instructables

CNC Plasma Table

by simonrafferty

PLEASE NOTE:

I do NOT supply kits for these. Give the RAR le + BOM to your favorite laser cutting company to quote then .cut / fold.
All parts are cut from 3mm / 1/8" Mild Steel Plate.

ALL THE SOLIDWORKS, STEP & IGS FILES ARE ON GRABCAD - Please have a look before emailing me asking for the
les.

So, you've bought a plasma cutter and you wish you could accurately cut your designs in metal. Tracing lines by hand
gives disappointing results and CNC Plasma tables are way out of your budget. Sound familiar? Well, that's what I
thought anyway!

If you have not bought your plasma cutter yet - there are a few things to bear in mind!

1. The cutter must have 'HF Start' (Cheap cutters sometimes use 'scratch start' where you have to touch the
torch on to the metal to strike the arc. Sadly, these will not work with CNC, least not this one!)
2. If you have the option (can a ord it) buy one with 'Pilot Arc'. If the torch moves over a poorly conducting
area of metal such as rust, paint or a hole, the arc can go out and it will stop cutting. A Pilot Arc, like the
pilot light in your boiler re-lights the arc if it extinguishes. It means you can cut pretty much anything no
matter how grotty the surface looks.
3. If you can, go for a branded cutter. Hypertherm are probably the best - or at least best known. They will
give you the best cut quality and cut thickness for a given quoted power (some of the cheaper ones are a
bit optimistic with the quoted power and cut thickness!). I started with a cheap cutter (which was actually
pretty good) then upgraded to a used Hypertherm 40A machine which was cheaper than a new 'no-
brand' machine.
4. Go for the highest power you can a ord. My original 30A cutter claimed to be able to cut 12mm thick -
but the most it could realistically cut was 6mm. My new 40A Hypertherm claims 19mm cut thickness -
and can indeed cut it (not very tidily though). It will cut nicely at 12mm thickness though.

This plasma table has been designed to work with whatever plasma torch
you have whether hand-held or a full blown CNC Torch. The mounting plate has been designed to be adaptable as
possible. You can either attach the torch with zip-ties or U Bolts depending on how often you need to take it o .

CNC Plasma Table: Page 1

This instructable really started on a Land Rover forum, LR4x4.com One of the members (RobertSpark) was building his
own plasma table but it was a bit complex and needed welding together. I thought "I'd like a plasma table" and thought I
could build one too!

I decided to design a table from scratch on Solidworks using Laser Cut parts which anybody could bolt together with no
welding. It would also be scalable so you can build a table pretty much any size you like using the same laser cut parts.
You need to source lengths of steel box section from a Steel Stockholder and everything else you can buy on eBay / Ali-
Express.

All the parts need to be cut in 3mm or 1/8" mild steel A366/1008 Grade (or 304 Grade Stainless). The parts are suitable for
both metric and imperial box section / nuts & bolts if you just pick the closest size.

William Piotrowski has sent me a link to a (very cool!) time-lapse of his build - which shows in intimate detail the build
process as it has progressed so far. I thought it might help everyone else!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56fDQUlhrUA&feature=youtu.be

1. Finished plasma cutter on a folding frame 1. My original cheap 30A Plasma - not bad for the
cost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7ui46wcZ6I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEbXxULZh1s

Step 1: Bill of Materials

1. 1 x 24v 400W 16A Power Supply

2. 1 x 57BYGH56-401A NEMA 23 Stepper Motor
3. 2 x NEMA 23 Stepper Motor = 3.1Nm
CNC Plasma Table: Page 2
 4. 3 x TB6600HG Stepper Motor Driver 5A
5. 1 x PC Breakout Board (See Note 1)
6. 1 x Motor Shaft Coupler 6x12mm Flexible Coupling
7. 6 x 20 Tooth 5M Synchronous belt pulley 21mm width, 8mm centre hole
8. M6 or 1/4" Studding (See Note 2)
9. 300mm x M12 or 1/2" Studding
10. 50mm x 50mm x 1.5wall (2" x 2" x 1/16"wall) Box section Steel (See Note 2)
11. 20x20x3mm (3/4" x 3/4" x 1/8") Steel Angle (See Note 2)
12. 16 x 6x30x9mm 0630VV 6mm V Groove Steel Guide Pulley
13. 8mm Round Section Silver Steel bar (See Note 2)
14. 2 x 8mm shaft collars
15. 8 x IGUS MCM-08-03 Bushing (See Note 3)
16. 15mm x 5mm pitch Synchronous timing belt (See Note 2)
17. 4 x 6262RS 19x6x6mm bearings
18. 50 x M6 x 20mm Bolts
19. 25 x M6 x 25mm Bolts
20. 50 x M6 Nyloc Nuts
21. 30 x M6 Plain Nuts
22. 40 x M4 x 20 Bolts
23. 40 x M4 Nyloc Nuts
24. 1 x M12 Nut (or 1/2" to suit Studding)
25. 1 x Microswitch

