[massajamesb]

Well, I have been running the heck out of the old machine, and due to size constraints, I had been turning down a number of jobs because I simply didn't have enough travel out of my machine.
I took on a job recently for a fellow member, which really lit a fire under my butt about getting my new machine build and running. Here is a couple shots of some of the parts.




These are old shots of the framework, but here they are in raw form.






I started working on the bearing rails today with some HR 3/8"x3" flat strip I had laying around, and drilling it on center every 6 inches. It will be drilled out to 17/64", then laid flat on its' side, and drilled on center 11/16" every 8".


(I am not really diggin' the cheapo drill press at work but, unlike me at work, it does the job. ) Yes, I also have a small shop at work.

I am taking 3/4" CR round and drilling it on center every 6" as well, for bearing rails. The CR will be threaded to 1/4"-20, and then bolted to the ground and straightened 3x8" flat bar, with the flat standing on end.

I picked up a few bearings from www.VXB.com, 20 MM open linear bearings.

Now, I know that 20 mm does not equal 3/4".The bearings had about .04" of slop, which I don't want. I do, however, have a solution for "adjusting" the bearings a little.

On a serious note, I took some 1.75"ODx.25" wall D.O.M tubing, and slit it open .5" on my bandsaw. The end result of that was I was able to compress the linear bearings enough to fit very snugly inside of the D.O.M. (snugly as in friction-fit) and spin the assembly in the vise real quick, to squeeze it all down to size. The bearings now grip the CR round tightly, and move very, very smooooooth.

This week I am going to take some 1"ODx.25" wall D.O.M. I have laying around, and bore it out in the lathe, so I can tap it out to 9/16"-18. I will have 18 of these, 9 for each side. Each one will be about 4 inches long.
These will be bolted to the rails of the machine, and then the 3/8" flat will be bolted to the DOM.
I imagine throughout it all, there should be plenty of adjustment for the rails.

Sorry there is no pictures yet, hope to have those uploaded in the next couple days. My camera decided to quit uploading pics for some reason after the drill press pic.
Next I am gonna build the mounts for the actual gantry.

[The Inventor]

HHHMMMM????
I thought that monitor was "WHITE"?!?!?!?!
HHHMMMMMM???????(wedge) (chair)

[samakthachai]

From your picture. Do you use Kcam software to control plasma?

[The Inventor]

From your picture. Do you use Kcam software to control plasma?

No... I believe he said he was using QuickStep4.

[massajamesb]

HHHMMMM????
I thought that monitor was "WHITE"?!?!?!?!
HHHMMMMMM???????(wedge) (chair)

Well, it was. That is how dirty plasma dust can make things

Actually, that is my monitor from home. After all that trouble to source a new monitor, and even after you very generously gave me one (that I promptly knocked off the desk by accident, 2 days after I got it.), I brought the one from my home computer.

The second day I took it, my ol' lady called me at the shop. She (on a hunch) went down to a local thrift shop, they had 3 monitors sitting there for 5 bucks each.
She wound up with a nicer one than the one that went to the shop.

[massajamesb]

From your picture. Do you use Kcam software to control plasma?

Inventor was right, it is called Quickstep4.

[samakthachai]

Hi Inventor / Massajamesb,
Thank you for your recommendation. Quick step may have a concept of
control as same as Mach2/3. For me, I use sheetcam to release g-code.
and you?.Massajamesb,
From your description, I think that you are the experter and have many
experiences to build plasma machine by yourself. I am thinking to build
plasma machine same as you. If it’s possible or not, please advise me
for building machine from your experiences.
I have some questions.
1)If I choose THC system,It should have motor to control Z-axis or not.
2) Your machine,It has THC system or not.

Regards,
Samak

[samco]

Having a plasma cutter and inhaler makes me think your in the wrong line of work

sam

[samakthachai]

Hi Samco,
It depends on your application and your idea. Automation is better than manual method.

Regards,
Samak.

[massajamesb]

Having a plasma cutter and inhaler makes me think your in the wrong line of work

sam

Haha, I noticed that after putting the picture up. Notice the dust covering it, kinda contradictory.
That is the same inhaler I started the year with. I quit smoking Jan2, and since then have hardly needed the inhaler.

[massajamesb]

Hi Inventor / Massajamesb,
Thank you for your recommendation. Quick step may have a concept of
control as same as Mach2/3. For me, I use sheetcam to release g-code.
and you?.Massajamesb,
From your description, I think that you are the experter

Thanks for your kind words, I think that is the first time anyone has said that in a serious tone.

and have many
experiences to build plasma machine by yourself. I am thinking to build
plasma machine same as you. If it’s possible or not, please advise me
for building machine from your experiences.
I have some questions.
1)If I choose THC system,It should have motor to control Z-axis or not.
2) Your machine,It has THC system or not.

Regards,
Samak

What advice do you want? I am not sure what you are looking for.

My small machine has a Z axis, to move the torch up and down for pierce,cut, and rapid heights, but no digital THC like most expensive machines. My table I am building now will have a THC from www.candcnc.com

Quickstep is a fairly simple 3 axis controller, that can be used in place of Mach3. It is inexpensive and easy to use, however the THC from Candcnc can only be used with Mach3.http://cpwojcik.home.att.net/Qstep/Quickstep_CNCx.html

I also use Sheetcam for G code. There is no better program than Sheetcam for us hobby guys and light industrialists.

If you want a THC with Quickstep, you have to use one from www.torchmate.com or the like that runs independant from the controller program.

The best person on this list to speak to about THC would be Torchhead, owner of Candcnc.

[ger21]

Those bearings are gonna wear grooves in your crs FAST. They need to run on hardened shafts.

[massajamesb]

Here are the pictures of what I meant to post up at first.

