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Home Built CNC Plasma Table

Any advice on getting rid of a bevel? Only happens one way and is roughly 45°.
So if you cut a square only two sides are beveled? I would be looking at your torch not square to the table or maybe since your slats are straight you are cutting right on top of a slat or one side?
 
So if you cut a square only two sides are beveled? I would be looking at your torch not square to the table or maybe since your slats are straight you are cutting right on top of a slat or one side?
This was a picture of a piece I cut out of 1/4".
20230916_161846.jpg

Square on one side, heavy bevel on the other.
Torch not being square is a possibilty, I will get my new design together and see if it improves any since I did redo the torch mount.
 
Wow that is quite a bevel. If the torch wasn't square you would have two sides beveled (one outwards and the other inwards).
Weird one. The bevel only shows up when the torch switches directions? I.e. the whole side of the square is beveled? Just trying to figure out if it is a consumable (or maybe air) issue or mechanical.
 
Wow that is quite a bevel. If the torch wasn't square you would have two sides beveled (one outwards and the other inwards).
Weird one. The bevel only shows up when the torch switches directions? I.e. the whole side of the square is beveled? Just trying to figure out if it is a consumable (or maybe air) issue or mechanical.
Yes only when you switch directions. Bolt holes end up not being cocentric by a wide margin.
 
yeah 45* bevel seems like you would have noticed the torch out that far.
 
wow, that's def not great. is it consistent with the bevel edge on the same spot for all parts? i had a thermal dynamics machine that would do that on the same edge no matter what. ended up just how that plasma wanted to cut. swapping to a hypertherm and zero issues like that to deal with.
 
wow, that's def not great. is it consistent with the bevel edge on the same spot for all parts? i had a thermal dynamics machine that would do that on the same edge no matter what. ended up just how that plasma wanted to cut. swapping to a hypertherm and zero issues like that to deal with.
It is consistent for all parts, have tried different air pressures, travel speeds, and amperages (have plugged in some extreme values.) And still the same results, if it persists I will pick up one of those torches that are meant for a cnc table that point right at the piece, and if it keeps happening I will save up for the hypertherm.
 
Changed the consumables, same issue. Rotating the nozzle does affect the bevel.
I have an air dryer on there.

If rotating the nozzle affects it, that pretty much tells you it's consumables or the torch head itself.


Is it always the same side of the piece being cut, but changes sides when you rotate the nozzle?
 
I don't have any experience with this but a buddy told me he saw a difference. Worth a try
 
I don't have any experience with this but a buddy told me he saw a difference. Worth a try.
I had my cutter set up cutting the same direction as everyone else with this same plasma cutter. We will see if there is a difference going the other way.
 
From Hypertherm:
The squarest cut angles are always to the right side, with respect to the forward motion of the torch.• Check direction of the cut• Adjust the cutting direction, if needed. The plasma arc typically spins clockwise with standard consumables.Contour:• Torch travels clockwise • Good side of the cut is to the right side of the torch, as it travels forward.

Some good basic information: https://xnet.hypertherm.com/Xnet/library/download/?file=HYP105860
 
AAS1A0010.JPG

New design completed, parts are on the printer. Hoping to put it together Saturday.
 
if you are using a Hypertherm, like already stated, set it by the book exactly and it will work perfectly

dont forget to keep your air dry,
 
20231009_225825.jpg

Been busy since school started, between work, school, and girlfriend managed to get this thing working.

It works, much better than before. The increased bearings and rigidity made it much better. The touch off is giving me issues, can't seem to figure it out on the software side of things. Z-Axis works just fine I just need to zero it manually which is a pain. A few small changes I want to make, like cleaning up the wiring and adding a control box, and it should be fine.
 
20231009_225825.jpg

Been busy since school started, between work, school, and girlfriend managed to get this thing working.

It works, much better than before. The increased bearings and rigidity made it much better. The touch off is giving me issues, can't seem to figure it out on the software side of things. Z-Axis works just fine I just need to zero it manually which is a pain. A few small changes I want to make, like cleaning up the wiring and adding a control box, and it should be fine.
Awesome :beer:
With your computer skills you might look in to Linuxcnc/QTPlasmac, not that there is anything wrong with your setup just that linuxcnc/QTPlasmac is plasma cutter specific controller with built in THC and Ohmic sensing support.
LCNC is free, the top notch MESA hardware is under $300.

