Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work.

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John
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!

Hi All,

I'm semi retired & take in odd engineering jobs.

The latest to come up causes a bit of a problem, I cant do part of it
with my existing equipment!

The job wont make that much profit, so its not worth investing more than
$1000 in equipment to do it.

It will come up with VERY short lead times and MUST be done on time, so
I cant outsource it.

The jobs a bit difficult to describe, but...

Imagine a piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
Some of the pieces are about 3 inches square and some around 25 inches
square.
Some of the edges are curves like a puzzle piece, and some a straight
and meet in a 'V'
Some of the pieces are 3mm thick and some 6mm thick.
The accuracy required isnt that great, the example of a jigsaw puzzle
would be about right for the accuracy and finish required.

The only idea that springs to mind is a manual plasma cutter and use a
template to cut around.

But I've never used a plasma cutter. If it would do the job, its within
my budget.

Will this work?

Many Thanks for any help or ideas

John
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Andrew Mawson
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!


"John" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm semi retired & take in odd engineering jobs.

The latest to come up causes a bit of a problem, I cant do part of

it
with my existing equipment!

The job wont make that much profit, so its not worth investing more

than
$1000 in equipment to do it.

It will come up with VERY short lead times and MUST be done on time,

so
I cant outsource it.

The jobs a bit difficult to describe, but...

Imagine a piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
Some of the pieces are about 3 inches square and some around 25

inches
square.
Some of the edges are curves like a puzzle piece, and some a

straight
and meet in a 'V'
Some of the pieces are 3mm thick and some 6mm thick.
The accuracy required isnt that great, the example of a jigsaw

puzzle
would be about right for the accuracy and finish required.

The only idea that springs to mind is a manual plasma cutter and use

a
template to cut around.

But I've never used a plasma cutter. If it would do the job, its

within
my budget.

Will this work?

Many Thanks for any help or ideas

John



A water jet cutter or wire edm would do that from a file in minutes -
I know you don't want to outsource, but if you have a company nearby
with the equipment it would be fast and easy

AWEM


  #3   Report Post  
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Pete C.
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!

Andrew Mawson wrote:

"John" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm semi retired & take in odd engineering jobs.

The latest to come up causes a bit of a problem, I cant do part of

it
with my existing equipment!

The job wont make that much profit, so its not worth investing more

than
$1000 in equipment to do it.

It will come up with VERY short lead times and MUST be done on time,

so
I cant outsource it.

The jobs a bit difficult to describe, but...

Imagine a piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
Some of the pieces are about 3 inches square and some around 25

inches
square.
Some of the edges are curves like a puzzle piece, and some a

straight
and meet in a 'V'
Some of the pieces are 3mm thick and some 6mm thick.
The accuracy required isnt that great, the example of a jigsaw

puzzle
would be about right for the accuracy and finish required.

The only idea that springs to mind is a manual plasma cutter and use

a
template to cut around.

But I've never used a plasma cutter. If it would do the job, its

within
my budget.

Will this work?

Many Thanks for any help or ideas

John


A water jet cutter or wire edm would do that from a file in minutes -
I know you don't want to outsource, but if you have a company nearby
with the equipment it would be fast and easy

AWEM


CNC plasma will do the job as well and is a lot cheaper and more
suitable to home shop use. You won't get one together for $1k since the
plasma cutter alone is that much, but if you have time to build one
yourself you can put one together for about an additional $2k past the
plasma cutter and it will be a very useful and versatile tool to have.
Likely having CNC plasma will open up new job possibilities.

Lots of good DIY CNC info, including plasma on cnczone.com

Pete C.
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its me
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!


"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Andrew Mawson wrote:

"John" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm semi retired & take in odd engineering jobs.

The latest to come up causes a bit of a problem, I cant do part of

it
with my existing equipment!

The job wont make that much profit, so its not worth investing more

than
$1000 in equipment to do it.

It will come up with VERY short lead times and MUST be done on time,

so
I cant outsource it.

The jobs a bit difficult to describe, but...

Imagine a piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
Some of the pieces are about 3 inches square and some around 25

inches
square.
Some of the edges are curves like a puzzle piece, and some a

straight
and meet in a 'V'
Some of the pieces are 3mm thick and some 6mm thick.
The accuracy required isnt that great, the example of a jigsaw

puzzle
would be about right for the accuracy and finish required.

The only idea that springs to mind is a manual plasma cutter and use

a
template to cut around.

But I've never used a plasma cutter. If it would do the job, its

within
my budget.

Will this work?

Many Thanks for any help or ideas

John


A water jet cutter or wire edm would do that from a file in minutes -
I know you don't want to outsource, but if you have a company nearby
with the equipment it would be fast and easy

AWEM


CNC plasma will do the job as well and is a lot cheaper and more
suitable to home shop use. You won't get one together for $1k since the
plasma cutter alone is that much, but if you have time to build one
yourself you can put one together for about an additional $2k past the
plasma cutter and it will be a very useful and versatile tool to have.
Likely having CNC plasma will open up new job possibilities.

Lots of good DIY CNC info, including plasma on cnczone.com

Pete C.


