CNC Plasma

[lostcause]

To the aggressive DIYers / light commercial crowd out there:

Any of you have any experience with small CNC plasma systems? dabbled with it, or even researched it a little? I'm a hobby level / build stuff to support family & friends for personal use, and occasionally fix or build something for a commercial outfit type of person. for probably more than 20 years I've had plans (bot on paper and constantly changing in my head) to build a CNC plasma burning table. Over the years I've bought a good amount of raw materials to support this effort - linear bearings, belt and pulley setups, micro switches, and more. Whenever I found surplus items that would support my future build at pennies on the dollar, I would pick them up. At this point in my life it still seems like more of a folly than an actual plan because I can barely come up with the down time from work to do essential repairs, let alone build a complex tool from scratch.

I have a couple projects I want to build over the winter, and both need parts with more precision than I want to do by hand. It would take me a lot of time to grind and/or machine tough-up some of the more precise parts I need. I put out some feelers to local-ish people posting CNC cutting on Marketplace, and I've got nothing back. I guess the people out there are doing well enough selling decorative fire rings and sports logos that they don't want to (or know how to) do custom cutting from files?

So, long story getting longer, I'm contemplating on purchasing a small system to cut my own parts. I own a (15+ year old?) Hypertherm 45 hand-held plasma, and have enough computer parts and CAD knowledge to set up that side of it, and since the mid-90's I've known how to create 2D CNC CAD files that support large CNC burning machines. What I need is the table setup. Langmuir seems to be the least expensive I see currently - $1500 to get started with a 2x2 table. Anyone have any experience or research on this or any other company out there making a similar product?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I’ve been looking at the XTool plasma and laser welder

 

[grsthegreat]

Hmm, i purchased my table years age from Dynatorch. Id have no idea how to make my own. I have a Hypertherm plasma machine with the machine torch head. The heads are different for a table than from a portable machine.

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[etpm]

If you're gonna do any type of production plasma cutting you need to have a water bath beneath the cutting platform to capture the dust. I bought a plasma cutter with the intention of using it for CNC cutting but after using the thing I realized the dust it created was too much of a health hazard. To me and all the machines in my machine shop. A neighbor bought a CNC table for their plasma cutter and couldn't get the plasma cutter to interface with the control. They asked me for help and I got it working. Now they use it a lot for all sorts of things for their earth moving machines. But they hate the dust. I went over to their shop a while back and there is metal dust everywhere. Other than the fine and dangerous to breathe dust a CNC plasma cutter can be a great tool. I only use mine outside and always wear breathing protection. There are, or were at least, many companies offering CNC plasma cutter tables. Lotsa Chinese ones. The quality seemed to be similar no matter where the tables originated from last time I looked. A friend bought a PlasmaCam system. Expensive and not worth the money.
Eric

 

[lostcause]

I’ve been looking at the XTool plasma and laser welder

I'd never heard of Xtool before so i took a look. looks pretty neat as far as capability. the 800w one says 8mm(5/16") capacity on steel. 1200w up to 12mm, which is a little below 1/2", but pretty nice. ideally i'm looking to be in the 1/4"-3/8" for 90% or more of the stuff i do, but 1/2" would be good to have on occasion. the site states "starting at $5600, so i assume that's the 800w. Wonder how much the 1200w is? Regrettably, I'm not willing to go to that price range yet. If I pull the trigger, I'm looking to get out of the gate at under $2k, and ideally as much less as I can. We use oxy-fuel, plasma, water and laser where I work, so I've seen the capabilities on all, and I don't envision me needing the fine cut capabilities of anything more precise than plasma.

The heads are different for a table than from a portable machine.

Ideally, if this all happens, I'll eventually end up getting a machine torch to go on my hypertherm. I really haven't looked into this in the past 10 years, but people have been using the hand held torches on small tables - last I knew was that I think you needed the machine torch to have the software automatically start the pierce option, but I know i saw setups where people had zip-tied the triggers, and I've seen the companies posting pictures of tables with handheld torches on them. I'll be asking questions on stuff like that before I take the plunge.

 

[sd455dan]

I just ordered the Langmuir Crossfire Pro @ $1937

Couple more days before the $930 off Black Friday sale ends.

Did also buy the height controller and limit switch kit and a table torch for the new to me 80 amp Chicom blow back cutter.

Whole lot of assembly required even on a fully designed kit it seems.

Good Luck on whatever course taken. Always a Learning trip- and I have a lot to learn on the the CAD side.

