Plasma table build, first question....

[Boyan Silyavski]

Great Job!

Show us the machine, next time

[Davek0974]

Will do, she's a bit of a mess at the moment as it's just thrown together for testing and I'm fitting cable track and other little bits.

need to find a better felt tip marker too :)

[Davek0974]

I found this picture on my phone, it's moved on a lot from there though, will get some more this week.

[Davek0974]

A couple of pictures...
the whole contraption....... :)


And one of my first attempt at a floating head that I knocked together today...


It's a couple of cut-down ball-bearing drawer runners and a bit of ally plate and a switch :)

[Davek0974]

Here's another video of her running a g-code file created from a file intended for a laser etching machine that makes cutting dies I use in the day job. It's an evil file and would not work with plasma due to the kerf width but it's a great test job.
http://www.davekearley.co.uk/LinkPics/CNCVID2.mp4

The image shown has been overdrawn two or three times already and shows zero step error or loss. The more I play with it the more impressed I am.

This was also shot before I fixed the CV issue I had spotted today that's why it seems a little jerky.

I'm work-hardening the electronics now, until that's done I dare not light the torch near it, bound to bugger something up ;)

[Davek0974]

Got the panel wired today...

Just need to figure out a slat support system and I can start test cutting :)

[Davek0974]

Tidied things up a bit today,




Pretty much ready each for the table bed and the torch I think. Can't think of anyway to harden the electronics further, it's got a relay isolated 24v control circuit, decent grounding, steel cabinet, no low level signals outside the box, so on.

I've got someone cutting some slats for the bed, seemed the easiest way.

[Davek0974]

Got the slat bed fitted today, looks better than a lump of old chipboard :)

[Davek0974]

Just an update,

the table has been doing some work, its now got a water bed under the slats, i have just lashed together a PC side-desk to see how it goes together. Just need some better MDF for the tops and a bit of tidying up.

Its a very handy little machine.