After you get your CNC table built there is a host of other things you need
like a bigger air compressor, a dust collection system. A seperate room for
the monster that breathes out black dust instead of fire. Then there is the
dreaded dross. Unless you have your cut speed down to the gnat's whisker you
will have to deal with dross removal. If you are serious about a CNC plasma
table I have seen the used Plasmacams go for about $6500.00 with the DHC,
older machines without the height control for a lot less.
It is likely you can get your parts cut for .03 cents an inch depending on
material thickness.
Steve


  #5   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!

You wont get the accuracy you want with templates and a hand torch.
You need a computer guided machine- plasma, laser, or waterjet.
Commercial versions of these run from $30,000 to a half million.

Job it out.
Or else cut them oversize, and hand file, die grind, and sand to fit.



  #6   Report Post  
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John P.
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!

On Fri, 13 Jan 2006 20:38:33 +0000, John
wrote:

The job wont make that much profit, so its not worth investing more than
$1000 in equipment to do it.


You can purchase the Campbell Hausfeld H7139 Plasma Cutter 115V from
Grizzly http://www.grizzly.com/products/h7139 for $1000. There are
not many other Plasma Torches you can get for this price. This one
will run on 115v and has a built in air compressor so it doesn't need
external air. The downside is that it cuts only up to 1/4" thick
material. 6mm = .24" so you're looking at using the machines maximum
cut capability for this thickness.

If you are primarily doing 3mm material and only occasionally 6mm this
machine would work just fine.

Some of the pieces are 3mm thick and some 6mm thick.
The accuracy required isnt that great, the example of a jigsaw puzzle
would be about right for the accuracy and finish required.

The only idea that springs to mind is a manual plasma cutter and use a
template to cut around.

But I've never used a plasma cutter. If it would do the job, its within
my budget.

Will this work?


Assuming the accuracy isn't that great you might be able to use this
tool. Here is the long answer:

- A plasma torch is very easy to use. You place the tip on the
material to cut, pull the trigger, and cut along the outline. It's
fast, leaves clean cut quality (when used at the right speed) and
takes very little practice.

- You would have to make templates to trace the torch tip around.
There is no way you could freehand it with any kind of accuracy. But
if you were to get a 3/4" sheet of plywood and make some wooden
templates to trace with the torch it would be pretty easy.

- If you make templates you would need to take into consideration the
size of the actual torch head to create your template a tad smaller so
that the cut would be the actual size you want it.

- If your cut was a little off, you could finish it off with a hand
grinder.

All of this assumes that you have fairly good hand/eye coordination
and that you would consider yourself a generally "handy" guy.

I would also add that if you purchased a Plasma torch for this purpose
you would find at least 100 other projects that you could use it for.
It is my favorite metal working tool. You can see some stuff I made
at http://pozadzides.com/john/. The tree is all free hand plasma cut.

Good luck,

John P.
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Martin H. Eastburn
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!

It will work - or reduce the work.

You make an oversized design and file to fit.
Plasma isn't puzzle edge quality.

Water machine might - but that is very expensive and not fast to setup.

Martin

Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH & Endowment Member
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



John wrote:
Hi All,

I'm semi retired & take in odd engineering jobs.

The latest to come up causes a bit of a problem, I cant do part of it
with my existing equipment!

The job wont make that much profit, so its not worth investing more than
$1000 in equipment to do it.

It will come up with VERY short lead times and MUST be done on time, so
I cant outsource it.

The jobs a bit difficult to describe, but...

Imagine a piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
Some of the pieces are about 3 inches square and some around 25 inches
square.
Some of the edges are curves like a puzzle piece, and some a straight
and meet in a 'V'
Some of the pieces are 3mm thick and some 6mm thick.
The accuracy required isnt that great, the example of a jigsaw puzzle
would be about right for the accuracy and finish required.

The only idea that springs to mind is a manual plasma cutter and use a
template to cut around.

But I've never used a plasma cutter. If it would do the job, its within
my budget.

Will this work?

Many Thanks for any help or ideas

John


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  #8   Report Post  
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Buy_Sell
 
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Default Plasma Cutter - An Expert Please!

I think that we all know that the plasma cutter is the tool that you
need for this job.
There is a lower cost alternative that might be able to meet your
needs.

Download the demonstration movie at the following website and decide
for yourself.

http://www.cut-like-plasma.com/info_...hick_steel.htm

PS: I own both a plasma cutter and the Henrob torch. The plasma can
do a better job but I don't knock the Henrob's abilities. The Henrob
is more portable and doesn't require any electricity. It is also
substantially lower cost than purchasing a plasma cutter.


---------------------------------------------
John Jan 13, 1:38 pm

Hi All,

I'm semi retired & take in odd engineering jobs.

The latest to come up causes a bit of a problem, I cant do part of it
with my existing equipment!

The job wont make that much profit, so its not worth investing more
than
$1000 in equipment to do it.

It will come up with VERY short lead times and MUST be done on time, so
I cant outsource it.

The jobs a bit difficult to describe, but...

Imagine a piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
Some of the pieces are about 3 inches square and some around 25 inches
square.
Some of the edges are curves like a puzzle piece, and some a straight
and meet in a 'V'
Some of the pieces are 3mm thick and some 6mm thick.
The accuracy required isnt that great, the example of a jigsaw puzzle
would be about right for the accuracy and finish required.

The only idea that springs to mind is a manual plasma cutter and use a
template to cut around.

But I've never used a plasma cutter. If it would do the job, its within
my budget.

Will this work?

Many Thanks for any help or ideas

John

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