CNC Plasma Table

[stevec]

(03-24-2014, 07:39 AM)roundrocktom Wrote: Local metal scrap yard had a bunch of those extrusions... 8' long, with dented ends. So they were scrapped.

I sometimes dream of finding a scrap yard and befriending the owner.

[f350ca]

Hadn't planned on trying it for routing. The gantry rides on V-rollers, the only thing holding it down (besides gravity) is the spring loaded pinion. How much up force do you end up getting when you plunge?

[roundrocktom]

(03-24-2014, 11:12 AM)stevec Wrote:

(03-24-2014, 07:39 AM)roundrocktom Wrote: Local metal scrap yard had a bunch of those extrusions... 8' long, with dented ends. So they were scrapped.

I sometimes dream of finding a scrap yard and befriending the owner.

We had a great one here in Austin.

I was always buying/selling/working on Datsun Roadsters. 1600 & 2000's. Owner had a Datsun Forklift, engine was based on the stroked R16. He was fighting getting it running one day (engine timing was off). I stopped for a few minutes, pulled the distributor, reset the points, slipped back in on the right tooth... and told him I'd be back with a valve cover gasket. Adjusted the valves, quick tune up... he loved his forklift after that! Needless to say he would put the bigger sized scrap into a pile for me after that! :)

He retired, and the Chinese started buying every scrap of metal... so no more wandering the yard looking for good stuff. :( I enjoyed it while it lasted, and every time I still see a Datsun forklift I have a nice smile. I still have a huge supply of scrap aluminum. My monitor stand is 4" x 12" x 18" of 2024. 70 pounds of aluminum, I'm afraid what the current price is.

[roundrocktom]

(03-24-2014, 12:36 PM)f350ca Wrote: Hadn't planned on trying it for routing. The gantry rides on V-rollers, the only thing holding it down (besides gravity) is the spring loaded pinion. How much up force do you end up getting when you plunge?

Even it you fitted a small hand held router, it could do some work.

My milling bits have "chip clearing spirals". So it is pulling the router into the work. If the work is secured, it will keep the gantry pulled down into the work piece.

If nothing else, you can make up some killer "kit" boxes with everything located in one place.

[stevec]

Or you could put a basket of rocks on top of the router.

[f350ca]

Wouldn't work Steve, its Rock and Roll, not Rock and Route.

[EdK]

(03-25-2014, 07:56 AM)f350ca Wrote: Wouldn't work Steve, its Rock and Roll, not Rock and Route.

Wouldn't that be Rock and Blow with plasma?

Ed

[f350ca]

It lives, and I still hate computers, but they are kind of neat The company I bought it from could do better on instructions, guess they assume people who buy their products have some clue about cmc, boy were they wrong this time The last stumbling block had me where I could fire the torch off the screen but not get g-code to do it. Turns out you need a post processor I think its call in the program that writes the g-code for the other program that runs it to tell it how it works. Or something like that.
In the end I just proved that old theory that if you put enough monkeys in a room with type writers, eventually one will write the bible.

http://youtu.be/9grYv6oc2Ns

[awemawson]

Excellent Greg, makes all that hard work worth it !

[roundrocktom]

Making parts..... that is the fun part!

Your CAD/CAM will spit out the G-code. You need a preprocessor to tell it "turn on torch"

Handy list & explanations.
http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCCNCGCodeRef.html

Go through your G - code. I suspect you need a M03 or M04.

This is my router code.... M code M03 -- turn on spindle.



( Milling_Machine_Clamp_1_inch )
( File created: Sunday, March 23, 2014 - 01:13 PM)
( for Mach2/3 from Vectric )
( Material Size)
( X= 8.000, Y= 10.000, Z= 1.000)
()
(Toolpaths used in this file:)
(Drill 1)
(Profile 2)
(Tools used in this file: )
(1 = V-Bit {90 deg 0.25"} Merlin Carbide)
N110G00G20G17G90G40G49G80
N120G70G91.1
N130T1M06
N140 (Tool: V-Bit {90 deg 0.25"} Merlin Carbide)
N150G00G43Z0.8000H1
N160S16000M03
N170(Toolpath:- Drill 1)
N180()
N190G94
N200X0.0000Y0.0000F70.0