These are finished rails, ready to go. Just need to finish grind the flat bar.

The bearing inside the DOM tubing.

[massajamesb]

Those bearings are gonna wear grooves in your crs FAST. They need to run on hardened shafts.

Then I will wind up buying hardened rails if the CRS doesn't work.
Gonna try it to see if it works. If not, then the hardened rails come already predrilled, just bolt them in.

I hope

[samakthachai]

Thanks for your kind words, I think that is the first time anyone has said that in a serious tone.
I think that you are a new friend on this zone. My kind words is not released
from my mount easily.

What advice do you want? I am not sure what you are looking for.

My small machine has a Z axis, to move the torch up and down for pierce,cut, and rapid heights, but no digital THC like most expensive machines. My table I am building now will have a THC from www.candcnc.com
I think MP1000 is more expensive than THC300 of Bob.For me,I will try THC300 at first.:bs:
Quickstep is a fairly simple 3 axis controller, that can be used in place of Mach3. It is inexpensive and easy to use, however the THC from Candcnc can only be used with Mach3.http://cpwojcik.home.att.net/Qstep/Quickstep_CNCx.html

I also use Sheetcam for G code. There is no better program than Sheetcam for us hobby guys and light industrialists.

If you want a THC with Quickstep, you have to use one from www.torchmate.com or the like that runs independant from the controller program.

The best person on this list to speak to about THC would be Torchhead, owner of Candcnc.

Hi Massajamesb,

If it's possible or not,I would like to request you.I have dxf.file ( Please have a look in zip file). I convert it from raster to vector.When I load onto Sheetcam.I try to zoom it. It appears that Zoom out ,line is good / Zoom in,line is bad(It's rough). I would like to know if this file is actually cut with plasma machine. How to result?. It will show smooth cutter or not after actual cutting. At the moment,I don't have plasma machine.please help me.:stickpoke


Here's another question,
I am little puzzled on this video5 from http://www.dynatorch.com/Videos.htm. I think that it have to be THC system. I would like to know that the tip of torch is moved up or down with the signal sensing of THC to maintain the distance from the work surface properly( I mean that it moves freedom to constant onlythis distance)//?? or occurs from writing g-code on software to control move up and down of Z-axis. Do you understand in my mind? Sorry,I am not good at English language.Do you know? Please advise.

Cheers,
Samak

[samakthachai]

Sorry,I am puzzled on video 3.

Cheers,
Samak

[massajamesb]

Hi Massajamesb,

If it's possible or not,I would like to request you.I have dxf.file ( Please have a look in zip file). I convert it from raster to vector.When I load onto Sheetcam.I try to zoom it. It appears that Zoom out ,line is good / Zoom in,line is bad(It's rough). I would like to know if this file is actually cut with plasma machine. How to result?. It will show smooth cutter or not after actual cutting. At the moment,I don't have plasma machine.please help me.:stickpoke

It depends on what software it was converted in, that can make the lines look rough. Vector images are usually lines, or a series of lines/arc, etc. and Bitmaps (most pictures) are thousands of dots. I have found throughout most of my Bitmap work that converting raster images to vector images (Bmp to dxf or other vector) that you always wind up with some clean up work to do.

The good news and bad news, all in one, is that the plasma cutter is just not that accurate to begin with, so jittery lines may or may not show up. When your torch is removing anywhere from .04 to .08 " of material as it cuts, then a couple of .02" variations won't even be noticeable.
I will look at your file, and go from there. I might even cut it and post pics, if I get down to my shop today.

Here's another question,
I am little puzzled on this video5 from http://www.dynatorch.com/Videos.htm. I think that it have to be THC system. I would like to know that the tip of torch is moved up or down with the signal sensing of THC to maintain the distance from the work surface properly( I mean that it moves freedom to constant onlythis distance)//?? or occurs from writing g-code on software to control move up and down of Z-axis. Do you understand in my mind? Sorry,I am not good at English language.Do you know? Please advise.

Cheers,
Samak

That is the digital THC. It monitors the voltage at the plasma tip, and tells the drivers when to move the torch up and down.
The THC 300 from Bob Campbell and the Mp1000 from Candcnc were both brainchilds of Tom Caudle of Candcnc. All the support for the THC 300 is done by Tom.
The Mp1000 monitors the arc voltage, but it works in conjunction with Mach, and tells Mach when to move the torch up and down, so it works through the software, whereas (I think, don't know for certain) the Dynatorch THC is independant of the software,and the software has no knowledge of the torch moving up and down.
I am speculating on some of this, as it is secondhand knowledge. The best person to talk to is Tom (aka Torchhead on here), he also has a Yahoo help group under the Candcnc name.

[massajamesb]

Okay, I looked at your drawing in Dcad, and loaded it into Sheetcam, there is a heck of a lot of nodes there(little tiny dots). That would be a really long cut file, and some of the edges are pretty rough. The good thing is that at the size it is, the edges might not show up.
Here is what I wound up with in Sheetcam
test.zip

[samakthachai]

Hi Massajamesb,
Thanks for example on sheetcam. I think that it 's difficult to cut this file with plasma. Do you agree with me?.

If I need to fire on flatness area,what possible minimum diameter can kelf make ? ( To effect and err at least on surface).
Umm, a bit question, Have you ever used THC300 with your machine?

Cheers,
Samak

[massajamesb]

Hi Massajamesb,
Thanks for example on sheetcam. I think that it 's difficult to cut this file with plasma. Do you agree with me?.

If I need to fire on flatness area,what possible minimum diameter can kelf make ? ( To effect and err at least on surface).
Umm, a bit question, Have you ever used THC300 with your machine?

Cheers,
Samak

The smallest kerf I have seen was on some 18ga sheetmetal, I think it was .03 or .04". Somewhere in there.

No. Never used any THC.