STV CNC Plasma Cutting Systems

[restorick2378]

Wondering if anyone has dealt with this company? Website is professionally done and they tout the fact that they manufacture the parts and build all the machines in their facility in Vegas. Prices seem competitive as well.

I'm looking at a table for my home shop for light fabrication purposes. Still learning all I can before pulling the trigger. Appreciate any feedback!
Rick

[cuttinparts]

Never heard of them but looks like a good price and good looking build. I would ask to talk to some owners and request a software demo to prove to yourself you like the software and get a feel for their phone support. If phone support sucks before the sale it will be non existent after the sale I am sure.

[OffRoadDevilDog]

I've spoke with them a few times. They were helpful and friendly and answered all my questions. They were able to answer more technical questions as well. I'm still on the fence on whether to order from them or spend more on a Wright CNC with more/better features but both companies are in Vegas, use the same software, are built similarly, and are very helpful on the phone so far. I haven't pulled the trigger on either so that's as far as my feedback goes.

[acourtjester]

Go slow and really check any company out there have be a few guys here having a tough time getting a table from what they thought was a good company, one guy had a table damage in shipping and that was a different type problem. You can use the search function at the upper right for info on a seller good and bad. Also Google with any problems with XXX CNC tables of similar wording.

[Hammerforge]

I just purchased the STV SparX 4800 complete package. Should be delivered end of this week or first of next week

[OffRoadDevilDog]

Cancelled my Wright order and ordered the STV 505 myself. "3-4 weeks" sounds better than "might go bankrupt and never ship your table"

[paul77]

Interested in everyone's thoughts on the stv plasma table. I am looking at purchasing there 4x8 table setup.

[shelbygrinders]

Cancelled my Wright order and ordered the STV 505 myself. "3-4 weeks" sounds better than "might go bankrupt and never ship your table"

If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean by they might go bankrupt? I was about to pull the trigger on a Wright before I read this.

[jocon57]

I cancelled my wright order as well. wright is not in a good place the lady I talked to today to cancel sounded super overwhelmed. I ordered y table march 14 and was told 10 weeks. That turned into mid August.

[OffRoadDevilDog]

Cancelled my Wright order and ordered the STV 505 myself. "3-4 weeks" sounds better than "might go bankrupt and never ship your table"

If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean by they might go bankrupt? I was about to pull the trigger on a Wright before I read this.

That's just my opinion based on my experience with Wright CNC. I don't know anything about their finances. Wright CNC told me and other customers over the phone that they have no tentative ship dates for their customers who have already ordered and paid. When I asked for a refund, I was told if I don't see a refund on my statement, I should do a charge back with my bank. That tells me they may not even have the cash on hand they've collected from customers. Chris Wright also posted on Facebook that they've laid off staff to free up the budget. Between not having money to pay staff OR refund customers,I have no confidence in their business. Another huge concern as a customer is their tech support has disappeared. Current table owners can't get a response from the company for problems with their tables, new or old. What good is the table if the company that backs it goes under?

[dmtrailercustoms]

I just purchased the STV 5x10 table on 5/22 and my expected ship date is 6/7 which is super fast for a big table. I really hope they live up to my expectations. Stv Cnc is a break off of stv motor sports in which i have heard of. My total was just short of 11k which included the xp45 laptop plasma quench and break away torch holder with a kill switch. I have talked to other owners and haven't heard to much negative. after i get this table up and running. I will post pics and vids.

[Emmons Off Road Rescue]

Wondering if anyone has dealt with this company? Website is professionally done and they tout the fact that they manufacture the parts and build all the machines in their facility in Vegas. Prices seem competitive as well.

I'm looking at a table for my home shop for light fabrication purposes. Still learning all I can before pulling the trigger. Appreciate any feedback!
Rick

