Plasma cutting templates

[phillwiles]

Hello all, I am new to this forum, my name is Phill Wiles and I live in France and have a workshop where I make different decorative items either by forging or other methods, I also make art knives. I have just bought a plasma cutter (cut 50) so am new to that as well. I want to make templates to cut repeat designs (for weather vanes, signs etc) I have been looking around and have seen templates in metal but surely this will make contact with the tip (torch PT31) and this is not supossed to be 1 mm off the work so I am a bit confused! any ideas please and sugestions of what to make the templates out of please.
thanks

Phill

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum.

The big coppper tip isn't live, the "flame" is produced through the hole in the end. It's OK to cut dragging the tip along the workpiece so metal templates are OK.

 

[Shox Dr]

CNC tables are big bucks, there are plans and web sites where people have successfully built them, for as little as £2-4k.

I have thought about making a Pantograph, making a template out of MDF and tracing the template.

You could also route the outline with a grove so you could more easily trace the shape

 

[chunkolini]

A good way of making repeat images it to photocopy them onto paper, and stick it onto the metal using spraymount, the just draw straight over the top. It takes a bit of practice but I have had some great results using this method.

Here we have Lemmy as Che pretending to be Jesus, made for a vicar who wanted to freak out his parishioners.
Photo copied, enlarged to A3 and cut out.

Metal stencils can also be use but they have to be made first.

Then we have MrC himself, my first go at this game.


Chunko'

 

[bigbadbugga]

Chunko, that is really clever

will be having a go of that myself

 

[phillwiles]

A good way of making repeat images it to photocopy them onto paper, and stick it onto the metal using spraymount, the just draw straight over the top. It takes a bit of practice but I have had some great results using this method.
View attachment 13537
Here we have Lemmy as Che pretending to be Jesus, made for a vicar who wanted to freak out his parishioners.
Photo copied, enlarged to A3 and cut out.

Metal stencils can also be use but they have to be made first.

Then we have MrC himself, my first go at this game.


Chunko'

Hi, Thanks for the info am I right in thinking that you just 'freehand cut' around the stuck on image?
I had a look at your site and am very impressed, some superb sculpture.

Thanks Phill

 

[phillwiles]

Re cutting templates

Thank you all for your replies I have taken on board your helpful suggestions.

Phill

 

[chunkolini]

Hi Phil#Glad you like my stuff. Re the Che image, yep, just get some spray mount and run over the outline. You have to work quickly, but with a little bit of practice it works a treat. Spray on Uhu glue also works well, and the paper lifts a bit less than with spraymount.
I always meant to try 'posterising' pictures using photoshop and making portraits of people, another 'one of these days ' ideas.
Show us yer results.

Chunko'.

 

[Porschemaniac]

Having recently acquired a plasma cutter, I soon realised that, for repetive tasks, it would be great to have some sort of template to follow. The only thing is - what do you make the template out of; wood will burn, paper still needs a steady hand (which Mr. Jack Daniels does not afford me) and metal, obviously, risks getting cut along with the steel.

It struck me that you need to lift the metal template slightly off of the workpiece - so here's what I came up with.

Make your tmeplate, as normal. Then drill holes in a regular pattern around the edge and simply pop some pop-rivets into them. Turn the piece over and tap the tails level with a hammer.

You now have a template, which sits high enough above the workpiece to avoid the plasma jet, but is durable and easy to follow (even with misting-up goggles).

Here's a few pics:

Template with rivets.....



And from the side.......You get the idea..........



You can even add a couple of small magnets to hold it in place whilst you cut.....



So far, I have tried it handheld, however, I haven't tried it with the magnets yet - so I'm not sure if they'll affect the cutting jet.

But it allowed me to knock a batch of these out in half an hour - and they'll need a lot less finishing than the ones I cut 'freehand' last week.

 

[rtbcomp]

Nice one.

Howabout cutting a piece of ply or MDF roughly the same shape but 1 cm smaller all round and gluing it to the bottom of the template?

That way you wouldn't have the hassle of getting all of the pop rivets down to the same size.

You could provide cutouts for the magnets.

I'd be inclined to connect it to the workpiece though, just in case you touched it with the arc.

 

[Porschemaniac]

Nice one.

Howabout cutting a piece of ply or MDF roughly the same shape but 1 cm smaller all round and gluing it to the bottom of the template?

That way you wouldn't have the hassle of getting all of the pop rivets down to the same size.

You could provide cutouts for the magnets.

I'd be inclined to connect it to the workpiece though, just in case you touched it with the arc.

That's a great idea rtbcomp. I'll definietly give that a go.

Truth be told, the pop-rivets sprang to mind because a had quite a few knocking about - having over-bought for a previous job

But the MDF idea is a good one.

Cheers,

Ian.

 

[pidgeon chit welder]

doing slightly different ..I have used a big router to make hundreds of the same pattern bit of aluminium so it should work for a plasma cutter .

I made a hinged shoe out of HDF to drop in two precut rectangles of ally , inverted /closed it up it to fit into a bigger HDF shoe that was screwed down to the bench and then routed out the shape . Once you make the jig accurately the worlds your lobster .

If you want to make some rather large masks say 2 x 1.5 mrt for free hand cutting and do several repeats . Get a thin larch 3 or 4 ply sheet , roller on white ceiling paint , when it is dry do the design ( you can do a grid enlarging exercise taking 1 cm squares off a photo and enlarging the contents of each into to a 20 cm square or nuch bigger )

Then paint in the areas you want to cut out in black and once dry use a Rotozip cutter type machine or a good quality fine jigsaw or key hole saw and cut out the black bits so you are left with the stencil.

Now simply place the stencil against the metal sheet and whilst it is at an angle from the verticle spray the cut outs with a matt yellow undercoat spray can , you get a good transfer with outruns. Simply cut out where needed ( good for making Pantomine stage rails and repetetive designs)

 

[phillwiles]

Templates and pantographs

CNC tables are big bucks, there are plans and web sites where people have successfully built them, for as little as £2-4k.

I have thought about making a Pantograph, making a template out of MDF and tracing the template.

You could also route the outline with a grove so you could more easily trace the shape

I have been experimenting with templates and pantoghraphs and have made a simple pantograph, I am able to print a pattern off on a4 paper, tape it down to my table and draw around it with the pointer, the other end of the pantograph with the cutter hangs over the cutting table the height is adjustable as the pantograph is supported on 4 ball rollers (for screwing to furniture). I removed the torch switch and hold it in my left hand and 'draw' around the shape with my right.
Yes it is very 'heath robinson' BUT it produces a complex shape easily and I have been pleased with the outcome so far. Of course you could also 'draw' around an MDF template as well.
I will now start to make improvements as I go along.


Phill

 

[Shox Dr]

Get some pictures posted up Phil

 

[chunkolini]

Or just make the template in MDF/plywood, hold it down either by recessed magnets or by finger pressure in the middle, guarantee that it will slip one time in about 10.

Dare I ask why are you making squillions of metal love hearts?

Chunko'.

 

[reb78]

An mdf template ought to be ok without bursting into flames surely? It might char a little, but should be ok to guide the tip of the nozzle.

 

[paulmowers]

Hi guys

All i use as a template for the plasma is 2mm ply, easy to form and so long as you move at a reasonable speed and keep the tip close to the work peice it only ever gets warm, for straight lines i clamp a bit of flat bar about 4mm from the required line and drag the tip along the edge of the bar, perfect straight line every time and practically no clean up to do.

regards paul