[RAW]

The biggest issue now is getting the air setup from IR working. You thinks they would have their act together, but I have had a fit getting the pieces to hook up my system.

Yeah, I'm not entirely pleased with my air-system setup. I've got a CampbellHausfeld compressor that I had prior to getting into plasma-cutting. It's rated at 10.2 SCFM at 90psi. It turns on much too frequently for my tastes. And the pump ends up heating the entire tank.
Consequently, when that hot air hits my refrigerated dryer (which is matched to the 10CFM), it still comes out warm on the other side. Not to mention the pain in the butt it was to make air-connections to the unit. It has 2 straight copper pipes for inlet and outlet. I ended up finding some compression fittings to make it work.
So needless to say, my system isn't as clean and tidy as those pictured on the website you linked. I'm envious of those systems. Makes me wish there was someone in the Asheville, NC area who would come out and set it up for me.

How are you liking the drop-side table? I think I may find myself wishing I had gone that route.


p.s. BTW, if you want that Walt's Warmup file, PM me your email address. I'll send it on over.

[Mike Ray]

Yeah, I love the DS table. My shop is tight so I need the options it gives me. I am going to document my Air install and my watertable setup. The air issue is I think a big one for everyone. My system will have a 10, a 4 and a 1 micron filter and I will be pushing 14.7cfm at 175psi max.

You can order online at ebay or even at Tractor Supply (Lots of cool shop stuff there believe it or not). You should be able to get free shipping. About 1100.00 though. If you can bite the bullet the next unit up is the way to go.

Quick and Dirty Ebay Search.

http://cgi.ebay.com/5-HP-INGERSOLL-R...QQcmdZViewItem

Where any of these systems will get you is with Air Dryers and Hardware. My Air Dryer was as much as my unit. And I think the hardware will end up being as much!!!.

The Gantry is proving to be the most cost effective piece!!!

More videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4EOm92uA1E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf5cTOZVY_k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od0HMKm4Ua0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWItn9rjvO8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tATGsq596bs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YsICQAwL0I

Gota love technology!!!

[edwardpic]

Hey guys,
I havent chimed in here in awhile. This may sound basic but I use a 24" axial fan for a paint booth mounted in the wall next to my table. Needless to say i have no smoke at all while cutting, was going to put a hood on the machine but found I didnt need it. I just vent the fan outside into a 48x48x48 3 sided box with cheap paint booth filter material. Food for thought. I use my machine probably 15 hours a week cutting everything from 16 gauge to 3/8 steel.
Now for my question, has anyone cut 1/4 aluminum? If so can you post your settings for the machine-IPM-Tip etc? Thanks guys and I love my machine!!

[scorpion]

Hey gang - it's me, Boss Frog. I am still running my Dynatorch, works pretty good, but I still have a huge kerf on my 7ga parts. I was just looking at the consumables for my Hypertherm 1000, and it occurred to me that I think I have been running the shield for the hand torch!!! That would explain why I can never seem to get my THC number down as low as you guys - the shield is probably dragging!

My question is for your fellow Hypertherm users - are you using the shielded setup with standard nozzles, or the unshielded setup with extended nozzles (60A)?

I feel the my consumable life seems very short, but it could be because I have been running it too high off the sheet. I ordered a 120930 shield for a machine torch, and hopefully that will make a difference...

Edwardpic - how's the hand? Anybody try the Thermacut consumables yet?

Yeah the hand sheild (if it's the one that's designed for drag cutting) will screw you up big time. It already has some built in offset so I'd guess you'd be dragging it on the surface of your parts at my settings.

Sheilded with standard nozzles here. I have had difficulties getting the same cut quality on 3/16" as 1/4" and higher but they're still fairly good. I've played with it quite a bit and can't seem to get it dialed in like the 1/4". I'm guessing that maybe I need to dip down to 40 amp consumables - since that's the only thing I've not tried. I have been mentally playing with the idea of trying to run the fine-cut setup on 3/16" and slowing it down from the 1/8" settings but haven't actually done it yet. has anyone tried this?

