[Jcar]

It looks like your table is coming along nicely.

[Med-Pac]

Nice build Bill,

Keep the pics coming.

Mike

[plain ol Bill]

Things are progressing slowly lately. I had to redesign the slat hanger arrangement I had planned. Went to welded on pieces to a flat bar & trap the slat between the welded on pieces. Cut all the slats to length. Painted the interior of the table using a mix of yellow and white smooth Hammerite paint. This morning I ran into town and got some concrete deck piers. Moved the table into its final location, jacked it up and set it on the piers. I could purchase piers cheaper than the steel to make legs for it. Bought some erail on fleabay yesterday and it should be here late next week and will get it mounted then.
Next week I want to order a Hypertherm 1250 and machine torch. Then it will be time to order the electronics. I think I will go w/ steppers rather than servos.

[Med-Pac]

Have you considered the Hypertherm 1650? We've had our table running for a few years now. It works great, the only thing I'd change is the plasma size. We're running a 1000 hypertherm now, there has been countless times we could use more power. Considering an upgrade, but other than being limited on thickness i have no complaints. As the old saying goes: If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Mike

[Edwardo]

Bill

Nothing plain about you.... excellent work !!

[plain ol Bill]

Med-Pac I'd luv to have the 1650 but don't have the necessary 3 phase to run it. I run my mill and surface grinder off a 5 HP rotary converter but that would not run a plasma. Oh well - I don't really plan on cutting anything thicker than 1/2" anyway and if I do I will put an oxy/acet torch on.

[millman52]

Have you considered the Hypertherm 1650? We've had our table running for a few years now. It works great, the only thing I'd change is the plasma size. We're running a 1000 hypertherm now, there has been countless times we could use more power. Considering an upgrade, but other than being limited on thickness i have no complaints. As the old saying goes: If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Mike

If I'm not mistaken the Ht 1650 requires 3 phase power. Not a problem if you have it, but if you have to convert it with a RPC you are looking at around a 40-50 HP RPC.

[millman52]

I am looking at installing plasma to the back side of my Ox/acet set up & leave it mounted.

I wanted the Ht 1650 but looks like I may go with the Thermal Dynamics True 152 it will run on either single or 3 phase power with no degrade. Or at least that's what their propaganda states.

[Med-Pac]

When we initially got our 1000 hypertherm it was also a one-phase......we rewired it for 3 phase. Seems to make a big difference in pierce capabilities. Here's some pics of some .50 we've done. The first 2 are A-36, the 3rd is stainless.

Mike

[millman52]

I can believe it would do better on 3 phase. I have had similar results trying to use an inverter welding power source on single phase. Rewired to a large RPC for 3 phase & it also improved it's performance. Mainly on reduction of spatter.

Having to use RPCs for 3 phase, I have reverted back to older Iron (Linde/L-Tec) Transformer type 400-450A welding machines. For some reason they seem to work best on converted power.

[plain ol Bill]

I have been working on the slat arrangement after moving the table into it's final position. Had to rework a couple of things on it before I got the slats in like I wanted them. Will post some more pics with the slats in place.
I ran the numbers on cubic inches of the water tank and it looks like it will hold 360 gallons with the water level where I want it. So with table weight plus water this is going to be enough weight I don't think inertia on the table itself will be a concern. I need to fill the table before long to double check water tightness but that is not a big concern.
I do need to start on the "y" and "Z" axis. I received the bushings for the remaining "V" wheels yesterday. Ordered a T80M machine torch and Hypertherm 1250 today. So the bank account took a hit and will again when I order the electronics in the next couple of weeks. Talked w/ Tom Caudle at CandCNC today and asked him some silly questions about the electronics. More as we progress folks.

[plain ol Bill]

My shop has beams that run overead. The one portion of the shop that did not have a beam was of course where the plasma table is sitting. So today I worked on hanging an overhead beam over the table. Got the beam cut, attachments made to hang it from and rigging hung w/ a chain fall so I can lift it into place and secure it. Was here by myself and will have a neighbor come over in the morning and watch in case of accident. I do not like rigging anything without someone else around even if I feel very confident of what I am doing. Should not take very long in the AM to get it up and in place. That will allow me to pick up a sheet/plate from the center of the shop and bring it to the table and lay it down without breaking my back. I have made some sheet clamps that I use to pick material up lying flat. The truss holding the beam is engineered for 2000# center span and the beam will handle that also.

