I finally got my plasma table up and running. Still getting everything cutting better but it's close.
-
-
What is underneath it to catch the slag?
And what are you using for CAM? Freecad?Politicians can kiss my ass!!! -
THAT is cooler than cool!
Did you design the whole setup? I keep going back and forth on whether I want to build a CNC router. Then I try to learn Freecad and default back to: "I better stick to hand tools".Comment
-
Very cool!
"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited breath." W. C. FieldsComment
-
Comment
-
Everybody that uses it regularly seems to really like it. I just cannot get my head around where to start with it. I even bought a book on it and worked through the examples in the book. I was able to follow the book and understood it, but the example was about doing mechanical drawings and trying to figure out how to translate that into designing cabinets or furniture just didn't mesh with my brain for some reason. I'm sure I am just missing some basic 101-level thing with it and once I figure that out, I'll be off and running. But right now, I am not even sure what that "basic thing" is or the right question to ask. - Great frustration with it! -
Building a 3D model in "Part Design" workbench is fairly straightforward. Sketch, Pad, Pocket, etc. Not too bad. I found that the "Assembly" workbench to build leaves alot to be desired. I Use the "A2+" workbench. It seems to manage constraints a whole lot cleaner.
-
-
It's Langmuir Crossfire Pro 4'X3' table with automatic torch height controller, a Everlast 62i plasma cutter. It came with a stainless-steel water pan to catch slag. I use AutoCAD LT and Sheet Cam. The hardest part so far was setting up air pressure and cut speed. I think I have a handle .25 steel now.
Comment
-
I kicked around buying one, or building one. Around here we have so many shops that have CNC plasma, or CNC oxy tables, or lasers, it doesn't make sense to have my own. Within 30 miles from me, I have suppliers that can torch cut 6"+ thick, stock up to 10' X 40', laser, waterjet, whatever. Howard metals in Milwaukee can precision saw aluminum up to 4" thick, 8' x 32'.
What little I do, I will joust out-source it and stay with what I do well, which is making chips. (Note my avatar!)Politicians can kiss my ass!!!Comment
-
I bought it for retirement. When I retire, I have a number of people who need simple things cut, 3"X3" square plate. I figure instead PLC programming and repair. I can just sit on the porch and draw things.Comment
-
I am glad I am out of all that shit today. I saw "G" code and shuddered.
When I started, I made 8 bit tapes on a Teletype ASR 33 machine, manually putting in the code.
I was told when I bought the mill that shortly after, I would have a computer with program to write everything.
$100,000 machine was on the floor when I was told it would be long time before CAD CAM would be ready.
I was then told I was going or one of my help to Cincinaitti for two weeks of school no charge, motel and food no charge.
I knew "0" about programming, but I knew plenty about teletype machines, but just 5 bit ones.
I had a headache 24/7 for the two weeks. Forced into something I had never seen before.
MY crisis was that I HAD to learn it, otherwise over 100 grand was out the door.
The classes were for experts changing over from FANUC or other controls, me just a beginner.
Well I caught on enough to go back and start putting code directly into the machine from the machine keys.
In the mean time, I picked up the ASR-33 machine, started rewiring it to work with the machine coding.
I hate computers because of that time in my life. ALL DONE UNDER GREAT STRESS!
The was no low level introduction to computers in any of my schooling years, they did not exist then.
When training in engineering, the little HP scientific calculators cost a months pay, stayed with a slide rule.
I built a NC welding table to weld op rod spring guides with a watercooled fixture, made over 6,000 of those guides.
After they were done, scrapped the table and tooling, so I could never do them again!!!
Last edited by SOCOM42; 05-31-2026, 07:20 AM.Comment
-
I actually enjoy computers. I've been PLC programming since 1987 when I got my first SLC150 handheld programmer. Right now, at my real job I have three machines I'm writing programs for. I find it very relaxing.Comment
-
Most of my 30 years has been the opposite. Mostly PLCs and Drives with some Mazak, Okuma, Fanuc CNCs here and there. I started with SLC 100 and 150 as sequencers before they really started getting into higher math functions. I mostly stick with brick PLCs now. Back around 2000 I built a winder with an Automation Direct 205 PLC, a small HMI, and 3 drives. It had around 350 rungs of logic.Comment
-
Up until the Big mill, my job was as a toolmaker & gage maker.
Normally a 1 or 2 piece lot. Almost all were were for the military.
Normal dimentional tollerance were +/- .0002", a lot were +/- .00005", some even tighter for some gage masters.
I was 45 years old when I was shoved into computers, no exposure prior, ZERO.
Understand I was under enormous pressure to learn this stuff toatlly alien to me.
Today, the only computer I realy tolerate or have good use for today along with the Pakrat is the desktop
I use for conversion of Morse Code to English.
I cannot hear the code anymore and using LED ilght almost puts me into a epilectic siezure, it will do so to my daughter.
She loves the friggin things, real great with several systems, but cannot work outside of here due to med problems.
She worked for a gunshop for 12 years, started @ 16 at a gunshow when the buildings system went down.
She got them up and runing, was hired right on the spot!
She was doing sales and all of their computer needs, shipping, inventory, billing, online sales and payrol.
Had to stop after siezures started coming.
Now she does patron artwork and personal product art line.Last edited by SOCOM42; 05-31-2026, 07:03 AM.Comment
Comment