http://www.metalmagician.com/equipment.htm

On Tue, 7 Feb 2006 08:42:04 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:

http://www.metalmagician.com/equipment.htm


I don't think it's the best one out there at the moment. But they
where one of the first to come out with a cheap one. Thus I have a
friend who has one and know a few of the draw backs. First is that
they're using stepper motors to drive. Loss of steps can become a
problem if you try to push it to fast. Second is that they use a dxf
file instead of actual G-code. Back when they first came out there
wasn't as many cheap G-code programs out there so dxf made sense. But
dxf was made for plotters and is not perfect option for CNC. Due to
this it can take more time and money to come up with good files for
cutting.


Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm

I own a 4' x 4' plasmacam machine with a Hypertherm 600 on it.
It has a powerful Cad Cam tool that will import dxf but the machine
uses G and Servos - Large Servos.
It, the plasmacam machine now is a 2 1/2 axis machine - the 1/2 is the Z that
will follow up and down the surface of metal - say - metal roofing that are wavy.
Often metal varies across a 4' sheet - and the controller senses the arc voltage
and maintains it.

The cost is about the same - you buy a computer - and a plasma and an air source (large)
and space - don't forget exhaust of the metal mist - plasma meta can be bad to breath!!!.

If you want to talk - or see pictures - their website is good and we can talk.
http://www.plasmacam.com/

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



Wayne Cook wrote:
On Tue, 7 Feb 2006 08:42:04 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:


http://www.metalmagician.com/equipment.htm



I don't think it's the best one out there at the moment. But they
where one of the first to come out with a cheap one. Thus I have a
friend who has one and know a few of the draw backs. First is that
they're using stepper motors to drive. Loss of steps can become a
problem if you try to push it to fast. Second is that they use a dxf
file instead of actual G-code. Back when they first came out there
wasn't as many cheap G-code programs out there so dxf made sense. But
dxf was made for plotters and is not perfect option for CNC. Due to
this it can take more time and money to come up with good files for
cutting.


Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm

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On Tue, 07 Feb 2006 21:23:36 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Martin H. Eastburn" quickly quoth:

I own a 4' x 4' plasmacam machine with a Hypertherm 600 on it.
It has a powerful Cad Cam tool that will import dxf but the machine
uses G and Servos - Large Servos.
It, the plasmacam machine now is a 2 1/2 axis machine - the 1/2 is the Z that
will follow up and down the surface of metal - say - metal roofing that are wavy.
Often metal varies across a 4' sheet - and the controller senses the arc voltage
and maintains it.

The cost is about the same - you buy a computer - and a plasma and an air source (large)
and space - don't forget exhaust of the metal mist - plasma meta can be bad to breath!!!.

If you want to talk - or see pictures - their website is good and we can talk.
http://www.plasmacam.com/

Those Torchmate systems look pretty neat but the Plasmacam looks like
a much nicer and better developed system. How much did the entire
system set you back?


--
Unfortunately, not only do scientists have an incentive to cry "crisis,"
so too do the environmental advocacy groups need crises. Without them,
how could advocacy groups justify thier pleas for donations? Nearly
every American gets bulk quantities of junk mail warning them of ozone
depletion, topsoil erosion, resource depletion, diminishing biodiversity,
and global warming. The money the advocacy groups collect is spent on
lawyers, lobbying, propaganda, and the salaries and perquisites of the
headquarers staffs. The media also have a strong incentive to report
"crises"--they must sell newspapers and airtime after all. So there it
is--an iron triangle of scientists pleading for research funds, interest
groups who need crises to justify their existence, and a press that needs
to sell papers. No wonder people are frightened.
--Ronald Bailey in "EcoScam"

10k for the unit - plus shipping - plus a computer with a CD and 5V parallel port (if possible)
Air tank providing plenty of air - at rated pressure - and I got a Hypertherm 600 but many
have larger machines.

There are plasmacam support groups - outside of the company - sharing patterns and help...

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



wrote:
On Tue, 07 Feb 2006 21:23:36 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Martin H. Eastburn" quickly quoth:


I own a 4' x 4' plasmacam machine with a Hypertherm 600 on it.
It has a powerful Cad Cam tool that will import dxf but the machine
uses G and Servos - Large Servos.
It, the plasmacam machine now is a 2 1/2 axis machine - the 1/2 is the Z that
will follow up and down the surface of metal - say - metal roofing that are wavy.
Often metal varies across a 4' sheet - and the controller senses the arc voltage
and maintains it.

The cost is about the same - you buy a computer - and a plasma and an air source (large)
and space - don't forget exhaust of the metal mist - plasma meta can be bad to breath!!!.

If you want to talk - or see pictures - their website is good and we can talk.
http://www.plasmacam.com/


Those Torchmate systems look pretty neat but the Plasmacam looks like
a much nicer and better developed system. How much did the entire
system set you back?