I have noticed that my originally posted settings (80 IPM, V 141 with 60 amp sheilded) doesn't seem to last as long as bumping up to 85 IPM and about 142-143 Voltage for height. The holes end up not as nice but the longer run cuts are much nicer.

Matt

[scorpion]

Now for my question, has anyone cut 1/4 aluminum? If so can you post your settings for the machine-IPM-Tip etc? Thanks guys and I love my machine!!

As a mater of fact...yes, yes I have. I just did some about two weeks ago. 1/4" and 1/8". What I found is that you get almost no dross at just about any speed but the slower you go, the wider the cut path is on the aluminum. Keep in mind that I was cutting 6061 T6 (if that matters I don't know) on the 1/4" stuff. The speed setting I ended up at is 65 IPM with about 10 more on the voltage (so about 150). For the 1/8" I used 5053 AL (I believe but don't know for sure as it was the only clean piece on the shelf and no labeling on it). I used the fine-cut unshielded setup at 50 amps and 85-90 on the voltage.

For the most part it would appear that the tip always wants to be in the material so you may need to go up a little from my numbers to make it work for you - I was messing with it a lot when I was cutting. My numbers will get you close.

Below (first picture) is a picture of the finished 1/4" AL pieces. Most of the square switch holes needed to be filed so the corners were square again, the holes were all punched, and some machine work was necessary on the back side in various spots to make everything fit correctly but overall I was very pleased at the time that was saved over running the entire part on the CNC Mill. The perimeter, switch holes, and gauge holes were all cut on the table and left alone.



Below is an emblem that I cut measuring 4.625 x 2.375. The edges still need a little filing to eliminate the edges in the smaller "&" but overall it's a fairly good sample of 1/8" thick AL cut on the table.

[edwardpic]

Matt,
Awesome job man!!! I want to cut a sign out for my shop, put it in a wood sided box and put red see through plastic back lit....I have a 4x10 sheet of just regular mill grade aluminum I wanted to try out. Been cutting my parts from drawings already made and having a hard time remembering in corel how to make the sign (must be getting old)
On a side note Im building a vacuum form machine in the next 2 weeks, 48x48 should run around 1800 when done. Already made my molds out of MDF and had a buddy pull some parts, came out sweeet. Matt let me know if you could use some parts Ill give ya a hell of a deal.
Ill try and figure out (remember) the corel this week and attempt it on the 1/4.Seen on anothe DT post about oblong holes, gotts say I cut 1/4 holes in 1/4 mild steel and dont have that problem must be their settings I dunno.

EDIT-Matt I use your settings pretty close to what was posted months ago and get great results from 3/16, better then the 1/4. Next time I cut some parts Ill see what my sheetcam file says for IPM and Ill take note of the settings im using tips and all and post here. Anyone can email me at [email protected]

[edwardpic]

Bossfrog,
The hand? Well lets just say I only got back about 30% movement after spending 8K on surgury and physical therapy. Least I still have it, thanks for asking man!!
As far as consumables I havent had any problems really. I use the sheilded tips but dont use the sheild. All I do is change the tips. You know how the fine cuts just use the small ring to hold the tips in? I use that same set-up but with the 60amp sheilded tips. Ive said it before but the welding tip spray has really really helped, no splatter sticks to the tip and it seems to make them last twice as much. One thing I did do in the settings was to change the # pressure that the ATHC uses to sense the steel. Changing it to a lower setting also has helped the tips, especiially after they are hot from cutting 20 parts out.
I can cut a full sheet of 1/4 or 3/16 mild steel say 40 parts per sheet and the tips dont burn out or give much kerf at all towards the end. Wish we were all closer to check out the set-ups we have.

*Sorry* unsheiled set up with extended nozzles had to edit this post I got long winded lol

[scorpion]

Matt,

Already made my molds out of MDF and had a buddy pull some parts, came out sweeet.

I'm not sure I understand what you have in the works. You're making a vacume table for you plasma and are making molds for the collection assembly? It may be I'm not familiar with the term "pulling parts" in regards to molds. Are you making it out of fiberglass or something similar?

