New Pipe and Tubing Cutter In The Works

[acourtjester]

Thanks for posting the videos Robert the first one shows a DIY chuck on the rotary drive, makes the wheels turn in my head. What if

[robertspark]

Thanks for posting the videos Robert the first one shows a DIY chuck on the rotary drive, makes the wheels turn in my head. What if

makes me wonder how to centre the tube..... (easily..... takes a little while for me to centre an independent chuck on the lathe with a dial indicator.....). not that long but to do it continuously would be a pain in the rear

another dlidea for you.... 4 jaw roller chuck moves with torch


I just use a 100mm 4 jaw equal chuck on mine..... good for circular or square section tube.... in shortish lengths 4'

[Joe Jones]

Love your wotk Joe Jones. Total newby here so hopefully I dont sound to uneducated. I am presuming your pipe cutter can cut other shaps as well like box section and rectangle. Is that so?

I am just now looking to purchase my first plasma but I would like to look at this later. I know my customers will go nuts for it.

Ash

My cutter is moving along s-l-o-w-l-y. Mainly because of my own lack of motivation. I have a huge energy problem right now. I guess a doctor needs to figure out why I run out of energy so quickly. My blood pressure is through the roof now. The doctor calls it "The Silent Killer." so this week I will go get a Rx for blood pressure pills to get the numbers down to acceptable levels, so I can begin WALKING again, to lose weight and continue on my journey back to that youthful teenage body I used to have.

To answer your questions, YES, you will be able to cut extrusions of many sizes and shapes. Square, rectangular, round, angle iron, T-bar and even certain sizes of I-beams, depending mostly on the torch you are using. Also, you will need to have the ability to use height control as the extrusion rotates. My 6" rail riser kit offers 6" of Z for this purpose. As soon as I can get some %$^&* company to actually MAKE the extended length ACME screws for them, I will begin selling them.

The pipe cutter design has morphed several times, as the thinking process reveals new ideas, and new challenges. I have three, or maybe four different design concepts, but I am moving forward with one in particular, because of it's ability to be adapted to other brands of tables fairly easily. So even though I am making MINE for the Samson 510 table (PlasmaCAM's "Big Brother") and a smaller one for my PlasmaCam DHC2 4x4 table, this cutter can be used on any table. The owner only needs to mount the X,Y and Z motors that his or her table runs, in place of the PlasmaCam servo motors that I am using for the original design.

Update: Rather than sell this thing, I am going to get it working, make some videos of it, and then GIVE the plans and cut files away, so people can make their own version of it, making any slight changes they may deem to be necessary or convenient.

This cutter can either be mounted to the table, or made as a stand-alone unit on wheels that you can roll over to your table when you need it. You would only need to move the control cables from the table's motors to the cutter's motors, and you are ready to cut.

I needed a stiff frame for the carriage track. I first bought some 8020 aluminum extrusion and the associated connectors and hardware. They were 'Spensive, Lucy! But I decided that a rectangular frame made of 8020 would not be stiff enough. so I thought about it .... It is always dangerous when I get to thinking about things ...

Then it hit me! What is a strong, Uber-RIGID, lightweight aluminum frame that will serve as the base for the carriage track? I settled on an aluminum ladder! The Werner model 512-1 single straight ladder is PERFECT for this. It is very light weight, VERY rigid, and it can be cut to any desired length. It provides a rock solid frame that requires no welding, or hardware, or anything! The carriage track can be mounted to the side rails easily, and the crane arm can then be attached for cutting.

Tomorrow is another day. I will try AGAIN to get myself out there to move forward on this. Today I thought it was Monday, and it is only Saturday. So I am not sure if I am two days behind, or five days ahead. I really want this thing to be working very soon. I am shooting for 60" diameter cylinder capacity, but I may have to settle for 48". Certainly, it will cut fantastic designs into things like propane tanks and oil drums.

also, I am staying with the paint pen option. I want to be able to set up a tapered wooden column for example, and draw an elaborate vine pattern or some other pattern completely around it. This setup will also allow you to mount a router for carving. I see a totem pole in my future!

The 4x4 material length capacity will be 48" and the 510 capacity will be 115". I can SEE it in my mind. I just have to get out to the shop to finish MAKING IT.

Joe

[pennynots88]

I completely understand. Plasmacam is one of those companies that folks either love or hate. I happen to own several of their DHC2 tables, plus a stand alone pipe cutter that I built using the Plasmacam parts. In my particular case, I "love" the hardware/design/software, and am OK with the company. I understand their business philosophy, and have no problems whatsoever with the way Plasmacam has treated me as a customer.
watch movies

9apps download

[Joe Jones]

Ash - I'm pretty sure Joe's design is only for cutting round parts - oil drums, large barrels, etc. There would need to be an added level of sophistication to rotate, position, and cut other shapes like box sections, rectangles, etc. This would need to be a true 4 axis setup: x, y, z, and rotation.
David

You don't need a four axis machine to cut square or rectangular tubing either at a 90, or a 45, or any other angle. If you can rotate the shape, the torch can cut it. "Box sections?" I am not sure what you mean by that. Are you talking about cutting out four wedges from a square tube to bend it into a frame? The PlasmaCam table will do that.

The weather is warming up now. I am back on my "old man pills" so my blood pressure is presumably better now. I feel like it is anyway.

Joe

[adbuch]

I completely understand. Plasmacam is one of those companies that folks either love or hate. I happen to own several of their DHC2 tables, plus a stand alone pipe cutter that I built using the Plasmacam parts. In my particular case, I "love" the hardware/design/software, and am OK with the company. I understand their business philosophy, and have no problems whatsoever with the way Plasmacam has treated me as a customer.
watch movies

9apps download

Same here! I have two of the DHC2 tables and a stand alone tube/pipe cutter built with the Plasmacam parts. I agree with you 100% on both the hardware/design/software, and have had nothing but great interaction with the company and their reps/techs.
David

[Joe Jones]

Some people have a different experience.

Joe


.