 

[TMGT]

I just ordered the Langmuir Crossfire Pro @ $1937

Couple more days before the $930 off Black Friday sale ends.

Did also buy the height controller and limit switch kit and a table torch for the new to me 80 amp Chicom blow back cutter.

Whole lot of assembly required even on a fully designed kit it seems.

Good Luck on whatever course taken. Always a Learning trip- and I have a lot to learn on the the CAD side.

The CAD side shouldn't be too bad as its only 2d, the CAM side is where the learning curve can be frustrating getting things dialed in sometimes.

Sent from my SM-S921U using TractorByNet mobile app

 

[sd455dan]

The CAD side shouldn't be too bad as its only 2d, the CAM side is where the learning curve can be frustrating getting things dialed in sometimes.

Sent from my SM-S921U using TractorByNet mobile app

Oh I am sure I will experience some frustration along the way

I did see Langmuir has sent me some email pre delivery info on unpacking and assembly etc.

 

[yomax4]

Glad to see that you got the height control. It's an integral component for cut quality. Post a few pic's when you get set up.

 

[grsthegreat]

Mine has a laser that locates the surface before lowering head to start height on metal. The software automatically sets the lead in and lead out parameters so as not to damage part you want. It also senses metal surface, so i can easily cut diamond plate materials.

 

[jwmorris]

I built a CNC plasma years ago but if I have a big project, I almost always go into the city and have my parts CNC laser or water jet cut.

The places I use cost me out of pocket less that what I can just get the material for but I don't purchase much steel my the truck load.

For smaller projects where I am not using whole sheets but building from "drops" I use this little pantograph that works with plasma or Oxy/Act.

You've got to make a templet but lots of times thats faster than drawing it up.

With Oxy/Act it has a lot more capability than plasma, even using a hand torch.

 

[lostcause]

I just ordered the Langmuir Crossfire Pro @ $1937

Couple more days before the $930 off Black Friday sale ends.

Did also buy the height controller and limit switch kit and a table torch for the new to me 80 amp Chicom blow back cutter.

Whole lot of assembly required even on a fully designed kit it seems.

Good Luck on whatever course taken. Always a Learning trip- and I have a lot to learn on the the CAD side.

now that the sales are over, i'm wishing i was a little more ready to do this a week or two ago. i've come to the realization that the only way i will ever get to have a working machine any time before i retire is if i buy a pretty much turn-key system complete. at this point i think i will be stepping back and hoping for another sale. i'd love to go with the crossfire pro - it's ideally the size i have always wanted, but by the time i add the bells & whistles - limit switches, thc, compatible cutter out of the box... it may be more than i want to sink in - even with the sale deal they just had. I'm sure i would be satisfied with the basic crossfire size - it's certainly a lot better than nothing, which is what i have now. i guess time will tell. i did finally get a reply back from one of the places i reached out to about cutting parts from my files at least, so in the mean time i can see what sort of prices i can get having someone else cut them.

 

[camshawn]

I did look at the Arc-droid. There are a few on u tube that use them. I looked at them as well as several others but decided I just don’t do enough to spend my toy money on one. I also am enjoying not using the computer as much after retirement.

 

[sd455dan]

All valid points.

I did receive the Bestarc plasma cutter and tried it out. I will say going up in amperage over the 50 amp high frequency cutter is nice to have. Reading the manual had to laugh because it used and mentions razor weld info in it which is what Langmuir sells as the budget cutter option.

Cut an inch thick+ damaged ball joint press in to two pieces and was definitely faster and more capable than the old cutter.

Really wasn't set on buying but told the wife about this being almost $1K off sale, and that "if" I did buy it, had to be now or wait maybe a year for the next big sale. She said that it would be nice to have for some of her projects she had in mind as well. She knows me pretty well, because I ordered right then. Langmuir has already shipped the height controller and limit switches with the large frame, carriage etc. to follow. Probably assemble the table over the winter.

So behind right now..., still need to mount all the snow tires and wheels on vehicles, snow blower mounted up to the tractor and service the walk behind blower.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

This from a YouTube channel I follow. The guy is quite practical, so I've learned a lot from him, though I've not jumped into a plasma cutter.

 

[GrandpaSmurf825]

I attended FabTec in September in Chicago with my son in law. I wish I could have spent a lot more time there. One of the things that I picked up on is that the better plasma cutter units (power supply and 2 is the better stand alone units have a plug for a remote feed from telling it when to turn on and off. I think it would be relatively easy to build one. Stepper or servo motors to drive each axis.