Hand cutting table catch tray

[ktech]

I just got a Hypertherm Powermax45XP. I have a shop at home and I'm in the process of building a hand cutting table that hangs off the side of my welding table. I'm new to plasma cutting. I want to add a tray or drawer below the cutting surface to catch the sparks and hot metal. My question is, how far below the metal being cut does the catch tray have to be so I won't get any blowback or interfere with the cut? I'd like to keep it as shallow as possible to save space when it's not in use. I won't be doing huge amounts of cutting so filling up with crud won't be a problem.

Thanks, ktech

[Sberry]

I have a cut box.

[ronsii]

Sberry's got the right idea any kind of tray if closer than a foot will be blowing dust and crud back at you all the time... unless you put water in it.

[Sberry]

It got a bit better as it got some junk in the bottom. One side had an angle, it's hard to see there is a place in the grate with a relief. It's handy to toss steel bits in.

[jimcolt]

Here are two hand plasma cutting tables that I built for trade show use. They have filters and a high draw blower as well as an auto raise lower for the tinted screen. Maybe a little fancy for shop use, however you could leave off the screen and filters, duct the fumes outside. These are great for grinding as well. Jim Colt

[Sberry]

Those are too pretty.

[ktech]

Thanks for the ideas and photos. Keep them coming.

It got me thinking that having an angle on the side of the catch bin is a good idea. It would deflect sparks in a more horizontal direction.. That being said it looks like I'll need something a little deeper than the 6 inches or so I was hoping for.

Some moveable screens would also be useful for welding. It made me wonder, could you get away with what amounts to a bag made out of a welding blanket? It could be as deep as the floor and you could fold it up when you're not using the cutting table.

For now I'm not planning to have fume extraction. I think I can get away with this because the cutting is done about a foot away from a rollup garage door that is always open. If I have a lot to do I can roll the table outside onto the driveway. (my space is small so everything in the garage has to be on casters. It's like a game of Tetris when I have to put things away )


Thanks,
ktech

[rhunt]

Pretty classy Jim! Bob