Click bait? So when I got quoted for a 20k table the plasma and compressor wasn't included. Its very dependent on your needs on which plasma and compressor to get. It's still a plasma CNC as it's modified to do so. However I only payed £235 for my plasma and my compressor was only £100. So still a good deal in my opinion and I hope the contents of this video has value to you. I recommend Veritasiums video on click bait if you're not comfortable with my video. All the very best. Cheers J
Wondering if you can make a little Faraday Cage for the controller? Maybe some sort of decoupling connectors... opto-couplers maybe or am I overthinking and filtering using a capacitor or inductor is all that's required? Thanks for sharing! I've been collecting free home gym equipment to make mine eventually some day.
@@joshuadelisle Wondering now if tinned or plain copper braid cable sleeve would be more cost effective to wrap what you have? Not sure what the latest prices are now days compared to the shielded cable needed. All the best! Kind Regards
@@jafinch78 I've seen some people wrap aluminium foil around their cables and earth them. Cheapest way to do it. Conductive tape would work too. Cheers J
This is the first video I will watch of Joshua's, it popped up on my feed, I got 3 seconds in and paused it to check the comments. These 3 comments alone have gotten me to hit the subscribe button before even watching the video. Sounds like a quality channel already.
@@TroyCroatto you're very kind Troy. That's exactly what I do on long videos on channels I don't know. Well I hope you enjoy the rest of my content. I recommend my old forged stags video if you find it. I hope to do more forging like that again soon if I can get the time. All the very best. Cheers J
Been 15+ years since I have done any of this stuff. Binge watching is bringing me up to date with current stuff which is so much easier and cheaper than it used to be.
I'm a blacksmith. I have been dreaming about a CNC plasma cutter for a long time. But the price is big for me . And now , for the first time , I regret that I don 't understand English well . Dude, you're cool! You broke the system !
Absolutely fantastic! I've been wanting to learn how to make one of these for a good long while now. Don't have the space or the need for one yet but seeing that this isn't an insurmountable project makes me think that I need to have a go at it and just have some fun.
I had the same idea of turning a cheap laser engraver into a plasma machine. After all, you don't need much power and sturdiness like a cnc router does. So it's very nice to see how this idea works.
Fabulous! So interesting how this technology is advancing & how you have adapted it to suit your needs. I am in very early days with a hand held torch, but this now gives me a potential upgrade path to something super useful which is so exciting & I just need to organise my time to accommodate it & still keep up with other jobs. Thanks for sharing!
Great as usual Joshua, I really need to make one, so often I need to make missing or broken parts for the windows I restore. This would save all the hacksaw and file work!😉
Just wow! Only two videos in, and you are now firmly my out and out YT fav, and I have 100 subs on various accounts. Was going to try to add a plasma to my mpcnc, but this is more appealing. I look forward to working through your material, outstanding stuff.
Thank you Andrew. Slowly built up over time. I think now some people think I have too many tools to be relatable. I'll have to try and do some minimal tool projects in-between testing new tools. Cheers J
Awesome build, I did something similar with my first cnc plasma. The thc will be a game changer if you install one, a water table also does a lot for material warping.
Thanks for doing this, Joshua, I've played with a couple of these in the last two years, to learn the ins and outs of GRBL and the gantry's, but your video is definitely a good help in getting the hang of it all.
Thank you John. I'm glad it helps. I'll be putting Bluetooth on it next to reduce wires and preparing for my bigger one. I'll also do a plasma calibration and hone in the settings. Cheers J
New here…..Joshua, you are great at explaining things the easy way without rushing. When I thought “what does that or why you did that….bang! You answer it. I came, I saw, and I’ve subbed…..looking forward to bingeing on your videos.👍
Joshua this is an awsome project and a great path for a new cnc owner to take. Each version of the machine will teach you something different and give you more and more capability. What's also great about this approach is that you can have the older iterations of your CNC making parts for the new version. Some points to consider as to why more expensive machines exist. 1. the environment matters, cheap electronics are not meant to operate under extreme conditions (a plasma table or a CNC router or Milling machine are extreme conditions when talking about electronics). variables such as heat and dirt kill them, so you may get an amount of decent use our of a cheaply built machine, but eventually, you'll start to have to either repair or replace electronics which are dying. So commercial machines are built or meant to be built with minimal down time in mind. 2. A rigid machine is an arcuate machine. This matters more in a router because the spinning tool is trying to vibrate the machine to death. If you stick to simple shapes with good tolerances for error then a small cheap machine may be ok. But as soon as you move to complex parts or nested operations, having a machine loose its place by even a mm to 2 can be a big deal in a production run of hundreds of parts. That means you will not be able leave this machine alone to work on other things (which in a production shop is half the point of a CNC, increased operator capability), as you'll need to hover over the E Stop in case the torch heads off in a direction you were not expecting. 3. Power or torque. The more rigid your machine the heavier the parts like the gantry will be, so to run a heavier machine you need bigger motors. Bigger motors need more expensive motor drivers etc, etc etc. Basically you build a machine, understand its limitations, use that with in its capability, and when you grow beyond those, you'll build a bigger more capable machine that will cost you more money. Its a bit like owning Motorbikes, you have one and get the bug and that's it from there on out. You tell yourself and your wife the one you have it fine, knowing that little voice in the back of your brain is saying, "But if we had X we could do Y". Good luck and I am looking to Blacksmith build V2.
These are very good points to consider. Thank you so much for spending the time to share your wisdom and experience on these points. I'll certainly will reflect and refer back to what you wrote. All the very best. Cheers J
This is absolutely brilliant Joshua! Really simple idea to get it going. I need a new plasma, I was going to go with an r-tech but they aren’t cnc compatible and now I want to keep my options open as I’m fairly au fait with cnc and now I want a cnc plasma! To go along with my current cnc router build.
i manged to get my self a fairly new used hypertherm powermax 45xp with cnc port on the back. also came with cnc torch. but i had to buy a hand torch to use it normally. so looking forward to sorting out a table like this.
