Cutting torch

downsizingnow48 · Dec 9, 2015

I agree. I can see my way to making a pantograph. Doing 80% of what I want to do without having to learn everything that goes into CNC.

Ed of all trades · Dec 10, 2015

jwmorris said:
Here you go.

Thanks J.W. I now have one of these on my to do list. Now if I can just get the roof on the addition to the shop and walls and........ Thanks Ed

CNC Dan · Dec 10, 2015

Oldpath05 said:
That was just amazing, I watched it several times.

just wait 'till you see an optically guided tracer.

Oldpath05 · Dec 10, 2015

CNC Dan said:
just wait 'till you see an optically guided tracer.

Hmmmm, is this something like "as seen on TV for $19.95" or is it the new up coming Star Wars movie or Terminator?

jwmorris · Dec 11, 2015

Like this, plasma is the first part of the video, torch towards the end.

jwmorris · Dec 11, 2015

Not unlike a $10 Doodle track car, just more precise and expensive.

I always like them but hey really are not that common, CNC machines are much more common. For one thing a trace machine can take up twice the floor space of a pantograph or CNC machine.

CNC Dan · Dec 11, 2015

Oldpath05 said:
Hmmmm, is this something like "as seen on TV for $19.95" or is it the new up coming Star Wars movie or Terminator?

Nope. Old tech. A cutting torch setup that uses an electric eye to follow a line drawn on paper.

Ed of all trades · Dec 11, 2015

jwmorris said:
Like this, plasma is the first part of the video, torch towards the end.

Looks great but what do they cost? Ed

jwmorris · Dec 11, 2015

A lot more than a hobby guy wants to spend.

Victor had a small one about 15-20 years ago that was a few thousand but I can't even find reference to it using Google.

Not sure how long they sold it but IIRC it was under $3000 and about the same table size as the pantograph I built back then, the one in the videos above. Cost me nothing but time, I have a lot of "stuff" though.

The only ones I have played with were a lot more expensive, one went at auction for $11,000 back then.

I went with CNC vs optical because it can more quickly repeat jobs like cutting inside and outside (like cutting a flange with a bolt circle) than an optical but programming is something else to learn.

Not sure of the market for an optical or pantograph these days as I haven't seen any "hobby" priced machines in a number of years. Lots of times, especially when job market took a dump, I can get parts CNC laser or water jet cut for less than I would spend to program and run my CNC plasma cutter. At least once a material buy is calculated in.

Ed of all trades · Dec 12, 2015

I am in the slow process of building a 2" x 72" belt grinder and found a plan on line that I liked. I also found the parts on line, lazer cut for just over $200. I took the plans to the local machine shop and they told me that they could do the parts for over $2100 + the $150 set up fee. I have quit sending any work to them. Ed

Mysfyt · Dec 12, 2015

An optical tracer combined with making your patterns on a computer and printing them with an ink jet was almost as good as a cnc machine. You can play with your line thickness to account for kerf and produce some very accurate cuts as far as plasma or flame cut go. It had a Linatrol tracing head that was bulletproof.

jwmorris · Dec 12, 2015

I took the plans to the local machine shop and they told me that they could do the parts for over $2100 + the $150 set up fee. I have quit sending any work to them. Ed

That goes with the "if the only tool you have is a hammer every problem looks like a nail." Saying.

There is a lot of time and money spent in machining of uncritical areas in many projects.

Ed of all trades · Dec 12, 2015

jwmorris said:
That goes with the "if the only tool you have is a hammer every problem looks like a nail." Saying.

There is a lot of time and money spent in machining of uncritical areas in many projects.

That was laser cutting ONLY Ed

Oldpath05 · Dec 12, 2015

jwmorris said:
Like this, plasma is the first part of the video, torch towards the end.

I guess this a little more than $19.95. If these things cost $3000.00+, one must have a lucrative business with a lot of duplicate cutting to do for a machine like that to pay for it self.

Oldpath05 · Dec 12, 2015

jwmorris said:
That goes with the "if the only tool you have is a hammer every problem looks like a nail." Saying.

Oh you been to my garage have ya, next time bring a spare hammer with you so I don't spend two hrs. looking for the one I just threw after I put something together wrong and/or blank backwards.

jwmorris · Dec 12, 2015

I guess this a little more than $19.95. If these things cost $3000.00+, one must have a lucrative business with a lot of duplicate cutting to do for a machine like that to pay for it self.

Your looking at $250,000 for a "little" new laser or water jet machine, $3k is nothing.

Much more productive and accurate than the pantograph but not one that you will find at many homes.

Ed of all trades · Dec 13, 2015

jwmorris said:
Your looking at $250,000 for a "little" new laser or water jet machine, $3k is nothing.

Much more productive and accurate than the pantograph but not one that you will find at many homes.

For me I can't say I need the pantograph but I can make it and have less than $100 in it and that is worth it to me. $3000 makes it out of the question. Ed

yomax4 · Dec 13, 2015

In my travels I saw a used optical tracer at an integrator shop for $300. ( Des Moines IA ) Set up for Plasma or Oxy-Fuel. Contact Info upon request. These work ok as long as a fly doesn't land on the drawing. the eye will follow the fly too.

Oldpath05 · Dec 13, 2015

Ed of all trades said:
For me I can't say I need the pantograph but I can make it and have less than $100 in it and that is worth it to me. $3000 makes it out of the question. Ed

Yep, me too, no need and it's way to much$$$, but if I did need something to make some repeated cuts, I have (jwmorris) make me one like what he has, and since we're best friend and we both voted for Obama, he probably could make me one for around $1,000.00+or-.

Oldpath05 · Dec 13, 2015

I don't what is but everytime I buy something, I come home and then look it up for online reviews and/or did I buy the right brand, that's what I did and still doing after I bought my new Uniweld torch last week, and in the process I stumble on some sort of torch that I never never knew existed or heard of, the torch I caught a glance at, I guess, sounds like it runs some how on Gasoline, Gasoline, Gasoline, what the heck is this???????, is this the best kept top secret in the world or what, here we are on a Cutting torch thread and this is not brought up, what's up with that..........