4 X 10 table modification

[impax]

I have had one of these tables for about a year. I found it to be very accurate when used with a Hypotherm 1000 and small consumables. My lower back did not like having to lift/drag sheets up between the guide rails. The 1/2 plate was a real killer! The 4X4 size was rather limiting even though you could index the sheet through. No matter how carefull, there was always a "step" in the cut. I finally got mad and made it 4 X 10 with a roll in table. It was a lot of work but I just ran the first job through - a 12 gauge stainless steel conveyor frame project on it and it performed good. Now I flop a sheet on the roll in table, run it back between the rails and hit go. When all the cutting is done, roll it back out and remove the parts and skeleton. The hardest thing was to weld the rails together straight, get them square and paralell with each other and make their supports completely adjustable. I am pretty sure I can cut a line 120" long and be withing .030 of being straight. I have also thought of a way to fine tune this to virtually perfect. The z axis has very little range so the whole thing must be flat and the rails must be the right height off the table all across also. I developed the whole works on acad and cut any parts I needed on the table before dis-assembly. The only parts I brought in from Colorado where three more rail sections. The cables were plenty long enough for How I did it. The new grates can be cut on itself. The whole thing is heavy and sturdy. I'm sure I could cut a whole 4X10 1" plate. This project is not for the faint of heart. I have a full machine/fabricating shop and 26 years of precision metal fabrication experience that came in pretty handy. I stopped short of making the ganty a foot longer - let somebody else figure that out!

[rpage]

any chance you could post some pictures? would love to see how you did it.

How thick of stainless do you cut? I have a heck of a time figuring out my settings for stainless. I have a hypertherm 1250 that I love. But cutting stainless leaves such a crappy edge for me. And of course stainless being expensive, I dont do many test cuts.

Thanks in advance for any information and congrats on the table upgrade!

Rick

[impax]

Hi Rick,
I don't have my book in front of me but my settings very whether I use the 40 amp or 60 amp tip and what material. If you have a 1250 you can use up to 80 amp I believe. There is always some scab on the back whith stainless. What material are you cutting? Here is a picture of my table when I was cutting the grates.

[rpage]

WOW! That is impressive!! You post on yahoo groups Plasmapig? If not, you should! That is one heck of an upgrade! I mainly cut 16 gauge thru 1/2 steel. Some aluminum, usually 3/16th to 1/4 inch. I have cut some stainless, mainly 18 gauge and 20 gauge, but I was never pleased with the edge.

Thanks so much for sharing your upgrade photo!!! WOW! Nice job!

[rpage]

Holy cow I just looked at your profile! You are right on route 6??? I come up 6 almost every year in August when we goto Manitoulin Island! Maybe I will have to stop in and see that setup!

[plain ol Bill]

that roll in/out table is impressive to say the least. That would work well in conjunction with a water table also. Now to put this thread in my favorites for future reference. Thanks for posting - if you have any more photos I'd love to see them.

[impax]

I will see about getting some more pics. The shop is in front of the Varney Speedway