What cnc plasma table are you using?

ORV design and fab

ORV design and fab

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2009
Location
Raleigh area, NC
Hey guys , I,ve been looking at plasma tables for a while and wanting and being able to afford one is two different things but I just pulled the trigger on a 4x4 plasma cam table and am using my existing plasma to use right now,until I can get a dedicated plasma machine that can cut thicker metal but was just curious bout how many of you guys have plasma tables? What plasma cutter you were using what have you been cutting with it etc, looked around and haven't seen too much on nc4x4 so let us know and throw some,pics up, checking some guys work on the build threads and it seems like some guys might be holding out on if they have a plasma table or not. I,ll be posting pics as I get my table together and play on it.

Give some info on your table and what you,ve learned about it as you've used it I want to learn the easy way

ai1052.photobucket.com_albums_s455_orv_design_fab_1141C02B_3C272c8bd87967d91389ea8f31273a04088.jpg
here is my plasma cam table, ready to get it started and making parts
 
Nice! Did you buy new or used? I'd love to add that to my list of equipment. All I can advise is what I've seen and heard. First either build a water box to trap the dust or enclose the bottom. Build a dust hood for the top and add a high volume fan for both areas. Put some el cheapo blue filter on em if the neighbors don't like plumes of black smoke exuding from your building. Otherwise invest in a superior repalceable cartridge dust mask and prepare for everything to get filthy. Your lungs will thank you. Also I've learned that to long of a control cable to the machine will cause comunication errors. I recon its because of the antique cable those units use, unless they have finally upgraded that part. A decicant filter for the compressed air is a must to save tips. Tracking cut inches and pierces will help you maintain good tips and frag less parts. Unless your has the resistance measuring feature for height control; and even still, be ready to baby sit almost every pierce. And when cutting multiple pieces that may or may not fall cleanly through the table leave a small amount to "hang the part." This prevents part tipping and your torch crashing into a half fallen piece. And last your plasma brand makes huge performance differences. Machine torches are easier to keep perpendicular to the cut surface. If its new PlasmaCam tech support and online furums are very handy. OK back to being jealous!:beer:
 
It's less than a year old, so 2 years still in warranty, I have a water tray already on it, it seems that it will best suit my needs as a filter for right now and I have discussed with plasma cam about the warranty so everything will transfer into my name for,warranty purposes. so it seems to be ready for me to start tearing In to the cut paths. I have played alil with the software but will need more time to get comfortable with it. I am using a hand torch right now but am looking for a plasma to get dedicated for it ( stronger for thicker material, Like 1") but will be using my ole trusty hyper therm right now.

So you haven't bought one yet? You are cutting you plates out by hand? I know you are building some nice bumpers. Share your deep dark secrets?
 
its called subcontracting to an expert. I draw and he cuts! I want one for both my bumper work so I can expand easier and my non-fourwheel drive clients. Currently trying to invest in a press brake for 1/4 plate.
 
Haha, gotcha, sounds like a deal! What kind of things are,you doing outside of,the 4x4 world? Man, I have been looking at some brakes as well, so expensive for thick material! I want to be building my own brackets and parts and the only way is to get a brake. How big are,you looking at?width?
 
I have the cable for a Hypertherm PM65 (probably fits other sizes) that runs to control box. Has 6 wires for torch control and voltage reading. Was used for a few months, don't need it with my new system. Just in case you need it, gonna post for sale on plasma spider eventually.
 
Send me a pic of it I have a wiring harness for my plasma but don't know if that's what you are talking about...still,ignorant on some things about the setup I have...or should have
 
I have a precision plasma 4x4 table with candcnc electronics and I run a hypertherm powermax 65 cutter. I think the best advice I can give you is to plan on spending as long as it takes to get it right. With a proprietary system like plasmacam you "should" have a lot less setup time than me. I have probably 40-50 hrs in getting mine dialed in to the point that it'll cut how I want.
Another big thing that I see people struggling with is what travel speed, pierce height, pierce delay, amperage, and cut height to run at for a given material. Hypertherm includes all these parameters in their manuals but many manufacturers don't. All of these variables really contribute to cut quality and consumable life so get it right before you go for the gusto.

Do you have auto torch height control? If not I strongly recommend you get it. If I'm not mistaken with plasma cam it's already in the software you just have to pay to unlock it. It is very nice to be able to cut thin stuff and not have weights all over the table holding it flat.

