Anything welding

In a previous post, I did mention I will be putting the CUT60 and UPM back on the table.

That I have no issue with.

I won't do that yet though until I exhaust every option possible with the Hypertherm connected.

An option that remains unchecked is running the same test cuts using the hand torch. That will be the last item done before the CUT60 goes on.

How long would it take to swap? About 10-15mins if I include tramming my Z axis to ensure the torch is fully square since I've become so good at it. I would only do this if I measure the angles and do not see a perfect 90 degree from work piece to the torch.

 

Bolt kit arrived!



I am in love with all the room I have underneath



Contemplating almost removing the two center legs though

Just need to bolt on some square tubing to flatten it out, level it, tighten the bolt kit, and unclamp the square tube

 

That's a pretty long run. I'd leave the legs, but I'd move one of them to the opposite side.

 

In this configuration, I have a 2' x 6' table

Yes it's rather lengthy, but it was done this way for three reasons

1. It gives me a comfortable working space between the drill press and the table

2. In keeping the above in mind, if I resort to pushing it towards the center of the garage, I give up comfortable working space for working on a vehicle

3. I can handle overhang from a wide item with pipe jacks; if I run out of room length-wise I run the risk of the added leverage forcing someout out of square

Here I was just getting done unbolting my tubing



Leveling was "good enough" for me, I don't own a machinist level



Got the press brake off the floor finally, this is where it'll live



Just need to make ways for storing my tools now





But, you do make a good point about the length still. Ideally I'd rather run them side by side for a 4' x 3' configuration.

 

Can you move the corner legs inboard and lose the center legs?

 

The tables have countersunk holes for bolting the legs together

They only bolt to each corner, which results in the legs in the center there as you see; they can be omitted completely but not placed anywhere else under each fixture

An example of that (tables are stuck side by side in this pic)



Otherwise you can use all of them





Or, the way I did in my pics.

 

Yeah shoot. Just spitballing.

For my own edification, does a plasma torch make a kind of conical cutting stream? Or is it a perfect cylinder? if it's a cone, what's a typical angle? Like, if everything was PERFECT, would you expect a consistent angle on the cut edges? A degree? More? and does the cone come to a point like a pencil or fan out like spray paint nozzle?

 

Generally speaking, this -



Again, not trying to simply dismiss questions or concerns shown especially since anyone offering suggestions has taken out of their day to help. But I'll use this as an example of expected bevel (and what occurs on a cheap plasma cutter) -

The thing about Hypertherm though is that the output voltage is significantly higher which calls for a longer flame and less of a sudden "cone" as shown in the example.

But cutting that same piece in my own quoted post, and using the Hypertherm, provides this along the entire top edge of this part or any other test I cut out -



Yet provides the same square bottom -

 

Yeah wow, that's a lot of bevel. And that diagram is super helpful! I always wondered how the torch made such a nice square cut (when it's working!) and now I get it.

I was wondering if you had situation 2 in that diagram, where the torch head was tilted enough that your North side looked like shit, the South side looked perfect and the East and West sides looked 'nominal.' But that bevel looks like more than 2x the 'cone error,' or whatever that would be called. You would not need a level or a square to see something that out of whack!

I know you're not really looking for help - I'm spitballing for my own sake as I imagine I'll be trying to figure this stuff out here shortly. It's helpful to think about the problem for my own learning.

 

what ever this turns out to be that is causing the issue, once it is discovered the information learned will be of help to a lot of people

 

I still take people asking questions into consideration, and if it was something I didn't think about or test thoroughly enough, I'd be happy to test it.

But to address the torch being canted (the situation that results in 99% of one side beveling situations) - this is actually the first in troubleshooting I took and went over many times before even posting about this at all.

It was maybe until the 12th or 13th time that I had completely dismounted the torch assembly, reset the bearings, and loosened all the set screws and completely squared everything up again and again that I finally posted with my "wtf moment".

