Grapple Shop Built Grapple

[crazyal]

What Plasma cutter did you get ? I bought one from Mark at Everlast and both the customer service and the unit itself has been amazing ! I am trying to make a homemade pantograph to aid in cutting out small parts and holes. It will use a wood template that I can make easily and then just mount in the machine and trace it by hand to reproduce the part in steel because I am no good at freehand cutting and trying to get an accurate hole otherwise has been an excercise in futility:mur:

I'm going to get the PowerPlasma60. I know what you mean about free hand cutting, lol. Someday I think I may try to make a CNC plasma table for it, either a 4x4 or a 4x8. There are several companies that sell kits to do it. It's not cheap though but I like the idea of connecting a computer to a plasma cutter so it would be more of a hobby.

So far all I've ever used is a much older smaller unit that might be able to cut 1/4" thick steel. I figure I'll play around a little first then try to find a way, maybe like you said a plywood form to cut along, to cut all the parts for the grapple and have the ones that should be identical be close enough so you can't tell with the naked eye. But that's the fun of building it yourself.

 

[evo803]

Well this is what I made for now to get me by. The stock was some scrap aluminium that was given to me. I hope to someday add some drive screws and motors to make it CNC but the simplicity of use is growing on me. It is kind of scary how accurate it is.

 

[crazyal]

Well this is what I made for now to get me by. The stock was some scrap aluminium that was given to me. I hope to someday add some drive screws and motors to make it CNC but the simplicity of use is growing on me. It is kind of scary how accurate it is.

Simple but effective.

 

[kennyd]

Well this is what I made for now to get me by. The stock was some scrap aluminium that was given to me. I hope to someday add some drive screws and motors to make it CNC but the simplicity of use is growing on me. It is kind of scary how accurate it is.

That is REALLY cool!

You should dedicated a new thread to it with build details.:thumbsup:

 

[crazyal]

That is REALLY cool!

You should dedicated a new thread to it with build details.:thumbsup:

I think that would be a good idea and put it in the welding forum.

 

[MichiganIron]

Nice pantograph evo !!!

We have a CNC Plasma Table, and wouldn't be without it, but seeing your pantograph, and your results, is a great reminder of what American ingenuity is all about. We still have what it takes, we just need a fair chance to use it.

 

[evo803]

Thanks for the comments and I apologize to the OP for sidetracking his thread. I will take some more pics and post how I built it in the welding section soon.