Adding Plasma to a CNC Router - Hybrid?

[Ed3XP]

I have been doing CNC work for a little over a year now with a small bench top router. I have upgraded to this Wart Hog Router I picked up for $1400. I am adding sme electronics to this to get it to work 100%, but thats a whole other topic.

My question here is can I make this a hybrid Router/Plasma? My thought as, i could have a removable water table and shims that I throw in the machine when i want to do plasma work. And simply remove it when i want to do wood work. Its a rack and pinion system on the X and Y and a screw for the Z. My rapids that I have been testing are around 400-450 ipm. This seems like it should be fast enough? Thanks guys for your input.

[Jeep07]

The main difference you will have is the torch. You will want something that handles the TorchFire and the OK to Move signals. Then if you want THC you will need something that monitors voltage and adjusts. Check out CandCNC for his THC if you use Mach. You will also want to build a torch holder that has a floating head with a switch so you always know where the material 0 is.

I have my machine setup for 3 tools. Plasma, Engraver and a Spindle so its doable.

[Ed3XP]

How about the water table.. it absolutely can not be plastic? and also, why do people use containers under the table to reuse the water?

[johndjmix]

I'm wondering the same...why reuse the water, water is practically free and it would be easier to just drain the water and bring in fresh.

--John

[4R8]

for smaller machines, it would be easier.
For a 5x5 and larger it's easier and quicker long term to store below and reuse.
Filling a table via garden hose takes a long time. Time which could be spent cutting. Filling a table with a well designed bladder system is much quicker.
The main reason people use a bladder is additives are used to reduce rust and corrosion of the parts and the table itself, reusing mean not re mixing each time the table is used. It also lowers the evaporation rate as no fluid is exposed to air and means the table can be cleaned without remixing more fluid.