My projects

Plasma Cutters can be used to make some amazing products & projects. Upload some pictures of projects you've completed using your plasma cutter.
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chipper
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My projects

Post by chipper »

These don't really fit on this board, but it is what I have done recently.
http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr23 ... 0_1224.jpg (close up of below photo)
Image
I made this for the shop owner for christmas(I know, I realy need some photography practice) :mrgreen:

This one I made for my dad in October for his birtday.
Image

I don't currently have access to a plasma, but I am working onthe shop owner to get one. I think it would open up a new market in the area, whch would take advantage of my newfound hobby, and make some money for the company. As production manager, I truly believe it would be a justified purchase...we spend about 900 bucks a month having our steel supplier rough out materials for us to machine....that alone would pay for a top notch plasma/flame table in the first year...am I wrong????

Do you have to babysit these things, or while running a tried and true program, walk off and leave it to do it's deal(like we can our lathes and mills) ???
I usually say..."keep the chips flyin' " ...but on this board, "sparks" would fit better!!
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jmsrbrt
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Re: My projects

Post by jmsrbrt »

Excellant work!! Makes me wish I had an engraver.
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chipper
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Re: My projects

Post by chipper »

:oops:

Thank you....engraving files are a bit easier than flame files....you don't have to take in to consideration that the details might fall out.

btw....did you get the downloads to work for you?
I usually say..."keep the chips flyin' " ...but on this board, "sparks" would fit better!!
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Re: My projects

Post by admin »

Hey Chipper...that's awesome!. Love the engraving. Now I want one. Thanks for the off topic pics!!!!!

admin
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jmsrbrt
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Re: My projects

Post by jmsrbrt »

chipper wrote::oops:

Thank you....engraving files are a bit easier than flame files....you don't have to take in to consideration that the details might fall out.

btw....did you get the downloads to work for you?
Yes and no. I finally managed to get a DXF file to my computer, but when I opened it, my software crashed. I'll try again tonight.
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stretch561
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Re: My projects

Post by stretch561 »

Nice work did you use a cnc plasma and engraver ....what kind of engraver did you use or machines?
chipper
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Re: My projects

Post by chipper »

Lmbo... Been a while since I've looked at this board. To answer the above question, no I don't have a plasma, I just like doing artwork with my cad cam.

The machines I used were a monarch metalist cnc lathe for turning and facing the circles, and a servo II retro fit bridgeport mill. (a manual mill fit with ball screws, and servo motors)
I usually say..."keep the chips flyin' " ...but on this board, "sparks" would fit better!!
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AnotherDano
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Re: My projects

Post by AnotherDano »

Do you have to babysit these things, or while running a tried and true program, walk off and leave it to do it's deal(like we can our lathes and mills) ???
Chipper, in answer to your question, I never leave the table while it's cutting.

Fallouts don't fall out,
A flame-out isn't detected,
The tip wears to an unacceptable level during the project,
The metal warps,

Too many things can happen to would waste a piece of metal or damage the machine, so I don't take the chance.
And that blue light is sooo pretty. :lol:
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Re: My projects

Post by Scratch »

Blue light?!?! What are you using to watch the pretty light?

I use a shade 10 welding goggle.

Does anybody know where to get a shade 10 pair of sunglasses? I have a cool shade 5 pair, but I like that extra protection of a shade 10. Plus it'll help for when the atomic bomb goes off if I'm taking my dog for a walk.
I think I'm the oldest 10 year old boy on the forum...
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Re: My projects

Post by AnotherDano »

Scratch wrote:Blue light?!?! What are you using to watch the pretty light?

I use a shade 10 welding goggle.

Does anybody know where to get a shade 10 pair of sunglasses? I have a cool shade 5 pair, but I like that extra protection of a shade 10. Plus it'll help for when the atomic bomb goes off if I'm taking my dog for a walk.

Just joking, Scratch. People are attracted to the spark sho and I try really hard to ban them from the shop while the operation is underway.
I use #5 and avoid looking at the cutting flame as much as possible. But, ya gotta watch the quality of cut even if it is a few inches behine the torch.
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Re: My projects

Post by Scratch »

I watch mine too. I hate those damn tip ups! I have a nice pair of shade 5 sunglasses that came with my plasma cutter and I wear them if I'm doing some light hand cutting, but if I'm watching the machine doing the cutting, it's too bright for my pretty blue eyes (well... my wife says they're pretty...) so I put on one of those cheap dorky welding goggles with a shade 10. I can't see anything else at all except for the torch flame thingy.
What I want though is a comfy pair of sunglasses or safety glasses with a shade 10 lens, one that has ear ....things rather than an elastic strap.

