CNC Plasma Cutter questions.

[Overmountain]

First, Stacy if this belongs elsewhere, H&T, etc my apologies... Feel free to move it.


Ok, I have searched and can only find anecdotal examples of having parts cut by plasma. I have other questions... Basically, I want to hear from anyone here who's built their own. Preferably with as few kit parts as possible. I have looked at the kit gantry setups and the ready to go CNC motors and controllers. (I will probably go that way with the electronics...)

I know we don't usually use them for our purposes due to heat issues, etc, but I have a lot of projects that either a water jet or plasma could cut out. Of the two, the CNC plasma seems the most economical and versatile solution.

As a side project and for my own benefit, I am getting together a co-op shop. It will have car bays, lifts, compressors, tire mount/balance equioment and an alignment rack. A plethora of tools, etc. But the part I'm excited about is having a lathe, mill (possibly cnc? Depending on what we can source) drill presses, various bits like surface plates, table saws, grinders, welders etc etc. Possibly even a forge or two, hammer and press (if one member participates). Missing is a way to cut 2d parts quickly.

One of the guys involved does some sign stuff and wants to do a lot of larger metal letters. But buying either a cnc plasma or water jet is prohibitively expensive. Looking into them, building a plasma seems like it is done fairly regularly and allows more size flexibility in the design.

Has anyone here used/built such a machine? Any pitfalls, and hints, things I'm probably missing? Can the z-axis be setup to run a router as well as the plasma? I have seen everything from complete scratch builds and boot together kits. But whether or not it goes well depends on the builder in almost all the cases.

A little sidebar so I can explain the skill sets that will be available for the build. The shop will be mostly mine, at least as far as the property and building goes. The co-op will consist of a couple of car clubs, some area craftsmen, and several people who are apartment or condo trapped but really could use a shop. I discovered a good deal of guys around here who lost their shops/houses with said shops/equipment and tools due to lay-offs, shut downs, and the completion of very large multi-year contract builds. If given back the access to tools they could put out some really good work I think. We are doing a kind of lean and learn program where members can share skills with other members, etc. But enough about that, though I do hope it comes to fruition... Obviously there are a host of insurance and legal issues involved, but hopefully it will put some workers back into production and serve as an educational resource as well. We have some older local craftsmen I'd love to tap to participate... So honestly, if anyone is a member of something similar or set up something similar I wouldn't mind advice there either...

Thanks.
Cheers
Eric

 

[PT Doc]

L

First, Stacy if this belongs elsewhere, H&T, etc my apologies... Feel free to move it.


Ok, I have searched and can only find anecdotal examples of having parts cut by plasma. I have other questions... Basically, I want to hear from anyone here who's built their own. Preferably with as few kit parts as possible. I have looked at the kit gantry setups and the ready to go CNC motors and controllers. (I will probably go that way with the electronics...)

I know we don't usually use them for our purposes due to heat issues, etc, but I have a lot of projects that either a water jet or plasma could cut out. Of the two, the CNC plasma seems the most economical and versatile solution.

As a side project and for my own benefit, I am getting together a co-op shop. It will have car bays, lifts, compressors, tire mount/balance equioment and an alignment rack. A plethora of tools, etc. But the part I'm excited about is having a lathe, mill (possibly cnc? Depending on what we can source) drill presses, various bits like surface plates, table saws, grinders, welders etc etc. Possibly even a forge or two, hammer and press (if one member participates). Missing is a way to cut 2d parts quickly.

One of the guys involved does some sign stuff and wants to do a lot of larger metal letters. But buying either a cnc plasma or water jet is prohibitively expensive. Looking into them, building a plasma seems like it is done fairly regularly and allows more size flexibility in the design.

Has anyone here used/built such a machine? Any pitfalls, and hints, things I'm probably missing? Can the z-axis be setup to run a router as well as the plasma? I have seen everything from complete scratch builds and boot together kits. But whether or not it goes well depends on the builder in almost all the cases.

A little sidebar so I can explain the skill sets that will be available for the build. The shop will be mostly mine, at least as far as the property and building goes. The co-op will consist of a couple of car clubs, some area craftsmen, and several people who are apartment or condo trapped but really could use a shop. I discovered a good deal of guys around here who lost their shops/houses with said shops/equipment and tools due to lay-offs, shut downs, and the completion of very large multi-year contract builds. If given back the access to tools they could put out some really good work I think. We are doing a kind of lean and learn program where members can share skills with other members, etc. But enough about that, though I do hope it comes to fruition... Obviously there are a host of insurance and legal issues involved, but hopefully it will put some workers back into production and serve as an educational resource as well. We have some older local craftsmen I'd love to tap to participate... So honestly, if anyone is a member of something similar or set up something similar I wouldn't mind advice there either...

Thanks.
Cheers
Eric

Sound a interesting. What type of insurance do you have to carry for a setup like this? Or is signing a waiver iron clad If someone loses a finger.

 

[Overmountain]

L


Sound a interesting. What type of insurance do you have to carry for a setup like this? Or is signing a waiver iron clad If someone loses a finger.

Very expensive insurance. You have to cover all the equipment which is a big chunk of its own. And signing a waiver isn't (unfortunately) iron clad. To really protect yourself there are just so many angles that have to be covered. We have a local agent assessing everything and drawing up all the policies (when it reaches that stage...) My wife also happens to have been an agent for one of the big firms in a previous life, so she is lending a free hand to it as well.
In my line of work we are better at causing claims than covering them, so I'm leaving that to the appropriate people.
These ventures always seem to fail because a lot of people will commit in the beginning. Then when their personal projects are completed they leave the group. We are requiring a deposit to ensure that doesn't happen. Which may alienate some, but we have enough that are still on board that it will work. Another shortfall is having too many members and not enough shop time or equipment to accommodate them. We are working to find out where that tipping point might be. (Even though it was kinda my baby, I may even step out at some point just due to time constraints and already having my own shop to work out of.)

There are a million pitfalls, and we have at least planned around the bulk of them I think... I could go on with all the others, but that isn't appropriate here I don't think. This would be a decent discussion for Chris's proposed business subgroup, but alas.... J/k Chris if you read this, I know your hands and Karda's have both been full...

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-Eric