PC Components:

1. Windows XP PC with a Parallel Port (Something like a Dell GX-280)

2. Video Monitor to suit above
3. Bluetooth combined Keyboard & Track Pad (Bluetooth means you can use it as a remote control)
4. Mach 3 Software (Free Version Available)
5. SheetCAM Software (Free Version Available)

Optional:

1. Torch Height Control (See Text)

Note 1:
The breakout board isolates your PC from the stepper motor drivers, protecti ng it from voltage spikes et c. Most of them
plug i n to a PC Parallel Port. These are the simplest to set up. www.CNC4You.com supply some decen t boards and
include easy wiring diagrams t o make it easy! Have a look at the KK01 board as an example. If you are mo re con dent
with techy stuf f, a reasonable board can be h ad from eBay for less cost but less good instructions. If you have no Parallel
port, there are severa l USB Motion controllers available includ ing the UC100 from the above. The UC100 still needs a
breakout board (it just c onverts USB to Parallel. There are a few more USB Motion controllers on eBay from China. The
one I bought works ne, bu t took a LOT of experimentation to set up and get working due to the terrible an d misleading
instruct ions. Never again! USB boards tend to be sensitive to electrical noise. I had to use clip on ferrite chokes on all the
power and USB cabling to m ake it stable. Most boards have one or two relays. Use one of these to switch on the ar c on
the plasma cutter. Y ou'll have to gure this ou t for yourself. I just cut the lead from the swit ch on the torch to the plasma
and inserted a c onnector block then ran wires to the relay.

Note 2:
CNC Plasma Table: Page 3
Decide on the X, Y & Z dimensions in mm. Make these a little bigger than the size of sheet you want to cut. You can work
out the lengths of steel to cut below:

Quantity Description Length

2 X Axis Bars X + 200 mm

2 Y Axis Bars Y mm

1 Z Axis Bar Z + 100mm

1 Bridge Bar Y + 182 mm

2 Bed Support Angle Y mm

6 (or more) Bed Runner Angle X + 245 mm

2 X Axis M6 Studding X + 220 mm

2 Y Axis M6 Studding Y + 20 mm

1 Bridge M6 Studding Y + 202 mm

3 Z Carriage M6 Studding 100 mm

2 X Axis Belt 2 x X + 450mm

1 Y Axis Belt 2 x Y + 400 mm

1 X Axis 8mm drive shaft Y + 300 mm

1 Z Axis Studding M10 Z + 100mm

1 M10 plain Nut

2 Misc 8mm Axle Shafts 100 mm

Totals

Description Length

50x50x1.5 Box Section 2 x X + 3 x Y+ Z + 682mm

M6 Studding 2 x X + 3 x Y + 982mm

Synchronous timing belt 4 x X + 2 x Y + 1300mm

Bed 20x20x3mm Angle (Number of runners) x (X + 245) + 2 x Y

8mm Round Section Bright Bar Y + 500mm

CNC Plasma Table: Page 4

Note 3.

I have used IGUS MCM-06-03 Clip Bearings which on the surface seem very expensive for what they are. However they
work very well and have a very long life in dusty & abrasive environments! As an alternative, the IGUS site carries 3D
Models (including STL) for all their parts - so you could 3D Print your own! IGUS even sell their special Polymer as 3D
Printer Filament - so you can print the genuine part. Other suppliers also sell plastic or Nylon clip bearings - and these
might be worth a go too, however, I think IGUS represent good value.

Laser Cut Parts:

I have attached a rar (compressed les) containing all the DXF's and PDF drawings of the laser cut parts. You should be
able to send these to any laser cutting company who will be able to cut and fold as per the PDF drawings.