This is quite brilliant. I’ve been wanting one of these machines for years but could no way merit the cost. I know nothing about technology but you, as always, make it accessible even for a Luddite like me. I can’t thank you enough. Top man 👍
Just a thought about snubbing HF interference. Wrapping a couple turns of all the wires through “clip-on ferrite chokes”, available online from all the usual sources, can help a lot. I do a lot of ham radio, and put them on all my data lines to prevent errant HF noise from messing up control signals. You’ll often see them molded into USB cables and the like.
Another amateur Mzero here I agree with ferrite chokes, I'd also put controller in a diecast box, because some circuit tracks will be resonant with random HF signals generated.
Inspired by this video I did build my own.Following upgrades are necessary to prevent gantry racking ( and risking part not being square):Second stepper motor on Y axis and 2nd home switch.I would also replace P80 torch with P60, with smallest nozzle diameter, as P80 affects speed and depth of cut .Chinese Cut55 plasma is simply to weak to use P80 torch.Also water tray is a must, to prevent warping and catch most of nasty fine dust.Worth to note: if You don't plan to cut anything less than 3 mm , THC and Z axis is waste of money.
this is so rad! i cant believe how mobile it is. my jaw dropped when you picked it up. i'll save this video for when i have the space to use one of these. the PAPR i built from watching your video has been going strong and is really a blessing to have around! the quality and depth of your tutorials is top notch.
Man! That was interesting. Thank you. For my medium english language skills it was a pleasure to listen to you. Good explained, clear and understanable words. 👍
WOW! Fantastic video! And putting all that information in the description is especially great! 👏 If I want to build one of these then I will refer back to your videos and donate to the cause. Thanks! 🤩
I suspect you could minimize dross buildup by coating the nozzle with tungsten disulfide. It tends to cling to any metal surface you apply it directly to, so applying a permanent coating is as simple as applying the powder on a clean metal surface with a blast cabinet or tumbler. But, it's also got a lamellar structure similar to graphite, so it's imparts a very slick, nonstick quality to the part. And it's highly resistant to intense heat and chemical attack. It's not even terribly expensive for the amount of surface area you can cover with it. I've never heard of anyone attempting it in the context of a plasma cutter nozzle, but it may be worth a shot. Less maintenance and fewer wasted consumables, if it works. Not a big financial setback if it doesn't.
JOSH I am old now,,,, but I did in fact run a MG MESSER 5ft X 10ft table with a roller ball head for several years and please forgive me for not remembering some of the important stuff,,,,, but I can help you a bit by telling you first that the oxides on the metal have a very detrimental effect on your cuts and the amount of dross that you get on the back side,,, most big shops will only cut on NEW metal,,,, but if you will take the time to remove the rust and crap front and back with a heavy wire brush and or a flap disc,,,, your cuts will work much better for you,,,, SECOND ,, your consumables will last MUCH MUCH longer if you place a very good air drier between your compressor and your torch head,, and be sure to drain the condensate from your compressor tank every day,,,, the refrigerated drier is by FAR the best solution, and use 3/8 ID hose to supply your head with air,,and if your compressor is not keeping up,,,, then you need a bigger compressor,,,, that air pressure at the nozzle is very important,, the cheap air driers are simply a waste of money, you will also find that the expensive plasma software will tell your machine to cut clockwise on an inside circle and counterclockwise on an outside circle and will slow the cut speed in a turn ,,,,, and resume speed on a straight run, but that speed change is not apparent to your eye,, and that software will tell the head to jump around randomly on various parts of the sheet to avoid warping the metal or even jump around the whole plate where you have many parts nested on the same sheet, you will also find that the SIZE of the orifice will vary depending on the amperage that your are running and is quite important for nice clean cuts and the life of your consumables,,,,, and on thicker material your CUT will be slanted on one side of a circle and the opposite on the other side of the circle ,,, yet 2 sides will be straight up and down... the way I said that,,,, probably will not make much sense till you begin cutting thicker stuff and observe your cuts on a circle OR a square that you have cut,,,, but I was running a 200 amp machine with a water cooled torch and that SLANT to the cut was very apparent on thick stuff. and nobody has found a way to stop it yet,,,,, and what you said about VENTILATION on that table is VERY important,,,,, those gasses and particulates that come from your table WILL put the hurt on you,,,,, my table was not a WATER table,,,, so I cant say much about that, and if you are trying to cut on old rusty , crusty , pitted sheet metal and expecting clean cuts,,,, it aint gonna happen. there are charts and tables ONLINE that will tell you the proper cut SPEED for various thickness and type of material including aluminum and they will tell you the size of nozzle orifice and the amperage to set your machine at,
Thank you so much for spending the time to share your wisdom and experience. This is great information and I'll be certain to reflect and refer back to it. I wish you all the very best and thank you again for you encouragement. Cheers J
Great idea! I've been looking at building something along the same lines as what you are thinking for your bigger table. A few comments based on my research so far. Flex of the extrusion will become a problem, you really need to bulk to extrusion size up or support it with other framework. Anything over roughly a meter long belt flex becomes a real problem, particularly if you are cutting thin material which requires quick moves and changes of direction. This is why nearly all professionally and homebuilt tables use rack and pinion. On shorter lengths, belts are actually more accurate than rack and that's why the really high-end machines use helical rack with zero backlash. Lastly your long axis will require dual drives to stop the bed getting itself out of square. I think it's possible to build something very usable, with some out of the box thinking for a fraction of the cost of a commercial machine. Keeping things lightweight but strong is the key I think!
