8' sheet of metal.

I think I am leaning towards a 5'x5' table that will let me cut a 4'x4' sheet of steel and still be able to keep a fair amount of garage space. I could always cut off of a 4'x8' sheet by hanging part of the sheet off the table on a stand.

Any experience and/or recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian

[jimcolt]

5 foot wide (x 10) is usually cheaper by the square foot than 4 foot wide. And......you cannot usually buy 4 x 4 sheets without some sort of a cutting charge. I have a 4 x 4 (PlasmaCam) but have configured a support roller system that will accomodate 4 x 8. I wish I had a 5' wide system so I could buy steel in 5 x 10 pieces.

The PlasmaCam software allows you to easily cut parts bigger than 4 x 4 by cutting everything in the 4 x 4 perimeter...then allowing you to index (move) the plate to cut up to 4 x 12.

Of course......the other issue is material handling.....how do you move large plates on and off the table.....another subject entirely for the small, one person shop!

Jim Colt

[Big John T]

Mine is 50" (of cutting area) on the X axis and 36" on the Y axis. As Jim said you can index the sheet. I can load a 4 x 8 sheet as it can stick out on either end of the table as needed. I usually get my sheets cut to 4 x 4 for a nominal charge and I can handle up to 11 gauge by myself. It also makes it easy to store the 4 x 4 sheets next to the plasma table on a rack.

John

[millman52]

If you are wanting to load easily & 4 X 4 is your desired size sheet 4'6" is wide enough but to have gantry run off room on the length of the table is quite desirable. The length of the cutting surface would be ok at slightly over 4' but I'd want the gantry moved completely from off the cutting surface.. I'd also want a dropped front rail table to make loading & unloading from either the end or side easy.

[Pure-Powder]

I purchased a table 4x4 with a single sided gantry, I can easily load a 4x8 sheet from the side and it can hang over each end.. It cuts a full 4 feet in each direction. So if i want i can cut my 4x8 sheets in half. If I was to purchase another table I would probably go with a 4x8 set up.... I purchase my steel by the pound so it doesn't matter what size the sheet is..