Hello Rick, For what it is worth, a very experienced plasma cutter and fabricator with absolutely no plasma table knowledge, .... I was initially suspect of the company because, as you say, the website is professionally done, but when I inquired by email, I got info signed by "salesperson". I thought that highly unprofessional, and questioned future support, if I was to buy one. That thinking changed hugely today when I called and immediately got Ms. Angel to answer my questions. I am a technological idiot, through and through, yet she was on the phone, answering lots of questions, some of which she had to look up the specifics. She was honest, pleasant, and knew her stuff. Very professional indeed. I have a diverse fabrication shop, with no employees. I build some pretty complex stuff, but my eyes are going very fast, and thought I needed to switch gears quickly, and the plasma table was the way to go. Looking to purchase in the weeks ahead, and I am down to two choices, and each takes a different way of thinking on my part. The SVT 505 (seeing the pro as not worth the extra money) and with different thinking, the Landmuir Systems PRO. Some information which might be of value, and not specified in the info. Why the 505? Five foot modular cutting table, where if I decide this really takes off, and I think it will, I can add another 5 feet, making the table a 5 x 10. Well you knew that, but did you know the price to do such? $2000 as of today! I use a Hypertherm 1000 currently, which is awesome, but is going obsolete, with original torches, no longer made for it, so I will have to replace it with a Duramax torch. I don't think I want this size investment totally dependent on an obsolete plasma, of which needs a new torch anyways because of an internal broken wire. Understand this is a hard use machine, and 10 years old, and still working awesome, but not for much longer, only because of torch. As of today, I can have the 505 with water additive, water table, delivery, and drop tailgate charge, along with an outstanding new Hypertherm 45XP, software, a Lanovo computer, preloaded with all software and having an 800 DXF file, 3 or 4 USB ports, 4 megs of ram, 64 Gig Hardrive for $9379. I could drop 2400 off and use my old plasma cutter. The table is expandable, so can grow as I learn. The best value that I have found for light industrial with the potential to expand to my possible needs.

Thinking number two: The new Landmuir Systems Crosscut PRO. No expansion possibilities, 33 x48" table, definitely quality-hobby, with great support from the company. This would do so much of what I need to do, but it would allow my learning, but I would have to sell it to expand. I want to learn one time I think, as the software would be different on the STV. Inkscape looks like a definite, that I want to use, but can's speak of others. The Landmuir would allow you to get your feet wet, but would limit you for sure. The non-pro's should be able to be purchased for a song in a few more months, as the 2 x 2 table is just to small for so many, and they will sell their machines and by PRO's. The Langmuir Pro goes delivered with the absolutely necessary Digital height Z axis, for $400. The owners manual looks like about 19 pages and 25 pages to install the Digital Height set up. Look at the software coming with any machine, and here, other than free Inkscape, I am not qualified to say. Watch MikeFestiva on YouTube to see the amazing possibilities of the smallest non-pro Langmuir. He has an 8 part video series, you can drop in on any of them and see the amazing pieces he makes in his articulated dump truck project. The finest video I have seen on a metal fabrication project. $3079.00 will get you the Langmuir Pro with water table, Digital height control, and software. You will still need a plasma cutter and dry air. This would be a system that I would consider in the Non-pro, getting a cheaper cutter, which MikeFestiva is also compensated for, but looks great in the cuts. If going with the PRO, I would begin thinking the Hypertherm 45 XP.

Hope that is a useful opinion. By the way, the 4 foot SVT is also modular and would take 500 or so off the price of the 505. Give Ms.Angel a call, and she will make you feel warm and fuzzy about the SVT CNC's support. I have a great deal of experience with industrial manufacturing linear motion, components, and in real world scenario, the SVT is of good quality, best comes with servos and software, but the linear rails look fine, and in the 505 non -pro, the table build quality is functional. The money is on the top, with a few more bells and switches and full welded frame on the PRO model versions. I am going to go with that not being necessary for home use. Do look (for the purpose of seeing its function only) the cantilever on the Langmuir. Amazing, it works! You can say all you want about a bad design, but it works, and really well. (Slower steppers and reduced weight helps for sure.). Good luck.

I currently use the Hypertherm free hand, and enlarge by hand with a manual old pantograph. Looking forward to buying very soon. I don't have a lot of money to play with, so we are in a similar boat. Best wishes. Shane

[OffRoadDevilDog]

I've been using a Powermax 1000 with the upgraded MRT Duramax torch on my Crossfire and it's a fantastic machine. Much heavier than the 45XP or PM65 but I don't move it around. 5 less amps than the PM65 obviously and less of a duty cycle but the cut quality is fantastic. If I had the option of spending the $680 on a MRT torch for the PM1000 or spending $2400 on a 45XP, I'd take the PM1000 any day. I recently ordered a PM85 to go with my STV 505 table but only to get that longer duty cycle and faster cutting speeds. I cut 1/2" AR500 often and plan to do some 5/8" A36. It'll be nice to not think about duty cycle.

