Alternative Water Pan for Plasma Cutting

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2015cmax
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Alternative Water Pan for Plasma Cutting

Post by 2015cmax »

While cutting a small parts in the unique way, it dawned on me others could benefit from this idea, especially someone who is not running a Plasma Table with a Water Pan.

Ok, I know this might get negative comments, so here the background. I bought my plasma table with all the option and accessories just because I wanted one. I am not in business. In the five years I had the table, I’ve sold two or three art pieces. They were to the same person who kept coming back. Finally told him he needs to start paying, so to his credit he did. I have fun just playing with it. No grand dream to start a business.

So the table is only used occasionally and I was doing some basic maintenance and drained the water mix. This would have been the 3rd changing of the pretty green/blue water mix. This time I discovered a lot of serious rust and pitting on the bottom of the water pan. So the water pan has been dry for several months now. I’ve had to tend to other projects had just have not had time for repairs.

So a couple small projects have come up, one I needed to make replacement brackets for my Case 580 tractor and the other was a trophy for a chili cook-off I do every year.

This is where I think some on this board my think I am completely nuts. Rather than fill up the 4x8 water table, I have been using an old stainless steel pan I have had for 30 yrs. Its 22”X20”X4” deep. It’s plenty deep, deeper than the ArcLight Pan. Last night I did a run of 8 small plaques using small left over scrap 14ga. Water did get warm but not hot. The only difficulty for me was leveling the pan so the metal laid near perfectly level in cross directions. My DTHC has never worked on my table, so making sure the material is level is super important in my setup. Anyway, I just clamp the material to the perimeter flange on the pan then run the parts. Once again it worked perfect. It's a very simple alternative. I used short lengths of EMT pipe as standoffs in the middle areas. The pan is wedged snugly in position with wood 2x4's. Hope it's useful to someone else here on PS. Here is a photograph:

Small Water Pan.jpg

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TJS
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Re: Alternative Water Pan for Plasma Cutting

Post by TJS »

Cool idea. Speaking of Case tractors. I just made backhoe bucket ears for my Dad's Case machine. He got a bucket where the seller stated it fit his model machine. I have a post here somewhere where I made the ears.
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Re: Alternative Water Pan for Plasma Cutting

Post by acourtjester »

If it works for you who cares if they like it, this may help other with a similar operation of their table. :Yay :Like
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Re: Alternative Water Pan for Plasma Cutting

Post by Ironken »

Personally, I would be on the horn with Arclight and try to resolve the THC not working issue.
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Re: Alternative Water Pan for Plasma Cutting

Post by Scratch »

Great idea! I don't have a water tray. Maybe I'll try this to see how much of a difference it makes.
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