Considering plasma CNC system

[IXLR8]

Hi folks, I am looking for advice on how to spend my money... I knew that would get your attention!! My wife, aka SWMBO, wants me to get a small plasma CNC system for making up signs and other small artwork from metal. I don't foresee needing anything that would handle a piece of sheet metal larger than 2' x 4' and the thickest sheet would be 1/8". I am looking for table, plasma cutter and software. I know I am going to need to build a dryer for my air compressor. I have NO idea where to begin or what is out there so I thought I would start with this group and see what sort of advice you folks would have for me. This is not for a high production environment, but a hobby set up that I might do something with once a month. I know the best option money wise is to take a drawing to somebody who already has the equipment, but she wants to have something she can play with. It won't hurt me to have a PC around for odd jobs rather than breaking out the torches.
TIA

 

[dragoneggs]

Following along. I want to do something similar and would love a 4 by 4 table but that takes up a lot of real estate. Looking forward to the replies here.

 

[yomax4]

There are set ups out there for $1500 with out plasma, PC or water table. Just Gantry and Rails and you build the water or down draft part. They go all the way up from there. I don't know your budget but I would suggest buying a system fairly close to your home if there are any options like that. They all have a few bugs to work out when new. There are good used options as well. I'm not a big fan of Plasma Cam but you can pick up a used one ready to cut with some programs for 6-7K. Other options could be Bulltear in MN. or Baileigh Ind. in WI. Both solid companies. There are a million out there. I could put together quite a list. Good Luck with your research. You need to do plenty.. Many options with motors and drives, Ball and screw vs rack and pinion etc.

 

[BHD]

plasma cam, was one of the first "home" light shop units, PlasmaCAM Cutting Systems I have wanted one ever since I first saw there original units,
some of the cnc units (an many of the better plasma cutters are designed to be used a power unit with a plug to control the gun like the trigger does, have seen a number of other CNC units for the home shop,

I think for the home shop the program that transfers the "drawing" to the machine language, to control the torch is the key to the units, the fist units would have to have code written for the machine to do every part and could take a team of programers days to do a simple cut, I think the plasma cam, unit was such a drawing could be scanned into the computer and the computer would then write the program and then control the torch,


but depending on the complication of the sign or what you want, (I have not used it, just getting it set up) i bought one of these, called a plasma tracer, I have added a few (i think improvements), using a few exhaust clamps in addition, I make a easy way to adjust height, and plan on today changing and (I think improving) the rod that supports the template,

Plasma Tracer - U Fab Kit - Hells Gate Hot Rods I thin this link is for the kit, but they sell the welded up and assembled unit, pattern trace movie2 - YouTube

I have seen a number of other CNC units for the home shop,

If you find a low cost "simple" to use unit post your findings,

 

[IXLR8]

plasma cam, was one of the first "home" light shop units, PlasmaCAM Cutting Systems I have wanted one ever since I first saw there original units,

Do you have any idea on the PlasmaCAM cost? I couldn't find any price or ordering info on their web page. Actually found their web page pretty useless, this is a red flag for a company for me.

 

[JPRambo]

Might be that plasma cam has changed their name. I got a flyer a couple weeks ago that had the same look as plasma cam with a different name.

 

[grsthegreat]

Plasma cam has been around for a long time. I ended up with a system by Dynatorch. It not cheap by any means....like in the $20,000 range. When i priced out plasma cam years and years ago i think they were in the $5k range with a 4x4 table. My system is 4x8 table. The system and software and plasma cutter set you back some real scratch. Learning to convert a picture to art ready to cut takes a LONG time. And learning how to color and prepair the finished product takes forever. im still not good at putting on a good "prety" finish. i usually just end up powder coating my stuff. About the largest thing ive made is a gate

i could not have made this on the plasma cam, but if all you want is to make signs, etc the Plasma Cam will work fine. Any machine needs a good quality cutting head plasma system. Some will use hand torches, mine wont.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have a hypertherm and have considered this. My biggest reservation is learning the programming language. I have become so reluctant to learn computer relates stuff lately. Mostly because I don't use any of it enough to remember it for next time I need it.

 

[grsthegreat]

the programing is hard unless you do it alot. first you need to get a clean picture then export it as a bitmap. then you need to do a trace of the bitmap and then use a program that inserts cut paths and positions the piece for cutting. If i dont do some cutting for a few months, its like having to relearn again. If im busy cutting, it comes second nature. The newest software im using , which nests and inserts cut paths, cost me nearly $2,000

 

[Industrial Toys]

And probably expensive updates. Kills me to buy updates for something I have not even really used. I was thinking more solid works.

I was watching an episode of Yukon Gold. I was impressed to see one of the mechanics had a mobile CNC Plasma setup in a trailer.