 

That and the many actions taken as troubleshooting on my part.

It's literally the list I go through for people I help on the CNC group - although normally the "cut results" are enough to tell me what is most likely the error.

I remember with your specific table, I made one theory as to why your bottle opener was slightly mis-shaped - I was 100% on the money because the cuts themselves tell you everything.

In this particular case, it would be a canted torch. But I have addressed the torch, torch mount, bearing blocks, and gantry multiple times to no avail

Not to mention, perfect square cuts are readily experienced on a cheaper plasma cutter and torch.

 

Pretty much Me right now

 

yep, you nailed my issue right away, that is how I know this has got to be frustrating.

I have had similar issues with other problems, an I usually did not sleep much as my brain refused to shut off enough to sleep. or if I did sleep I was dreaming of the problem and possible solutions.

I am curious to hear how the hand torch test goes. I do not have the experience you do, but knowing how your table cut before. I would highly surprised if its a mechanical issue with the table itself. my Gut says its in the machine torch somewhere. an it is going to be something that hypertherm is going to be very happy to get back in there shop for there engineers to look at.

as a side not along those line, many decades ago now back when i was helping my dad in the glass shop, we had a brand new crucible blow out on the 2nd firing. I talked him into contacting the manufacture and talking to them since this should have last about 100 times longer. once they heard what happen, they invited us up to there factory for a tour and a meeting with there engineers. they replaced the bad crucible , and gave us a BUNCH of free stuff to go with it. they said they rarely if ever get a bad crucible back since they are usually unrecoverable. the one we return along with the lot information from the bill of sale allowed them to improve there product

 

My worst trouble shooting experience was in the early days of a coffee machine company - we needed every customer to be ecstatic. We got a call from one in Minneapolis that was consistently getting 2 oz too much water. We tried troubleshooting over the phone (this was 2005) to no avail. So I packed up every single part that could be related to water volume and flew out there. Replaced the flow meter, same problem. Mother board, same problem. Valves...etc... nothing solved the problem. I call back to the office totally at a loss and my coworker asks 'how are you measuring the amount of water?" "With this pyrex..." "Try a scale." Boom. The 12 oz pyrex measuring cup's lines were printed so badly - it was 2 oz off! I don't own any pyrex measuring cups anymore. Lol.

 

Next step - ordered a depinning tool so I can move the torch firing pin on my hand torch and make it act like a machine torch, which involves also zip tying the trigger.

Saturday I plan to do some test cuts on the remaining 3/16", and if the issue still remains, plug in and run the CUT60 with UPM-105.

I want to, absolutely want this to be a table issue where somehow I fucked something up when I merely clamped my other torch.

So if the issue is resolved with the CUT60, I'll provide said information to Hypertherm and Langmuir.

If the issue remains, then my thoughts will be confirmed as a table issue and I'll begin disassembly.

 

When you say "table" you mean geometry? I just doubt it! After rubbing my own remaining two braincells together considering that chart and the angle of that bevel, I can't believe it's a table squareness issue. I think it's some voltage/torch height tomfoolery. TAKING BETS! Will @Kwikvette bevel issue be:
a) table geometry/squareness
b) physical torch issue
c) torch control issue
d) other issue that can be explained with the laws of physics
or,
e) @Kwikvette as developed an "aura"
whoever owns this thread should start a poll!

 

I want it to be the table because the table can be disassembled and reassembled!

The Hypertherm and machine torch cost more than the whole table, and there's nothing to "disassemble and put back together" as far as that goes

But let me add that those test cuts above were with torch height disabled; I have been disabling it for Hypertherm's requested test cuts, as well as the test cut files I received from my friend earlier, a Facebook acquaintance, as well as Langmuir - the test cuts performed all day yesterday and today were with THC off.

 

Fuck it, you guys should just set up a gofundme so I can get an STV table

Then I'll give away my Langmuir with CUT60 and UPM torch