Bill of Materials for Laser Cut Parts:

Quantity Part Name

1 X Motor Mount
3 Pulley Support
1 Side Plate
6 Belt Clamp
1 Y Motor Bracket
1 Side Plate Mirror
1 Y Pulley Bracket
2 End Plate Motor
2 End Plate Pulley
4 End Plate Keeper
1 Carriage
1 Z Motor Mount
1 Z Top Cap
2 Z Follower
1 Z Nut Keeper
1 Torch Lift Slide
1 Z Axis Plate

The RAR le below is a Zipped / Compressed archive of ALL the drawings needed to cut / fold the parts. You will
need a tool such as 7Zip to decompress / view the les. Give the les plus the BOM (Quantities of each of the
laser cut parts) above to your favorite laser cutting company. They will be able to quote and make the parts.

Please note again, I do not sell kits - I just made this for fun and thought I'd share it with you.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 5

 1 1

1. X-Motor Plate 1. Motor End Plate x 2

1. Pulley Support x 3 1. Z-Nut Keeper Plate x 1

CNC Plasma Table: Page 6

 1 1

1. Z Top Cap x 1 1. Z-Follower x 2

1 1

1. Z-Axis Plate x 1 1. Side Plate Mirror x 1

CNC Plasma Table: Page 7

 1 1

1. Y Pulley Bracket x 1 1. Carriage x 1

1
1

1. Side Plate x 1 1. Belt Clamp x 6

CNC Plasma Table: Page 8

 1
1

1. Z-Motor Mount 1. Torch Lift Slide

1 1

1. Y-Motor Bracket x 1 1. End Plate Keeper x 4

Download

https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/F43/N0S2/I916E9UE/F43N0S2I916E9UE.rar

Step 2: Construction 1. the Z Carriage.

For each of the three lower rollers, pass

a bolt through the laser cut part, secure in place with a nut then secure a V roller pulley to each with a second nut. The
CNC Plasma Table: Page 9
 rst nut acts as a spacer and is important.

Step 3: Construction 2. Z Motor

Bolt the smaller of the motors to the plate

using 4 M4 nuts & bolts. Connect a length of M 12 Studding to the motor using the exible coupling.

Step 4: Construction 3. Z Follower

The two Z Follower plates are identical

and are tted face to face as shown. There is a small plate with a hexagon cut out. An M12 Nut is held in place by this plate
and sandwiched between the Z Follower plates.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 10

Step 5: Construction 3. Z Follower Continued

Secure the parts from Construction 1 & 2 together.

Cut a piece of M6 studding 20mm longer than your Z post. One end of this passes through the Z Carriage, up the middle
of the Z post and through the s quare Z Cap plate. Link the two Z follower plates with a short (100mm) l ength of M6
Studding + Nuts as above.

Step 6: Construction 3. Z-Follower Continued 2

CNC Plasma Table: Page 11

Attach 4 more V Roller pulleys to the folded edges of the Bolt the micro-switch to the Torch Lift plate using 2 x M3
Z Follower plates. x 40 Screws. You may need to add a couple of nuts /
washers between the micro-switch and the plate such
Slacken the 100mm length of studding to allow you to that when installed, the button on the switch touches
sandwich the Torch Lift Slide plate between the V the Z-Follower assembly.
Rollers. Tighten the studding so this plate can move
freely up & down, but does not rattle.

1. Micro-Switch touches Z-Follower when torch

lift slide is in lowest position.
2. You may need to add a second nut to each
of
the 4 bolts poking
through the Torch Lift
Slide plate depending
on the thickness of
your pulleys + bolt
heads.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 12

Step 7: Construction 3. Z-Follower Continued 3

You can now loosely attach the Torch Adaptor Plate to post but with as little rotational play as possible. Once
the Torch Lift Slide plate. You will need to adjust the the kit is fully assembled, you can re-adjust these to
height of this later. Adjust the position of the pulley maximise the rigidity of the assembly. That's the Z Axis
which follows the right hand edge of the Z post in the complete.
slots to allow the Z axis to move freely up & down the Z

CNC Plasma Table: Page 13

Step 8: Construction 4. X-Axis

Find the part pictured above. secure with a nut yet)

There are two similar looking parts (just to confuse you). Bolt one of the bigger motors to the plate above then
bolt that to one of the corner brackets as shown.
Use the one which has 5 holes cut in the ange on the
Right as shown. The other one has only 4 holes - we will There are 2 pairs of corner brackets, two being the mirror
need this one later! image of the other two. Bolt one of the four diamond
plates (as shown) to the corner bracket. Note the
Pass one of your two X-Axis lengths of alignment of the L shaped cut-out bottom right in the
studding through the middle hole and secure with a picture.
plain nut. Pass two M6 x 25 bolts through as well (do not

