hand operated plasma table

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Anyone ever built/thought of doing a hand operated CNC plasma table. Explanation: Use the carriage system of the CNC plasma table but move it by hand instead of the servo's and computer doing it? It would give you the steady platform without the expense of the servo's, gearing and computer and you could move the carriage around a big sheet to reach it all.  Know what I mean?200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Wouldn't that only get you straight line cuts?  You might be better off making a single track with a carriage that holds the torch steady.  That way you can clamp the track down at any angle and make a cut.Also I've noticed a good cut comes from having a stable travel speed in addition to having the torch pointed in the correct place.  So a hand pushed torch will still require a little skill to get good cuts.Dynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:I think Fred Flintstone had a car that worked like thatEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:ha ha ha.I was meaning that it traveled both x and y axis. Stone age, maybe but cheaper than computerized and you haven't got to learn CAD type programs.Just a random thought200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:How about the old-reliable magnetic tracer system?I've often wondered about a system that would follow non-magnetic patterns, such as wood, plastic, or foam.I've wondered about a winch drive of sorts, that would pull the tracer (and torch head) to follow a router cut slot in the pattern. Trouble is, sharp direction changes would mean sharp speed changes.It would sure be nice to somehow have a positive no-slip gear drive at the tracer.Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 05-03-2010 at 10:40 PM.
Reply:I was thinking of building a hand operated straight line guide for my plasma torch.  No motors...just a track maybe 3 or 4 ft long with a carraige / holder for the torch.  Kinda like a roller type paper cutter.  Set the sheet metal over the edge of a table, clamp the guide on top of the sheet, pull the trigger and pull the carraige over the track.  Anybody ever built one of these?  I do use a straight edge and sometimes a luan template but the torch still wants to lean or jump off the edge of the guide.Now, a hand operated 2D cutter might be a little more involved.  I think there's a recent thread here from someone building a plasma pantagraph.Miller 211 w/ spool gunMiller Dynasty 200DXLongevity 60i IGBT plasmaO/A w/ crappy chinese torch/gaugesSouth Bend 10K latheGrizzly 4029 10x54 millGrizzly 7x12 hor bandsawangle grnders, bench grnder, bench belt sndr7.5 hp 80gal cmprsor
Reply:BTD - Guide wheels, or  "training wheels" are a common torch accessory, I'm sure they're available for plasma too. The trouble is, speed is as critical to cut quality as anything. And of course the wheels wouldn't have any speed control. Although someone had recently posted a commercially built all mechanical torch guide.  My guess is that it used some sort of mechanical inertia speed governor.Good Luck
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepAlthough someone had recently posted a commercially built all mechanical torch guide.  My guess is that it used some sort of mechanical inertia speed governor.
Reply:Even though it still may not be cheap enough...Torchmate now has a 2 x 2 cnc machine with software for just under $2k. They are selling them as fast as they can make them....looks like a nice unit!Jim
Reply:I'll have to google the magnetic tracer. Hadn't heard of it. I guess the pantograph is sort similar. But I think a two axis carriage would be smoother. Jim, I agree that the $2g is a pretty good price point and I'm not surprised that sales are good. It seems like a lot of industries are starting to cater a little more to the smaller guy. Guess the new economy could be partially responsible.  I like what I've seen in your vid's so far. If the need and money came up, I'd probably be interested in getting one. It's usually the learning curve for things like that, that make me shy away. Being quite dyslexic, I grasp things if it's hands on more than brain-on!  Fate of many artists.I was thinking of your machines carriage system when I posted, as a matter of fact. With out the computer and motors, etc..I wonder if equipment "donations" to artists can be written off by big companies.......hmmm200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Bert the welder,I don't work for Torchmate.....I am with Hypertherm. In fact I have a PlasmaCam machine in my home shop.....with Hypertherm plasma of course!I too had never done any CAD drawing on a computer.....I could use a computer, but certainly did not consider myself an expert. After I assembled my new PlasmaCam (over 9 years ago) I read the operators manual, which had a CAD drawing tutorial. fter a couple of hours I was drawing simple parts and was able to transfre the files from my office computer to the machine computer...and cut parts. The more I used it the better I got.....but 100% of my CAD machine operation was learned from a few pages in the manual. Today, from a few years of use I consider myself a bit of an expert on CAD drawing and am fully capable of drawing and cutting virtually anything on my machine.My point...don't be afraid of these entry level CNC plasma machines....most of them come with simple to learn, simple to use software.Jim
Reply:Sorry Jim, thought Torchmate was related to Hypertherm for some reason. My bad. Thanks for the info though!B200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Hi I built a panograph type pattern cuter some years ago.  check out the youtube video of it.[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdhEtUS_hew[/ame]If you email me I will sent the plans to you free. It can be converted to plasma it you [email protected] funtom
Reply:Originally Posted by acourtjesterHi I built a pantograph type pattern cuter some years ago. . . .
Reply:Thanks Tom! I PM'd you. Bert200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.