?s on a Table Build

[oneweldingpapa]

I introduced myself a few days ago and talked about a table I want to build. It's a long term project that impatient me does not want to wait on. I"m thinking build a smaller table for now and use it as a learning program for myself. So now I"m talking a 5 x 10, Plasma only. No water table unless the cut quality is going to suffer a bunch. I have a few questions that can hopefully get answered here.

1. What size of rails and guides? I was thinking Hiwinn. 20, 25, 30, 40 ? Which profile or type?
2. Water tables seem to be very common here. Is it for cut quality, smoke, or both? I usually don't heat the working part of my shop except with a space heater if it gets too cold so heat loss does not bother me much. Any thoughts?
3. I would like to keep the rails separate from the table. Like a 8X4X10# H beam on 4 X 4 post with a pad for fastening to concrete. I want to make the rails long because I would like to add a vacuum table in the future with maybe a separate gantry for a scribe and a 3hp water-cooled router.

While I definitely have my own ideas I know there are a bunch of people out there with a bunch of knowledge from building their own. I"m open to whatever anyone feels to post on here. What you would or would not do. What you would do differently on your own table. If my ideas are bad but if so please tell me why you think so. Thanks in advance. I hope to hear from some out there with their own build experience and smarts.

Oneweldingpapa

[acourtjester]

My vote is for a water table, the amount of metallic dust plasma generates is problematic. The water table removes the dust and contains it, a ducted air exhaust you need to filter it and or deposit it outside.

[oneweldingpapa]

I work with dust control systems so that’s not an issue if I need to go that route. Is the cut quality actually better with a water table than with a down draft system? That’s my ? .

[Thor]

I have a neighbor that built a table with the rails separate from the bed. Put the bed on wheels so he can roll it out and load it etc. Only problem is when he puts it back in its never in the exact same spot and the torch is thus never square to the plate anymore.

You can find my table build here https://www.cnczone.com/forums/plasma-e ... build.html
May need to have the photobucket hotlink fix extension in your browser to see all the pics, not sure anymore.

I used Hiwin 30mm rails on X and Y and 20mm on Z. I used trucks with double seals and scrapers on the outer edges, single seal and scraper on inner and they seem to be holding up pretty good

[oneweldingpapa]

Thanks for the information. I would not be moving my table at any given time so no issues there. The info on the rails is great. Is there a way for me to see your photos? I do not have Photobucket. Do I need to get it in order to see your build? It looks interesting. Thanks.

[Thor]

You don't need photobucket, just a browser extension to fix the links back when photobucket tried to dump everyone.

If you use Chrome web browser, this works good. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... aedg?hl=en
There are others for other web browsers just google it.

[SeanP]

I don't really see much difference in cut quality with no water in the table, it certainly kills a lot of the smoke/ dust but not all of it, I have my table enclosed except down one side for loading and have a wall fan as well, that works well, can cut galvanised tube no problem and the shop is clear of any fumes.
Water is good to be able to pick parts off to work on without getting roasted!

I am very happy with how mine turned out, it's been in use nearly every day for the last 5 yrs, I only used cheap linear rail/blocks, the gantry rail blocks needed replacing last year as did the pinion gear on the gantry, Y axis all still good.
Maybe wish I had a double rail setup on the gantry rather than single, just see a little wiggle on sharp corners at full whack.
I went with 30mm rails, sure 25mm would be fine and say 2 x 20mm or even 15mm on the gantry.

One thing I don't see much with diy or pro tables is having the sides higher than the slats, mine are around 60mm up, so handy to place stops up against, but more so is being able to pry up sheets with a piece of tube under to roll sheets on and off, I can roll a full sheet of 12mm on up to stops, pry up and pull out the tube, lower down and ready to go, I'd be lost if I hadn't made it that way.
I now have a forklift and still use the tube for final positioning.

A few pics here https://goo.gl/photos/KX4EChnngmNtH4e18

[SegoMan DeSigns]

I have a neighbor that built a table with the rails separate from the bed. Put the bed on wheels so he can roll it out and load it etc. Only problem is when he puts it back in its never in the exact same spot and the torch is thus never square to the plate anymore.

Tell your friend he needs to use v-groove castors for alignment

[oneweldingpapa]

You don't need photobucket, just a browser extension to fix the links back when photobucket tried to dump everyone.

If you use Chrome web browser, this works good. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... aedg?hl=en
There are others for other web browsers just google it.

Thanks a bunch. I can see the build now no problem.

[oneweldingpapa]

I don't really see much difference in cut quality with no water in the table, it certainly kills a lot of the smoke/ dust but not all of it, I have my table enclosed except down one side for loading and have a wall fan as well, that works well, can cut galvanised tube no problem and the shop is clear of any fumes.
Water is good to be able to pick parts off to work on without getting roasted!

I am very happy with how mine turned out, it's been in use nearly every day for the last 5 yrs, I only used cheap linear rail/blocks, the gantry rail blocks needed replacing last year as did the pinion gear on the gantry, Y axis all still good.
Maybe wish I had a double rail setup on the gantry rather than single, just see a little wiggle on sharp corners at full whack.
I went with 30mm rails, sure 25mm would be fine and say 2 x 20mm or even 15mm on the gantry.

One thing I don't see much with diy or pro tables is having the sides higher than the slats, mine are around 60mm up, so handy to place stops up against, but more so is being able to pry up sheets with a piece of tube under to roll sheets on and off, I can roll a full sheet of 12mm on up to stops, pry up and pull out the tube, lower down and ready to go, I'd be lost if I hadn't made it that way.
I now have a forklift and still use the tube for final positioning.

A few pics here https://goo.gl/photos/KX4EChnngmNtH4e18

Thank you. Nice build and I like the idea of having the slats set down instead of flush. I believe that is how Victory Plasma does their tables also. I do want to do a double rail on the gantry for the reasons you mentioned. I seriously doubt I am going to build the perfect table first time around but I do want it to be well built and work correctly when I fire it up. I am really, really happy there are people out there willing to share the knowledge that I do not yet have. Thanks again. Yoyr google photos are gone like everything else that wasn't saved when they shut down. I was a bit POd when they pulled that stunt.

[SeanP]

[/quote]
Youre google photos are gone like everything else that wasn't saved when they shut down. I was a bit POd when they pulled that stunt.
[/quote]

Thanks, I never noticed that, fixed it now.

[Thor]

Tell your friend he needs to use v-groove castors for alignment

No, picture the bed as a separate table on casters, then the gantry and side rails are on another "table" with casters. It works for what he uses it for, but not very precise or repeatable.