Step 9: Construction 4. X-Axis Continued

CNC Plasma Table: Page 14

Pass the X Axis studding through one of your X Axis brackets are held securely in place.
Tubes, through another corner bracket and through the
U shaped bracket as shown above. Bolt another Diamond plate to the end of the corner
bracket (note the alignment of the L shaped cut-out.)
The U shape bracket needs to be secured to the corner
bracket at this stage too. Insert two of the IGUS plastic bushes in the 9mm holes
in the U shaped bracket
Lay this assembly on a at surface (Table top?) and
tighten the nuts tensioning the studding until the corner

Step 10: Construction 4. X-Axis Continued 2

Assemble the other X Axis Bar as shown. In place of the motor at one end, it has another of the U shaped brackets.

This, including the Diamond Plates should form a mirror image of the rst X Axis bar as shown.

Take a short length (100mm) of the 8mm ground bar and pass through the Plastic Bushes in the U shaped bracket and
attach a belt pulley and shaft collar.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 15

Step 11: Construction 5. Y Axis

Pass the longer length of the 8mm ground bar through the same time is di cult. So long as you do not tension
the IGUS bushes and attach a belt pulley then insert the the studding too much, there is enough exibility to
Y Axis M6 Studding as shown. engage the studding, box section and angle at the other
end. Lay this assembly on a at surface and tension the
Thread the studding and 8mm bar through the Y Axis studding to hold rigidly.
tube. Slot the end of the Y Axis Angle into the L shaped
cut-out in the diamond plate. This is a bit ddly - you may If you are building a big table, you may need to use M8
need the help of an assistant! studding to tension the structure as it will require more
force to hold it rigidly.
Just assemble one end at a time. Trying to line up both at

CNC Plasma Table: Page 16

Step 12: Construction 6. Y Axis Bridge

Assemble the Y motor bracket, Y Axis Studding and bolt Pass the studding through resting both Y carriages on
as shown then attach the second big motor and bolt in the X Axis tubes. Depending on your cut accuracy of the
place. tubes, you may need to use a washer or two behind the
V pulleys on the Y Carriages such that they sit squarely
Bolt this to the Y Carriage bracket. on top of the X Axis tubes when the studding is
tensioned. A little trial & error is called for!
Attach three of the V Groove pulleys spaced away from
the Y carriage bracket with one nut. Tighten the top two When you are happy it is sitting correctly, fully tension
but leave the bottom (slotted) pulley loose. the st udding then adjust the bottom slide pulleys on the
Y Carriages such that the bridge rolls smoothly along the
Thread the studding through the Y Bridge tube as length of the machine. If it tightens at one end, one of
before. Assemble the other Y Carriage bracket (mirror your Y axis tubes is longer than the other! I'm afraid you
image of the other side) using a belt pulley, 100mm shaft will have to disassemble and adjust the lengths.
and shaft collar sleeved by IGUS Bushes.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 17

CNC Plasma Table: Page 18
Step 13: Construction 6. Y Axis Bridge Continued

Sit your Z Axis assembly on top of the Bridge bar then under the other clamp bar. Pull the belt tight using a pair
adjust the V rollers such that it is secure and rolls of pliars (some help may be required!) and tighten the
smoothly. This wants to be fairly tightly adjusted. Take a other clamp.
length of the timing belt and secure one end to the
clamp on a Y Carriage bracket. Pass through the hole in You can add the bed / material supports as shown.
the corner bracket, around the belt pulley etc and pass

CNC Plasma Table: Page 19

Step 14: Construction 7. Belts

Move the Y carriage to one end of the machine so the Y Once all three belts are tensioned, adjust the slotted
carriages are hard against the corner brackets t hen pulleys again to make sure everything is tight, but
thread the next piece of timing belt through the other moves smoothly.If you still nd you cannot tension the
side. You will need to adjust the belt passing t hrough belts su ciently, nd some torsion springs (like the ones
each clamp individually such that the bridge is square in clothes-pegs). Put one or two on each belt. These will
and the belt is tensioned. maintain the tension in the belts as the machine settles
in use. In most cases they should be unnecessary.
Repeat this process for the Y axis.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 20

Step 15: Construction 8. Torch Cable Support.

Using the remainder of the 8mm Ground bar, form one end in to a 'shepherds crook' shape. I bent mine round a lamp
post!

