[FunnyBike Racer]

Hi to everyone and I am looking forward to the world of CNC plasma.I have a Practicle CNC machine,Hypertherm 1250,Bob-Cad,Vector Art,Correl Draw, Ect.
I am 43 years old and my wife and I have a Small Fab shop tht produces power cable handelin products for surface coal,copper,gold and silver mines.
I purchaced our table 11 months ago and have yet to cut the Pieces we need for our products. Still trying and dont want to spend the $1000.00 a day for Practicles guy to come and (train me)
Thanks
Jay Nickell

[Scott V]

Hi to everyone and I am looking forward to the world of CNC plasma.I have a Practicle CNC machine,Hypertherm 1250,Bob-Cad,Vector Art,Correl Draw, Ect.
I am 43 years old and my wife and I have a Small Fab shop tht produces power cable handelin products for surface coal,copper,gold and silver mines.
I purchaced our table 11 months ago and have yet to cut the Pieces we need for our products. Still trying and dont want to spend the $1000.00 a day for Practicles guy to come and (train me)
Thanks
Jay Nickell

Buy Sheet-cam or at least download the trial version.
Then we can start to make life a whole lot easier for
you.:drowning: That way we will all be on the same page.

[FunnyBike Racer]

Where do I findIt.
And thanks for the reply

[grinder_gary]

Go to www.sheetcam.com and download the program. I have been learning to use it and it is a good deal easier than those othere programs. I am also learning Mach 3 and can't wait to try them out after I finish my table
:wee:

[FunnyBike Racer]

Hey grinder,Can you explain why I need sheet cam? Ive spent a fortune on a Hypertherm 1250 (I was trying to use a Thermal Dynamics 75XL)Then was told to get Corral Draw. Now I need sheet cam?If one of you Practicle CNC owners would email me with your number, or call me at 307-358-0779.
Just to let you all know. This Forum is way ahead of Yahoo plasmacams.Jim Colt seems to be pretty sharp.

[FunnyBike Racer]

Scott V. Thanks for the reply and same question to you
Thanks Jay

[Torchhead]

Join the CandCNCSupport Yahoo group and I will give you direct support for CorelDraw->SheetCAM->MACH3. It's not hard if you get some knowledgable help. We use this combo on a daily basis and have learned all the short cuts and tricks. Also in the files section of the support group I have put some plasma test files (Oldmotorcycle.DXF) and a matching SheetCAM .job file to help you along.

One of the dirty little secrets about this industry (mid range CNC tables) is that they don't have the profit margins to teach you how to actually USE the machine!

The good news is that with this list and help from those us that have been there and keep going back we can get you working.

I have worked on PCNC retrofits and know all of the electrical, mechanical and software shortcomings so you don't have to go this alone!

Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com

[Torchhead]

I realized from your question you need a quick tutorial in the process of CNC plasma cutting:

1. You draw your object/design to be cut in one of several tools. CorelDraw is a very visual drawing and illustration tool that makes working with decorative layouts using text or vector based (EPS, AI, WMF) clipart easy. It also has all the tools you need to draw mechanical objects (shapes) to a precision of 4 or more decimal places.

2. You take the drawing and use a graphical CAM package like SheetCAM to positon the parts you drew on the material, define the tool (with defined parameters like feedrate, plunge rate, pierce height, initial cut height and automatic lead-in and outs). The CAM outputs g-code for a specific controller software.

3. The control software takes the g-code and spins the motors (throught the motor drives). MACH3 is the control software. The control is WINCNC on the PCNC product.

So it's: CAD->CAM->Control in three steps

Some packages combine both CAD and CAM (BobCAD). The problem with that is that one or the other may not be what you need for your type of production or may need extensive setup and a custom "post" to output the correct G-Code.

Plasma cutting has some interesting challenges that persons that have not actually used it might ignore. The SheetCAM product has extensive support for plasma cutting that makes the process a lot easier.

It's only 159.00 so it won't break your budget.

In the end you will get pissed about all the stuff you were sold that you DON'T need!

Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com

[FunnyBike Racer]

Tom
Thanks and I will be getting sheetcam. I'm well aware,that I can have too many teachers. I will be getting back with you as soon as I get Sheetcam.I keep telling myself,thaat these computors aren't going away! I,m 43 and still typing with 2 fingers.My table was purchaced for Qunities of small Items. Circles,3"-10",out of 1/4"plate, Hooks and what I call Hasps,out of 3/4 plate.
For example, I use alot of 2"square X1/4 " thick,rounded conners on one side with a 3/4" hole in the middle. I pay a guy (with a plasma cam to cut these for me.I furnish the steel and he charges me $2.26 each.I manufacture cable handeling products for surface mines and can cut my material costs by 20% on certain items, when I can cut my own parts.
Thanks and I'm not a Quitter.lol


Jay Nickell
Suregrip D-Rings Inc.
Douglas Wy.
307-358-0779
.

