4x8 plasma table build

Tacoma747

Tacoma747

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Winston-Salem
I bought a 4x4 Burn tables brand plasma last February, after getting to use the machine some I found many of its flaws. For someone using the table for their own parts or just as a hobby I guess it would be OK, but it has ruined more material than it seems to have cut well (well, maybe not THAT bad).

I decided to upgrade...
I bought a 4x8 Bull tear gantry kit, bought the CandCNC electronics from a guy on Pirate, and built the table frame myself. I have a few minor issues with the Bull tear (some missing hardware, no instructions other than online), but nothing serious. The quality between the two tables is night and day difference, and the price difference is not that great if you are able to build the frame yourself. I am going to estimate a 4x8 Bull tear gantry kit (including material for frame and water pan) to end up costing about about $1000 more than a 4x4 Burn tables. This is only of you source a good used computer and don't buy a new one. (I bought a dell lease turn-in for $200)

On to some pictures:

Table frame finished up and painted yesterday:

IMG_20130319_095124_906.jpg
 
lol build thread your a dummy! Looks alot better than that burn table for sure though!
 
How's this thing coming along? You getting sheetcam and Mach3 figured out yet?


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Oops... I got the computer from a guy I know and he had put Windows 7 64-bit on it, Mach 3 will not work with 64-bit. The guy is going to upload 32-bit to see if that works, if not he will have to put Windows XP on it. I also need to add a switch for the Mag-Lok torch breakaway that cuts off the machine if it knocks the torch off, as well as a z-limit switch.

Everything is wired up I just need to attach the switches.
 
Windows 7 32-bit works great. Gotta install the two micro switches and work with the programs some more, as well as cut the slats for the water pans. It does move now, I got the Xbox controller hooked up for manual jogging, I must say that will be worth its weight in gold when trying to get the gantry to a precise location.
 
Yea I love having the xbox controller. If you're doing lots of random shapes in the same piece of plate it's nice to have the ability to stand right over the gantry while you move it into place. I also use the X and Y button on the controller to zero those axis, then just hit start. Did you go with DTHC?
 
MarsFab said:
Done yet?!?!


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Click to expand...


Got the slats cut today, I need to go get a few switchesput on it and add an extra support for the cable carrier on the gantry. The Mach 3 program format is a lot different so I've gotta figure out Mach 3 all over again (with a lot more options which is good).
 
First cut. Was not using ATHC and forgot to have a support for the center of the 'R' but I can say this machine cuts ALOT faster than the Burntables. It is amazing how much faster it zooms around the small intricate stuff. Should really speed up my cut times and improve cut quality because it won't put so much heat in the parts.


IMG_20130413_174517_421.jpg
 
Nice! Those turned out great!
 
Are you using a different plasma cutter than the pm65 you got? why so much faster? Are you talking about the traverse speed between cuts?

Looks good man what thickness is that? .25?
 
MarsFab said:
Are you using a different plasma cutter than the pm65 you got? why so much faster? Are you talking about the traverse speed between cuts?

Looks good man what thickness is that? .25?
Click to expand...

Those are 1/8" plate. I don't know why it is so much faster than the Burntables. I have the cut speeds set the same (or close) as I did on the Burntable, but I guess the Bulltear is just more capable of higher speeds/acceleration than the Burntable. The Burntable motor speeds were set where Burntables said to set them, as are the Bulltear motor speed settings. The Burntable would get up to a decent speed on long straight cuts, but on anything with a curve it was pretty slow (especially now in relation to what the Bulltear runs at).

I may take a video at identical cut speeds cutting the same part on both machines and show the difference. I know I couldn't believe the difference the first cut I made...
 
MarsFab said:
Gotcha.


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Now I just have to figure out the THC, it is alot different than the Burntable was, the Burntable was actually probably more user friendly for that fact that it was very easy to adjust, but it had alot less options to adjust as well.
 
Once you get it set right with the right z-axis offset its very easy to use. I have tool files loaded to Mach 3 that have the torch voltage per material, nozzle and amperage I'm cutting at. After you get the .tap file/g-code in sheet cam setup you import the code into Mach 3 and pick the tool file for the cut and click send to torch.

On thicker materials or at really slow cut speeds I've had a little trouble with the THC jiggling the torch up and down so I just disable it for those cuts.


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leonard0909 said:
How did the install go on the electronics from candcnc go
Click to expand...

The CandCNC electronics was easy to hook up, the one advantage to the Burntables was all the settings were already set in Mach 3 (although they didn't work right and I had to change them anyways), the 'kit' like the Bulltear (and CandCNC) you have to do all that yourself. This is actually a good thing IMO because you have a better understanding of the programs. I have not gotten the THC working yet, tried messing with it one day but never got it working right, I just haven't had time to mess with THC, I just cut stuff without it for now with good results. The electronics setup from CandCNC is FAR superior to the Burntables, I have had ZERO electrical noise issues with this system with ZERO ground rods. I had a ground rod for the plasma cutter, one for the table, and one for the control box on the Burntables and still had electrical noise issues and fried many boards in their control box.
 
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