[metriccar]

I know this question gets asked from time to time but a lot of times the subject moves to building your own table. I'd rather not go down that path at this time.


I can spend about $15k for the table. I am looking for a 4x4. I'm looking for one that is well built and can handle sharp angles at 200-400 ipm cutting speeds. I'm looking for a stiff frame and v-rail bearings (or some other smooth channel rather than the bearings just riding along a strip of cut sheetmetal). I don't care so much about stepper motors "missing steps" but I keep hearing servo motors can accelerate faster. I'm not sold on either one. I guess what I'm trying to do is get a machine that could, say, produce a dross free "V" or at the very least "L" cut on 16 ga. steel and have it vibration free and last a long time.

I plan on looking at Dynatorch. I know there have been some horror stories with Dynatorch, but that seems to go for all brands. They seem to have a lot of good features on their lower-end units.

So my question is also do you have a table that can do the things I'm looking for? If so what brand? What machine do you have and would you buy it again today?

[DareBee]

Up your budget and get a Dynatorch XLR8

[Med-Pac]

We've been using a torchmate 4' x 8' for 7-8 years now(hypertherm 1000). No complaints, runs great. Only thing I would change would be to a 1650 to get my thickness capacity over an inch. Right now we can go from 20ga-.750 plate, but we rewired the 1000 to 3-phase.

Mike

[Dylwad]

Plasmacam does what you want it to do, it's built stiff enough to be precise but light enough to make the fast transitions without trouble. Servos with true closed loop feedback. Keep the rails clean and it's pretty trouble free.

Check out Keith Fenner's youtube vids on his plasmacam.

Sent from tapatalk

[jimcolt]

I have a 7 year old PlasmaCam 4 x 4 DHC2 equipped with a Powermax85, machine torch and magnetic torch breakaway (www.snapncut.com) (originally had a Powermax1000). 100% happy with it, is very reliable and the cut quality is extremely good for an entry level plasma. Servo drives, I routinely cut at up to 425 ipm, the height control is auto calibrating (using ohmic plate sensing) to compensate for consumable wear. I upgraded to the latest Design Edge software when it came out about 3 years ago....very nice drawing package as well.

I have many miles of cutting on the 4 x 4 , would buy another, although would probably go with the 5 x 10 Samson model.

Jim

[metriccar]

I guess my real question is: what plasma table will give me the most out of my Hypertherm Powermax 65? I asked leading brand B for a sample: 2"x2" squre with sharp edges and a 1/4" hole. They cut it at 150 IPM and the middle hole looked like a blob. I asked them to cut it faster, about 200 IPM and they said that will reduce the cut quality. This is a LEADING well respected brand. I found my best results by cutting by the settings in my Hypertherm manual. I believe when a table maker says to cut it slower it's because of limitations in their table (namely vibration control). I spent about $200 in sheetmetal, $2500 in shipping, $100 in consumables, and multiple hours to learn this. PLASMACAM: They seem real proud of their demo video and kept asking if they could send me one when I told them I already had it. I asked for a test square pic. They rounded off the corners and the picture had low resolution but their holes looked good for what I could tell. A lot better than leading brand B (I believe they also cut it at a higher speed because the person I was talking to said this should be cut at a high rate of speed, I'm talking 16 ga. here). I haven't seen a pic from Dynatorch yet. Right now I'd say it's between Dynatorch and Plasmacam. Multicam will not return my call or answre the phone. I looked at EZCut CNC and they are at about $30k... Would they cut better than a PlasmaCam or is the extra cost more related to longevity and ability to withstand heavier loads? FYI I called Dynatorch and they steered me to the Super B, which was refreshing that they weren't trying to sell me a more expensive model.

[Arc Industries]

there are so many cheap cutting tables out there! I would strongly take a look at Arc Industries.

Arc Cutting - Arccutting.com

[CNCCajun]

I have spent the last two (2) years researching this. I have visited shop after shop. I have been to several of the table manufacturer's facilities.



I have come to the conclusion that DYNATORCH overall is the best choice hands down unless you are prepared to spend $100,000.00+ on a table.

Even at that level of expenditure, you will gain very little over a DYNATORCH based on the CNC capability of the table.

The plasma power source needs to be addressed separately.



There are 5 fab shops within 40 miles of my home running Dynatorchs. Everything from LSU cutting parts for their engineering & research departments to a guy down river that is cutting parts for a "FAB SHOP" that designs and builds river & ocean going tug boats. One outfit less than 10 miles from my house runs an Dynatorch XLR8 built from a gantry kit. They are running three shifts cutting pipe flanges for PetroChem turn-arounds on it. I have come to another conclusion, buying a CNC Plasma Table is really no different than buying a TABLE SAW . . . . Table Saws start @ less than $200.00 and can go as high as $50,000.00. Don't believe, really research it.

There is not a table manufacteurer I have not driven crazy with questions. Sales reps for PlasmaCAM know me by my 1st name. The guys at AXIS & RETRO I'm sure cry when they see me on their caller ID. A rep from RETRO recently called me back & the 1st words of of his mouth were, "No Steve, we still are not offering a table under $50,000.00, sorry."

If you want to benifit from the mind racking I have put myself through, PM me I will be glad to share everything I have learned.

By the way, 1st of new year I will be finally buying a CNC Plasma Table, yes it will be a DYNATORCH. That is if they don't hide when they see me in their driveway in Alabama. I recently spent an entire day with them.

My 2 cents . . . Steve

[cstroke]

I would buy another dynatorch as well. My only thought would be save up another 5K past your 15k budget and get a full sized machine if you can fit it.