Pricing, Gathering needed items & discussing my 1st table build

[N2 Welding]

I'm not quite following the whole setting the tank at the plasma psi thing. Are you saying to set the output psi of the added auxiliary tank to the plasma cutter requirements ? I had not thought of that as I was just thinking of adding a tank to go from 60 to 120 gallong reserve reservoir. Not quite sure how that could be done. Oh wait. Run an out from the extra tank at a lower psi. Either way the plasma power supplu air will be regulated per material requirements.

Pics of where I'm leaving off for the night: it's difficult to take good pics at night :/

[djreiswig]

Looks good. Another thought I had is I think you want to plumb the hot air to the top of the cooler and pull the cool air off of the bottom. That's the way car radiators flow since heat rises.

[N2 Welding]

Make a transition.

That video simplified the circle inside a square layout. Thanks and immediately after watching that video I had a couple other sheet metal layout videos get suggested by YouTube.

This following video granted is pretty long and drawn out pun intended :p “ some would consider too long and boring “ but he goes from drawing out the plans to cutting out the sheet and two different brakes one of which had an angle gauge for dividing the 12/360 at 30 degree intervals for the circle. He finished up on the finger brake and by joining his pices togeter to completethe circle inside of a rectangle.

Unfortunately I don’t have all those cool tools like a finger brake . I do have a Pexto seam/bead roller but I don’t have all the different dies so it’s like not even having it lol.

In this instance with what I am making I actually have a rectangle inside of a circle. Not sure if that would be done with the same principle and layout or if that would be some other type of layout.

Looks good. Another thought I had is I think you want to plumb the hot air to the top of the cooler and pull the cool air off of the bottom. That's the way car radiators flow since heat rises.

Exactly while gravity may also help to pull the moisture down to the bottom outlet.

[N2 Welding]

Is there a known standard for water table depth when designing a water table.

I’ve been thinking of ways to make the water table deeper than the frame tubing of 2.5”

Thinking 4” may be deep enough but I have never even used a plasma table or really seen one in person long enough to study the different designs of any table.

[TJS]

Whatever you do. DO NOT use the picture frame method. This is when you use Angle as the perimeter frame to make similar to a picture frame. Then you weld sheet (I used 1/8") to the bottom of the angle. No matter what I did, it warped. I had to make brackets to pull the sheet back down to the table crossmembers. It was bad. I followed the plans that were part of the PPLC instructions. Never again. Get a piece brake bent and just weld the corners. I think mine is about 4" total depth.

[N2 Welding]

Yeah the plan is to have a shop bend up a 5’ x 10’ sheet to be 50” x 100” I’m just trying to get an idea on the optimum water table depth so I can make the plans for a shop to cut and bend up the water pan.

[SegoMan DeSigns]

Couple of comments here:

Clarification on PSI, my tank is at 150 psi, the "Big Joe" regulator keeps my manifold at 120 psi which is the max pressure for one of my Hypertherms. Pressure adjustment for the material cut is done at the machine.

With some creative plumbing you could incorporate the cooler line and tank into one automatic tank drain valve.

My 2x2 table tank is 3" deep, I made the tank on the 6 x 12 table 5-1/2" deep thinking they would be less splashing. It still splashes on cuts next to the edge. Depending on slat spacing and parts being cut a deeper tank will allow parts to sink out of the torch path and prevent collisions..

Here the brake that did my 6 x 12 pan:

[N2 Welding]

How do you holds slats in a 5.5” deep water pan?

[acourtjester]

I use a 2"X 2" X3/16" angle for a frame and 1/4" round pins to hold the slats and 1.5" X 1/8" slats. the pins are offset to cause a bend in the slats to hold them in place and easy install and removal. For a longer water table I had 4 pins so the slats formed an "S" shape, better holding of the slats.

new water table (5).JPG

4x8 table new.JPG

DSCN1651.JPG

[SegoMan DeSigns]

The metal supplier I use has a 20 x 50 HiDef unit so I laid everything out Tank / Tray / Slat Supports for a 1 cut process from 3/16" HR.

IMG_20200616_182436636.jpg

Slat holders are bolted to a small welded on tab (lower right of pic under the 1st slat). I used the 2x2 to cut a few slats and fingers for sheet support then I did a nest to expedite cutting the remainder slats (11 ga). This was a good test for the THC

IMG_20200807_213630065~2.jpg

IMG_20200807_214913403.jpg

The center row of slat support & slats are in 2 sections for ease of removal (4 bolts / section) for 12" deep box metal cutting

[N2 Welding]

I use a 2"X 2" X3/16" angle for a frame and 1/4" round pins to hold the slats and 1.5" X 1/8" slats. the pins are offset to cause a bend in the slats to hold them in place and easy install and removal. For a longer water table I had 4 pins so the slats formed an "S" shape, better holding of the slats.
new water table (5).JPG
4x8 table new.JPG
DSCN1651.JPG

Thanks Tom,

I could see using some tubing welded to the lower 2x2 angle cross slats and then using pegs that fit into the tubes welded to some 2” flat upper support slats. that would make for 4” deep stat top surface. I’m hoping to be able to get the water up to kissing the underside of the materials being cut and have all that lining up with the outside edge of the main table frame so materials can be loaded with out damaging the water pan. Lots of thinking to do. I recently watched an Ark Light Dynamics video that showed the table having rollers on the loading side. Lots of things to consider for ease of loading etc.