[Scott V]

I really don't need to add anything Tom has said but if you get SheetCam
you will start moving forward quick. The two finger typing or computer
skills are enough to work fine. I started out with straight bocad 19 and
nothing else. Les at SheetCam wrote me a processor for wincnc, and
things really started to look up. It's almost where you are now, but
other people have jumped (mostly Tom but others too) into it to make
the road ahead way easier. I was really stumped too. I didn't quit either
because it pissed me off way too much.

Scott

[Torchhead]

Jay: Tried to post a pix and file of the 2" bracket I did in Corel (5 minutes) and exported as DXF, but the editing tools seem to be broken on the zone. Won't let me add attachments or images.
My profile says I should be able to.
I will post it on my support site under the Artwork files.

[FunnyBike Racer]

Ok thanks
When I buy Sheet cam, doI want the Mach version?

[krt9751]

im new to the cnc world myself has anyone used lazy cam i think you can get it from mach 3 just a thought i think it's free

[Torchhead]

SheetCAM only comes in one flavor. It comes with dozens of "posts". There are several for MACH including two specifically for plasma and MACH.

LazyCam is part of MACH3. I have not tried it out but from the posts it appears to still be in development.

[FunnyBike Racer]

I got a call with Wayne at Practicle CNC this morning. They are aware of my slow progress( Mostly my fear of anthing with a keyboard)and he assured me that we will get it going. I will call him back Monday at 9;oo am.Ther is alot at stake for everyone. I am not posting to bad talk anyons machines or service. I just want my table cutting out the parts I need for my Bussuness.I appreciate everyones help. I cant, but together we can.
Thanks Jay

[FunnyBike Racer]

Hey guys and girls
I'm drawing a little bit with Bob-Cad, but still having alot of Problems. Im confused
Would any of you With a practicle cnc table be willing to give me your phone number or call me? I just wnt to start cutting out some things out of Vector Art and I am not getting it. Maybe Im just Dumb!!!!
Jay Nickell
307-358-3237
307-358-0779
[email protected]

Thanks and did I forget to say please

[Torchhead]

Dumb....Probably not. Hard headed.....maybe so. There is nothing special about a PCNC table (except problems and issues). Using BobCad for plasma cutting is overkill. The learning curve (as you have found out) is long. If you persist in using BobCad for artwork generation then you will need to seek assistance from other members. Most of the PCNC owners in this plasma section have dumped the Practical (WINCNC) software and PCI controller and gone to MACH3 as the machine controller and use SheetCAM to generate the g-code to feed MACH.

If you want to cut out brackets and simple geometric parts then learn BobCAD and use it as a CAD package. If you want to do decorative cutting using fonts and vector clipart then CorelDraw is the better choice. It can be intimidating to begin with but it's more like drawing naturally. You do everything on-screen and virtually everything is interactive.

In either case you will be light years ahead to Use SheetCAM as your toolpath generator (G-code). It will handle the moves you need for plasma.

[Scott V]

Tom,
You know you hit the nail on the head. I was going to help but sometimes
people have to help themselves first.

Last time,
Get Sheetcam and Corel 9-12-13 whatever then ask for help.

I spent lots of time on the phone helping different people but
they were talking in a format that we both could understand.
file sharing compatibly right down to the code. SheetCam
is a must for that.

Scott

[cut more]

FunnyBike Racer
I have a practicalcnc table, I am using a hypertherm 1000 with the practical thc. I use bobcad. I would be willing to talk & help if I can. I make decorative artsy junk and industrial parts, exhaust flanges brackets, encoder rings.
I will try to call later today.
Cutmore

[sc6chuck9]

Hey folks, we are a small job shop with CNC mills and lathes and a bunch of manual support equiment. What we don't have is a CNC Plasma cutter and after pricing from the big boys, we think we can build one here in our shop with some help. So rather than reinvent the wheel, we thought we'd ask you guys for some help to cut down on mistakes being made. We think we'd like a table that can do work as large as 5' by 10' and maybe cut up to 1" material.We need it to use a plasma or oxy/fuel torch. We have a gas torch in house, just no plasma yet as we're not real sure which one to buy so many offers and promisses you see. If you know of someone who has plans all the more better. We need the pro and cons to drives and everthing else,,,,lol,,,,Thanks for any help ya'll may have,,,,,,