--
Unfortunately, not only do scientists have an incentive to cry "crisis,"
so too do the environmental advocacy groups need crises. Without them,
how could advocacy groups justify thier pleas for donations? Nearly
every American gets bulk quantities of junk mail warning them of ozone
depletion, topsoil erosion, resource depletion, diminishing biodiversity,
and global warming. The money the advocacy groups collect is spent on
lawyers, lobbying, propaganda, and the salaries and perquisites of the
headquarers staffs. The media also have a strong incentive to report
"crises"--they must sell newspapers and airtime after all. So there it
is--an iron triangle of scientists pleading for research funds, interest
groups who need crises to justify their existence, and a press that needs
to sell papers. No wonder people are frightened.
--Ronald Bailey in "EcoScam"

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"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
...
10k for the unit - plus shipping - plus a computer with a CD and 5V
parallel port (if possible)
Air tank providing plenty of air - at rated pressure - and I got a
Hypertherm 600 but many
have larger machines.

There are plasmacam support groups - outside of the company - sharing
patterns and help...

Martin

I am very interested in one of these. What do you think the projected life
span is for it? Is there much in the way of gears/widgets to wear out? Are
they of a plastic or metal variety?

Steve

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 21:20:29 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Martin H. Eastburn" quickly quoth:

10k for the unit - plus shipping - plus a computer with a CD and 5V parallel port (if possible)
Air tank providing plenty of air - at rated pressure - and I got a Hypertherm 600 but many
have larger machines.

They're making a decent profit for their work, aren't they? That'll
keep them in business for a nice, long while.


There are plasmacam support groups - outside of the company - sharing patterns and help...

Thanks, Martin.

Let's see, $10k for the platform, $1k for a laptop, $2k for the plasma
machine and supplies; under $13k for the whole shebang, eh?

Has yours paid for itself yet? (10 times over?)


- Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag? -
http://diversify.com Full Service Web Application Programming

It is very well build. Heavy steel. Power coated and the gears are in channels in
the top - so anything falls out of the rack if possible.
Heavy and very powerful Servos that have high resolution on-board.
A gel pen is a wide tip for the precision.
I used a gel pen in learning - a day or two of play.

Two micro switches are the only exposed components.

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



Steve B wrote:
"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
...

10k for the unit - plus shipping - plus a computer with a CD and 5V
parallel port (if possible)
Air tank providing plenty of air - at rated pressure - and I got a
Hypertherm 600 but many
have larger machines.

There are plasmacam support groups - outside of the company - sharing
patterns and help...

Martin


I am very interested in one of these. What do you think the projected life
span is for it? Is there much in the way of gears/widgets to wear out? Are
they of a plastic or metal variety?

Steve



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On Thu, 09 Feb 2006 20:42:02 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Martin H. Eastburn" quickly quoth:

It is very well build. Heavy steel. Power coated and the gears are in channels in
the top - so anything falls out of the rack if possible.
Heavy and very powerful Servos that have high resolution on-board.
A gel pen is a wide tip for the precision.
I used a gel pen in learning - a day or two of play.

Was it hard or tedious to learn?


Two micro switches are the only exposed components.

X and Y limit switches?



- Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag? -
http://diversify.com Full Service Web Application Programming

The software is CAD/CAM rolled into one - you never see the cam side.
There are naturally things to learn and should be a laundry list - or punch list -
but the manual is reasonable.
I use the software to draw stuff for the shop - e.g. I need to cut holes in to box
sides - I'll cad up a drawing - run off 100% - and have a template.

I use that cad easier than others. Others have their abilities.
But the hill is more like rolling hills - a little here and a little more later.

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



wrote:
On Thu, 09 Feb 2006 20:42:02 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Martin H. Eastburn" quickly quoth:


It is very well build. Heavy steel. Power coated and the gears are in channels in
the top - so anything falls out of the rack if possible.
Heavy and very powerful Servos that have high resolution on-board.
A gel pen is a wide tip for the precision.
I used a gel pen in learning - a day or two of play.


Was it hard or tedious to learn?



Two micro switches are the only exposed components.


X and Y limit switches?



- Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag? -
http://diversify.com Full Service Web Application Programming

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Mine is paid for - still working on building a business.
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



wrote:
On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 21:20:29 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Martin H. Eastburn" quickly quoth:


10k for the unit - plus shipping - plus a computer with a CD and 5V parallel port (if possible)
Air tank providing plenty of air - at rated pressure - and I got a Hypertherm 600 but many
have larger machines.


They're making a decent profit for their work, aren't they? That'll
keep them in business for a nice, long while.



There are plasmacam support groups - outside of the company - sharing patterns and help...


Thanks, Martin.

Let's see, $10k for the platform, $1k for a laptop, $2k for the plasma
machine and supplies; under $13k for the whole shebang, eh?

Has yours paid for itself yet? (10 times over?)


- Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag? -
http://diversify.com Full Service Web Application Programming

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