Torchmate 4400/4800 CNC table with Hypertherm 45xp

Chris_Keziah said:
Glad to hear some first hand feedback on that table. We have the og table of there's at work and my only complaint is not THC and it can be a bit of a pain to keep the table square to the cutter.

Fusion is definitely one of the easier cad programs to use. Not a hard transition if you've ever used SolidWorks or Inventor.
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My background was solid works, so it was easy for me as most things are called by the same name, few variations but overall the same hierarchy.

I love mine, especially bc I got in early at $2k.


Only complaints and changes I would make.

I’ll be making the rails and gantry higher above the table, and a deeper water pan. The way it’s built that’s super easy to do, needing a new pan and cut 8 pieces of flat plate taller than the oem ones.

I haven’t had any issues with losing square, but I was anal about it during assembly
 
Mac5005 said:
My background was solid works, so it was easy for me as most things are called by the same name, few variations but overall the same hierarchy.

I love mine, especially bc I got in early at $2k.


Only complaints and changes I would make.

I’ll be making the rails and gantry higher above the table, and a deeper water pan. The way it’s built that’s super easy to do, needing a new pan and cut 8 pieces of flat plate taller than the oem ones.

I haven’t had any issues with losing square, but I was anal about it during assembly
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Guessing you want the rails higher to make it easier to get stuff on and off? I can definitely understand the deeper pan, I keep a mop near the crossfire at work. I guess I should have phrased the square a little better, with the og being a cantilever it doesn't take much to get the cutter moving on a different plane than the material. THC would likely make the issue non-existent.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
Torch Height Control? Really. I thought it was the absolute have to have.
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Not on plate- flat metal, that is less sensitive to warping during the process.

You zero the torch x,y,z. Start the g-code, travels to first pierce, travels down on z axis and touches off, then goes back up to pierce height, stays there during pierce delay, then travels down to cut height. .15 pierce, .06 cut height iirc. As long as the table is flat and metal stays flat, no need for thc. Only thing it would help with is tip ups. It's a babysitting process either way.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 
mcutler said:
As long as the table is flat and metal stays flat, no need for thc.
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Good info, the table you have (I will get 4x8) are they prone to warping so maybe should add bracing from the get go or not
 
marty79 said:
Good info, the table you have (I will get 4x8) are they prone to warping so maybe should add bracing from the get go or not
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As long as you assemble it flat, should be fine. I'm talking about the metal that your cutting being warped or affected by the cutting process. Additionally, when your changing sheets, you must clean any slag that stands above the support slats, or you will have a high spot in the next sheet, which could cause a tip drag condition; which accelerates electrode/ shield wear.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 
Chris_Keziah said:
Guessing you want the rails higher to make it easier to get stuff on and off? I can definitely understand the deeper pan, I keep a mop near the crossfire at work. I guess I should have phrased the square a little better, with the og being a cantilever it doesn't take much to get the cutter moving on a different plane than the material. THC would likely make the issue non-existent.
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Gets the CNC torch a little lower from the z axis mechanisms and gantry itself, Plus being able to cut square/round/rectangle tube on the bed, deeper water pan, and splash farther away from rails and gantry.

Loading isn’t really an issue, but I am going to add some rollers to the front. More room certainly won’t make it any harder.

My beam ( for welding axle trusses, straightening things etc) is on casters, and I built it to double up to hold the other end when I cut up a whole sheet into thirds. One end of sheet is on table and the other end sits on this beam, on legs and casters.

Generally for the heavy stuff I use the fork lift to unload, then get 2-3” onto the table. The remaining sits centered on the beam. Then I move forklift, and push beam and sheet onto table further. The rollers would just aid in this “push”.
 
Mac5005 said:
I use the fork lift to unload,
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Lol gonna be interesting loading full 4x8 1/4" sheets without a forklift until I get one lol
 
Mac5005 said:
When I can’t get the forklift to the table, which happens a lot haha,

Engine hoist or my big roll around gantry and a couple of straps.

I Really need a edge clamp haha.
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Yeah I think I'm gonna build a chain hoist for now from ceiling to lift it out of truck bed or trailer
 
NCJeeplover said:
I've often thought about using one of these with a chain hoist. Seems like you could load the metal flat on the table with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Seco-Larm-94...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=98CSV0KEY6JHTAM8SFDV
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I've got two of these on a spreader that work pretty well, the problem with magnets and sheet metal though is the way the magnetic field is shaped thin materials have very little attraction, beyond that they bend so much it's sketchy with a magnet. If you've got the height, an edge clamp is definitely the way to do it.
Anything over like a quarter inch is good to go though.
 
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tknopp said:
Well me and baxton posted the same thing. :)
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Not just the same idea either, the EXACT same thing. Shows you how good google's ad-search relationship is. :eek:
 
At my supplier, they have two steel hooks in an inverted Y connected by chain. This hooks to their crane. Could work with engine hoist very well. It grabs the sheets on the long sides, so it just spans the 4’ direction.

Even works on 14ga stuff. Just pry up each side and get the tip of the hooks in, then lift.

3” wide, maybe 1” to 3/4 thick and tapers down to 3/8 thick at tips. They are shaped like regular chain hook, but flat.

Think 120-150° bend in a half width fork lift fork. They are roughly 8” long over all.
 
This is probably junk. I don't know. But used do pop up from time to time.

4x4 plasma CNC machine

I will say this. Don't think that you are going to get a CNC plasma and suddenly start selling cut metal. It is a super tight market. Your best bet is if this machine is going to support an already developed product or product line. You could also probably find someone with a cnc that would be happy just to have something to cut.

That being said. I also made a small little shelf from pvc board yesterday and it was nice to just fire up the router and cut it out. And circles it cuts the shit out of some circles. Really the best part.
 
BigBody79 said:
Don't think that you are going to get a CNC plasma and suddenly start selling cut metal. It is a super tight market.
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I'm very well aware, thank you. I have been planning this for many years. It will support my current work I do with goals to eventually make it a full blown investment years on down. Im aware of the infinite amount of time and effort it takes to get the most out of one of these machines. With my work ethic and driven passion, that will make a huge difference along the way.
 
marty79 said:
I dont get the joke..?..napoleon dynamite?
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member metalcraftsolved used to have a shop called dynamite design.
Braxton is envious of your work ethic and his design ability
 
Ron said:
member metalcraftsolved used to have a shop called dynamite design.
Braxton is envious of your work ethic and his design ability
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Oh ok lol I was in a totally different direction with that hehe
 
Hey guys, resurrecting old thread haha. I'm picking up a 5x10 premier plasma table this week from someone, less than a year old. Wow talk about timing! Was getting ready to order the 4x8 table from premier but saw it just posted an hour from me this morning...all in God's time!

So, I need a plasma cutter! Was gonna order the hypertherm 45xp. Any reason for that price to go with any other brand? Suggestions? If not, hypertherm it is. Thanks
 
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