The metal supplier I use has a 20 x 50 HiDef unit so I laid everything out Tank / Tray / Slat Supports for a 1 cut process from 3/16" HR.


IMG_20200616_182436636.jpg


Slat holders are bolted to a small welded on tab (lower right of pic under the 1st slat). I used the 2x2 to cut a few slats and fingers for sheet support then I did a nest to expedite cutting the remainder slats (11 ga). This was a good test for the THC


IMG_20200807_213630065~2.jpg


IMG_20200807_214913403.jpg


The center row of slat support & slats are in 2 sections for ease of removal (4 bolts / section) for 12" deep box metal cutting

Thanks SM,

I like the look and idea of minimal material contact on the slats to reduce slat damage or material slag at cut line where it meets under the slats. My biggest concern would be scratches on the bottom side of materials during loading with those sharp points like that on the top of those material support slats.

I’m thinking a lot of materials will get slid onto the table from the side.

[SegoMan DeSigns]

The material size, loading and unloading method is a determining factor on that. The damage is minimal and comes out with a flap disc or abrasive blasting. Slats last much longer and clean up quicker as most of it is under water with that design. The only complaint I have with it is the sharks likes finger sandwiches.

[N2 Welding]

Oh ok. Yeah I like the idea of less dross build up on the slats for sure

Me not having a fork lift makes me think of loading issues. Obviously thicker smaller cuts could be slid on by hand and scratching can occur.

Finger sandwiches always ruins my day/week.

[SegoMan DeSigns]

Do some searching on Y/T people have reinforced rafters and hung a trolley beam off of them. Jib cranes are an easy build as well. This is down the road after the table is working projects.. The thing about slats is when they are cut up you can try a different design..

[N2 Welding]

Research is all I've been doing

Plugging away at this shroud after finding out I had some bed frame scrap to use It's always a good day/feeling knowing you don't have to try to bend material into 90 degree right angles.

[N2 Welding]

Ok got both sides of that coped picture frame welded and ground down smooth. Thinking the plan is to add two more right angle sections that fasten to the outside of the radiator to hold it in place. Thinking self tapping screws to hold the outside angle brackets down then also using the Derale Plastic zip ties with bushings so it's tight and wont vibrate and clatter like a knocking rod in a bad engine :p

I still need to trim the inside of the rad shroud to open it up for max air flow. It's welded out, belnded smooth and pretty much ready to go once I trim the inner area to gain max air flow. I'll weld the pic frame to the flat firewall piece then move on to figuring out how to mount it tight against the compressor shroud :/

[N2 Welding]

Couple more pics to give a better perspective.

[djreiswig]

You're blocking quite a bit of your core with that angle iron. Maybe trim the inner part of the square back a little.

[N2 Welding]

Yes that is what I have planned on doing. That is where I left off last night. I wanted to get it all welded up solid and square before I trim it down to size.

Anyone know of a heat resistant type weather stripping or caulking I can use between the radiator and the square base to eliminate rattling and air leaks? I know PL makes a decent paintable polyurethane but not sure on temperature rating.

For now the plan is to use more right angle to sandwich the radiator between the bottom pic frame and 2x top side pieces. Useing the foam should seal it air tight and add anti vibration.

EDIT:

I found some 1/8” thick by 1/2” BBQ sticky backed polyacrylonitrile felt material sealer that are rated for high temps. One says it’s good to 500F and another for $3 more says it’s good to 800F. Not sure if there are any differences between the two.

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809CF992-7EEA-4FAB-B128-CAA29546D38A.png

[djreiswig]

Hi temp RTV? You can get it in a caulking tube.

[N2 Welding]

The new extruded aluminum arrived a while ago and I was dredding opening it. It turned out to be good this time as far as I can tell.

I'll probably end up using some type of silicon sealer but I really don't like that stuff. Thinking I'll try using the after cooler and measuring the base temps where the sealer needs to go to determine the max temps. I'd rather use polyurethane sealer as it is stronger and paintable

Got the picture frame cut out to about the same size as the rad after cooler and most of the stich welds done. I did not grind off the paint on the flat panel with the circle opening that contacts the plastic compressor shroud. It was marked for locating the picture frame. If I ground the paint off then the aligning marks would have been removed. I just want to get it done knowing I'm super slow :/

So it's a slow process of weld and let it cool and let the shop air out. Burning paint fron China is nothing I want to inhale :/

Pics:

[N2 Welding]

More progress:

[N2 Welding]

Cut down some 1"x3" tube from some scrapped exercise equipment to make some side plates that'll be used to secure the after cooler rad to the base plate/frame.

[N2 Welding]

This:

[N2 Welding]

This is what I'm thinking to fasten the two together.