Jd garage plasma table

[DavidR8]

I belong to a CNC plasma table builders group on FB and there's not a lot of love for the JD design. The usual advice is to just buy the Langmuir and be done.

 

[Cletus]

Last year, January I believe, Langmuir Systems was acquired by Shop Sabre. They say their business model shall remain unchanged and I believe this move gives them the much needed resources to forge ahead at a much greater pace. We have already noticed almost no lead-time on some items and an expansion of their product line (the MR-1 Milling Router and Titan CNC Brake for instance). I'm glad I decided to go with their Plasma Table.

Check out the Langmuir Systems Forum, great bunch of folk on there and very informative indeed:

Langmuir Systems Forum

Forums for the CrossFire series of CNC plasma tables

forum.langmuirsystems.com

 

[ttabbal]

Better be good, since the low end is $1500. Can build the JD design for ~$300. It might suck, no idea. Hobby users seem to like it well enough. I wouldn't recommend something like that for a business, that's a different market and the turnkey solution even at 5x cost is probably worth it. Time is money etc.. Different strokes and all that. And there are plenty of people that aren't into the DIY stuff for tools. Nothing wrong with that either.

I might pass on plasma other than freehand and pattern stuff. I can make a pattern on the CNC router for cheap and run the plasma around that. I got one of the cheap cutters from Amazon and it's worked pretty well for the little stuff I've done with it. I'm sure mine is iffy compared to the fancy ones out now, but when I only use it a few times a year it's not worth it to get a nice one for me right now.

I decided to try the Rack Robotics wire EDM as the next project. I'm generally willing to futz around with things, and if it's even half good, it's a big step forward.

 

[DavidR8]

Better be good, since the low end is $1500. Can build the JD design for ~$300. It might suck, no idea. Hobby users seem to like it well enough. I wouldn't recommend something like that for a business, that's a different market and the turnkey solution even at 5x cost is probably worth it. Time is money etc.. Different strokes and all that. And there are plenty of people that aren't into the DIY stuff for tools. Nothing wrong with that either.

I might pass on plasma other than freehand and pattern stuff. I can make a pattern on the CNC router for cheap and run the plasma around that. I got one of the cheap cutters from Amazon and it's worked pretty well for the little stuff I've done with it. I'm sure mine is iffy compared to the fancy ones out now, but when I only use it a few times a year it's not worth it to get a nice one for me right now.

I decided to try the Rack Robotics wire EDM as the next project. I'm generally willing to futz around with things, and if it's even half good, it's a big step forward.

I'd be very surprised if anyone could build the JD table for ~$300. Reports from the JD builders group on Facebook report it costing ~$1200-$1500 which at that point you're better off just buying the Langmuir and get a better controller and factory support.

 

[Cletus]

I am looking at the Rack Robotics Wire EDM also. Please. Keep us informed on that project if you do pull the trigger.

 

[ttabbal]

I'd be very surprised if anyone could build the JD table for ~$300. Reports from the JD builders group on Facebook report it costing ~$1200-$1500 which at that point you're better off just buying the Langmuir and get a better controller and factory support.

I just went back and looked, the one I was looking at is not the JD. The one I was looking at was from Dac's Garage, and is intended to be a portable, small unit. Not a full table setup like that. So I did get mixed up, apologies if I confused anyone. I do agree that if you are that close, go for the commercial unit. And heck, with the current inflation, steel pricing might have changed since I looked a month or so ago.

I am looking at the Rack Robotics Wire EDM also. Please. Keep us informed on that project if you do pull the trigger.

I have ordered the starter kit. I am planning to attach it to an Ender or the CNC router. I did order before the cutoff, so I should be in the current run, but I would be toward the end. I don't expect it to ship for a week or two at best. And there's a bit of a road before anything real fun happens, but I'll probably start a thread here once I get parts in. I'm running the 3D printed parts off now, so at least those will be done.

 

[DavidR8]

I just went back and looked, the one I was looking at is not the JD. The one I was looking at was from Dac's Garage, and is intended to be a portable, small unit. Not a full table setup like that. So I did get mixed up, apologies if I confused anyone. I do agree that if you are that close, go for the commercial unit. And heck, with the current inflation, steel pricing might have changed since I looked a month or so ago.

I actually built the Dac's garage unit. It was my first real metal working project. I had the parts waterjet cut locally. Total cost was a bit high for me as I had to order stuff from McMaster-Carr so the exchange rate (I'm in Canada) added about 25% to the cost.

 

[Cletus]

For the wire EDM project, I too have an Ender3 available as it was replaced recently by a V3 KE which is nice and fast.

 

[Cadillac]

Just alittle update I ended up purchasing the plans from JD. Really couldn’t go wrong for 25 bucks. I have ended up altering the plans for table size and i reconfigured the Y axis motor mount. I wanted to lighten the gantry as much as I could.
I’m about 75% done. I have the electronics completed. All the little parts are made. Need to cut down steel for table and paint frame. Should be ready in acouple weeks.
As for price I’ve been keeping track.
3D printed parts from JD and plans 120.00
2 -24’ sticks of 2x2 steel tubing 109.00
All electrical materials and electronics 130.00
Paint and etc. to finish 50.00
I had acouple things on hand already like
24v power supply, control box,and switches. I already have a hypertherm 45 that Ive had for 15yrs+. I would have to adapt for cnc control which is easy so I ended up buying a new plasma machine. I ended up getting a pro-cut65 off Amazon for a whopping 240.00. Cuts up to 1/2” severes to11/16. Should do the job fine.
The table will be able to cut 48x36. Sheet stock is 48x96 or 48x120 so my plan is. Use the hypertherm45 to cut down sheets for the table. Mount the procut65 on the machine and keep dedicated for the table.
The biggest problem I foresee is space. Not only the machine but the material, sheet stock. I’ll get it figured out but I’m busting at the seams here.
I have a question about the lagimur system does that price include the plasma machine??

 

[DavidR8]

Just alittle update I ended up purchasing the plans from JD. Really couldn’t go wrong for 25 bucks. I have ended up altering the plans for table size and i reconfigured the Y axis motor mount. I wanted to lighten the gantry as much as I could.
I’m about 75% done. I have the electronics completed. All the little parts are made. Need to cut down steel for table and paint frame. Should be ready in acouple weeks.
As for price I’ve been keeping track.
3D printed parts from JD and plans 120.00
2 -24’ sticks of 2x2 steel tubing 109.00
All electrical materials and electronics 130.00
Paint and etc. to finish 50.00
I had acouple things on hand already like
24v power supply, control box,and switches. I already have a hypertherm 45 that Ive had for 15yrs+. I would have to adapt for cnc control which is easy so I ended up buying a new plasma machine. I ended up getting a pro-cut65 off Amazon for a whopping 240.00. Cuts up to 1/2” severes to11/16. Should do the job fine.
The table will be able to cut 48x36. Sheet stock is 48x96 or 48x120 so my plan is. Use the hypertherm45 to cut down sheets for the table. Mount the procut65 on the machine and keep dedicated for the table.
The biggest problem I foresee is space. Not only the machine but the material, sheet stock. I’ll get it figured out but I’m busting at the seams here.
I have a question about the lagimur system does that price include the plasma machine??

No the Langmuir system doesn't include the plasma machine.
I'd love to have a Langmuir but like you I have no place to put it. But given how little use my Dac's Garage machine gets it's not good value on the use per sq footage equation.