Your power is too high, airflow is too high and speed is too low. Your piercing commands are wearing your nozzle prematurely, always best to start at an edge if you can, or drill pilot holes at your start points if you can't. Obviously, a z axis would be a great improvement, you could start your pierce operation and then drop closer to the material, this will allow you to cut at muck lower power and help to reduce slag connected to the part. Dial down the power and your consumables will last longer. Also, invest in an air dryer. You can have a transparent tube filled with colour changing granules that tell you when they need to be replaced. They are re-usable if dried in an oven.
Great Video :) if you added dowels to each corner you could then drill holes in the material where the dowels are located, then by drilling other holes at the same spacing's, infinitely large designs could be made, by moving the device to the new datum points.
I thought about repurposing a laser table about a year ago but then decided that I wanted something bigger... I ended up at 1x1.5m but a very similar construction (extrusions, timing belts etc.) Things I've noticed on mine: Gantry (short axis) I used 20x40mm to reduce flex but keep it light. (I do have a laser module and plasma both mounted on opposing sides though and the pwm on a switch that directs to a relay (plasma) or to the laser. (Making cardboard templates for fitup is cheaper than cut steel) The nema 17 is fine for the short axis but I have 2 driving the gantry, if I'm not careful with cord management it can miss steps. The next itteration I am going to mechanically link the two sides with a rod (like the orthur) but motors on both sides. This should help with keeping things square. Question on the machine torch, I had previously purchased a 'non hf machine torch' but my blowback start plasma is unable to arc. I too am running a cheap,Amazon plasma (that works well) I'm curious if you had any trouble with getting the machine torch to work? For reference I'm running everything with lightburn, it took some setup, but now it's rinning great Thanks brandon
Hi Brandon. That's awesome information. I did have trouble with my longer lead, I switched to a shorter lead and the torch worked fine. I also played with the spacing of the HF arc contacts inside the machine as that makes a big difference. I'm yet to do a review video on the plasma itself but I'll include any problems and how I fixed them. Cheers J
What a brilliant way to get into CNC. I was looking at renting a bigger workshop and throwing thousands at a large table. Now I'm considering doing this as an intro, as I have no experience with it.
Thank you. Yes that was my plan. I learned a huge amount making this simple version and now I know exactly how I want my big table to work. Bluetooth and everything. All the very best. Cheers J
Subscribed! Why ? ... because you just said and did exactly what I had in my mind for a long time. Well executed and it was a pleasure to watch this video. Thank you
With tools as dangerous as these experience is probably a good thing before attempting to build one. Definitely saves a lot of money though if you're in the market for something of a similar performance. Cheers J
That was a most insightful and valuable post. Thank you. You demystified a great deal of the questions I had. Never mind the critics, what you did was perhaps not perfect, but anyone who has ever made anything knows nothing is perfect. Kudos to you!
Hey, this is my plan- buy a generic cheap laser cutter and convert it. That's still a way down the road though. Thanks for the vid! I run an S30 Pro [10 watt] laser with the 1 meter expansion kit and a bunch of other custom upgrades and love the thing. I came up with this idea independently and searched for others who have done this. It'd be really nice to be able to use lightburn to plasma cut since I'm very good with it. This is a nice setup for learning!
@@joshuadelisle Thanks to you I realized that i don't need big work area. How about plasma cutter - have you tried long cuts? I was thinking about Hyertherm 30XP or 45XP but hey... the price is ridiculos for a garrage tinker.
You do need space. Not just for the machine but to store the sheet material also. However if you rented a small garage you could easily start a business with one. Cheers J
Thank you for your videos. To protect your electronics, if no one mentioned, build a small faraday cage, basically metal screen door screen in the shape of a box and run a ground cable. Used them in radio work in the military and civilian side.
Another informative and very interesting video Joshua, you certainly have an excellent manner in teaching and getting your detailed points across. I will never have a plasma cutter, - but can relate to also using a block of wood on my pillar drill in my workshop when drilling holes!! 😂👏👏👍
Just tested my plasma cutter (same as yours) and I'm happy to report that on 220 volt power it cleanly cut 13 guage (.09mm) plate using 35 amp setting and 35 psi air pressure. Cut speed was a guess of about 1 inch in two seconds which suggests the 2700mm feed rate suggested is probably right on the money. I tried 30 amps but didn't get a pierce when I quickly triggered the torch, but at 35 amps the peirce was instant. My air compressor is 110 volt 8 gallon 1.5hp and it claims it can provide 4.2 cubic feet of air per minute at 90 psi. So I think it will hold up no problem to the air requirements for thiner metal signs and probably be okay with larger steel as well provided the cut times aren't too long.
By far the best DIY plasma table video Ive seen so far and Ive watched ALOT! I finally just decided I'll buy a table (langmuir systems) for my shop but Im already a 3d printing veteran and the only reason I havent bought a CNC laser like yours is theyre pathetic when it comes to metal. Now I have a. reason to buy one and not absolutely destroy it but also be able to cut metal. Damn fine job sir and a big thanks from the states!
so one of the best things about you building such a cost effective machine is if you hammer it you dont have to worry, you can replace the parts cheaply or upgrade them in the future to better parts, its such a good idea i love it simon
Totally and I don't need to rely on another company for any faults. Like I said my friends have one that cost £40k and getting engineers out to fix it is a problem. All the very best. Cheers J
Was watching another vid and the guy was saying to cut 14-16 guage at 30 amps with 30 PSI for best cuts. He said no need for 50 amp cuts and high air flow when it's thin material. He felt this was overkill - like running a gas cutting tourch at max heat on sheet metal. From what I've seen 2700-3200mm per minute would be right feed rate for 14-16 guage mild steel. I'm gonna play around with my plasma cutter tomorrow and try some different temps and speeds manually as best I can. 30 psi would be great since I have a smallish compressor and it may struggle to keep up with 70 psi flow rates. Also got my 220v to 110v adpater in the mail the other day (can't believe the plasma cutter didn't come with one - but it was cheap). Had to touch the tip on the metal when plugged into 110. Guessing this was a power issue, so looking forward to trying it tomorrow on 220 volt. I look forward to cutting on a cnc machine but still some weeks away yet. Peace!
