Open Builds Plasma CNC

[Scott Davis]

I'm considering building an Open Builds Ox based Plasma CNC table. I think it will help fabricate a bunch of the parts I'm going to need in my APEX build. Problem is every minute and $ spent building IT is not spent on the car...plus not sure how much use it will get after. I'd be using a longevity and shooting for total cost of 1300. Parts can be bought cut on ebay. The table itself and motor wiring seem easy enough. Integrating plasma a little trickier. Thoughts on whether worth the trouble? Anyone build one yet?

Open Builds Ox build

example DIY plasma

To make the table more useful I could maybe add a 3d printing attachment and a router attachment to it later. Just a thought but may need to add 5 axis.

 

[Eric in Florida]

No but I have built a CNC Mill. If you know how to use CAD software and generate tool paths then it's probably ok, but if not you'll be swamped with learning. Although I had a CNC mill and know how to use 2D and 3D cad and can generate tool paths with BocCab Pro, in general it was still easier to do plates and mounts in drafting software and send it to a water jet shop and have it cut there. When you factor in time and effort and then add quality of work water jet is a great option if you can generate DXF files for what you need.

Is it worth it? In my opinion, unless you know how to use all the software and have space for it, for 1 project it is probably not worth it. For me, in a majority of cases I have wanted 3D parts anyhow and making brackets out of aluminum billet instead of plates and welding them looks better anyhow. Non SLC related stuff.

That said can't have too many tools. A plasma table takes room too.

Good luck with your decision and projects!

 

[Scott Davis]

No but I have built a CNC Mill. If you know how to use CAD software and generate tool paths then it's probably ok, but if not you'll be swamped with learning. Although I had a CNC mill and know how to use 2D and 3D cad and can generate tool paths with BocCab Pro, in general it was still easier to do plates and mounts in drafting software and send it to a water jet shop and have it cut there. When you factor in time and effort and then add quality of work water jet is a great option if you can generate DXF files for what you need.

Is it worth it? In my opinion, unless you know how to use all the software and have space for it, for 1 project it is probably not worth it. For me, in a majority of cases I have wanted 3D parts anyhow and making brackets out of aluminum billet instead of plates and welding them looks better anyhow. Non SLC related stuff.

That said can't have too many tools. A plasma table takes room too.

Good luck with your decision and projects!

Thanks for the feedback, that is helpful. I have only self taught experience with some CAD software (hopefully enough to get by for the relatively simple plates and mounts that I would be making)...but no CAM or g-code experience and was somewhat taking this for granted (along with using LinuxCNC or Mach3). Agree with the billet parts. Maybe I can get by with Band saw, drill press and welder.

If a solid dxf file is provided what's the going rate for water jet or laser cutting at a shop?

 

[Eric in Florida]

If I supplied the metal I could get for example, 3/8" steel plate cut for rear axle plates for a motorcycle for about $35, see below. For something like 1/8" I could make 15 mounting tabs for the same price. If your talking aluminum that cuts like butter and is quite cheap. Best to bring in a few plates and have a bunch done at once. Water jet costs by run time. Thicker and harder the more it costs. Plates and tabs for welding I suspect a few hundred would get real high quality parts cut for the whole car.

You can draw to scale in Visio and generate DXF files from there too.

 

[Olivier S]

A friend has built an open source 3D printer. Pretty much the same concept, different scale.

You'll save a lot of time (and maybe money) by learning how to cad your plates, and send the files to your local water/laser cut company... Not that expensive, quality will be better, and you'll have your parts in a matter of days.

Having all the stuff ordererd, and making it actually work will tak you a lot of time. Learning how to use the cam programs correctly will also take you time.

Just my 0,02€.

Olivier.

 

[Shane]

I built my own CNC plasma table several years ago. Definitely worthwhile in my case as I cut tons of parts for GTM's as part of my business....but building one to use for a single car build? IMO, that would not be worth it. As stated above, there is a pretty good learning curve for it. I built a 4x8 table....I think I started on it (in my spare time) in February and cut my first parts with it in May......and it was probably well into June before I really got good enough with the settings to be able to spend more time cutting and less time fiddling with the settings. If you draw your parts in CAD and export to a DXF, it's pretty easy to go from drawing to part.

 

[Eric in Florida]

And if you don't have CAD and it is a 2D part like a plate or bracket then just use regular Microsoft Visio, draw to scale and save as DXF. Easy peasy. :thumbsup:

 

[Scott Davis]

I'll find someone local here in OC to waterjet the parts and pass on the table. I'm using Autodesk fusion 360 lately and like it, does a little bit of everything.