Where Is Everybody?

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Jack of all trades
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by Jack of all trades »

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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by robertspark »

FabLab wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 8:40 pm
That's why I am a little concerned about Les announcing his retirement..
me too

at least it is stable

I hope someone takes it up who does not use it as a cash cow
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by robertspark »

Joe Jones wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 9:51 pm
Silly of me, to be concerned about helping YOU avoid a lawsuit. Sorry to have troubles you.
Joe I've been to court a few times, I actually welcome it as it is a great learning experience. I even started a degree in law at one point when I was very young and starting out but wanted to specialise which was not possible. so gave it up more out of disappointment in not doing the area I wanted than needing to broad brush it. if you have not been to court I highly recommend it, but it's probably best not to be a defendant in a case that carries a custodial (jail) sentence. so no trouble.

I also have 3 family friends and neighbors, one is a barrister and deals with fraud cases, another is a property lawyer dealing with planning and property litigation and the third is a copyright lawyer dealing with copyright infringement cases. so again no bother
anyway I wasn't so much going to reverse engineer their control box but have a look at making a plugin adapter so that a pcam user could still use all the stepper and servos and it would work with other software. as I said I couldn't give a flying £&+# about their software and control algorithms.
It has been tried many times. It cannot be done.
the difficult I do today, the impossible takes a little longer. there is no harm in being interested or trying. curiousity is the spice of life, or at least mine as I really love learning and trying new things. it is not about the money or cost as I have a stable reasonable paying job. failure to me is having not taken a look a tried, the outcome is actually immaterial. { I am Taoist }
....AutoCAD ...

sure it may offer an all in one package but sheetcam should not be discounted as it just works and is so simple
There are many programs out there. I know nothing about Sheetcam. Is it an all in one program like designEdge? Can it create and alter DXF files, convert jpg images to vector files, be adaptable to run a router on a table, and also run the table to cut them with a plasma torch? Can Sheetcam do all of this WITHOUT needing to learn a darned thing about G-Code?

Joe
as I said sheetcam is not an all in one program.

no you do not need to learn gcode, but it helps so that you can understand what you are asking sheetcam to do and how your machine is being asked or actually doing it.

it comes down to cost for me. remember I am a hobby user, I make no money from CNC or plasma cutting and could not be interested in making money from it as it is just a hobby and not even my main hobby (although it [CNC] has taken a considerable time to learn). but I have accumulated a small machine shop in the process... plasma, lathe, mill,routerx2, diode laser, 3d printer all CNC controlled. it's just for fun and part of learning.

a good education costs good money.

how much did design edge cost you?

sheetcam is £110 GBP
autocad is a difficult one as I have it free from work (we now use bricscad but it is very similar, but not the same, I miss somethings).
but I have also used and have available librecad, qcad, freecad, and one other I can't remember... all zero cost and all similar to autocad.
I also use lightburn (for the laser) and inkscape (not really), estlcam (not really / occasionally for mill plus router)

can you use design edge for a router, mill, lathe etc etc??? or does it just work with plasmacam tables? I know it won't work on QTPlasmaC as you need a custom postprocessor due to the syntax and functions it has available.

the point being I have a garage full of tools.... I just choose the right one for the task. if I don't have the right one I see what I have available that may work and if I don't have that tool, I normally just make one up as I can plasma cut, turn, mill. and weld whatever I need and have a small collection of specialist but unusual tools for many tasks (the most interesting and fun ones to make were the zero cost ones I made to rebuild my differentials and transmission (gearbox) and transfer case, I really had fun making and doing those tasks) I don't just rely on 1 be that physical tools or software tools.

it's about the journey not the destination sometimes.

I am also trying to wean myself off windows and am slowly switching to Linux.
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by adbuch »

rdj357 wrote: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:18 pm Everybody, owners included, gripe about the company and the way it's run at least occasionally.

The fact remains that they have as many or more tables in the market than any comparable competitor, have been in business as long or longer than any other table manufacturer in their market segment, and have several patents on technology related to plasma cutting and height control with a personal computer.

Bitch about them all you want, they are simple, capable, and they work. There are absolutely other options that also work and some could successfully argue that they work or are better. Such is life, it's all about perspective and experience.
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by adbuch »

Jack of all trades wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 11:14 am It is a great table once you fix communication issues (ground computer power supply to the control box). I purchased the computer from plasmacam and still had issues until I installed the ground wire.
In the 5 1/2 years I've been running my two DHC2 tables and stand-alone DHC2 controlled rotary tube/pipe cutter, I've never once had a communications error and I do not have a separate ground wire connected between my computer and controller. I also don't have a ups to isolate the computer and controller. I do have 8 ft. long copper clad ground rods driven into the ground in very close proximity to my cutting tables and these ground rods are connected to the cutting grates and table frame via large heavy duty copper cabling.

But I have heard reports of Plasmacam users installing a ground wire between the computer parallel port card chassis location and plasmacam controller and having this solve their noise problems. This has been discussed on the Plasmacam Owner's Community Forum. Perhaps it has something to do with the local power source - how noisy it might be - or other shop equipment which may be running at the same time and causing noise interference problems.

But in any case, I have found my Plasmacam tables to be very reliable and problem free. About the only error I ever get is when a piece of slag gets stuck between the nozzle and shield and pauses the cutting action. This is always easy to fix by cleaning the consumables.

David
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by Dragfluid »

I'm here. Just logged in for the first time in several months.
Have been busy moving to a different location 110 miles away and still haven't got the table set up yet. It will happen soon,,,,,,,,,,,, hopefully. The table is at least in the location that it will be. Still need to re-assemble the grates, put the rest of the parts on, knock a hole through the wall for the vent fan, etc.
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by Joe Jones »

Dragfluid wrote: Sun Jul 03, 2022 7:34 pm I'm here. Just logged in for the first time in several months.
Have been busy moving to a different location 110 miles away and still haven't got the table set up yet. It will happen soon,,,,,,,,,,,, hopefully. The table is at least in the location that it will be. Still need to re-assemble the grates, put the rest of the parts on, knock a hole through the wall for the vent fan, etc.
What table and software do you run?