Great vid, I've done this cnc using a hf start and it played up, tripping out, lost it signal etc but then I wrapped all the leads with silver foil and it worked 50% of the time. My set up drags the tip across the metal and burn the tips very quickly.. Going to do what you said and get the pilot arc plasma cutter, glad I've found your vid very useful info.
Hey Joshua, I've been hand cutting with a plasma torch for many years. The massive dross you're getting can be eliminated 3 ways. Cutting at lower power, increasing the speed or increasing your air flow. Obviously you need enough power to burn through the material thickness you're using. You want to cut as fast as possible to keep the curve of the cut as narrow as you can while still cutting through and then you want enough air to blow the molten metal out. Another good tip for removing dross is to use a light hammer hitting on the edge of your piece favouring the side where the dross is. It pops right off. My cutter is not CNC ready otherwise I'd be buying a cheap laser cutter tomorrow.
Thank you. there are 20w laser modules that are interchaneable to other machines from comgrow, bit costly though. otherwise a plasma machine is awesome. cheers J
I was thinking to by this cheap lazer cnc for plasma torch! I asked to me if the stepper engine would be powerfull enough... So realy Thanks you, you try for me, for maker community. You win a follower
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Click bait? So when I got quoted for a 20k table the plasma and compressor wasn't included. Its very dependent on your needs on which plasma and compressor to get. It's still a plasma CNC as it's modified to do so. However I only payed £235 for my plasma and my compressor was only £100. So still a good deal in my opinion and I hope the contents of this video has value to you. I recommend Veritasiums video on click bait if you're not comfortable with my video. All the very best. Cheers J
Wondering if you can make a little Faraday Cage for the controller? Maybe some sort of decoupling connectors... opto-couplers maybe or am I overthinking and filtering using a capacitor or inductor is all that's required? Thanks for sharing! I've been collecting free home gym equipment to make mine eventually some day.
@@jafinch78 thank you. It's working well as I have it but having shielded cables would definitely help further. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle Wondering now if tinned or plain copper braid cable sleeve would be more cost effective to wrap what you have? Not sure what the latest prices are now days compared to the shielded cable needed. All the best! Kind Regards
@@jafinch78 I've seen some people wrap aluminium foil around their cables and earth them. Cheapest way to do it. Conductive tape would work too. Cheers J
Prices do vary based on the machine and compressor and refrigerated air dryer that you’re running. For example I meant to mine for about 25,000.
The format and content of your “DIY” videos is top-notch. You’ve inspired me to stop dreaming and build one of these for our Men’s Shed.
Thank you so much. I like simplifying complicated things and I hope it serves you well. Cheers J
He inspired me to make a pneumatic power hammer and I have the steel but I need to clean Myspace out and get a better welder
@@toddmiles1724 nice! All the very best Todd. Cheers J
This is the first video I will watch of Joshua's, it popped up on my feed, I got 3 seconds in and paused it to check the comments. These 3 comments alone have gotten me to hit the subscribe button before even watching the video. Sounds like a quality channel already.
@@TroyCroatto you're very kind Troy. That's exactly what I do on long videos on channels I don't know. Well I hope you enjoy the rest of my content. I recommend my old forged stags video if you find it. I hope to do more forging like that again soon if I can get the time. All the very best. Cheers J
Great to see this can be done by people with normal shop budget. Home manufacturing is really game changing. Thanks for the video
Thank you. Lots more coming soon. Cheers J
Been 15+ years since I have done any of this stuff. Binge watching is bringing me up to date with current stuff which is so much easier and cheaper than it used to be.
I'm a blacksmith. I have been dreaming about a CNC plasma cutter for a long time. But the price is big for me . And now , for the first time , I regret that I don 't understand English well . Dude, you're cool! You broke the system !
Thank you so much. I'll be building a large one next year. Cheers J
Absolutely fantastic! I've been wanting to learn how to make one of these for a good long while now. Don't have the space or the need for one yet but seeing that this isn't an insurmountable project makes me think that I need to have a go at it and just have some fun.
Thank you so much. Have lots of fun with your build. All the very best. Joshua De Lisle AWCB
Well done, looking forward to build 2
Thank you so much. Cheers J
Every building site should have one of these.
OUTSTANDING!! You ROCK and your description is very understandable. Thank YOU!!!
I had the same idea of turning a cheap laser engraver into a plasma machine. After all, you don't need much power and sturdiness like a cnc router does. So it's very nice to see how this idea works.
Fabulous! So interesting how this technology is advancing & how you have adapted it to suit your needs. I am in very early days with a hand held torch, but this now gives me a potential upgrade path to something super useful which is so exciting & I just need to organise my time to accommodate it & still keep up with other jobs. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you. All the very best. Cheers J
You're a genius Joshua! The most effective and affordable diy CNC plasma on youtube! Great pedagogy as well! Thank you so much. Incredible...
Thank you so much for your kindness. All the very best. Cheers J
Brilliant video, thanks for taking the time 👍
Great as usual Joshua. You are a very resourceful chap! Very impressed!
