[jkapps]

I have been hand cutting for all of the parts for our race team for too long. I need some automation before I lose my mind. It's frustrating that brands I have looked at dont even have prices online. I dont want to sit on the phone with a salesman who will yammer on about how great of a deal his machine is.

So what do you guys recommed for a Plasma CNC table?

[Teknition]

Its easier to help with more info from you:

-How big of a table are you looking for? They start around 2x2 and go up from there.

-What are you planning to cut? mild steel. stainless? copper? and how thick at maximum?

-A rough idea of what you are looking to spend for table?

- You have been hand cutting parts, with a plasma cutter? If so, what make and model?

-Do you want turn key, ganrty kit and electronics kit, or build it from scratch?

Brad

[jkapps]

Its easier to help with more info from you:

-How big of a table are you looking for? They start around 2x2 and go up from there.

-What are you planning to cut? mild steel. stainless? copper? and how thick at maximum?

-A rough idea of what you are looking to spend for table?

- You have been hand cutting parts, with a plasma cutter? If so, what make and model?

-Do you want turn key, ganrty kit and electronics kit, or build it from scratch?

Brad

-I guess I'm looking for about a 4x4 table

-I cut mainly stainless with some mild steel usually no thicker than 1/4"-3/8"

-No one really puts prices online so its hard to get an idea but I guess like around $20,000

-Miller Spectrum 875

-The simpler, the better. Turn key would have to be my first choice.

[Teknition]

20 G's is a pretty good budget for a 4x4 table, I dont think you will have any problems finding a bunch in your price range. The Spectrum 875 should be fine for what you want to cut.

One thing to keep in mind when shopping for a plasma table is proprietry components and/or software. If you buy a table and the only place you can get parts or software for it is the OEM, you will most likely be paying thru the nose for anything required if something breaks.

Also alot of manufactures will have the torch height control as an a la carte item and its usually not cheap. Height control is a necessity when cnc plasma cutting, regardless of what they will try to tell you. Another necessity is dust control, either a water table (my preference) or a vaccum table. These things spew fine black dust all over your shop that sticks to everything like napalm, not to mention the smoke, and you need some way to control it.

Plasmacam makes a 4x4 for around 10G's I believe. I was looking at going that route before I decided to go with an electronics and gantry kit. I havent heard anything bad about them other than the odd comment that they may be built a bit light. If you are thinking about getting a plasmacam, talk to Jim Colt on the Hypertherm forum, he has one and has had it for quite some time.

Torchmate also puts out some decent stuff. I think their 2x2 is around 5 G's. I havent seen any prices listed for the larger torchmates. They used to have prices listed on their website but I believe they were bought out by lincoln and now the price list is gone.

There are some guys on here running Dynatorch machines as well and they seem to be fairly happy with them.

Ask around in the individual manufacturers forums and Im sure you will get the guys that run their tables to give you some valuable feedback. Most of the larger manufacturers have their own forums on here.

There are many more makes of complete plasma tables but it is hard to filter out who the fly-by-niters are. Many people that are selling tables are using other manufacturers hardware and putting it together. When it comes to support for the table, you want to be sure the company that sold it to you is still going to be around in a few years and that they can support their product.

If you are reasonably handy with fabrication work, you can go the kit route. Its not rocket science and I think the kit route gives you the most bang for the buck. I built my table with a PrecisionPlasmaLLC gantry kit and CandCNC electronics kit (you can see my build thread in this forum). Both kits are supported extremely well by their companies and both company owners have a presence on this forum. My table is 5x10 with torch height control, overbuilt steel frame, rotary tube slicing, and a water table. As of now it is up and running for around 11 G's for everything including the kits, sorftware, steel, welding supplies, and paint but not including the plasma cutter I already had. To buy my table from a manufacturer you would be in the 20 G's and up neighborhood.

Most manufactures of tables dont post prices on their website because they dont know what exactly it is you want. Their are numerous options such as: water table, vacuum table, torch height control, plate scriber, laser location indicator, rotary tube cutting, etc. so the best way for them is to find out what you want and then give you a quote. If you dont want to call for pricing, you can do your research into what it is exactly that you want and email them for a quote.

