Plasma and Router Table considerations

[ClarKent101]

Hello all, I've been planning on building my own plasma table and have it half made, the base at least with a waterbed.

If I were to use this also for CNC routing, I'm assuming I would need some bigger motors and a strong gantry. Are there any succesful builds that have been on here that others have done or any recommended motor sizes etc. or anything else I should be looking at? How would the wood be clamped on a water bed also?

Thanks in advance!

[adbuch]

Please post some photos of your "water bed" so we can see exactly what you have built. You will need to mount a spoil board to the top of your cutting grates for clamping your wood material that you intend to machine with your router. After mounting, the spoil board needs to be machined (fly cut) to insure that the top surface is parallel to the x-y plane of motion. Motor sizes will depend on the weight of your moving parts (gantry, carriage, spindle) as well as the size router or spindle you intend to mount as well as depth of cut/router bit diameters you intend to use.

David

[acourtjester]

I have built and sold tables that were both plasma and router, all steel construction. On most the steppers I used 425 OZ for the Y and Z axis and a 960 OZ on the X. I used 36 volt for the Y and Z drivers and a 60 volt for the X. I switch out the water table for the spoil board along with the mounting for the torch or router. I use a boom for the plasma cable and router power with vacuum hose. Images of 3 different table, I have supports under the water table and spoil board so they can be slid off/on when I change functions of the table. David is correct about wanting the spoil board to flat for consistent router action. Since you are in the preliminary stages of construction if I can help with info just ask. I have a package showing all aspects of building a table completely from scratch (electronic included). The lady wanted a pink one. PVC tube for vacuum did not have the hose hooked up in the image.

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