Thank you so much. I try my best with what I can get. Cheers J
Great as usual Joshua, I really need to make one, so often I need to make missing or broken parts for the windows I restore. This would save all the hacksaw and file work!😉
Thank you Gary. Do it! I look forward to seeing your take on it. Cheers J
Just wow! Only two videos in, and you are now firmly my out and out YT fav, and I have 100 subs on various accounts. Was going to try to add a plasma to my mpcnc, but this is more appealing. I look forward to working through your material, outstanding stuff.
Thank you so much. I hope to keep bringing lots more. Cheers J
Thanks Joshua. Top bloke in my opinion. Get’s stuff done without blowing a ton.
Thank you Andrew. Slowly built up over time. I think now some people think I have too many tools to be relatable. I'll have to try and do some minimal tool projects in-between testing new tools. Cheers J
Awesome build, I did something similar with my first cnc plasma. The thc will be a game changer if you install one, a water table also does a lot for material warping.
Thank you so much. I'll consider those. Cheers J
Thanks for doing this, Joshua, I've played with a couple of these in the last two years, to learn the ins and outs of GRBL and the gantry's, but your video is definitely a good help in getting the hang of it all.
Thank you John. I'm glad it helps. I'll be putting Bluetooth on it next to reduce wires and preparing for my bigger one. I'll also do a plasma calibration and hone in the settings. Cheers J
Out standing job!
First video I have seen of yours. Look forward to seeing more!
Thank you. Cheers J
New here…..Joshua, you are great at explaining things the easy way without rushing.
When I thought “what does that or why you did that….bang! You answer it.
I came, I saw, and I’ve subbed…..looking forward to bingeing on your videos.👍
Thank you so much. Cheers J
That worked well. Great video.
Thank you. Cheers J
Brilliant!
And highly watchable content as always, even though I have no need for one of these.
Thank you Ian. Cheers J
Aaaaaaand here we are......watching your other videos. Nice.
Awesome Joshua! Very relatable compared to many other channels splashing with moneys on equipment and tools. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you so much. Cheers J
Joshua this is an awsome project and a great path for a new cnc owner to take. Each version of the machine will teach you something different and give you more and more capability. What's also great about this approach is that you can have the older iterations of your CNC making parts for the new version. Some points to consider as to why more expensive machines exist. 1. the environment matters, cheap electronics are not meant to operate under extreme conditions (a plasma table or a CNC router or Milling machine are extreme conditions when talking about electronics). variables such as heat and dirt kill them, so you may get an amount of decent use our of a cheaply built machine, but eventually, you'll start to have to either repair or replace electronics which are dying. So commercial machines are built or meant to be built with minimal down time in mind. 2. A rigid machine is an arcuate machine. This matters more in a router because the spinning tool is trying to vibrate the machine to death. If you stick to simple shapes with good tolerances for error then a small cheap machine may be ok. But as soon as you move to complex parts or nested operations, having a machine loose its place by even a mm to 2 can be a big deal in a production run of hundreds of parts. That means you will not be able leave this machine alone to work on other things (which in a production shop is half the point of a CNC, increased operator capability), as you'll need to hover over the E Stop in case the torch heads off in a direction you were not expecting. 3. Power or torque. The more rigid your machine the heavier the parts like the gantry will be, so to run a heavier machine you need bigger motors. Bigger motors need more expensive motor drivers etc, etc etc. Basically you build a machine, understand its limitations, use that with in its capability, and when you grow beyond those, you'll build a bigger more capable machine that will cost you more money. Its a bit like owning Motorbikes, you have one and get the bug and that's it from there on out. You tell yourself and your wife the one you have it fine, knowing that little voice in the back of your brain is saying, "But if we had X we could do Y". Good luck and I am looking to Blacksmith build V2.
These are very good points to consider. Thank you so much for spending the time to share your wisdom and experience on these points. I'll certainly will reflect and refer back to what you wrote. All the very best. Cheers J
This is absolutely brilliant Joshua! Really simple idea to get it going. I need a new plasma, I was going to go with an r-tech but they aren’t cnc compatible and now I want to keep my options open as I’m fairly au fait with cnc and now I want a cnc plasma! To go along with my current cnc router build.
Nice. Thank you so much Chris. All the very best. Cheers J
i manged to get my self a fairly new used hypertherm powermax 45xp with cnc port on the back. also came with cnc torch. but i had to buy a hand torch to use it normally. so looking forward to sorting out a table like this.
Love your burn table, which uses pins instead of rails!
This is zhe easiest DIY plasma cnc what I seen in internet! Brilliant idea thx!
Thank you so much. Cheers J
This is quite brilliant. I’ve been wanting one of these machines for years but could no way merit the cost. I know nothing about technology but you, as always, make it accessible even for a Luddite like me. I can’t thank you enough. Top man 👍
Thank you so much and I hope this information becomes very profitable for you. Cheers J
Just a thought about snubbing HF interference. Wrapping a couple turns of all the wires through “clip-on ferrite chokes”, available online from all the usual sources, can help a lot.
I do a lot of ham radio, and put them on all my data lines to prevent errant HF noise from messing up control signals. You’ll often see them molded into USB cables and the like.
Another amateur Mzero here I agree with ferrite chokes, I'd also put controller in a diecast box, because some circuit tracks will be resonant with random HF signals generated.
You are brilliant! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
God Bless you and yours!
Very impressive stuff.
Inspired by this video I did build my own.Following upgrades are necessary to prevent gantry racking ( and risking part not being square):Second stepper motor on Y axis and 2nd home switch.I would also replace P80 torch with P60, with smallest nozzle diameter, as P80 affects speed and depth of cut .Chinese Cut55 plasma is simply to weak to use P80 torch.Also water tray is a must, to prevent warping and catch most of nasty fine dust.Worth to note: if You don't plan to cut anything less than 3 mm , THC and Z axis is waste of money.