Sorry for al that, your setup is awesome :smokin:
 
Awesome :beer:
With your computer skills you might look in to Linuxcnc/QTPlasmac, not that there is anything wrong with your setup just that linuxcnc/QTPlasmac is plasma cutter specific controller with built in THC and Ohmic sensing support.
LCNC is free, the top notch MESA hardware is under $300.

Sorry for al that, your setup is awesome :smokin:
WIll have to look into that. Been having so many issues with the openbuilds controller it is annoying. I also tried UGS but it is very unreliable, it just randomly disconnects or will not connect at all. I guess if I was running their hardware it would work but it is a lot of trouble.

Been trying to find a controller I can run on my old laptop that is stuck running windows 7, would really be nice to avoid bringing my new (and very expensive) laptop into the garage. Looks like I might be able to put linux on it.
 
WIll have to look into that. Been having so many issues with the openbuilds controller it is annoying. I also tried UGS but it is very unreliable, it just randomly disconnects or will not connect at all. I guess if I was running their hardware it would work but it is a lot of trouble.

Been trying to find a controller I can run on my old laptop that is stuck running windows 7, would really be nice to avoid bringing my new (and very expensive) laptop into the garage. Looks like I might be able to put linux on it.
I am far from the expert on the subject but I was able to get it going.
You don' need much PC for it is a plus, many guys use old PCs, Laptops and Bios with a lot of energy saving stuff are frowned upon.

I am using a HP 600 ProDesk mini like this.

Mesa card (not required)

THC


Wiring goes like this as an example
lowrider plasma diagram(2).jpeg
 
I am far from the expert on the subject but I was able to get it going.
You don' need much PC for it is a plus, many guys use old PCs, Laptops and Bios with a lot of energy saving stuff are frowned upon.

I am using a HP 600 ProDesk mini like this.

Mesa card (not required)

THC


Wiring goes like this as an example
lowrider plasma diagram(2).jpeg
I think I am going to figure out my issues with openbuilds and run that. It seems difficult to find anywhere else with free CAM that works with my controller.
 
1mm would be about your kerf. Does your software move the cut geometry to the outside of the part geometry?
 
1mm would be about your kerf. Does your software move the cut geometry to the outside of the part geometry?
Yes, it is just settings issues. That was the first cut and it needed a little bit of calibration since I had the wrong step per mm settings so it was cutting a little smaller. I cut a bunch of holes and squares and it is around +/- 1/32 based off a bunch of small 1 inch squares and 1 inch holes in the 1/4 inch plate.
 
I am toasting the consumables, they are only lasting like 2 minutes of cut time. It will cut great three times then the fourth, bam just destroys the workpiece because the consumables were bad, replace them then we are fine. Will have to start looking for another torch, this one has special consumables that are specific to this one. And are like twice the price of the others and a lot shittier. My other chinese plasma cutter's consumables last way longer and are cheaper.

Edit: I was looking at my consumables kit and noticed a part in there called a swirler I had never seen before. Looked at my torch and it was not there. Apparently the child that put my plasma cutter together in china forgot to put it on. Put it on and it works much better now. Cuts are much cleaner with barely any slag.
 
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Good find.

There is some info I posted in the non HF plasma thread about different nozzle sizes in regards to amperage, look into that if you have not already, the standard shit is nearly random.
 
Good find.

There is some info I posted in the non HF plasma thread about different nozzle sizes in regards to amperage, look into that if you have not already, the standard shit is nearly random.
I will have to. So far I have been getting weird results with playing with amperage, the best results have nothing in common with the specified ones in my manual I am finding out.
 
I will have to. So far I have been getting weird results with playing with amperage, the best results have nothing in common with the specified ones in my manual I am finding out.

My 80amp machine came with 1mm nozzles which aren't what is specs for 80 amps...
The 1mm nozzle is also too big for 30-40amp cutting 🤦 so I expect to buy a decent assortment of sizes once I get rolling to try and dial in the cut charts.
 
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