Fab tips & tricks
- Thread starter Herzog
- Start date
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I have long thought about finding an old printing plotter that ran on an X & Y axis and setting it up with a plasma cutter, rather than an ink tip. Plug in your computer and crank out all kinds of brackets & neat stuff. Kind of a low-buck plasma table.
cheepin
Active Member
- Location
- Parachute Co.
Back in Highschool.My welding class had a table that was for cutting with oxy/Act.Had a spot you put the torch tip in and you followed the track.With a nice steady hand you could make some nice straight cuts.
For cutting with a hand held plasma I clamp a piece of 1/4" angle down and follow it.You have a bunch of smaller pieces to cut.Just fab up a piece a little smaller and use it as a pattern.
For cutting with a hand held plasma I clamp a piece of 1/4" angle down and follow it.You have a bunch of smaller pieces to cut.Just fab up a piece a little smaller and use it as a pattern.
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
Don't most plotters just run on 1 axis though? The paper movement making the other axis, as it rolls through.
If there is an XY plotter than could be used for that, I'd love a plasma table.
It would also be difficult to make it move anywhere near slow enough to be functional with a plasma cutter.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Don't most plotters just run on 1 axis though? The paper movement making the other axis, as it rolls through.
If there is an XY plotter than could be used for that, I'd love a plasma table.
Pretty sure it was back in the 80's that my Dad had a printer that would draw out whatever on poster board sized material. The paper was stationary, but I don't recall what the printer was, pretty sure it was a plotter of some kind.
I never said the idea was perfect, I'm sure you could slow it down with some work.
GOAT
Back from the beyond
- Location
- Roanoke, VA
the neighbor that welded my axle has a cnc plasma table at his house. pretty slick
Oh, great thread shane. I clearly need all the help i can get:greg:
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
There are DIY CNC router plans available all over. I dont' see why they couldn't be adapted for plasma use. Some are pretty detailed.. lots of info on the controllers you need, and servos, etc.
cheepin
Active Member
- Location
- Parachute Co.
I just picked up a HF tube notcher.Seems to be pretty good for the money.Does need to have the tube clamp bracket spaced so it cuts the tube centered better.It cuts on the highside of the tube.I think I am going to fab a few plate spacers so I can vary where the cut is on the tube.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
I'll be buying on here next month. From what I've read of people building them, the ones that worked great ended up costing just as much as buying a nice one. I just figured that the time it would take me to build one, I could spend it at work making money, then buy one and be money ahead.
toyota rockhead
Active Member
- Location
- American Fork, UT
harbor freight sells a tube notcher for about 40 bucks and its not too bad for smaller stuff it goes us to about 2 inch
cheepin
Active Member
- Location
- Parachute Co.
I ended up spacing the tube clamp bracket up 1/8".Cuts perfectly in center of the tube now.
That will change as the bushings wear. Then it'll start chattering more and more, breaking teeth off the holesaws, etc.
I'm a HF notcher hater.
1995zj
I'm addicted
- Location
- Herriman, UT
One of the best "tricks" I've read about on here that I think should end up in this thread is this:
http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=64205
http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=64205
Yes! Agreed!
cheepin
Active Member
- Location
- Parachute Co.
That will change as the bushings wear. Then it'll start chattering more and more, breaking teeth off the holesaws, etc.
I'm a HF notcher hater.
Maybe.But I am not a pro so it will get used only seldom.I have a few more tubes to put in my build and a buddy needs a cage.If it last for them and some.I will be happy.
Did you grease the bushings?It didn't spin freely when I got it.So I greased it.Spins great now.How fast were you cutting.Hole saws like it slow.
Yes, I greased them regularly. I also welded on material to stiffen the weak main plate, improved the clamp since it was also weaksauce, then finally gave up and got a real notcher.
I actually still have a HF notcher in a drawer. I keep it around only because it's smaller/lighter frame will fit places my better notcher might not. (i.e. clamping it to a tube already installed on the vehicle, etc) Otherwise, I never use it if I have another choice.