Cutting less or more than 3mm??
Less than 3mm for sure because the heat warp on thickness below that means the z height needs to constantly change with the warping metal.
this is so rad! i cant believe how mobile it is. my jaw dropped when you picked it up. i'll save this video for when i have the space to use one of these. the PAPR i built from watching your video has been going strong and is really a blessing to have around! the quality and depth of your tutorials is top notch.
Thank you so much. I'm really glad. Lots more to come. Cheers J
Man! That was interesting. Thank you. For my medium english language skills it was a pleasure to listen to you. Good explained, clear and understanable words. 👍
Thank you so much. I'm glad it was helpful. Lots more to come. Cheers J
WOW! Fantastic video! And putting all that information in the description is especially great! 👏 If I want to build one of these then I will refer back to your videos and donate to the cause. Thanks! 🤩
Thank you so much. All the very best. Cheers J
I suspect you could minimize dross buildup by coating the nozzle with tungsten disulfide. It tends to cling to any metal surface you apply it directly to, so applying a permanent coating is as simple as applying the powder on a clean metal surface with a blast cabinet or tumbler. But, it's also got a lamellar structure similar to graphite, so it's imparts a very slick, nonstick quality to the part. And it's highly resistant to intense heat and chemical attack. It's not even terribly expensive for the amount of surface area you can cover with it.
I've never heard of anyone attempting it in the context of a plasma cutter nozzle, but it may be worth a shot. Less maintenance and fewer wasted consumables, if it works. Not a big financial setback if it doesn't.
Thank you. It sounds like an idea worth trying especially if I insist on using dirty material. Cheers J
JOSH I am old now,,,, but I did in fact run a MG MESSER 5ft X 10ft table with a roller ball head for several years and please forgive me for not remembering some of the important stuff,,,,, but I can help you a bit by telling you first that the oxides on the metal have a very detrimental effect on your cuts and the amount of dross that you get on the back side,,, most big shops will only cut on NEW metal,,,, but if you will take the time to remove the rust and crap front and back with a heavy wire brush and or a flap disc,,,, your cuts will work much better for you,,,, SECOND ,, your consumables will last MUCH MUCH longer if you place a very good air drier between your compressor and your torch head,, and be sure to drain the condensate from your compressor tank every day,,,, the refrigerated drier is by FAR the best solution, and use 3/8 ID hose to supply your head with air,,and if your compressor is not keeping up,,,, then you need a bigger compressor,,,, that air pressure at the nozzle is very important,, the cheap air driers are simply a waste of money, you will also find that the expensive plasma software will tell your machine to cut clockwise on an inside circle and counterclockwise on an outside circle and will slow the cut speed in a turn ,,,,, and resume speed on a straight run, but that speed change is not apparent to your eye,, and that software will tell the head to jump around randomly on various parts of the sheet to avoid warping the metal or even jump around the whole plate where you have many parts nested on the same sheet, you will also find that the SIZE of the orifice will vary depending on the amperage that your are running and is quite important for nice clean cuts and the life of your consumables,,,,, and on thicker material your CUT will be slanted on one side of a circle and the opposite on the other side of the circle ,,, yet 2 sides will be straight up and down... the way I said that,,,, probably will not make much sense till you begin cutting thicker stuff and observe your cuts on a circle OR a square that you have cut,,,, but I was running a 200 amp machine with a water cooled torch and that SLANT to the cut was very apparent on thick stuff. and nobody has found a way to stop it yet,,,,, and what you said about VENTILATION on that table is VERY important,,,,, those gasses and particulates that come from your table WILL put the hurt on you,,,,, my table was not a WATER table,,,, so I cant say much about that, and if you are trying to cut on old rusty , crusty , pitted sheet metal and expecting clean cuts,,,, it aint gonna happen. there are charts and tables ONLINE that will tell you the proper cut SPEED for various thickness and type of material including aluminum and they will tell you the size of nozzle orifice and the amperage to set your machine at,
Thank you so much for spending the time to share your wisdom and experience. This is great information and I'll be certain to reflect and refer back to it. I wish you all the very best and thank you again for you encouragement. Cheers J
NORMAL amperage settings per thickness of material www.eastwood.com/images/email_images/brand/cms_content/tech_article_content/Plasma60Chart.pdf
@@DOCDEVOE699 thank you. This will be helpful for Americans. I did find a metric table and I'll play with clean material and dry air. Cheers J
Awesome content, flawlessly explained. Thank you!
Your very kind. Thank you
Extraordinary what you have achieved, great value and viewing, cheers
Thank you so much. Cheers J
Great idea! I've been looking at building something along the same lines as what you are thinking for your bigger table. A few comments based on my research so far. Flex of the extrusion will become a problem, you really need to bulk to extrusion size up or support it with other framework. Anything over roughly a meter long belt flex becomes a real problem, particularly if you are cutting thin material which requires quick moves and changes of direction. This is why nearly all professionally and homebuilt tables use rack and pinion. On shorter lengths, belts are actually more accurate than rack and that's why the really high-end machines use helical rack with zero backlash. Lastly your long axis will require dual drives to stop the bed getting itself out of square. I think it's possible to build something very usable, with some out of the box thinking for a fraction of the cost of a commercial machine. Keeping things lightweight but strong is the key I think!
Thank you. That's great information and I'll certainly give it some thought before attempting my big build. Cheers J
Andrew owens waste of time giving advice he's allready built it bet you haven't built a single thing
@@fredblair8694 you obviously didn't watch the whole video or read my comment correctly 🙄 Go back to sleep.