Matt

[edwardpic]

Matt,
I am making a vacuum forming table for ABS plastic parts re; covers, door panels, transmission humps. Pulling parts is a term when making the ABS peices. I thought you might like some parts for your 4x4 vehicles. Take a look at this website and watch the video. Needless to say they want 14K and I will build it for less then 2K. Its kinda off subject from the cnc plasma, but thought id share.

http://www.belovac.com/model_c_class_4x4.html

[bossfrog]

Hey guys - I have been off the forum for awhile, but will try to get active again. My consumables are still flakey - sometimes cut a whole 7ga sheet with one nozzle, other times go through three. Sometimes it crashes almost continuously, sometimes it runs great. I guess it is the phase of the moon or something. My gantry got off kilter once, had a gear dragging on the rail which caused lots of crashes. I am wondering if one of my motors is damaged from this, as it seems to crash most often while in the x-axis.

Also, I am getting ready to run some aluminum, not sure what size yet. I think maybe I will start a new post for aluminum, since the postings on this topic are all spread out. If you know something about it, check for the new post.

[edwardpic]

Hey Ric,
I think you have some other issues going on with your table. It shouldnt be so erratic for sure. I havent had any problems other then the first couple learning days with tip diving. I just cut 30 4x4 parts out of 1/4" steel and then cut a few more out of 3/16" steel before i had to change tips. I go through more tips when using the fine cut tips. They work great on 16 to 14 gauge and not as well with 12 gauge, I use the 60 amp sheilded tips for that with better results. Good idea on the aluminum thread, i posted in there already.
We do have alot of Dynatorch threads now, good to see but hard to follow!!

[bossfrog]

I agree I have an issue, either with the table or the plasma, just can't pin it down. I had originally tried running at 60A with unshielded tips, but the splash kept melting off the corners of the nozzles. I use the machine torch shielded ring and regular nozzles, and they work fine most of the time.

I am looking forward to trying aluminum cutting, and your guidelines will help alot - thanks.

[edwardpic]

Ric,
For the splatter try welders tip spray, I use cans of it. I spray the tip before every run no matter how small, and on larger jobs spray when the torch is moving to another peice. On the thicker 3/8's because of the peirce delay i also spray the steel to help with splatter. Also splatter and little peices of hot metal get on the edges where the main rollers are, I brush or blow them off before each use.
what I use mostly; Deflector #120979 with 60amp tip #120931. I never change the deflector even though they say its to be used for fine cuts, it works well with the sheilded tips even with being exposed to the splatter.
Have you checked your peirce height and delay? Thats all I can think of right now other then the gantry not moving smoothly. Let us know!!!

[Torchhead]

General plasma cutting rule: Pierce high, cut low.
Your pierce height should be as high as possible and still get a valid arc okay signal. It's like dropping a big rock into a bucket of pudding; if you hold your face too close it will get dirty. The accepted method when cutting manually is to angle the torch so the blow-back goes off to one side. With a machine torch that is not possible. By piercing higher the backsplash (which goes out in a "crown" shape) does not tend to clog the tip or shield. The air blowing down will normally keep it below the .125 level.

I try to pierce at .125 to .200 above the material (except for Fine Cut). I have my software configured so that it:

Touches off to get the material surface at the pierce point
Raises the head to pierce height (not cut height)
Fires the torch and waits for an Arc Okay (Arc XFR) signal from the plasma
Plunges the head into the cut to "initial" cut height
Starts movement of XY
Delays THC takeover until voltage gets past pierce event

SheetCAM has provisions for doing a separate pierce height and cut height. If you don't have a way to utilize the ARC GOOD signal (Should hold movement until valid) or your plasma does not have that signal available your cut process will not be as precise as I listed.

I can cut 3 or 4 4X4 sheets of decorative cuts (lots of pierces) before changing tips. I find electrodes outlast tips 3:1 so I buy them in that ratio.

tomCAUDLE
www.CandCNC.com

[Mike Ray]

Hello all!!

I finally got all my hardware stuff worked out for my air system...sorta. The guy at IR gave me a bunch of 15.25 mm collars I have got to go swap for 22 mm. 40 miles to their office..ticks me off. I talked with him for over an hour and right when I was paying I remebered I needed more stand off mounts and when he went to the back he grabbed the wrong ones and I did not notice because he had put them in a bag already...