My LWS is no help.

Anybody else have any ideas....?


Sorry for the hi-jack... :oops:
I think I'm the oldest 10 year old boy on the forum...
chipper
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Re: My projects

Post by chipper »

Hi jack??? I think once a threads two years old its ok to talk about whatever you see fit...

Why not just wear a shade 8 welding hood? One of the ones with a big window. I just got a huntsman, and talk about light weight. It looks like its made out of paper, but I bet that would work great. I always wear mine when I'm using our old fashioned pull the trigger watch the line and steady your hands plasma cutter at the shop. When I wear my shade 5 safety glasses, my blue eyes get spotty, and my face gets "sunburned"
Scratch wrote:I watch mine too. I hate those damn tip ups! I have a nice pair of shade 5 sunglasses that came with my plasma cutter and I wear them if I'm doing some light hand cutting, but if I'm watching the machine doing the cutting, it's too bright for my pretty blue eyes (well... my wife says they're pretty...) so I put on one of those cheap dorky welding goggles with a shade 10. I can't see anything else at all except for the torch flame thingy.
What I want though is a comfy pair of sunglasses or safety glasses with a shade 10 lens, one that has ear ....things rather than an elastic strap.

My LWS is no help.

Anybody else have any ideas....?


Sorry for the hi-jack... :oops:
I usually say..."keep the chips flyin' " ...but on this board, "sparks" would fit better!!
IndplsIron
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Re: My projects

Post by IndplsIron »

How much would charge to make another Harley Clock just like the one shown? What type machine did u etch the SS with? I can probably sell some of these if you can reproduce them.
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

This would be a nice project to convert to plasma/scribe. I've tried sending a PM to chipper asking for the file, but it looks like he hasn't been on the board for quite some time. Does anybody have this file or at least the art portion. I can do the verse and numbers.
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acourtjester
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Re: My projects

Post by acourtjester »

You can find almost anything by googling it under "clip Art" and use Inkscape to make traces of them. It can be done with other software packages too but I use Inkscape, and its free and there are many tutorials on the web too.
christ 2.jpg
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

I couldn't seem to find it when I searched. No to try my hand at tracing. Shouldn't be too hard since it is black and white. Thanks acourtjester.
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Re: My projects

Post by acourtjester »

here is a quick trace and it also shows how the image can be broken apart after the trace.
quick trace.jpg
quick trace2.jpg
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

Thanks. I haven't had time to try tracing it yet. Much appreciated.
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

Well, I guess I still haven't figured it out. Opened in Inkscape. Path, trace bitmap. Edge detection. Delete the image & save the path to DXF. And it doesn't look anything like yours. What did I do wrong?
What's wrong.JPG
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Re: My projects

Post by acourtjester »

Well I don't use Edge Detection this will cause a line to have both inside and outside lines created in the trace.
I use Brightness cut off most of the time, see attached image and you can see playing with the numbers will effect the trace definition.
if you have a colored clip art you can change the number of colors used in the trace too to help define the trace output.
In some traces you will get small dots use the node tool to delete any nodes you don't want. Play with things if you goof use the undo tool under edit to go back as many steps as you want.
I have some videos that I made about inkscape if you PM me with your email address I can send them via the Google drive. :)
cut off.jpg
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

Thanks. I'll play around with it when I get some more time. I'll shoot you a PM.
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

Still not there. I used brightness cutoff with .450 (tried 450 but it wouldn't take a number that high).
Looks good in inkscape, but when I save it to DXF and open in draftsight I get this.
try again.JPG
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I never did have much luck with Inkscape. I actually got frustrated with it a while back and uninstalled it. Now I remember why.
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

Here's what my inkscape looks like after I delete the image.
inkscape .450.JPG
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Re: My projects

Post by acourtjester »

when you save in in DXF make sure the 2 boxes shown are unchecked. :) someone here showed me that and it removed odd lines in the saved file.
uncheck.jpg
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DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
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Re: My projects

Post by djreiswig »

Maybe that's it. The bottom one was checked. I thought polyline so I left it.
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