@@OwensEngineering lol
🤣🤣
Your power is too high, airflow is too high and speed is too low. Your piercing commands are wearing your nozzle prematurely, always best to start at an edge if you can, or drill pilot holes at your start points if you can't. Obviously, a z axis would be a great improvement, you could start your pierce operation and then drop closer to the material, this will allow you to cut at muck lower power and help to reduce slag connected to the part. Dial down the power and your consumables will last longer. Also, invest in an air dryer. You can have a transparent tube filled with colour changing granules that tell you when they need to be replaced. They are re-usable if dried in an oven.
very talented Joshua thanks for sharing
Thank you your very kind. Cheers J
Great Video :) if you added dowels to each corner you could then drill holes in the material where the dowels are located, then by drilling other holes at the same spacing's, infinitely large designs could be made, by moving the device to the new datum points.
I thought about repurposing a laser table about a year ago but then decided that I wanted something bigger...
I ended up at 1x1.5m but a very similar construction (extrusions, timing belts etc.)
Things I've noticed on mine:
Gantry (short axis) I used 20x40mm to reduce flex but keep it light. (I do have a laser module and plasma both mounted on opposing sides though and the pwm on a switch that directs to a relay (plasma) or to the laser. (Making cardboard templates for fitup is cheaper than cut steel)
The nema 17 is fine for the short axis but I have 2 driving the gantry, if I'm not careful with cord management it can miss steps. The next itteration I am going to mechanically link the two sides with a rod (like the orthur) but motors on both sides. This should help with keeping things square.
Question on the machine torch, I had previously purchased a 'non hf machine torch' but my blowback start plasma is unable to arc. I too am running a cheap,Amazon plasma (that works well) I'm curious if you had any trouble with getting the machine torch to work?
For reference I'm running everything with lightburn, it took some setup, but now it's rinning great
Thanks brandon
Hi Brandon. That's awesome information. I did have trouble with my longer lead, I switched to a shorter lead and the torch worked fine. I also played with the spacing of the HF arc contacts inside the machine as that makes a big difference. I'm yet to do a review video on the plasma itself but I'll include any problems and how I fixed them. Cheers J
You build some great shit man. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for watching and your kind encouragement. Cheers J
wonderful condensation of technique and technology. Inspiring!
Thank you. Cheers J
What a brilliant way to get into CNC. I was looking at renting a bigger workshop and throwing thousands at a large table. Now I'm considering doing this as an intro, as I have no experience with it.
Thank you. Yes that was my plan. I learned a huge amount making this simple version and now I know exactly how I want my big table to work. Bluetooth and everything. All the very best. Cheers J
Subscribed! Why ? ... because you just said and did exactly what I had in my mind for a long time. Well executed and it was a pleasure to watch this video.
Thank you
Thank you, your very kind. cheers J
“You too can save thousands of quid, only with 20 years experience… link in the description”
With tools as dangerous as these experience is probably a good thing before attempting to build one. Definitely saves a lot of money though if you're in the market for something of a similar performance. Cheers J
That was a most insightful and valuable post. Thank you. You demystified a great deal of the questions I had. Never mind the critics, what you did was perhaps not perfect, but anyone who has ever made anything knows nothing is perfect. Kudos to you!
Seasons Greetings from Canada!...you have given me a light bulb moment with your vid clip, I have been planning to get me one of those machines.😉
BTW, plastic does not "insulate" from HF waves. Just sayin'
Hey, this is my plan- buy a generic cheap laser cutter and convert it. That's still a way down the road though. Thanks for the vid! I run an S30 Pro [10 watt] laser with the 1 meter expansion kit and a bunch of other custom upgrades and love the thing. I came up with this idea independently and searched for others who have done this. It'd be really nice to be able to use lightburn to plasma cut since I'm very good with it. This is a nice setup for learning!
Thank you bro for the chat, means alot big respect
Your very welcome. All the very best. Cheers J
Thanks for the help, everything works now, greetings from Bavaria

Excellent news and thank you so much for your support. All the very best. Cheers J
It's just an ingenious, sensible and practical approach to the whole topic! Subbed.
Thank you so much. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle Thanks to you I realized that i don't need big work area. How about plasma cutter - have you tried long cuts? I was thinking about Hyertherm 30XP or 45XP but hey... the price is ridiculos for a garrage tinker.
Fantastic. This is exactly the idea I was thinking would work. I’ll be off to build one now.
Thank you. I've just gotten 2.4m and 1.2m lengths of aluminium extrusion for my next video. All the very best. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle I don’t think I need much that big. However I might think about z axis control to allow for auto height adjustments.
Excellent and informative video as always. Just wish I had the space to build my own
You do need space. Not just for the machine but to store the sheet material also. However if you rented a small garage you could easily start a business with one. Cheers J
That is absolutely brilliant sir! For the dross, dry your compressed air. You can get reusable dessicant dryers that can be run inline with your air.
Thank you. Cheers J
I am Verry excited to watch it my bro .
Thank you for your videos. To protect your electronics, if no one mentioned, build a small faraday cage, basically metal screen door screen in the shape of a box and run a ground cable. Used them in radio work in the military and civilian side.
Brilliant.... love your work
Thank you David. Cheers J
Another informative and very interesting video Joshua, you certainly have an excellent manner in teaching and getting your detailed points across. I will never have a plasma cutter, - but can relate to also using a block of wood on my pillar drill in my workshop when drilling holes!!
😂👏👏👍
Ha ha. Yes Thank you so much. Cheers J
Thank you. I totally intend to make one of these. (unless I buy one first)
Awesome video, so much information! Thanks for publishing it.Your designs are cool also!
