Why I like my little 4 x 4 cnc plasma in my shop.

[jimcolt]

I have had a cnc machine with a plasma connected to it for over 16 years in my home shop......which is just a hobby operation. Repairs around the ranch, parts for the tractor, for hot rods, most often parts for buddies projects. Occasionally I even make something nice for the wife.

Today I was puttering in the shop and I remembered that after installing my new used (Craigslist bought) air compressor ...that I didn't have the cover for the motor wiring box.....it was missing when I got the compressor. I thought I would put a little picture story of how you can save a trip to the hardware store, and save time fabricating even the simplest of metal parts with a machine like this. Granted, jobs like this won't pay the $15k I spent (over 8 years ago) for this current machine, however trust me, this machine has already paid for itself a few times over!

Photos:

1. The missing cover
2. Quick measurements
3. Draw in CAD, convert to cut path, less than 2 minutes total.
4. Start the cut
5. Finished cut. less than 35 seconds total.
6. Top, clean.
7. Bottom, some dross. I think if I was cutting a few I would tweak the speed up slightly....faster equals less dross.
8. Removing the dross with my favorite tool for the job, concrete chisel. Dross removal, 20 seconds. No need at all for grinder. This is 12 gauge steel.
9. Its on (needs paint though). Total from measurement to installation less than 10 minutes.

Easy to learn, easy to use. Low cost cnc plasma. No, my company does not make the cnc machine.....there are about 26 in N. America that do. This particular one is a PlasmaCam with one of my companies plasma's mounted.

Jim Colt

 

[Didjit]

Wow, I want a plasmacam. Need to save some cash

Considering you're from New Hampshire, I think it's a safe bet to say I like the 45 I bought from your company. I like it better then the one it replaced that was from the folks in Wisconsin. I still swear by their machines that do the metal joinery though.

So is that a powermax 45 in yours?

 

[muddstopper]

I have thought about just buying one of these kits, Sorry, that's not working right now and building my own table. It seems to be a cheap way to get into cnc plasma cutting, learning software is what keeps me on the fence

 

[jimcolt]

Today I installed the Powermax30xp on my machine just to see what it could do....that is what I cut the part in the pictures with. It is designed for hand cutting only....but a few use them on cnc machines. I normally have a Powermax85 with machine torch on this machine. I do metal joinery with two blue machines from Wisconsin as well!

Jim

Wow, I want a plasmacam. Need to save some cash

Considering you're from New Hampshire, I think it's a safe bet to say I like the 45 I bought from your company. I like it better then the one it replaced that was from the folks in Wisconsin. I still swear by their machines that do the metal joinery though.

So is that a powermax 45 in yours?

 

[jimcolt]

The software is simpler than most think. With most plasma cutting CAD and CAM software it does not involve programming. Rather, you do a CAD drawing, then convert it to a cut path....push a button and cut. A night course at a local tech school can get you CAD drawing in a few days. If you (or anyone) happens to be at the SEMA show in Vegas in late October.....I'll teach you the basics in 15 minutes and we'll cut a part in the booth...

Jim Colt

I have thought about just buying one of these kits, Sorry, that's not working right now and building my own table. It seems to be a cheap way to get into cnc plasma cutting, learning software is what keeps me on the fence

 

[muddstopper]

The link says it dont work, but its working for me. Iplasma is the company if anybody needs to do a search.

Anybody have any thoughts on going with the kit route and building your own table. I think when I was researching PlasmaCam, theircomplete system including software, was around $10,000. I think prices might have came down some since then. Torchmate was cheaper, but I dont remember by how much. I have seen quite a few kits, but this is one of those things I dont know enough about to make a good decision

 

[jimcolt]

The Torchmate and PlasmaCam systems similarly equipped (best CAD/CAM and torch height control on a 4 x 4 table) are essentially the same price....in the $12,500 range without plasma. You can lower the price by removing advanced software and height control functions......I strongly recommend against that! The result is shorter consumable life with any plasma....and poorer cut quality. Advanced height control is a necessity for best performance. They (Plasmacam and Torchmate) also have 2 x 2 machines.....essentially stripped of software and no auto height control that start in the $3k range. If you already have a CAD drawing package that can generate a .dxf drawing file.....don't care about productivity, consumable life....then these tiny machines will cut metal parts pretty well.

You can build a machine that is just as good as these by going the kit route, the biggest players are www.candcnc.com for motors, drives, electronics, height control, software and support, and Precision Plasma LLC for mechanical components, gantries, z xais lifters, etc. There are many other suppliers, the ones I have listed are the biggest, and have (by far) the largest installed base of low cost (under $20k is low cost for these machines!) cnc plasma cutting machines. Building it yourself gives you the advantage of understanding how the mechanicals and electronics and software all work together to do some precise cutting. If you have the time, build it, if you don't, buy a turnkey machine. Don't cheap out.....it will not work as good without height control, good software, good acceleration and speeds of at least 250 inches per minute.

Jim Colt

 

[muddstopper]

I dont see me paying out $10-12000 for a machine anytime soon. I have talked to both Plasmacam and Torchmate in the past. As for size of Machine, I think about anything I would cut would be one off's, and easy enough to do on a 2x2 machine. But My local steel supplier charges bid bucks for making cuts in large sheets. If I want a 4x4 sheet, I endup paying for a 4x8 sheet and the dealer keeps the drops. I usually just buy the full sheet, take my plasma and cut out what I want, and leave the rest stacked in my steel rack instead of the dealers rack. For this reason, I think a 4x4 would be my best purchase since i could leave whats not used on the machine until I need to make another cut. A 4x8 would just take up way to much space in my limited shop.

Kit prices seem like the best bang for the buck, but I dont think I want to built the entire kit from scratch or piece mill. Buying a complete gantry and just building the table seems to more fit my budget and patience level.

I dont see me even buying a kit anytime soon, just to many irons in the fire already and not enough time. but, that knawing ideal keeps coming back in my head saying I Want, I Want.