Hopefully this helps you out a bit. Im sure others will chime in as well.

Brad

[jimcolt]

Teknition is spot on. I'll add a couple oif things:

-prices vary considerably...due to size and equipment supplied with the machine. Choose the size you want...get a full featured height control, use a machine torch for your plasma (Hypertherm is the best choice, but I am biased)

-For (almost) turnkey machines...look at Torchmate, PlasmaCam, Dynatorch (the most common) and search for others...as there are dozens of manufacturers.

-For kits that include drive motors, electronics and torch height control look at www.candcnc.com and precisionplasmallc.net

-If you need to cut thin material (less than 10 gauge) you need a plasma that has low amp consumables (such as Hypertherms FineCut) and you need a machine tghat can cut at up to 250 inches per minute. Many machines cannot cut faster than 150 ipm...and that will provide poor quality on the thinnest materials.

-I'll be happy to answer questions...I have a PlasmaCam (with Powermax85) and a Torchmate (with Powermax45).

Jim Colt

20 G's is a pretty good budget for a 4x4 table, I dont think you will have any problems finding a bunch in your price range. The Spectrum 875 should be fine for what you want to cut.

One thing to keep in mind when shopping for a plasma table is proprietry components and/or software. If you buy a table and the only place you can get parts or software for it is the OEM, you will most likely be paying thru the nose for anything required if something breaks.

Also alot of manufactures will have the torch height control as an a la carte item and its usually not cheap. Height control is a necessity when cnc plasma cutting, regardless of what they will try to tell you. Another necessity is dust control, either a water table (my preference) or a vaccum table. These things spew fine black dust all over your shop that sticks to everything like napalm, not to mention the smoke, and you need some way to control it.

Plasmacam makes a 4x4 for around 10G's I believe. I was looking at going that route before I decided to go with an electronics and gantry kit. I havent heard anything bad about them other than the odd comment that they may be built a bit light. If you are thinking about getting a plasmacam, talk to Jim Colt on the Hypertherm forum, he has one and has had it for quite some time.

Torchmate also puts out some decent stuff. I think their 2x2 is around 5 G's. I havent seen any prices listed for the larger torchmates. They used to have prices listed on their website but I believe they were bought out by lincoln and now the price list is gone.

There are some guys on here running Dynatorch machines as well and they seem to be fairly happy with them.

Ask around in the individual manufacturers forums and Im sure you will get the guys that run their tables to give you some valuable feedback. Most of the larger manufacturers have their own forums on here.

There are many more makes of complete plasma tables but it is hard to filter out who the fly-by-niters are. Many people that are selling tables are using other manufacturers hardware and putting it together. When it comes to support for the table, you want to be sure the company that sold it to you is still going to be around in a few years and that they can support their product.

If you are reasonably handy with fabrication work, you can go the kit route. Its not rocket science and I think the kit route gives you the most bang for the buck. I built my table with a PrecisionPlasmaLLC gantry kit and CandCNC electronics kit (you can see my build thread in this forum). Both kits are supported extremely well by their companies and both company owners have a presence on this forum. My table is 5x10 with torch height control, overbuilt steel frame, rotary tube slicing, and a water table. As of now it is up and running for around 11 G's for everything including the kits, sorftware, steel, welding supplies, and paint but not including the plasma cutter I already had. To buy my table from a manufacturer you would be in the 20 G's and up neighborhood.

Most manufactures of tables dont post prices on their website because they dont know what exactly it is you want. Their are numerous options such as: water table, vacuum table, torch height control, plate scriber, laser location indicator, rotary tube cutting, etc. so the best way for them is to find out what you want and then give you a quote. If you dont want to call for pricing, you can do your research into what it is exactly that you want and email them for a quote.

Hopefully this helps you out a bit. Im sure others will chime in as well.

Brad

[joeelutz]

I did a lot of comparing plasma CNC machines before I decided to buy a gantry kit from Precision Plasma and build my own table. If you want a turn key system, I would go with Arclight Dynamics. Everything I have read or heard about there products has been very positive. You should be able to come in under budget as well. Check this out. http://www.cnczone.com/forums/cnc_pl...nc_plasma.html

They also offer free one day training if you don't mind going to their location.

cnc plasma training -