Thank you so much. Cheers J
Just tested my plasma cutter (same as yours) and I'm happy to report that on 220 volt power it cleanly cut 13 guage (.09mm) plate using 35 amp setting and 35 psi air pressure. Cut speed was a guess of about 1 inch in two seconds which suggests the 2700mm feed rate suggested is probably right on the money. I tried 30 amps but didn't get a pierce when I quickly triggered the torch, but at 35 amps the peirce was instant. My air compressor is 110 volt 8 gallon 1.5hp and it claims it can provide 4.2 cubic feet of air per minute at 90 psi. So I think it will hold up no problem to the air requirements for thiner metal signs and probably be okay with larger steel as well provided the cut times aren't too long.
By far the best DIY plasma table video Ive seen so far and Ive watched ALOT!
I finally just decided I'll buy a table (langmuir systems) for my shop but Im already a 3d printing veteran and the only reason I havent bought a CNC laser like yours is theyre pathetic when it comes to metal. Now I have a. reason to buy one and not absolutely destroy it but also be able to cut metal.
Damn fine job sir and a big thanks from the states!
Thank you so much. All the very best. Cheers J
Straight talking, well informed as per the usual. Sold boss 😁
Thank you my friend. I hope this information serves you well. Cheers J
Excellent video!!! Thank you.
Been waiting for this one! Thanks!
Thank you. I hope it was useful and I've certainly got more to come. Cheers J
Appreciate the sharing of knowledge. You would make a great teacher.
Thank you so much Cam. When the time is right I'll definitely be do classes on my techniques. Cheers J
This is an AMAZING video. Thank you!
Thank you for watching. Cheers J
Nicely done. Love it!
Thank you. Cheers J
Very nice “Top-Notch” ✅
The explanation’s very useful ✅✅
Thank you. Cheers J
great work, amazing add on for the z axis
Thank you, I will I think. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle I mean the sliding part you added in z. That was 👍
Great job with this build. Our V-Slot building system works great in it!
Thank you so much. I'll check out what you have. Cheers J
if you set up memory mapping with an accurate plotter you can just move the steel around on an accurate axis and just have it keep cutting
you are a genius sir, thanks for sharing
You are very kind to think of that. Cheers J
Ingenious. I love it.
Thank you. Cheers J
so one of the best things about you building such a cost effective machine
is if you hammer it you dont have to worry,
you can replace the parts cheaply or upgrade them in the future to better parts,
its such a good idea
i love it
simon
Totally and I don't need to rely on another company for any faults. Like I said my friends have one that cost £40k and getting engineers out to fix it is a problem. All the very best. Cheers J
Love your work man. Subscribed and looking forward to more. Cheers
Thank you so much. Lots more to come. Cheers J
Really good job you done, it is helpful and understandable
thanks a lot
Thank you so much. Cheers J
Was watching another vid and the guy was saying to cut 14-16 guage at 30 amps with 30 PSI for best cuts. He said no need for 50 amp cuts and high air flow when it's thin material. He felt this was overkill - like running a gas cutting tourch at max heat on sheet metal. From what I've seen 2700-3200mm per minute would be right feed rate for 14-16 guage mild steel. I'm gonna play around with my plasma cutter tomorrow and try some different temps and speeds manually as best I can. 30 psi would be great since I have a smallish compressor and it may struggle to keep up with 70 psi flow rates. Also got my 220v to 110v adpater in the mail the other day (can't believe the plasma cutter didn't come with one - but it was cheap). Had to touch the tip on the metal when plugged into 110. Guessing this was a power issue, so looking forward to trying it tomorrow on 220 volt. I look forward to cutting on a cnc machine but still some weeks away yet. Peace!
Awesome build.
Just need someone to make this into a kit to put together at home.
Please someone take up the challenge.
Bro I just found your channel
Thanks very helpful
Great vid, I've done this cnc using a hf start and it played up, tripping out, lost it signal etc but then I wrapped all the leads with silver foil and it worked 50% of the time. My set up drags the tip across the metal and burn the tips very quickly.. Going to do what you said and get the pilot arc plasma cutter, glad I've found your vid very useful info.
Thank you so much. I'll also be making mine Bluetooth compatible next so less wires. Cheers J
Hey Joshua, I've been hand cutting with a plasma torch for many years. The massive dross you're getting can be eliminated 3 ways. Cutting at lower power, increasing the speed or increasing your air flow. Obviously you need enough power to burn through the material thickness you're using. You want to cut as fast as possible to keep the curve of the cut as narrow as you can while still cutting through and then you want enough air to blow the molten metal out. Another good tip for removing dross is to use a light hammer hitting on the edge of your piece favouring the side where the dross is. It pops right off. My cutter is not CNC ready otherwise I'd be buying a cheap laser cutter tomorrow.
A magnet base for milling second hand is great for holding while you cleanup what you have cut.
Now I want one but don't need one. Great explanation!
Thank you so much. All the very best . Cheers J
WOW....very useful machine for the metal hand works. mostly for sheet metals....very very simple
Thank you. Cheers J
Brilliant video, when time permits I will be tinkering.
Nice one 👍
Cool Project!
Thank you Mike
A very cool solution!
Thank you. Cheers J
Thank you for the idea. I was kind of bummed about the laser I got, but I can reuse the frame for this, which would be super useful.
Thank you. there are 20w laser modules that are interchaneable to other machines from comgrow, bit costly though. otherwise a plasma machine is awesome. cheers J
Awesome video, thanks for this.
Thank you for watching. Cheers J
Amazing video, Thanks!
Thank you. Cheers J
I was thinking to by this cheap lazer cnc for plasma torch! I asked to me if the stepper engine would be powerfull enough...
So realy Thanks you, you try for me, for maker community. You win a follower
Thank you. I'm glad it's been helpful. Lots more to come. Cheers J
Tnx for sharing this! have the same plasma and an old laser gantry, imma build this to tnx for sharing! 👍👍
Nice one 👍 thank you so much. i'm just making mine Bluetooth now so no more wires. Cheers J