Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
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Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
I've seen all sorts of simple, easy to use supports for round tubing, even some that work for square tubing, but I'm looking to cut some relatively long lengths of 2x3 rectangular tube, like around 70" L that need various notches, etc cut from them. How can I support this? I had a few ideas, best idea I can come up with is to make something like a tailstock center on the opposite end, then make a rectangular cap that will fit around the tube with a hole through the center for the tailstock to support. Does that seem like it would work? Any other ideas?
- acourtjester
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
I assume you at talking about a manual turning device so you can cut on the top surface the turn for another side.
I would incorporate a locking device to hold each surface level while cutting. Ohmic sensor will take care of different side heights.
I would incorporate a locking device to hold each surface level while cutting. Ohmic sensor will take care of different side heights.
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
No, 4th axis CNC controlled chuck on the other end. If I was just manually turning and cutting the flat sides I would just lay the tube on the slats.
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
Supporting long lengths of square tubing is not as easy as round. You have to make it look round to the fixture. It means having a square to round adapter (s) that either clamp on the material and the torch moves u p and down the length ( while not hitting any of the adapters OR having the rotary axis shove the tube through a stationary adapter at the torch. OR have a end post to support the wild end (like a normal lathe )
- Larry83301
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
We made several different size square tubing holders just using a 4-jaw chuck from an old lathe.
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
If you were going to use a chuck, you could consider using a 4 jaw self centreing chuck. If you are holding a rectangle, you'd just need some packers to put on the narrow sides. Thats what I have in the back of my mind. You would not need many packers as there are not many RHS sections anyway.
- acourtjester
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
here is a simple way to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSknlq9YK54&t=2s
or the more money solution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcSWXSfYqAs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSknlq9YK54&t=2s
or the more money solution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcSWXSfYqAs
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Drag Knife and Scribe
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Miller Mig welder
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
Might not be something exactly what you want but I thought this could be adapted to a plasma machine for a rotary axis
http://ravenview.com/blog/2010/10/17/ho ... rth-chuck/
http://ravenview.com/blog/2010/10/17/ho ... rth-chuck/
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
I'm not sure you understood my original question. I need to make cuts on rectangular tubing that wraps around the tube. I have a CNC controlled chuck on one end, I am just looking for a simple solution to support the other of long sections. Short sections I can just tighten in the chuck and cut away without it sagging too much, but a 70" L piece definitely needs the support on the other end.acourtjester wrote:here is a simple way to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSknlq9YK54&t=2s
or the more money solution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcSWXSfYqAs
Like Tom said, I think a tailstock on the far end with a cap over the top is probably the easiest way to do it.
- steel 35
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
If you make a cut that wraps around the tubing what good is the tail stock going to be?
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- acourtjester
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
Well the second video show how somebody did it, looks like a simple 4 jaw chuck which allows the square tube to rotate and cut on the edges.
With that the main thing is having a THC that can follow. CandCNC had a video showing them cutting corrugated metal using their DTHC.
You could make a jig to attach to the end of your tubing that has a small center hole where your tail stock could attach and allow the tube of move around a center point. Like a live center on a lathe. Your half way there with the motor driven chuck.
With that the main thing is having a THC that can follow. CandCNC had a video showing them cutting corrugated metal using their DTHC.
You could make a jig to attach to the end of your tubing that has a small center hole where your tail stock could attach and allow the tube of move around a center point. Like a live center on a lathe. Your half way there with the motor driven chuck.
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Drag Knife and Scribe
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13" metal lathe
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Small Mill
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Re: Supporting Rectangular tube in rotary plasma?
The Rotary Plasma Plugin for SheetCAM cuts round, square or I-Beam shapes. It handles the 4 axis and lifts the Z on the corners to get an continuous cut.