Plasma options

[binfordw]

Hi,

I recently got setup with a small cnc mill, and am now curious about a plasma table.

I currently just have a small Hypertherm Cutmaster 39 plasma, but find its use rather limited. I currently outsource alot of 1/8" to 3/16" thick steel parts, simple animal silhouettes and such. From what I've seen, the price seems ridiculously high for turnkey plasma tables, how much money would I be looking at in order to get started with a small cnc table?

If a CNC table is out of the budget, is there another more affordable option I might make use of? I can't cut much of anything now, without some form of straightedge.


Thanks

[millman52]

Hi,

how much money would I be looking at in order to get started with a small cnc table?




Thanks

I guess it depends on your definition of small.

It also depends on lots of other things. Mainly how many parts you can scrounge without purchasing new.

How far into the electronics build you want to do yourself.

As far as building a 4' X 4' cutting area table & purchasing new materials complete with a digital THC you are probably getting into the $4000.00 - $5000.00 range. (This is just a guess)


There are examples of working builds on here that have been done for much less. Most seem to have had lots of the materials laying around, scrap, leftovers from other jobs, or good scrounging sources. Also they seem to have prior knowledge of how a stepper or servo system works.

If you have time to dedicate to the project & the tools and ability to do the mechanical part of the build you can save a good bit of money.

[planebuilder]

If your CNC mill has enough travel for the jobs you want to do, You could build an "outrigger table that hangs off the mill table and mount your plasma torch on a bolt on arm. It may or may not be ideal, but would work and give you a little experience with CNC Plasma. Remember, plasma has no tool load, so the add-ons don't need to be "mill rigid".

[binfordw]

If your CNC mill has enough travel for the jobs you want to do, You could build an "outrigger table that hangs off the mill table and mount your plasma torch on a bolt on arm. It may or may not be ideal, but would work and give you a little experience with CNC Plasma. Remember, plasma has no tool load, so the add-ons don't need to be "mill rigid".

Thats a heck of an idea actually.


I was a bit confused at the costs, I thought as you mentioned since there wasn't the "rigidity" factor involved as with mills, the prices seemed high to me. Basically I'm interested in getting more use out of my plasma, but don't have the budget for another $5,000+ expense currently.

[millman52]

Thats a heck of an idea actually.


I was a bit confused at the costs, I thought as you mentioned since there wasn't the "rigidity" factor involved as with mills, the prices seemed high to me. Basically I'm interested in getting more use out of my plasma, but don't have the budget for another $5,000+ expense currently.

As I stated I'm sure it can be done cheaper. If you need/want one keep studying the build logs here on the zone. You'll get a good education even if you never build.

You can always pick up a piece here & there starting with things for the mechanical build. Saving the electronics for last mainly so any warranty they may have will be good once running.

[Pandinus]

LoL... sometimes I think that for every dollar I saved by doing it myself I could have made at least two by working and paying for someone else's previous engineering time and mass production costs....

But hey, then you don't get to sit back afterward and think, look what I made!!!!
Unfortunately most people wont understand what actually went into a project... just look at the end result and say... cool

That is why Its called a hobby instead of a business...Hopefully my first hobby that can actually make a few dollars back down the road. Motorcycles, ATVs, Gaming PCs,they all just suck on the wallet and depreciation bites LOL.

That said I am far enough int my project that I can cut things with it... I even have a working DIY THC circuit prototype assembled.
Lots of time spent and lots of scrounged stuff...

If you want simple for doing just a couple of simple silhouettes over and over.. try maxing a pantograph.. better yet, with the slower speed and accuracy of a mill... adapt a pantograph to it to make larger plasma cuts at higher speeds... a slight loss in resolution might be acceptable( just be aware of the plasma dust that would infiltrate your mill without a good exhaust and or water table... Make a small water table with the pantograph on it that you can wheel over to your mill and attach the arm to.

[millman52]

LoL... sometimes I think that for every dollar I saved by doing it myself I could have made at least two by working and paying for someone else's previous engineering time and mass production costs....

But hey, then you don't get to sit back afterward and think, look what I made!!!!
Unfortunately most people wont understand what actually went into a project... just look at the end result and say... cool
.

I remember thinking I could probably have made enough with a purchased product to offset the savings of building my own.

my project stretched out just a little over a year.

Even so I didn't think I could buy a entry level heavy enough to carry 4 X 12 sheets of 1" & 1 1/2" in with a fork lift & place them on the cutting deck & drag the forks out from under the plate.

I still woud have bought a gantry kit & built from there.

[bogger44]

candcnc.com does all the electronics and just build your table like torchmate for a few hun. and your table should be under 2g