Given the current state of things, I guess I should just ask ...

"Er' you a Hatfield, or a McCoy?" :lol:

Joe


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Re: Where Is Everybody?

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Dragfluid wrote: Sun Jul 03, 2022 7:34 pm I'm here. Just logged in for the first time in several months.
:Like 25% percent increase in ownership

Joe + David + RDJ357

:HaHa

anyone else want to admit they are an owner and shrug off the embarrassment?
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by abmetal »

Been running Plasmacam/Samson since 06 and still going.

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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by Joe Jones »

I suspect there are a lot more PlasmaCam owners here on the Spider than you realize.

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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by adbuch »

abmetal wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:06 am Been running Plasmacam/Samson since 06 and still going.

Allen
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by cutnweld »

Fun reading! I think too it is the old Ford vs Chev debate. At the end of the day it all boils down to personal preference and what one is used to.And of course the "facts". Plasma cam is IMO working well for a large group of folks. Just the same I don't like Pcam. Neither do I mind at all if some of you like your machines. The idea that Pcam owners could eat lunch while the others of us are still struggling on a design made me laugh. I was eating at the time and decided that Joe would need to chew pretty quickly if he didn't want to get caught in the contest!
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by robertspark »

which one is plasmacam? ford or Chevy?

I think ford won that debate, given all ford cars are branded ford but Chevy will sell you any old thing with a different badge just as long as they sell it?
plasmacam / Samson / gotorch.... once you get that sunk cost fallacy ;)
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by cutnweld »

i dunno? I drive ford!
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by Joe Jones »

cutnweld wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 1:33 pm The idea that Pcam owners could eat lunch while the others of us are still struggling on a design made me laugh. I was eating at the time and decided that Joe would need to chew pretty quickly if he didn't want to get caught in the contest!
How I would love to have a seat at a contest where people using their chosen SOFTWARE were given tasks to perform at the same time, just to see which one would come out on top!

Can we set up something like that in a ZOOM room? We'd pick one person to create the challenges. All participants in the room would follow the instructions as they are given. When the clock stops, your file is uploaded to a judge who compares it to the "MASTER FILE" by overlaying it. The person who creates the final design the fastest and most accurate wins!

Hmmm ... I think it would be fun to watch a video of you (the "Royal" you, not any particular individual :mrgreen: ) as you follow a series of instructions playing in a video...

Perhaps a sample video is in order here.... :roll:

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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by robertspark »

Joe Jones wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 4:00 pm
...contest ...
what did you have in mind?

design something like what? {example sketch?}
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by SegoMan DeSigns »

Joe,

Like everything else software is what you make of it and how well you familiarize yourself with its use, I was doodling with CorelDraw before CNC machines became mainstream. I then picked up a vinyl cutter to put those doodles to work thinking that it would be a great step up on the CNC ladder prior to a CNC plasma table purchase. I have a 2x2 T M growth series and run their CAD / CAM software for that system. I use SheetCam to generate the G code on the 6x12 table I built.

All software has its ins / outs CorelDraw is considered an artistic drawing / desktop publishing software yet I designed the ODD Ball Bender and Pele' (the 6x12 table) with it. Fusion 360 or some of the other programs mentioned probably would be a better choice but I am familiar with CD so that is what I used right or wrong.
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by adbuch »

cutnweld wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 1:33 pm I think too it is the old Ford vs Chev debate. At the end of the day it all boils down to personal preference and what one is used to.
More like Ferrari vs. VW as far as Design Edge vs. XXX goes.
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by adbuch »

robertspark wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 4:55 pm
Joe Jones wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 4:00 pm
...contest ...
what did you have in mind?

design something like what? {example sketch?}
Here is a very good example of the power of Design Edge. I'd like to see this one done with Inkscape or any of the others.
David

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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by adbuch »

But I will agree that whatever you are familiar with is probably best for you. I am familiar with AutoCAD 14, have been using it since the late 90's, and can get things done much faster using it than the newer AutoCAD versions, Bricscad, etc. But it all depends on what I am doing.
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by cutnweld »

Sure, i dont mind what anyone runs! Like Joe said its all for fun! I came within an inch of buying a plasmacam, I looked at it and left it and havent looked back. When I load a sheet of 1 3/4" plate on my table I am thankful that its is made of steel and not tin.
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by robertspark »

adbuch wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:31 pm
cutnweld wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 1:33 pm I think too it is the old Ford vs Chev debate. At the end of the day it all boils down to personal preference and what one is used to.
More like Ferrari vs. VW as far as Design Edge vs. XXX goes.
David
but VW own Bugatti? not really a fair competition.... Bugatti would win every time
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by cutnweld »

BTW Ford beat Ferrari in the 2016 Le Mans
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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by Joe Jones »

robertspark wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:56 pm

but VW own Bugatti? not really a fair competition.... Bugatti would win every time
That depends entirely on the race! I dare say a Bugatti would be WORTHLESS in the Baja 1000 :lol:

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Re: Where Is Everybody?

Post by Joe Jones »

cutnweld wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:51 pm Sure, i dont mind what anyone runs! Like Joe said its all for fun! I came within an inch of buying a plasmacam, I looked at it and left it and havent looked back. When I load a sheet of 1 3/4" plate on my table I am thankful that its is made of steel and not tin.
The PlasmaCam table will hold a 2" plate, no problemo.

Joe


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