You can hook the cable to the plasma torch over the hook allowing the cable to reach the cutting head as it moves.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 21

Step 16: Construction 9. Wiring It Up

There is a great deal of information on the wiring on line. through 'Cable Chains'. Although I've linked to chains on
Rather than repeat it here, there the a great set of pages eBay, which are mostly low cost Chinese versions - they
which describes the same components I've used here: have not proven very robust. I wish I had used IGUS
chains - which we use at work. These are much better
http://www.hobbycncaustralia.com.au/Instructions/iI70J quality and very robust - though more expensive. The
K02ToDCConv.htm choice is yours!

It contains pictorial diagrams of how to wire each of the Above you can see a picture of the breakout board. This
individual components to the breakout board and that is how I've wired it up (which may di er a little from the
to your PC's parallel port. HobbyCNCAustralia site linked above). My wiring is
speci c to plasma cutting.
The stepper motors have 4 wires - thus you need 4 (or
more) core cable to connect them to the stepper drivers. The wiring of the Stepper Drivers is exactly the same.
I used 7 core Trailer Cable because it's low cost, easily However, Terminal blocks 1,2,3,4,5,6,& 7 are as follows. L
available and will carry su cient current (5 Amps). The 3 & R refer to the left & right hand screw as pictured on the
spare cores were useful to connect the Z-Axis micro- picture.
switch without adding a separate cable.
1. +5v Out L is 0v, R is +5v You can use this to power
You need the breakout board to switch your plasma things like the laser cross-hair you may have noticed on
cutter on & o - the equivalent of pressing the trigger on some of my photos (very low cost on eBay!)
the torch. Fortunately, the breakout board includes a
relay (normally to switch the spindle on a lathe or mill on 2. No connection
& o ). I dismantled the plug on the end of my plasma
torch which connects the trigger to the machine and 3. L & R connect to the normally open connections on
attached a pair of wires in parallel to those that connect the torch lift microswitch
to the switch contacts. These connect to the NO
(normally open) and COM (common) relay connections 4. To the Proma Torch Height Control. L to 'COM'
such that when the relay is switched on, the plasma tries terminal, R to 'Torch Up'
to start cutting.
5. To the Proma Torch Height Control. L to 'COM'
Some plasma cutters can generate electrical noise on terminal, R to 'Torch Down'
these wires - sometimes enough to crash the PC! If you
experience problems, buy some ferrite cores and snap 6. To the Proma Torch Height Control. L to 'COM'
one (or more) over the wires to the plasma cutter. terminal, R to 'Arc OK'
Adding a few more on the mains connection to your
power supply, the 24v power connections from the 7. Connect this to the Plasma Cutter trigger. 7 connects
power supply and the Parallel lead to your PC may help to the relay contacts on the breakout board and you
too. want it so when the relay is energised, the plasma strikes
the arc to start cutting.
To protect and route the cables, I passed the cables

CNC Plasma Table: Page 22

 1

1. Cable Chain 1. I built the PC and control components in to a waterproof 'Pelican'

Case to protect it from dust while not in use. You can see on the left, I've
used 4 x 4 Pin XLR connectors to attach the motors and Z Slide switch
to the PC. This makes the whole thing ish-portable and easy to store
when not in use.

Step 17: Software

CNC Plasma Table: Page 23

First you need to design the things you want to cut. hobby use. Solidworks has a suite of tools for working
There are meny options for this ranging from drawing with sheet metal and allows you to build, test & analyse
the part on paper to full blown Computer Aided Design. assemblies of parts so you can build and run your whole
project before cutting any metal. This plasma table is a
Starting with an image, scanning it and using software good example of just that!
such as Inkscape which can turn a drawing or even a
photograph into a vector format called a DXF le. The At the other end of the spectrum there is Google
software can be downloaded for free and although I've Sketchup - which is free and if you want to work in 2D
only used it once or twice, it works really well! only, DraftSight from the same company as Solidworks
and is totally free! It's actually quite impressive.
This would be ideal if, for example you want to cut
animal pro les for use on weather vanes or other Whatever software you've used, save your design as a
'decorative' things. This makes the plasma cutter easily DXF. Next you need to turn the design into something a
used for artistic purposes without the constraints of CNC machine can understand. For Plasma Cutting, the
traditional CAD software. best option is known as SheetCAM. There are plenty of
good tutorial videos and information on line. SheetCAM
You can use a drawing package such as CorelDraw which lets you import multiple parts and arrange (Nest) them
can export in DXF format - this is a half way house so they t e ciently in the smallest sheet of metal
between drawing and CAD. Good for geometric shapes possible. Once you are happy, you 'postprocess' (convert
where you are not worried about precision - House Signs the layout into GCode which your CNC will understand).
for example. If you are going to use Mach3 to control your table,
choose the Mach3 PostProcessor.
There are many CAD systems available. My personal
favorite is Solidworks - but it is too expensive for realistic

1
1

1. Nested layout of parts in SheetCAM 1. The same nested parts as cut

CNC Plasma Table: Page 24

 1

1. And after a bit of sanding

Step 18: Mach3 CNC Control Software

Mach3 is the interface between your design & the move the X & Y axis of the plasma table. A & Z move the Z
hardware which will make it - it deserves it's own step! (torch height) up & down.

