Hello everybody.
I'm a former Ford mechanic and now a Mechanical Engineer who works with 3D CAD software by day trying to advance my fabricating skillset so I can take on bigger and cooler projects.
I enjoy every chance I get to fire up my Miller XMT 304 multiprocess MIG welder and Miller Spectrum 375 plasma cutter. My TIG experience is limited, but I love the challenge of creating a good TIG weld.
My 2 biggest projects are my CNC plasma torch table which will eventually be connected to an
Everlast 60C (CNC capable) plasma torch or something similar and will run
Linux EMC2 CNC software which is 100% free. I'd love to make this into a dual purpose CNC plasma torch and CNC router table, but unfortunately I think I'd be making too many comprimises by trying to make 1 machine with 2 purposes. The biggest comprimise would be making the machine rigid enough to handle tool chatter created by a router yet lightweight enough for the fast travel speeds required by a plasma torch. The best solution I can currently think of for a dual purpose machine will be to have a removable "girdle" to strengthen the gantry for routing jobs while being removable for plasma jobs.
Here is what my CNC table currently looks like.
I recently bought some cheap folding trailer tongue jacks with caster wheels from Harbor Freight that clamp onto the legs that will let me roll the entire table outside while still letting me lower the table down onto it's own legs for stability while operating. Eventually this table will get a removable water bed to cut down on the dust and prevent warpage of my workpieces, but for now I just want to get it running.
My other big project is my Factory 5 roadster. So far it is nothing special considering the competition in the Factory 5 community, but I'd love to fabricate a twin turbo setup someday with some custom 321 stainless headers as a future winter project. Here are a few photos of it.
