Homemade Plasma CNC- Shapeoko Router Conversion

[@justincomisk]

Awesome project and impressive production quality, can't wait to see what you do next!

[@Chemical14]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[@rudedude1686]

I've seen a straight replacement plasma torch in a shop recently, could be something to consider ...but other than that, great job guys, really enjoy videos like this 👍

[@Chemical14]

Thanks! Eve last sells one for their machine for a couple hundred $. I’m planning to buy one when we start upgrading this machine so we can have a dedicated cnc torch and a manual one.

[@replicant357]

I’m sure you probably worked out by now, but just in case , plasma cutting does have an on one side and straight on the other. It’s kinda of annoying but apart of how they operate from cheap to expensive. Wicked video , thanking you .

[@Chemical14]

Thanks!

[@petertwining5729]

Amazing, there's nothing you cant do. Thanks for the share as always. :)

[@avibank]

I'd say it is worth having a torch/router/printer hybrid when space is a concern. Having said that, I would ask myself if the Shapoko is the best platform to start from. Great result. Well done.

[@Chemical14]

Thanks! Yeah I wouldn’t recommend buying a shapeoko for this purpose but I just had one with no use for it anymore.

[@alhassan4171]

Any idea about how do you made a cam simulator please

[@shirleypetchprapa8771]

Thanks for this video! Im doing something similar with an old 3018 pro board (GRBL) and was trying to figure out which pinouts to use to connect to a relay to trigger the plasma. Once connected what code did you use to turn it on/off? How do you target those pins in code? I know on the Arduino you use the spindle code… thanks in advance!

[@onomatopoeidia]

That’s the easy part, getting around the interference I’m finding impossible. Use a single channel 12v logic high relay. 12v and common from the laser circuit goes to the VCC in pin while the PWM goes to the signal pin. In your controller software turn laser mode on for S32=1 and use any value for ‘S’ above zero to start the laser which will in turn trip the switch which you connect to the torch trigger in on the plasma machine.

[@shirleypetchprapa8771]

i built a pretty robust CNC router machine using an arduino brain and no amount of optocoupling, grounding, insulating of wires and ferrite ad-ons could get me around the EMI....@@onomatopoeidia

[@shirleypetchprapa8771]

Ive also mostly seen the PMW signal work off 5V logic and im wondering if therein lies the issue and if we can somehow trigger via 5V it can isolate from higher voltage components (?)@@onomatopoeidia

[@onomatopoeidia]

@@shirleypetchprapa8771 no the switching being affected is not the issue it’s the computer in the controller that crashes from the spikes and electro magnetic chaos. Most desktop lasers run on a 12v input and the PWM input is 0-5V zero being off 5V being maximum power the modulation/switching on/off is done to control power delivery of the laser. My plasma cutter is a HF one so that’s my issue. HF plasmas need to touch the surface to start the arc and that crashes the 5V circuit due to spikes, magnetic fields and stray high frequency . I could add a wire from the tip to the ground cable (actually positive on a plasma cutter) and then use a relay, coil and reed switch to switch off the pilot arc cable once the arc starts but easier to get a cheap non-touch machine. Even with that you still need to add bypass capacitors, shield everything and add ferrite coils and move the box. That’s what I’m going to try.

[@shirleypetchprapa8771]

ah. i bought a pilot arc/blowback non-HF machine. Pretty cheap these days if you want to avoid the headache. Finished the motion system and will fire it up today with the CNC hookup. Ive used it manually already and its great.@@onomatopoeidia

[@coupmcscoop4034]

Do you have a file for the the 3d printed holder?

[@JackInTheShop]

I am doing the same thing now with a 30X30 LongMill.

[@Chemical14]

Awesome! I was wondering if other people were doing this.

[@tcellen2136]

@@Chemical14 absolutely I'm using a Fox Alien 400x400 for plasma, routing and laser. $1K all up including the CNC with offline control, router, bits, laser and plasma cutter!

[@MrKnotWright]

Just curious, couldn't you install some sacrificial shielding plates {8 inch rolled flashing} around the perimeter to protect the belts/wires?

[@Chemical14]

We thought about ways to shield it but there aren’t any easy options. The flashing would need to be able to “accordion” or collapse and expand somehow to accommodate the movement of the gantry and carriage. You could also just let it move with the axis but it would stick out really far past the machine at the end of travel. We may still try to do something like that if we come up with a clean solution

[@dieseldood]

I don't need a huge table like this. Just a 2x2 for small parts. I've been thinking about finding a small router table from Amazon and converting it. Any thoughts on that?

[@topsecret5]

ArcDroid might be the best

[@tteurlai]

Hello guys, really impressive built/hack!!!! I have a few question…. Which cad/ cam software do you use to have the « lead in » feature for your plasma cut? I have hacked a laser CNc with a relay like you did but I can’t manage to set up a piercing delay or lead in feature as the machine still think this is a laser operating…. One of my issue is that I work on Mac and don’t have hundreds of money to spend on software like sheetcam or mac3. Greetings from France and thank you again for the video!!!!

[@Chemical14]

Hey! For my cad software I use fusion 360 and there is a free version for Mac. In the manufacturing tab you can create your tool paths for cutting. Last I checked it doesn’t come with a post processor for grbl plasma cutting though. I found a post processor made by dr D Flo on his website (he has a good KZbin channel you should check out). You can download that post processor and add it to the folder for fusion then you have everything you need to make your gcode. To run the cutter I use a raspberry pi with bCNC, also free software. There’s lots of options for that, you could also use universal gcode sender. Good luck!

[@tteurlai]

Thank you so much for your answer, I will look into that.! Keep up the great work!xxx

[@tteurlai]

Thank you so much for your answer, I will look into that.! Keep up the great work!xxx

[@tteurlai]

Thank you so much for your answer, I will look into that.! Keep up the great work!xxx

[@tteurlai]

Thank you so much for your answer, I will look into that.! Keep up the great work!xxx

[@asyaaluminyum]

ALUMİNYUM LEVHA CNC KESİM 5 MM #ALUMİNYUMCNCKESİM #ALUMİNYUM İŞLEME

[@Freetheworldnow]

Turn off this debilitating music please. I don't need this sort of interference between my ears. Thanks.