There is plenty of info on line on how to use Mach3. Here When you want to calibrate the Torch Height, on the
I've included the con guration le I've used plus the main screen, click 'Ref All Home' next to the X,Y & Z
screen set. The con g le will make it talk to the THC, position readouts. The torch will slowly move down until
Plasma & Motors if you've wired them up the same as the torch lift microswitch closes, then it will move up
mine. At the very least it will be a good place to start! until the switch just closes. The Z readout will zero itself.
On mine, this is the equivalent of the torch being 3mm
Save Plasma.set & Plasma.xml in your C:\Mach3\ folder. too low. In the Z DRO (readout), click in the box then
When you start Mach3, the start screen should now enter -3 and hit return. When you move Z up, 0.000 will
show 'Plasma' as one of the options - select this. be the torch just touching the metal sheet. Yours may be
di erent to -3mm - you need to experiment a bit!
One top tip! If you change any of the con guration
settings (Con g Menu), click SAVE at the bottom of the If you want to use Torch Height control, click the THC
menu otherwise when you re-start Mach3, it will revert button (even if it's tted, you can switch it on & o as
to the old settings. This has made me swear once or required). Try clicking the Torch On button to check your
twice! plasma cutter strikes the Arc.

With my settings, you can use the PC cursor keys to

CNC Plasma Table: Page 25

CNC Plasma Table: Page 26
CNC Plasma Table: Page 27
 Download

https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FIC/WS89/I92LV3D5/FICWS89I92LV3D5.mp4

Download

https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FNB/8I72/I93F9Y48/FNB8I72I93F9Y48.set

Download

https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FV4/OCG7/I93F9Y5B/FV4OCG7I93F9Y5B.xml

Step 19: Cutting

CNC Plasma Table: Page 28

Once you've set up your software, I would recommend cutting speed at di erent power levels (Current). I would
attaching a marker pen to the cutter as the rst test. only use this as a guide though. You will probably have
Draw a simple shape and see how well it draws the to experiment a bit to nd an ideal combination of
shape. You should be able to measure it to make sure it's speed & current for a given thickness of metal. I've found
dimensionally accurate. If not, go back to Motor Tuning that 1500mm/min, 25A works well for 3mm mild steel.
in Mach3 - you've probably calculated your steps per
mm/inch incorrectly (it happens to the best of us!). What you aim to achieve is a cut with the minimum
'dross' (solidi ed molten metal) stuck to the back.
The maker of your plasma cutter should be able to tell
you the ideal torch height for piercing and cutting. The It took me a day of experimentation to achieve results I
instructions for my old plasma said 1.5mm for pierce and was happy with - but over the last few months as I have
1mm to cut - but I found it worked better at 2mm and tweaked the settings, the results have got better &
0.5mm. Thus - it's worth experimenting! better.

Hypertherm recommend 3mm pierce & 0.8mm cut with Top Tip! Keep a note of the settings that work for
a pierce delay (how long it takes to melt a hole through di erent materials & thicknesses!
the steel) of 0.5 sec - which works perfectly for me!
You will never achieve the same cut quality as a Laser
Enter these settings in SheetCAM. Also enter a cutting Cut part - but it is plenty good enough for most
speed - say 1500mm/min. You can easily adjust this in purposes. You can always sand the edges if you need
Mach 3 to ne tune the cut. them to be smooth.

The manufacturer may also give a recommendation on

1
1

1. My very first test - drawing with a Sharpie Pen! 1. 'ripples' on cut edge

CNC Plasma Table: Page 29

 1

1. An example of some of the parts I've cut. This is one leg segment from a
Theo Jansen inspired walking machine.

Step 20: Torch Height Control

To achieve the best quality cut, the height of the torch above the sheet needs to be carefully controlled. If the sheet is
at, setting the Z Height using the Microswitch is OK. However, if the sheet is not completely at (particularly true for
thicker sheet), something more advanced can help.

