A little of this, a little of that...........

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And soon you have an effective plasma cutter circle guide.First you take a plasma cutter nozzle.............(Pic 1)Add a machined piece that has a step in it & 3 set screws to hold onto the nozzle (120* apart) ............(Pic 2)Machine a "lolly pop" for the nozzle piece..............(Pic 3)Add a stick of drill rod (3/8" on this one, threaded 5/16" where it attaches to lolly pop)(Pic 4)Add a stand off or more commonly called "pivot point"..............(Pic 5)And you have a workable circle guide for a plasma cutter. The magnet at the pivot point can be removed & a 1/4" bolt inserted if you need to make smaller holes or are cutting non-magnetic material. Attached ImagesMarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:A couple other photos of the circle cutting guide.Did you ever price one of these things at the LWS or online? $149.97 and up!!! There isn't $5.00 worth of materials in it & maybe (using CNC equipment) an hour's worth of time.Heck I'll sell these for $50 plus shipping, if someone is inclined to purchase one.Ok, I admit copying the design from Thermal Dynamics, HyperTherm & Miller/Lincoln (they are all the same), but they sure like their parts. They even stash them in a "suitcase" that's foam filled. That must have cost them a C note.Anyway, I had fun playing with my lathe & it was fun making this for a friend that has a plasma cutter. Attached ImagesMarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Joker, I'll drop it off tomorrow on the way home from class.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Mark, I've been wondering how long before we'd see some projects coming off that lathe. That looks real good and I'm sure you could sell them easily for half of factory made if that's satisfactory to you.                                               MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Well, this one is for Joker (he lets me use his plasma time to time) & is a prototype.  I have the mate to it sitting on the bench for when I decide to purchase a plasma cutter.  It also has a fewer less holes drilled into it & has a smother surface finish.Next one's I want to make will have an aluminum "lolly pop" attached to 5/16" drill rod.  I looked at ESAB's, but theirs is more complicated & use a double rod.  It's also much more expensive.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Cool job!  I don't have a lathe but I think I might be able to come up with some usable parts.  Thanks.(Retired) Professional firefighter, amateur everything else I try to do...Oh yeah:  Go Big Red!   (You know: one of the 12 members of the Big 10 cuz we left the 10 members of the Big 12...)
Reply:Super nice job! Suggestion: engrave lines and numbers on the rod that you can line up on the face of the rod holder for common circle sizes. See your artwork below that I defaced with graffiti in MS Paint: Attached Images
Reply:Thanks for the great post, Mark. I for one will be making one and I'm sure many others will also. Post like these are why this site is so popular and informative. Thanks again.
Reply:Nice.  The idea of the markings on the rod for cut diameters is a nice one too.But that isn't a collar that is attaching to a "nozzle".  The "nozzle" on a plasma cutter has the small central hole that the plasma jet/stream comes out of.  The part you attached the guide to is the "cap" or "retaining cap".  FYI.  And an hour on a CNC machine?    More like a few minutes, if that.  Unless you were trying to hog the entire thing out of a monolithic billet of hardened 4340 that was 3 inches in OD to start with.   Are you going to make a deluxe version with a sealed needle bearing between the retaining cap attachment adapter and the 'lollipop'?  You know, for silky smooth operation.  Again, nice job.    The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:i need one of these.  great job.
Reply:You might want to use the shielded tip rather than the non-shielded one you show.  I *think* they are the same outside diameter so the shielded one will probably drop right into your tool.Dynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:Delivered it today, Joker was very grateful.  Next one I'll attach a small bearing 180* from the drill rod to support the nozzle (cap) away from the work.Next one will also be made from aluminum & steel.  Maybe a square blank instead of a round rod?  And marked at every inch?  Don't know how much time I want to put into this, but it will be better.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Originally Posted by oxy moroni need one of these.  great job.
Reply:Man, delivered the product to Joker, received a complement from ZTFab, the master of MIG welding.  That really makes my day................ a double header so to speak!Thanks everybody for the good words, I'll continue to refine the design & post up improvements.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build