Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] plasma vs mill/router cnc

I think your thinking is correct.

Steel tube with ball-races on the carriges will suffice. It also depends on
what precision you want your cuts to be. But that will also depend on the
quality of Plasma cutter. It seems, from lots of looking around, that you
should bite the bullet and buy a Hypertherm. Then there'll be no worrying
about starting problems etc.

If you google small plamsa systems, there are thousands of people who have
gone the route on making their own simple machine. So there's no shortage of
examples and ideas.

Then join the Sheetcam list and learn the intricacies of using your machine.

Although the mechanics are fairly simple, there will still be quite a
learning curve before you're cutting shapes, and that cost is usually
undervalued. When you buy a machine, you're paying for all that.


Regards
Roland

On 12 June 2010 15:05, Chuck Merja <chuckm@...> wrote:

>
>
> Thanks. I understand the purposes of the different devices, and think that
> a CNC plasma cutter would probably be the first and most useful device for
> our shop. The question is more, "why are these CNC plasmas so expensive? -
> and can't I make a CNC plasma table for pretty cheap?" I seems that making
> a
> metal frame and gantry that would carry my hand held plasma; powered by
> relatively small (cheap) motors since there would be little force needed to
> move the torch (no cutting tool in material to resist movement); and with
> screws or a cogbelt that had a little backlash (don't need ballscrews). Am
> I missing something in my thot process in thinking that this should be an
> easy unit to build? And is there something I'm missing about using a
> handheld plasma for the CNC (such as does the high freq from the hand held
> interfere with the control system? Thanks, Chuck
>
>
> Well it depends on what you NEED it to do. Plasma cutter won't route
> wood, for example. AFAIK a CNC router would be hard pressed to cut
> steel unless quite well designed and skillfully operated. AFAIK a
> plasma cutter won't do anything but straight-through cuts, right?
>
> So it depends on what you need. I mean, if the question is just, is a
> CNC plasma cutter great? YES, it is! A CNC router is also great, as is
> a CNC mill.
>
> Danny
>
> ebiz_59 wrote:
> > We have a farm shop that is pretty well equipped with plasma cutter,
> several welders, a Bridgeport mill, a couple lathes - none of which are
> cnc'd. I've been thinking about building a CNC router, or
> buying/retrofitting a mill, for a long time. But actually think a CNC
> plasma
> might be most useful to us. However, I am cheap. I'm thinking a plasma cnc
> gantry would be pretty easy (cheap) to build - don't need perfect ways, a
> small amount of backlash is probably livable, the torque requirements
> shouldn't be significant, and I already have a decent plasma cutter
> (although I read that e high frequency start might be an issue). What am I
> missing? Shouldn't this be easy?? thanks in advance, Chuck
> >
> >
>
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>
>
>


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