I bought (actually, my wife bought it for me for Christmas - thanks Sarah!) an electronic Torch Height Control made by
Proma

However - before you rush out & buy one, there are a couple of things I need to add.

1. This THC (others may be di erent) does not seem to work well on thin sheet (<=3mm). However, 3mm
sheet seems to be at enough not to need it on the whole.
2. It does not work at all with my Hypertherm! The reason is that the THC looks at the voltage being sent to
the torch and assumes that if the torch is switched o , this will be zero volts. However, when the
Hypertherm is not cutting (no Arc) the torch sits at 45V. The THC interprets this as the arc has been struck
and starts trying to adjust the height immediately.

The way a THC works is by reading the arc voltage. If it's lower than a threshold (about 120V) it raises the
torch height and if it's higher, it lowers the torch. Because it's at 45V, well below the threshold, it starts
raising the torch before the arc has lit - and by the time the plasma tries to light the arc, the torch is too far
above the sheet and it never succeeds!

Apparently the next version of the THC will allow you to adjust the voltage it considers as the arc being lit
- check with them before you buy!

Have a look at the linked video for details of how to attach & use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=560knsCBqNk

CNC Plasma Table: Page 30

Step 21: Conclusion

My plasma table has been revolutionary for me! It has the small laser cutters they have is "can it cut metal" - the
been almost as useful as my 3D Printer - I guess it's a answer being "No". They were excited at the prospect of
Metal 2D Printer in e ect. being able to say "No - but this can!"

I have a mill, lathe, band saw and most of the usual

metalworking gear but the plasma has added a great THE WORK IS PROVIDED UNDER THE TERMS OF THIS
deal to my capability. It's very fast (compared to say a CREATIVE COMMONS PUBLIC LICENSE ("CCPL" OR
Band Saw), easy and accurate. The biggest single change "LICENSE"). THE WORK IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
is that I've been able to add 'aesthetic embellishments' AND/OR OTHER APPLICABLE LAW. ANY USE OF THE
to metal parts - more interesting shapes and lightening WORK OTHER THAN AS AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS
holes that are just not worth the time or e ort cutting LICENSE OR COPYRIGHT LAW IS PROHIBITED.
them manually.
BY EXERCISING ANY RIGHTS TO THE WORK PROVIDED
I had no idea how much I would end up using it! HERE, YOU ACCEPT AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE
TERMS OF THIS LICENSE. TO THE EXTENT THIS LICENSE
I took the Plasma Table to the Newcastle UK Maker Faire MAY BE CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRACT, THE LICENSOR
in April 2015 and was overwhelmed with the positive GRANTS YOU THE RIGHTS CONTAINED HERE IN
comments from visitors (many thanks if you were one of CONSIDERATION OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH
them!) Many of them were members of Maker / Hack TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
Spaces who said the rst question members ask about
Anyone else in the usa want a set of laser cut parts?
I have contacted the company that built the parts in the uk, they are willing to ship to the us. If we
get a few guys to order all at once the price will be much better. Please let me know if you are
interested. Please only serious reply, I do not have time for monkey business.
Hi there just wondering who is the company in the uk that supplies these laser cut plates I am in
the uk and would like to purchase these
Thanks for any information
That's great! If anyone contacts me, I'll point them at you.
Si
would like to purchase a set of sheet metal parts.please show me the way.

Why don't you send Randyg660 a private message?

Si
Where did you get your belts?

I got my belts from the same alibaba seller that si has on the instructions. But I had to contact the
seller directly. He is very cool. I actually order the 20mm wide belt, not the 15mm that si used. If
you look close in the picture, you can see the 6mm of slop between the belt and the edge of the
pully. Not good for me....lol. if you give . Your email address, I can send you a copy of all the
invoices for parts we have bought.
Well done! I contacted them - but had no reply! Ask the seller to list the 20mm belt and I at least
will buy some! I want to double the length of my table so need longer belts anyway. I wasn't totally
CNC Plasma Table: Page 31
happy with the gap either - but need for a table was greater than my desire to have the right
width belts. 15 or 20mm they work OK however.
si. This is turning out to be a great project. I made some changes to the brackets. I raised the
gantry 6 inches for the addition of a fourth axis. Rotary tube and pipe positioner. I also bought a 4
axis break out board, with now 4 motor drivers. I saw several machines like this at a trade show
and just had to have it. So now that ssc has cut my parts, they have the modified drawings on
file. So if you want this for your table, they have it ready to cut for you. There are some great
videos on you tube of the rotary cutter set up. Sorry but I can't send the link on this email system.
Sheetcam also has the software for the tube cutting. Thanks for sharing this great build.
Randy, did your modified brackets etc work out? I'd be interested in a look at the files.

