Anyone buy or build a CNC PLASMA kits

[gerrymoore]

Adrian...don't bother with threaded rod...I tried it..waste of time and money. Linearmotionbearings (EBAY) in China for ballscrews, ballnuts, bearings, etc. are brilliant...Chai is very helpful and they are both cheap and of good quality...in fact if you buy in the UK you are probably paying 4 times the price for the same item!

Plasma is only as accurate as the kerf width of the cutter...saying that, you can choose to cut on the outside, no offset, or inside offset of the part to get very accurate work...certainly within 0.5mm or less. I mainly use my CNC for 'artistic' type work but the CNC plate kit I used to sell was cut using my own CNC so it basically self replicates...bit like Alien!!

 

[Psychosaffa]

anyone considering a home built cnc needs to have a look at openbuilds.com really opens things up as it can be allot more affordable than you think.

 

[AdrianH]

Adrian...don't bother with threaded rod...I tried it..waste of time and money. Linearmotionbearings (EBAY) in China for ballscrews, ballnuts, bearings, etc. are brilliant...Chai is very helpful and they are both cheap and of good quality...in fact if you buy in the UK you are probably paying 4 times the price for the same item!

Plasma is only as accurate as the kerf width of the cutter...saying that, you can choose to cut on the outside, no offset, or inside offset of the part to get very accurate work...certainly within 0.5mm or less. I mainly use my CNC for 'artistic' type work but the CNC plate kit I used to sell was cut using my own CNC so it basically self replicates...bit like Alien!!

I thought initially about threaded bar as a cheep alternative to ball screws but as I don’t think I need the accuracy then I am considering driving the rails with 10mm wide toothed timing belts, 5mm pitch belts as they can go up to 2 metres long. That should give me table travel over 700 mm. and works out quite a cheap even UK based alternative.

For the rails and linear bearings thinking of ebay item number 151209891572, getting two lots for £140 seems a good deal and should sort out eh X and Y axis, think I have a small lift table I can modify for the Z axis, if I can still find it. the bearings there will give a simple mounting for aluminium plate.

Only in it for artistic work, but to make the odd engine inlet plate would be good.

Adrian