Plasma table

[Hood]

I want the tilting part shorter so that I don't need any locking mechanism once horizontal as the sheet will hold it down.
I have a back rest as you can see in this pic that will mean the sheets won't drop down as I tilt back to horizontal, presume that was what you were meaning?

 

[RichardM]

Yes that's what I meant.

 

[Hood]

I also have these ball transfer rollers that I will place into the frame so that unloading is easy.

They are supposedly stainless but can't be a very good grade as they are magnetic so may end up making my own.

 

[James1979]

That’s pretty much what I have....

just yours looks better! Mine was a bit rough and quick but it’s so much better than heaving sheet about. I’ve put more rollers on since that was taken. At the time that was all I had

 

[Hood]

That’s pretty much what I have....

just yours looks better! Mine was a bit rough and quick but it’s so much better than heaving sheet about. I’ve put more rollers on since that was taken. At the time that was all I had

Mine is just a 3D model at the moment, they always look better

 

[James1979]

Mine took a couple hours max. It’s the same height as the table which means I can feed an 8x4 in as I cut it. Or cut half, index the other half. I’ll get a 8x4 some point this year coming I hope.

yours is better as mine has locking pins and they’re a faff

 

[Hood]

Aye, didn't want a locking mechanism of any kind as I reckoned it would be a PITA.
Mine will have to be capable of loading from here (see red circle in pic) and pushing round to the container as often the boatyard has a boat at the side and I can't get sheets past on the barrow, so will have to unload and pull past the boat then load onto the table to push to the container.

 

[Brad93]

The

I also have these ball transfer rollers that I will place into the frame so that unloading is easy.

View attachment 263850

They are supposedly stainless but can't be a very good grade as they are magnetic so may end up making my own.

the American made ones with the red wiper plastic are what you want.

 

[Hood]

The


the American made ones with the red wiper plastic are what you want.

I would imagine so, these are definitely the cheapest of the cheap but I will likely just make my own from Delrin. Possibly rollers would suffice, just depends if I only need to unload in a straight line or if I have to move at an angle.
We will see, the actual loading table may not even be needed, just depends how awkward things are once I get up and running.

 

[Hood]

Looks like I may be able to shift the plasma table over to the opposite side and the likewise the cabinet as per my original plans. A friend found these which will allow me to extend the wiring relatively easily

 

[Hood]

Bit more done.
Now I am having the table back to the original position I had to move the plasma so that the console will fit. I also got a socket for the plasma fitted.

I fitted a bit of box, from the old plasma table, across the roof to carry the 3 phase wire.

I got the plasma torch cable clipped out of harms way.

I welded in some angles that will have the holding bars, for the table slats, bolted to it. I also have the table shifted over into its final (hopefully ) position.

 

[Hood]

The connectors arrived today so I chopped up a bit of the old gantry and made this.

Fitted the sockets.

I also fitted the glands. It is a weird thread that I didn't have a tap for, it is 1.1/16 - 16 UN which seems to be an extra fine thread. So just milled out some holes to slightly under the thread OD and screwed them in with a big long spanner . Not perfect as they are a wee bit squint but they certainly have a good grip.

Tomorrow I will have to connect 72 wires to them

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Tomorrow I will have to connect 72 wires to them

 

[Hood]

Today I got the plugs wired, ended up actually having to do 96 connections because I never noticed one of the cables had a male plug on it and it needed to be female

One of them.

Got the cabinet shifted to where it will reside and all plugged in.

And a view with the two doors of the container open.

I will have to make a protector ramp over the cables but that will wait until I can cut the aluminium, I will use, on the plasma.
I was supposed to be getting a load of Aluminium today from Aalco but it didn't turn up so I have now cancelled it and ordered from Richard Austin, that should be here tomorrow and will let me get the table slat supports made and fitted, once that is done I should be able to test out some cutting.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

^^^ wouldn't it be better to run the cable overhead so that the floor is free and clear. I put in overhead services connections to eliminate this very thing

 

[Hood]

^^^ wouldn't it be better to run the cable overhead so that the floor is free and clear. I put in overhead services connections to eliminate this very thing

It would be but I don't have any cable and it would be another load of cash for it and I am not a rich Australian

 

[Hood]

Well I had to do more rewiring. I had just used the cable that I got with the plugs/sockets, 24 core, and thought that would be fine for the encoders due to having the motors power on one, I/O on another and encoders on the last. I had forgotten however that one of the motors has an intelligent encoder and they are really pernickety about shielding and twisted pairs so I had to rewire that plug/socket with some encoder wire I had.
It had worked for the most part but occasionally it would trip on an encoder error but now it seems fine, I ran it for about 2hrs solid and no faulting

The Aluminium arrived today so I quickly made up a jig out of the box section from the old gantry by welding a saw guide on the top and a piece of the 2" x 3/8" as a lower guide for the aluminium to sit on. I used the bandsaw as both a table and a clamp.

That allowed me to place the aluminium in and cut slots in it with the rip saw.

I got it partially bored, tapped and fixed in place, I am jogging the torch around and using that to get an even height over the whole table.

 

[awemawson]

For loading I got a length of Brundles sliding door track and runners, the intention being to run it over the centre of the table hung from the purlins and off the end where a forklift or trolley can get to. Then using a magnetic lifter and small block and tackle can place heavy sheets with some accuracy.

All theory ATM as it's waiting for a round tuit !

 

[Hood]

Magnetic not much use for me

 

[henry Kadzielski]

I am not a rich Australian

You should look at my 'fully approved workshop footware) before you say the above. The only place it's approved is in my workshop. After all my workshop upgrades, I am the poorest that I have been for over 20years. It will come back to me, just it will take SOME time. I hope to live that long t see it