Re: Homebuilt plasma cutter?


"Christopher" <doomroom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:rBXMg.45610$hM6.3980@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
How practical would it be to build a plasma cutter?
I have a compressor, and 70 amp buzz box that I haven't used since I got
my mig.
I am skilled in electronics, so building a rectifier / hf circuit won't be
a problem.

Could I make electrodes for this? (I have limited machining capabilities)
or should I buy electrodes for a brandname torch?
Or even a complete torch assembly?

I probably won't be cutting anything over 1/4 inch.

Thanks in advance.



The answers are yes, no, definitely, and maybe.

I will be purchasing a PlasmaCam system within one year. A turnkey deal.
It will be a daunting task to get it running and keep it running. But, it's
like a car. It isn't worth anything if it doesn't run every time you want
to start it up.

I belong to a Yahoo group on plasmacutting. In there, it has been stated
that one can build a plasma cutting table with servos, etc, for about
$3,000. Then you still have to buy the plasma cutter. Then the computer.
And all the wires and connectors to make it all work.

If you have nothing but time and money, you can build one yourself.
Question is, do you want to spend that much time doing all that, or do you
want to just plug it in and start ringing the cash register? It is the same
with welding machines. You get what you pay for, and if you want to go out
and start making money tomorrow, you don't want something that you have to
doink with every other hour. You get in more productive hours in a day.

Now, if this is just a hobby, and like model rockets or RC planes, you want
to putter and build the stuff, go ahead. A setup will cost you in the range
of $5k versus $15k for a turnkey plug and go version. Just know that you
will have hundreds and hundreds of hours in labor, and if you multiply that
by whatever you charge, that is what the system cost you regardless of the
actual amount of cash you had to outlay. And, if you do your own, you have
very little tech support, so have to troubleshoot everything yourself.

Depends on what you need as to what you do. Don't know about you, but I got
lots of things to do, and don't particularly like having to stop and work on
equipment.

HTH

Steve


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