Based on my numbers I have about $1000.00 tied up in the air system so far. I did not expect it to run this much, but I want to have good clean dry air.

Here are some shots from today. I did all the pipe plumbing in the pictures in about 3 hours.

I should be able to get the long runs around to my torch and the numatics on the DT table in a few days. I'll post some shots when I get to that point.

I have a shot of the air filter hardware and I was able to take a lot of pieces out becuase the mounts fit my compression hoses.

The compression hoses are 3 foot high pressure hydraulic lines I had made at Napa. Thes were about 35.00 each. I did a flex bushing on one end. If I were doing it again, I would spend a little extra and do flex fittings on both ends. The ends going to or from the filters fixed and had to be screwed on before the assembly was mounted.

I also got the new torch mount from DT. I saw it in the shop when I picked my system up. It did not click to me which one it was unit I opened the box. I'll shoot some pics as I put it on the system. More later on that.

[Mike Ray]

Well,

I got my air system finished and Ingersoll Rand folks are comin around with gettin me what I need. (nuts) I got my hangers replaced and got the system setup and pressure placed on the system. The couplers are compression fittings and I am still tweaking out a few small leaks. Had one pop off when I first presurized the system. That got the whole areas attention sounded like a cannon going off. Note from the wise. Eye protection and hearing protection when pressurizing any air system and checking for leaks.

I put in shots of my filters. I have a 10 micron before the dryer, a 4 micron after the dryer and the pup filter is a 1 micron filter at the table.

I had issues figuring out how to hang the 10 and 4 micron filter, but the Pup had a bracket. I thought it would be easy to deal with. It was a PITA!! It is way to flimsy and I can see issues with it down the line. I will probably re mount it.

After all the hardware this was about a 10 hour project and came in at about $1000.00. I used my Shop Outfitters bender to bend the tube. I still have more air tube that will be used to go all the way around the shop. I am going to pick up a few more things from IR to enhance the air system, but for now I am going to get the torch wired and fired so I can start production...I hope

Mike

[RAW]

Spent some time finishing some stuff up the other day.
I was able to cut out my first parts! Finally!

Ran a new line from the controller to my magnetic starter for the exhaust fan.
And now with a click of the mouse, I can turn on the fan!

Then I cut out the parts for a middle support bracket.

Realized later that the cut file and associated voltage and cut speed were all for thicker steel. Oops. I ran 3/16" settings on 1/8" steel. I'm a dummy. But I was just so excited to be cutting . . . that I wasn't paying attention like I should have been.
But the parts looked pretty good (a little too much dross though).


Tack-welded those parts together, attached the bracket to the table with 4 screws, and set the slats in place.



Stepped back and realized I had curved the slats in the wrong direction (again with the not paying attention).
Doh!
So, next time I'm up there . . . I'll be swapping that around.

All that is left is to anchor my exhaust fan and compressor to the floor . . . . but now I'm considering upgrading my compressor.

[Mike Ray]

Looks great..Wanna share that cut file??? I want to do the same thing with the slat bows.

[RAW]

Sure, here's the DXF. Scooting the slotted piece all the way to one end of the table gets the slats bowed @2" from their original position
Nothing fancy. I know I could have just used flat-bar for the bottom of the "T" . . . but I was just psyched to cut stuff out.


Now for a question: can anyone explain the relationship between Sheetcam's "cut height" and the dynatorch SP?

I'm just trying to understand the interaction between the two numbers.

[Torchhead]

I don't know what "SP" is on the DynaTorch. In SheetCAM the "cut height" is the height the tip moves to immediately following a pierce. It's actually "initial" cut height when using a THC.

The sequence should be:

Move the torch down to Pierce Height (higher than cut height)
Fire the Torch to pierce
Wait for an Arc Okay signal from the plasma. Hold table motion until it's valid
Release motion and move head from Pierce Height to Initial Cut Height (Z move down)
Start XY motion and release THC operation after the voltage has stabilized from the pierce. (about .5 to 1 sec)


On some controls you just have to program in a set delay for the pierce and use that to hold motion. It has to be long enough to handle all of the conditions (purge air on or off)


tomCAUDLE
www.CandCNC.com
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