Cutting holes has been my biggest hurdle. Initially I was able to cut beautiful round bolt holes. No dross top or bottom but the bottom of the hole was slightly smaller than the top so a bolt wouldn't drop through. They all had to be reamed slightly. Most guys seem to cut slightly larger holes to compensate but I don't like the fact that only maybe 1/4 of the material thickness is tight on the bolt. Once that spot wears down the hole is too loose. After hours and hours of trial and error I now have mine to where I can cut a .375 hole in .25 plate that actually measures .375 and has no taper. Torch height, travel speed and most importantly lead in and lead out make the difference. I will not give away all my secrets since many people are apparently still not able to get clean holes :)

Tip ups do suck and cause you to have to really keep an eye on what's being cut but my software allows you to adjust your traverse height between cuts. I'd imagine yours will too. Keeping it high as it goes from cut to cut makes it a little easier to not sit and babysit it.

Most people I've seen who don't have good luck with getting quality cuts just don't take the time to dial their table in right. There are tons of online forums with guys who are very knowledgable and have some great write-ups on how to work out issues so read read read.


Sent from the MarsFab Off Road mobile response unit.
 
Nice Hi def plasma! I have sure have been reading the forums and getting charts and info and such for about a year now. Show some pics of what you,ve cut out, show the dross and holes. I want to see the hard work.
 
ORV design and fab said:
Haha, gotcha, sounds like a deal! What kind of things are,you doing outside of,the 4x4 world? Man, I have been looking at some brakes as well, so expensive for thick material! I want to be building my own brackets and parts and the only way is to get a brake. How big are,you looking at?width?
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60" bed 1/4 capacity single phase. I got a brand I've been eyeballing. Does anybody have a table larger than 4x4. I've looked at the Sampson models. but the bigger the sheet and job the harder to load without a jib crane/fork lift or something along those lines.
 
Yea, that's where the point of no return, you have to get a nib crane or something for something that big and the investment goes way up when you have to invest in a system like that. Also the area it takes up and the area to hold the material
 
Here's a front bumper mounting plate for a rzr 900xp I just cut. This is fresh off the table and hasn't been touched with anything.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1365515009.001823.jpg



Sent from the MarsFab Off Road mobile response unit.
 
Haha. That's what I was gonna say snappy lol. Nah in all seriousness even if I told you it wouldn't help ya. Every machine is different and every table is different.
 
And for the record. I'm not trying to be an ass by not giving out info. I've just spent many hours to get it to this point and that time spent is to give me upper hand/better product than the competition. It's business and if anybody tells you different they're lying :) plasmaCam is a better machine than I have so you should have no trouble getting a quality cut provided you use a quality plasma cutter with it.
 
MarsFab said:
And for the record. I'm not trying to be an ass by not giving out info. I've just spent many hours to get it to this point and that time spent is to give me upper hand/better product than the competition. It's business and if anybody tells you different they're lying.
Click to expand...

I'm with Chris. When I run PJ's table I don't give him all my secrets, and he's paying me.
 
Haha, I understand it won't help me too much but it will give me some idea of how your table and machine is handling 1/4in. I want to go to a bigger plasma but it will be in time. My current plasma is an older pm40cs. Ht said that its charts is close to the pm30 so that's what I'll start with.
 
At 45 amps I'm cutting quarter inch at 40 ipm to get the results in the picture. Hypertherm has all the cut profiles for the machine in their manual. With the pm65 I am able to use 45a fine cut, 45a std., and 65a consumables so it has all the normal plate thicknesses for each tip. It tells you the pierce height, pierce delay, cut speed, cut height and a few other things you'd need to know. They even give ratings for clean cuts and production cuts. I've found on .25 that I have the best luck going slightly slower than their 48ipm rating. I personally prefer cutting .25 at 45a vs 65a because its a bit cleaner and helps hide some of the slop in the axes of my lower grade table going slower. Hopefully that helps...


Sent from the MarsFab Off Road mobile response unit.
 
Yea man, it does! Any info helps me get so em knowledge to how others are getting their machine in tune so I can at least have an idea of how to make my machine maneuver the way I want it to. Thanks again mars. I can't sleep because of the anticipation of what and how I am going to make with my plasma cam.
 
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