Two things to consider about STV's modular tables vs their PRO tables. The STV modular tables have 2 huge weak points in their design in my opinion. The bolt together table isn't very sturdy, and the direct drive Nema 34 steppers can't accelerate the ~140lb gantry fast enough to maintain cut quality at high feed rates on thin metals. The Pro gives you the welded frame and 3:1 belt gear reduction. My issue with the Pro is I don't have a way to unload a 800lb+ table off my trailer and into my garage. So I'm stuck buying the modular, building a 3x3 .120 or .188 square tube frame in place, and adding gear reduction to the gantry. I'll save a little money in the long run doing it this way but it'll cost me time welding the frame together. Luckily, I like doing that sort of thing ha.

I think the STV Pro really bridges the gap between the true light industrial tables priced in the $15-20k range and the hobby grade Crossfire at ~$3k. Other table builders that price their tables between $5k and $10k have the larger cutting area and move to a rack and pinion drive system, but still suffer with an unstable frame, no gear reduction, out dated software, roller bearings, and/or lack of support from a small company. The thing to consider with the STV Pro is the Pro has only been out a few months and there's virtually no feedback from the field. STV is relatively new to the CNC world and has very little feedback as well, especially when it comes to Tech Support. We've already seen companies like Cutting Edge Plasma and Wright CNC fail miserably at tech and customer support. They priced their tables so low, they can't employ any staff to support their customers after the purchase. Time will tell if STV follows suit.

[Hammerforgefab]

I have a Sparx4800. Best money I have spent!!!

[OffRoadDevilDog]

I have a Sparx4800. Best money I have spent!!!

Good to hear, welcome to the forum. How does it do on 18 or 16 gauge at faster feed rates? Heavy dross and heat in the corners or not too bad?

[Precision.wf]

I looked for a long time for a place to buy another table, I had a trucut cnc before 4x8 had it for 8 years sold it went to buy another and then found out they where closing...… so I called and searched, I was a little nervous before buying from stv until. I called and spoke with angel and a few others there they were extremely helpful and very knowledgeable. I purchased in full about three weeks ago a 5x10 with powermax85 it will ship the end of this week coming. already have my computer from them, ill update once machine is set up. but if anybody has any librecad experience please contact me I was use to rhinocad and im completely lost on librecad

[Hammerforgefab]

I have a Sparx4800. Best money I have spent!!!

Good to hear, welcome to the forum. How does it do on 18 or 16 gauge at faster feed rates? Heavy dross and heat in the corners or not too bad?

Can't really speak on those gauges, but 12 and 14 comes out with minimal dross. Haven't notice any bad heating in corners.

[OffRoadDevilDog]

I have a Sparx4800. Best money I have spent!!!

Good to hear, welcome to the forum. How does it do on 18 or 16 gauge at faster feed rates? Heavy dross and heat in the corners or not too bad?

Can't really speak on those gauges, but 12 and 14 comes out with minimal dross. Haven't notice any bad heating in corners.

That's awesome, i picked up mine today. I can't wait to get it together and get started.

The folks at STV are awesome, nothing but good things to say so far. After doing their on site training and demoing their machines, I'm really glad i purchased from them.

[kyeakel]

I ordered the SPARX 4800 several weeks ago and each week have been told that it would ship the following week. Now they're saying controllers are being held up in customs and it won't ship for another week to week and a half. Not the best experience so far...
Kipp

[Precision.wf]

I ordered the SPARX 4800 several weeks ago and each week have been told that it would ship the following week. Now they're saying controllers are being held up in customs and it won't ship for another week to week and a half. Not the best experience so far...
Kipp

got the same thing but did receive my shipping confirmation today. Any other time I wouldn't have understood the customs issue, but im have the same issues with some parts I ordered for a job that im doing its been at customs for a week.

[kyeakel]

Got my machine on july 9th, overall I'm impressed with the quality of the components. So far I've assembled the frame, leveled and squared it. My concrete floor was not level enough, so i asked customer support what they recommended, the response was that they had an optional leveling kit for $300. I just used a floor jack and bolted pieces of 6x6 to the legs. Customer support is very responsive, and helpful.
Kipp