Starting Plasma Table Pics Added

Hi everyone. I 've been reading the forums for quite a while, but this is my first post. I am just getting started on my plasma table, and I will have many questions to post in the near future.

I own a machine shop in the midwest, and have several cnc's, but i have never built one.

So far the frame is 5" x 5" x 1/4" tubing, and will accept a 5 x 10 sheet. It is very heavy, but I would like to see rapids at 1000 ipm + and be heavily used for many years.

I purchased 1" x 10' Thompson linear shafting (predrilled and supported) for the x axis, with frelon twin pillow blocks. I plan on using the same for Y.
x will be driven by gear rack & spur gear, while y will be driven by 1"-10 acme screw with 10 starts.

Thanks in advance for all the support.

MMT,
I was wondering if you may have found a "reasonable" source for "supported Thompson Rod" type shafts. I am in the market for two 10' long 1.5" fully supported shafts.

I went through Applied Industrial Technologies I had about $1400.00 in 2 10 ft predrilled shafts, 20 ft of supports and 2 twin fluoroliner pillow blocks.

You Can Buy Precision Linear Rails For About $1000.00 ,that I Perfer Over Rod Shafts , A 30mm Can Handel 6200 Lb Dynamic Load . Also If Your Gantry Is Single Side Drive (no Slave) Make Shure The Ganty Is Well Braced To Prevent Wiping Witch Really Hurts Cut Quality.

how thick materials will u be cutting with this table? or how heavy it can handle?

im planning on starting building my table sometime soon and i think ill go for hardened shaft route (predrilled too) from mcmaster carr

do u suggest building 5 by 10 instead of 4x8 table?

This Table Can Handle 2" Thick Plate , As For Table Size I Get Into A Lot Of Large Jobs , 5'6" X 10'6" Is The Best Size For A Cutting Table. We Manufacture Cabinets For Mills And Lathes.

do you have more detailed picture of your table (bigcnc) all i see is a shiny cover outside.. cant see the structure and how its built.. also did u build that table or purchased it? im considerin table that can handle 2 or maybe 3 inch.. using oxy/acet and will add plasma for the future for 1/2 inch or smaller items

im open to ideas and options

about 5'6 by 10'6 u mean cutting area for that big or that big table to be able to cut 5'by 10' ??

The Table Was Built And Machined In My Own Shop From Scratch , The Table On My Machine Is 5'6" By 12'6" , Under The Sikin The Structure Is 4"x4" X.250 Wall Tube . As For Cutting Area 5'6"x10'6" Is Good Size You Want To Leave A Litte Extra Room Around The Largest Material You Are Going To Cut.

wow u did build a really nice lookin table.. do u have larger format of the pictures and lot more of them if so could u email them to me ill be interested if u mind..

dan at cloudbreakgroup.com

See my gallery i will include more later or i give u some in larger format.

saw the pics in your gallery.. like it lots but for some reason i couldnt save the images to my hard drive.. so maybe if u add more and find them in your pile send them via email too

thanks bunch.. and mmt where are your updates :)

how do you make sure the top rectangle of the machines is completly flat. If it is not then when you put your rails on their, they wont let the bearings travel smoothly if your gantry is ridged. Or your tool head will change height as it travels. The only way I can think of is laying it all out on the floor, making sure it is square and welding it up, but you are then only going to get it as flat as the concrete floor...

thanks for the help...