Metal art profitable? 24" table/machine?

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Don't see a section to ask about that so asking here. Any of you guys do any metal art like from one of those plasma machines, was looking at a small shop one a while back, it was like $2500.00 but the size was 24x24 cut/work space so not really a commercial unit.
Reply:i cant imagine that small being much more than a cool to look at novelty. most of the cost in a cnc plasma system is in the controller, computer and plasma unit. when you look at combined cost you could likely have a 4'x4-8' for $1500-2500 or so more.i ran my table at 4'x4' for all of 1-2 months before rebuilding it as a 5'x'10. go as big as you can (if you plan to make money).  i cant even fit my table in my shop so i made the gantry easily removable and store the control/ gantry in the shop and only put it on to run the table.  also to me metal 'art' is hardly worth it. between keeping inventory on hand, trying to sell to shops, peddling it at farmers markets etc...  the income generated by my table currently is 50% signage 40% parts and pieces for other shops and my shops builds and 10% art/other. initially 'art' was my intended market but i quickly hated 'sales'heres an example of my last two bigger jobs;cranked out 100 of these 2'x3'-in the middle of those made this 9,000lb rock screen/grizzly- (not mush cnc work on this one, but the next one will have hindged bars w/ lots of cnc cut parts)Last edited by tracymobilecnc; 01-28-2016 at 12:55 AM.
Reply:Very nice work Tracy, I was thinking like name tags and simple stuff like that, like for ranch gates and that sort of stuff, seems like everybody in Texas wants their name in metal on something, Thanks
Reply:before i got a cnc of my own, i went to youtube university and learned how to do the design and then turned them into cut files.  i had another shop then cut all my parts and i would do the finish and install.   for me learning the design, metal finishing, and creative bits was a far bigger hurdle than the cnc cutting.the table is the big money investment, if first you invest in yourself you will be way ahead of the game.   and just an fyi  i only charge $4 a sq/ft to cut material under 1/4", at that rate your $2500 would get you almost 20 sheats of 4x8 steel cut.  thats allot for a guy just starting out.
Reply:I have a 24x24 table. I love it. But you aren't getting started for 2500.I do some art. A table will set you back at least $3200. Then a good plasma, consumables, metal to cut and waste while you learn, software if it's not included, air compressor, dryers, laptop.It's not as simple as buying a $2500 machine and making money.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Thanks for the advice
Reply:Also selling art is a hard sale. Basically comes down to who will do to for less. And generally the people that can do it for less have 4x8 or 5x10 machines and just buy full sheets so they have less overhead.I have to pay a lot to have all my sheets sheared or laser cut to sizeTorchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Plasma cut art/silhoulettes are just a small portion of marketable metal art pieces though.
Reply:thanks