[accuratemike]

I built this CNC Oxy/Acetylene torch table to do small runs of brackets.
It has a 30"x30" capacity and uses an un-modified hand torch (Victor Advantage II 250)

This shows the 24v solenoid and air cylinder that pushes the button. I use pin 8 and coolant A on/off to trigger the button in TurboCNC.

This shows the torch cutting parts for itself. This is the "Comb" that holds the work supporting "bed". I posted more info here: page 5 of Sanghera's post
It was (relatively) cheap ($1200, including torch & computer) and fun to build. I am using 187oz 23's, Xylotex drive, TurboCNC, 30v and get 106ipm rapids. It cuts 3/16" @ 49.5ipm. Just another way to skin a cat. Enjoy, MIKE

[WeCheat]

Good looking setup. Was the use of the bearings for the slides because you had them or for ease of construction?

[accuratemike]

Cost, performance, but probably not ease. A cam follower can be $17. I looked at various machines using cam followers or bearings and decided there had to be a better, cheaper, way. Ball transfers seemed to be it. I didn't have to fab axles and brackets (skate or other bearings), and they were 1/3 the cost of mounted cam followers. It was a little tedious to bore the holes, that the balls pass through, in the angle. If you want them all to hit together, precision was paramount. I was able to bore the 16 holes in the angle, and they do all hit. Actually, precision machining and welding was the only "hard" part about building it. The table and gantry had to square and level, The balls all had to be mounted exactly the same. An adjustable, bolted, solution would have saved time but, added expense. I have more time than money. The ratio of set-up to welding time was probably 10:1. Proof is in the pudding, and it works really well, MIKE

[mvaughn]

Do you have any close-up pictures of items that you have cut? I'm curious about how the cut edges turn out.

[accuratemike]

Here are a few of the letter M (3" high). This isn't what I do with it, but I had it laying here.

This is an edge. Little fuzzy, but you get the idea. Main thing is that I am using a sander (with dust collection) instead of an angle grinder to finish them up. This hasn't been hit yet. I did rub it on the floor to get a few slag pimples off of the bottom.
Here is the letter M

These pics end up being about 70% larger than life on my monitor (800x600) You can see the kerf in the tips of the inside of the M. It is about .050" with a 00 tip. I have a 000, but haven't tried it. Should be about .030-.040". Since these were cut I have increased my feed rate from 30.5 to 49.5ipm. I had stopped at 30ipm previously because the torch's manual said that was the high end. I have done some testing since then, and can run 49.5 without blow outs. I also bumped up my accel and, am running off of C instead of A now. This helped a ton at minimizing pauses. This makes outside corners alot sharper. It will do holes, as long as they are big enough for some lead-in. I'm still learning. I am making chassis and suspension brackets for a tube frame trail buggy. They are bigger and less complex. It works very well for it's intended purpose. (Something cleaner/better than hand-torching) MIKE

[mvaughn]

Very nice work, Mike.

[gkpwelder@yahoo]

accuratemike your table cool is there anyway i could get plans to build one for myself pls thankyou gkpwelder@yahoo

[accuratemike]

Thanks! There was no plan. I actually started with a pile of parts and built the table around the torch and lead screws. Everything kind of dictated where everything else had to go. You can glean almost all of the information from the groups and posts listed. It has been a few years now, I have probably forgotten as much as I remember. It is still working (well). I did put some pictures here: http://www.accuratepower.com/Torch and something I made with it here: http://www.accuratepower.com/Rest . Good luck, I'd just look at the pictures and improvise. Enjoy, MIKE

[shashank ayyar]

thats a wierd way to go but if it worked for you....
guess you jus need to think different

[accuratemike]

Shashank, thanks (I think). Still works for me after 3 years. MIKE

[Oakley1975]

thats a wierd way to go but if it worked for you....
guess you jus need to think different

HAHA!! reading through these older threads and just got a kick out of that comment... heh!!.. funny how people will word things on here....

I like design, good work!

[accuratemike]

Oakley,
Thanks! I just used it to burn out a cool motor-mount, (for a kid-vehicle I'm building), yesterday. Still works great. Now that I have it, I design more cool cut-plate stuff into everything I build. Don't know what I'd do without it. A few things are on my website ( http://www.accuratepower.com ). The kid-vehicle will someday be at http://www.trailcrawler.com . Thanks again, MIKE