[cadman@teluspla]

Bill that is a great looking build, nice workmanship.

[millman52]

Wish I could be doing most anything but what I am at the moment. I came to the shop this morning to find my 15 gal hot water heater had sprung a leak. I knew I was on borrowed time with it. The part of my building it's in was built in 1967. The ser # on the old tank indicated it to be around a 1971 vintage.

Long story short they used to be small dia. & tall, now they are short & fat. Tried to re-use a couple of sweat fit copper unions. Just can't get one of them to seal in the tapered seat at all.

Good luck on mounting your beam tomorrow Bill.

[plain ol Bill]

Been pretty busy on some other things lately so haven't gotten a lot done on the table. I ran into town yesterday and picked up some discharge hose to hook onto the table drain nozzle. I wanted to be able to dump water to outside quick if I had any leaks when I filled it. So got that hooked up, put the hose in the table and turned it on! After a little while I noticed the water was where I figured it should be. I thought to myself "Boy I must have really good pressure since it filled up so quick". I hooked up air to the table and turned it on! Water quickly started to rise and then BLUB-BLUB-BLUB I had air blowing out the water inlet ports.
So I shut it down, tried again - same thing! Now what the *^%$$ is going on here?? I walked around the table a couple of times thinking and looking. It finally dawned on me that when I was filling the table I had not opened the air outlet valve and it was getting air locked:withstupi. I opened the valve and the water level dropped way down. So I put the hose back in and kept filling for two hours (350 gal. tank). Now when it was filling the air outlet had air coming out the valve. Once the water level was where I wanted it I shut off the hose and outlet valve and turned air into the tank --- SHAZAM!!! The water level came up quick to the bottom of the slats so I shut the air off 90%. With air still coming in the water level rose to the top of the slats. ALL RIGHT! Its nice when a plan comes together. And NO LEAKS -WAHOO:banana:.
I got some progress made on the Y car and the Z axis. Will get some pics up later this week.

Bill

[plain ol Bill]

Worked on Y & Z axis's the last couple of days. Folks I need some feedback on my design and work to date. NOW is the time to make any changes that I need to. I have never done anything like this so really look things over for me and make suggestions if something doesn't look right - please. All the travels run smoothly by hand at this point. Ordered a slug of alum. flat bar today to make drives from. Already got the pinion gears and timing pulleys and belts to gear down 4 to 1 on the steppers when I get them. Ordered a boring bar for the mill so I can bore holes to press bearings into for the drives (now I just have to figure out how to do it!)
Talked w/ Tom at CandCNC yesterday and my electronics will ship early next week. Sure is fun to play with the water up and down

[lamicron]

Hi Bill, only a quote about your Y troley, It is only on the top of the rails or it has any bearing holding from down to prevenmt it to jum uot fo the rails? Do I to negative...?? My question is : if the torch crash with the plate or goes far down it can get the Y off the rails.. !!?
Good looking machine ! ! I tried the quench but got some rust, then i change it for the "milk " , the cooling oil solution for tool machining, Brumol? ( dont know the name!!)
Luis

[plain ol Bill]

Thanks for the comments Lamnicron - the Y car will be held down on the off torch side w/ the motor running on the rack gear. The front (torch) side of the car will have a cam follower mounted under the car and running on a bar bolted to the inside of the front alum. extrusion piece. That should hold the Y car down firmly to the tracks I think ----------.
I will put a piece of crs shaft into the sump area of the table and keep and eye out for rust on it. If it starts to rust I'll have to do something to stop it. Will be glad to get the electrics and get started on that.

[plain ol Bill]

Still waiting on the electronics to get hereWill update again when they finallyget here

[Med-Pac]

Hey Bill

Very Nice!! Great progress, keep them pics coming. The hardest part is always the wait.

Mike