 

[grsthegreat]

And probably expensive updates. Kills me to buy updates for something I have not even really used. I was thinking more solid works.

I was watching an episode of Yukon Gold. I was impressed to see one of the mechanics had a mobile CNC Plasma setup in a trailer.

ya, that was my problem. When the win XP that ran the unit gave up the ghost, i had to upgrade to Win 7 (i refuse to use win10). Thats when i had to update my cutting software.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I am just starting to use this new DELL computer I bought two years ago with Windows 7 and am struggling. Also trying to figure out Thunderbird. Everying becomes less and less intuitive. Stuff shows up on your screen and no "X" to get rid of it! I have no patience for it, for figuring out someone elses crap. I hate being in a position of being ever more at the utter and total mercy of some corporation.

 

[CADplans]

I DIY built a CNC cutter in the year 2000,,
I do not think there were any small machines to buy at the time,, only big industrial units, in the $XXX,XXX price range,

I purchased a lightly used version of a CNC knee mill that did not have a milling head,,
it even included the "computer", it ran on punched paper cards,,, so, you can guess how old it was,,,
then, I purchased a PC operated control and two stepping motors from one of the only places that sold them in the year 2000,,
My total cost to get the machine running with an oxy-fuel torch was right at $5,000,, and about 40 man-hours of wiring and setup.
the plasma was added about 3 years later, at a cost of $3,600, I bought a REALLY high amp ESAB machine torch unit.
That plasma torch could cut 3/16" steel for 60 hours of torch "on time" per set of consumables.
The machine was cutting at 60 inches per minute,, it made a LOT of parts per set of consumables,,,
The oxy-fuel torch probably ran 300 hours of torch on time per consumable,, that torch cut at 20 inches per minute,,,

That machine produced production level quantities of parts 8 to 10 hours per week for 12 years,,,
My consumables, and replacement parts were less than $1,500 for the entire 12 years I ran the machine.

I never tried to learn to import a drawing by scanning, I produced everything with G-Code,,,

If I were to try to sell "one-off" custom parts like a sign, I would have lost my shirt,,,
my parts were all repeats of previous parts,, so, I called up a program, loaded a piece of steel, and hit the go button.

NOTE, I did not include the cost of oxygen or propane in my cost estimates,,

 

[IXLR8]

Dang... these tables are more expensive than I thought they were going to be. I think it is either going to be a DIY table or SWMBO is going to have to hope she has a steady hand.

 

[RNeumann]

If you do the programming typically a place that has a table will cut it out for a reasonable price. It’s a gateway for the wife......

 

[dragoneggs]

Do you have any idea on the PlasmaCAM cost? I couldn't find any price or ordering info on their web page. Actually found their web page pretty useless, this is a red flag for a company for me.

You have to email or call PlasmaCam for a quote. I was quoted $5K for the basic 4x4 table. Does not include plasma cutter or PC but does come with software program needed.

It seems $5K and up is the going rate for a package other than DIY.

 

[npalen]

Lincoln Electric Torchmate 48 - A 4x8 CNC Plasma Cutting Table | Torchmate
This might be one to consider. I'm thinking that torchmate has been around for a number of years as a small company and recently purchased by Lincoln.

 

[CADplans]

I like this one for $1500 plus $99 shipping,,,
Sounds like a perfect unit to make signs??

CrossFire CNC Plasma Table – Langmuir Systems

 

[spitter]

do a lot of research .There is a lot of info on cnc plasm out their . My experience with plasma cam is terrible. Whenever there is a problem or it doesn,t do what it's supposed to it cost another 2,000 $ for an upgrade . Service is terrible just purchased extension rails to make 4x8 table they would not give any info on how to relocate gantry wireing and many other details. Every time you call for trouble shooting there is a charge. lot better machines out there but torchmate is not one of them.:drink:

 

[TMGT]

I have been researching plasma tables for a few years and finally started building one earlier this month.
I ended up going with a PrecisionPlasmaLLC Magnum 7HD gantry kit with CandCNC.com for the electronics, I always ended up back at the PrecisionPlasma site when looking at DIY tables. You can look at the blueprints and material list on his site to see if it's something you want to tackle.

What I like about building it is the wear items and electronics are all off the shelf items so I wont be reliant on a manufactuere for future support. The software is mostly open source so you wont have expensive updates and from what I've looked at the transfer from drawing to cutting is pretty easy with the cam software they use.
They also use linux as an operating system so it takes care of the windows glitchyness problems.

Take a look at precision plasma site, it's not a great site but you can look around and if you have any questions the owner is reachable by phone and easy to talk to.

He also has other models of gantry kits available that aren't listed on the site.