Could you share the invoice with me, I'm interested in the wider belt also as the slop is not ideal.
Thanks
Are you willing to share the invoices with me?
[email protected]
Thanks
Si. I will forward you the new files as soon as ssc sends them to me. I think you will like my
chnges.
Could he email me the cost. I live in canada
[email protected]
I am interested in a set. Can you email me a price? [email protected]

What will a set cost me

Are you still looking for people to go in on a set of laser cut parts. I'm interested. I plan to order
from Big Blue Saw if your offer has expired.
Did you get enough interest? I'm interested. email me: [email protected]

New set of brackets are on the way. Did you still need them?

Thank you for offering, but I've already sourced my own set.

Still have some kits left?

Hey randyg,
I'm very interested. Is that $425 US? Im in Aus. How much did the whole set up cost to build?
Thanks, will
Steelewilly. Yes that price is in US. Shipping will be quite expensive to Aus. I can get a quote for
you if you need. The table is costing me just over $1000.00 US to build. This is not including the
extra stuff like 4th axis and material for the stand and water table. Please contact me directly at
[email protected] thanks
send me the price also very interested

Brackets $425.00 a set

$425.00 a set. This includes shipping from me to you. Let me know if this works for you.

I am interested but would need to understand what all parts this covers.

Please call me at 3032491477, or send me a pm. The $425.00 is for all the laser cut parts
required to build one table. Plus the shipping from me to you.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 32

I want in.. my local shop is $1,004.65 USD.. NFG

Ok. Please call me. This email system is kinda weird. 3032491477

Yeah I'd be interested, shoot me a message with pricing info if you don't mind. Thanks.

$425 includes shipping from me to you. Let me know if this works.

Sorry, but still waiting for the price quote from them. Let you know a price as soon as I hear back
from them again. I will send another email tonight..
Ok, that's fine. Whenever you get info just let me know. I'm in no rush.

just thought I'd give an update of how its coming along.

Firstly its an absolute credit to you Simon, these instructions are so easy to follow and at no point
(so far) have I been scratching my head trying to figure out whats going on. such a well thought
out machine with great instructions.
So far I've managed to get 90% of the frame together. I'm just waiting on the shipment of the v
groove bearing from china. It was a little bit fiddly with the thread and rods but wasn't too difficult.
I've also got all the electronics mounted in an old computer case I'm using.
they are all wired up and ready to go. even got the plasma to strike an arc using the relay off the
BOB. first time firing it was a bit scary, but it all worked out fine.
So now I'm just twiddling my thumbs waiting on these bearings.
Cant wait to get this thing going, I've got so many things I want to make.
I run a small metal fabrication shop, so this machine is going to change the way I design and
make so many things.
Thanks again Simon.
BTW the instructions call for 16 of the igus 08-03. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you only
need 8 for this project.
Thanks dbanjac!
You are right about the number of IGUS bushes - I think I took the quantity in the BOM from the
number I'd ordered rather than the model!

That was very quick getting it all together! I agree it was a bit scary firing up the plasma from the
PC for the first time!

Si
I have 4 complete sets of laser cut / formed parts (11ga galvanized). I would like to get $300 per
set + shipping cost (shipped from zip code 53105, will only ship to the 48 states)
Changes made to parts:
holes were sized for 10mm shaft (my table was sized for 4x8 sheet and I didn't want to chance
twist in the shaft). Z axis part set to use 1/2" acme screw drive (mcmaster-carr 98935A718)

still have the parts?

Sorry, I am all out of parts, sold the last set I had about a year ago.

CNC Plasma Table: Page 33

Do you still have parts available? I am very interested. Please message me if you can.

I have two sets left.

Can u send to quebec canada?

I sold my last set a week ago, sorry for any inconvenience.

[email protected]

Are you still selling your parts? [email protected]

I am very interested in purchasing a set if still available

I made a 4' x 4' version. It has worked great. Belt tension was the hardest part to get right. I made
it in the basement with cardboard ducting for exhaust before we moved to a house with a garage.
I have an extra set of brackets available (I got an extra set in case I messed up but did not end
up needing them)I will get rid fo them for $200 plus shipping cost.

Do you still have the extra set of brackets? And is it a complete set needed to build a table

Do you still have those brackets?

Do you still have the extra set of brackets?

CNC Plasma Table: Page 34