CNC plasma cutting

[Nathan]

I posted this on another board. No responses thus far. Anyone have any input or ideas?

Friend of mine is purchasing a CNC plasma cutter. He should be in operation in 4-6 weeks. His background in mechanical/nuclear engineering and his meticulous work will offer the possibility of making some very nice custom made parts. His passion is with 4X4 trucks yet he'll make anything. He is planning to do this as a fulltime endeavor. He'll start small and expand. The question is what would you all want custom made? Any response is appreciated.


Nathan

nkuss682@famvid.com

[lowtideride]

beefy brackets for 4 link....and coil towers.

[woody]

just sent out a set of rear disc brake brackets, but the PDF is in the tech links.....we may need to talk on those...

hhhhmmmmmm......let me think......rear crossmember brackets....motor mounts....hhhhmmmm

[Nathan]

Thanks for the responses. Keep them coming. He doesn't have the machine yet. Should be here in 2-3 weeks. I'll post up some pics of his work. The unit he's getting states it'll cut 1 inch. He and I are skeptical, we'll see. He already has alot of interested folks for tabs, brackets, shock mounts, custom degree rings for the air conditioning business, plates, dash pieces etc. He'll start with simple 1 and 2 D stuff. In a relatively short time he'll be getting alarge press, bender and a larger welder. He can scan existing pieces or convert existing blueprints and files.

Nathan

[phlyfish]

Track Bar bracket to weld to the rear axle

[LC_Hamma]

8 lug LC front rotors
Front 3spd. tcase cone saver (ears around the mounting bolts crack)
Disk parking brake assy. (similar to the one MAF used to carry, but with a smaller disk that doesn't hang way down when you have an SM420)

I think he'd be in for huge business if he started looking at ways to mount different (other than SM420) low geared trannys (maybe 5 speeds too) with PLATE adaptors to the LC case. These ventures would allow us, still using the 3 spd case, to maximize our rear driveshaft length. Just a thought.......

[AMMO]

Originally Posted by lowtideride

beefy brackets for 4 link....and coil towers.

These are being used on most desert trucks, but could be used for any 4 link set up, frame boxes also avail.

[cruiserbrett]

Originally Posted by LC_Hamma

8 lug LC front rotors
Front 3spd. tcase cone saver (ears around the mounting bolts crack)
Disk parking brake assy. (similar to the one MAF used to carry, but with a smaller disk that doesn't hang way down when you have an SM420)

I think he'd be in for huge business if he started looking at ways to mount different (other than SM420) low geared trannys (maybe 5 speeds too) with PLATE adaptors to the LC case. These ventures would allow us, still using the 3 spd case, to maximize our rear driveshaft length. Just a thought.......

He's getting a CNC plasma cutter, not a mill. I cant really see a large market for anything cruiser specific, and there are already a number of places that make all sorts of tabs and whatnot made with a laser cutter/punch so the tolerances are going to be a bunch better. He's going to be out of luck making anything that needs a close tolerance bolt or other locating hole without having to drill/punch it.

[FoYoChe]

Plasma is ok, but the tolerances go to crap when you get a hole diameter smaller than the thickness, also when you go to something thicker 3/8", the natural taper of the plasma becomes really evident. like you said, the tolerances are good, but not great, think .060". CNC plasma is great, but you just have to learn to deal with it's issues, it's plenty good for steel. Since we got our laser though, we sold two of the three plasma tables, only kept the one that would do 1-1/2".

[bkfj40]

Originally Posted by FoYoChe

Plasma is ok, but the tolerances go to crap when you get a hole diameter smaller than the thickness, also when you go to something thicker 3/8", the natural taper of the plasma becomes really evident. like you said, the tolerances are good, but not great, think .060". CNC plasma is great, but you just have to learn to deal with it's issues, it's plenty good for steel. Since we got our laser though, we sold two of the three plasma tables, only kept the one that would do 1-1/2".

yep....wajerjet is the way to go...clean edges, precise cuts...just gotta pay some $$$

bk

[fj60dave]

intake and exhaust block off plates for a de-smog. made mine from 1/4" stainless steel. would be easier to purchase. i can have them cut locally for about $3 each. use the official toyota gaskets for measurements.

[stayalert]

bottle openers?

[honk]

Originally Posted by cruiserbrett

He's getting a CNC plasma cutter, not a mill. I cant really see a large market for anything cruiser specific, and there are already a number of places that make all sorts of tabs and whatnot made with a laser cutter/punch so the tolerances are going to be a bunch better. He's going to be out of luck making anything that needs a close tolerance bolt or other locating hole without having to drill/punch it.

I agree. CNC plasma cutting is a huge hobby activity and most of the hobbyists appear to be interested in producing art metal objects and sculpture of varying degrees of detail. There's interest in signage like the corny cowboy mailbox sillouettes.
There's better ways to cut metal for industrial and fabrication purposes.