DIY Plasma build - Attempt number 1

[Clive S]

Just wondering where you are in Andalucia

[Gigalith]

Near the desert in Almeria

[Clive S]

Near the desert in Almeria

Ah shame I am over at the other end next week about 50K from Malaga.

Do you know the inductance of the motors? You might run into problems with the ball screws that long without rotating ball nuts.

For Plasma you WILL need some good electronics and they will have to be able to slave the second screw with homing switches. cslabs make some good controllers. Dean (Jazzcnc) is the go to person for advise on them here as he has fitted lots of them.

[Gigalith]

After a ridiculously busy summer I'm finally finding a bit of time to try and progress my machine. I decided - after a couple of false starts - that I would be much better off if I at least learnt the basics of what was involved with the electronics so I've had a go myself.
I've gone with an ESS as this seems to have the ability to do what I need including slaving an axis when I get round to fitting it. Wired it off the table and it did at least turn the motors!!!!! Can't tell you how suprised I was.
Will post a couple of pics of progress tomorrow.
Definately some issies ahead - not least of which is initial height detection so if anyone can point me to anything of interest it would be much appreciated. I have had a search but have struggled to find much.

[Boyan Silyavski]

Welcome back! I will be watching your progress with interest. I also have brand new universal Thermal Dynamics sl100/or it was sl60??/ plasma torch and Neuron THC laying in the workshop, waiting silently already an year or so, for me to start making my own plasma table.

[JAZZCNC]

Definately some issies ahead - not least of which is initial height detection so if anyone can point me to anything of interest it would be much appreciated. I have had a search but have struggled to find much.

Oh dear should have took Clives advise and asked about Cslabs. This comes with built in HTC and it will slave axis. (It won't home to indvidual SW thou).
Also 24V I/O is much better for plasma than 5v which ESS uses. I can tell you for sure because tested one that my TIG welder will Stop ESS in it's track when torch fires up (This is one my tests for controllers) but Cslabs units don't even flinch.

Not saying it will do this for you because the test is little extreme as I fire torch right next to Controller and don't exactly take lot of care on the grounding etc but I do the same for Cslabs which handles it ok.

[Gigalith]

You may well be right Dean. Will have to suck it and see. I do have a good distance between my table and where TIG is.

Have a question on Hypertherm interface cable wiring if anyone can help?

[Gigalith]

Just so I know - which CSlabs would you have used?