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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

I got into 3D printing as well during the pandemic and it has been a truly invaluable tool/skill to add to my life. I really always looked at it as a novelty that people make dumb nick-knacks with but it truly is an incredible tool for stuff around the shop and home if you're able to do modeling yourself and not just use stock files.

Some things do take trial and error but mistakes are generally very inexpensive and i've gotten pretty good at getting it the first or second try now on custom stuff.

So, here are some protective end caps that I think really added a nice finished look and also protect that limit switch that I snapped recently by hitting it. ($15 in the garbage)

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Haven't updated this project in a while however I have still been knocking out parts of it here and there.

Business has been much busier than expected, not the worlds worst problem but it definitely puts other things on the backburner.

Anyway, as some may know I have the dilemma of ultra small shop space. I've been storing 2x4 sheets for the plasma under my second welding table and it always does me the favor of smashing me in the shins and all that fun stuff. Sometimes even blood is involved.

I looked around and realized how asinine it was of me, not to store the sheets under the grossly overbuilt frame for my plasma. So... I did it.

Ended up going with 5 tiers. I don't generally do work over 1/4" on my home table though I have done 1/2" I have no need or desire to try and keep sheets that massively heavy on hand though.

Super easy now to rip them out and throw them right on the table as well as keep a large supply (for me) on hand.

I did think about doing 6 tiers but I think the top one would be a complete pain to get stuff on and off of.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Went a little overboard on the tray. Very happy how it worked out though.

Little hard to see in photos it’s on a 10 degree slope.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Nice work. Super clean.

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

She’s running pretty good now. Making some nice cuts and got the electronics dialed in where it moves very fluidly now.

Cut some diamond plate yesterday and THC did it no problem.

Started on a laptop tray and also added an adjustable stop to the slave side of the Y.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Thanks guys.

Got the new limit/homing switch for Y drawn first and then made and installed.

Extrusion mounting options really make things easy.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Excellent workmanship!

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

some great work pal.

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Looks very nice, with any project you find small hick ups along the way, but you know what is needed. Good the fixes are remove and replace not cut and reweld. no new painting needed

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

about 10 cans of paint/primer later.

My measurement was slightly off on the electrical box mounts. Actually I think the brackets werent dead square they're off 1/16" I think at one end. I reamed them out a little with a die grinder i'll cover it with a washer no big deal.

Everything fit together nicely and its all level in place. I decided not to use casters after all I got nice swivel/padded leveling feet off McMaster.

The Y axis here uses different pinions that are shorter than my original table so I had to change them out, and I don't have a puller. So I used a pin punch to the shaft and hoped for the best... One motor is fine the other unfortunately sustained internal damage so thats gonna cost me a few bucks sadly. The stacked core inside separated and now it binds when they fall out of alignment. (i opened it up to see what was up)

Anyway overall I think it came out just as I envisioned it. The original water table is on it right now, when the pandemic ends (if ever) i will have a 11g one made that is a bit larger.

Oh and I did goof a little on the side rails. Not having the new parts available to me when I ordered the rails, I ordered the same length as the original table. My design was more efficient and actually opened up an additional 2" per side so I will replace these at some point. The original table cut 25x49, this will cut 27x52 when its fixed.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Originally Posted by acourtjester

somebody is getting very close to finishing a nice projects. Time to look for another, from you past posts you have some lined up

I still have to devise some computer holder that can stow under the table like I currently have. My current one works, but I dislike it.

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

somebody is getting very close to finishing a nice projects. Time to look for another, from you past posts you have some lined up

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Got it all primed.

It is slightly off level at the bottom by 1/2” diagonally on the long span but considering the conditions I put it together in its pretty good. I don’t think it will effect anything noticeably.

Painting it red, just gonna rattle can it it’s too heavy to bring to powdercoater and I don’t really want to drop the money on that either.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Planning out the cable track. There is a back support on the upper electrical bracket you can’t see as well.

I was hoping to get away with a single holder for the cable track and i probably could but I don’t think it would be optimal.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Yah I’m not sure how he even sold it all to me at that price. But I’m ok with it.

Got the electrical box brackets on today as well as the extrusion mounts. Lot of careful measuring.

The bottom bracket of the electronics has a fillet to the frame and the upper will have some support added integrated with a cable track I’m still planning that out.

In the picture that clamp and flat bar was just my alignment tool.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Some deal those linear rails and carriages are not cheap.

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

My care package from STV CNC showed up. They sold me these parts basically free... I paid $140 plus shipping for the entire picture including the 20mm linear carriages and rails. They hate Wright CNC so I think he just hooked me up to watch me stick it to them.

Anyway now that I had the larger rails I was able to take measurements and do an unfortunate amount of math and get the brackets (hopefully) right and cut out.

I decided to integrate the carriage stop into the rear mounting plate to save some space as well. In the original wright design they are mounted to the extrusion and the full travel ends up putting the torch immediately to the edge of the water table making a god awful mess...

Also made the brackets to be welded on for the electronics enclosure. The stock one is bolt on and has a design/fitment issue I corrected.

The guys at STV CNC really hooked me up. Everything in the picture below I paid $140 + shipping for. I couldn't buy it myself for that price.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

I have casters on mine that I can flip over to use a 3/4" bolts as feet to help with stable footing and mobility. HOme depot has casters rated at 500 pounds each.

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Originally Posted by acourtjester

Getting very close, you will get the Wright table fastened to that base and sparks will fly. Are you going to put the Hypertherm under the table?

I actually have it mounted to the wall behind the table, at a height that clears the table.

I'm not sure yet if I can put this on casters or not. Depends how level it is in its final resting place I guess. It would be nice to push against the wall when not in use.

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Getting very close, you will get the Wright table fastened to that base and sparks will fly. Are you going to put the Hypertherm under the table?

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

I regret my decision to have done the expanded metal with the framework to hide the rough edge. It took hours.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Got some lower supports cut out of some scrap I had and did some really slow and careful grinding of the top for the water pan to sit flat and the corners for
No reason.

The missing weld will be covered by the plate that holds the extrusions on.

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Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

I use a 4.5" angle grinder with a 60 grit flap wheel

Re: 2x4 Plasma Table Rebuild

Originally Posted by acourtjester

Very nice looking, there will be no moving about when cutting.
I see you like to close the the ends of tube too, I did it slightly differently, my caps were on the outside.

So for this application I did that with them on the inside, knowing I was going to be grinding it flush. Otherwise i usually make the cap smaller the thickness of the tube with tabs on it so it can’t fall in and then make a (hopefully) nice bead around it.

I know i suck at grinding a nice profile to match the tube radius so I do it to the inside also so i don’t have to touch the outside edges with the grinder