laser or water jet cutting

[Bubber]

Does anyone have access to a laser or water jet cutting?

 

I would like to ask some questions.

Can a cut be made from a pattern or do you have to have a digital file?

I understand a file would be better but some of us don't have the ability to make them and do it right the first time.

Any body got any contacts?

Just inquiring at this point.

Bubber

[Flyinfool]

As far as I know all lasers and water jet machines work from a digital file.

 

I do not have access to a laser or water jet machine, but I do have the ability to draw it up to create the digital file.

[Freebird]

We have a number of water jets where I work. None of them have a manual mode, they all require a digital file. They are very high end units and I don't know if there are other models that can be run manually but I have never seen one.

[Eck]

If you happen to locate access to one, I too would like to have something made...

[Bob Myers]

I have a friend who has a digitizer/scanner to make a DXF from a part. He scanned a parking brake lever for me and generated the DXF in under 2 minutes. It took me longer than that to start measuring it.

We had 100 pieces laser cut from his DXF and they were absolutely perfect. The hole in the end even transferred within .0025"

 

So, find someone with a digitizing scanner and they can generate the DXF or DWG whatever you need

[jakester]

What about a good ole plasma cutter?

Bill

[Black Owl]

And if you are interested in water jet cutting, my neighbor is a water jet mining expert. Gold, Nickel, Uranium, etc.....

 

Now if that don't help you, I know someone who is an expect on all things... :rotfl:

[Bubber]

and if you are interested in water jet cutting, my neighbor is a water jet mining expert. Gold, nickel, uranium, etc.....

 

now if that don't help you, i know someone who is an expect on all things... :rotfl:

 

 

Self promotion?

 

Oh? Other than me.... Never mind!

[coop]

you'll need a dfx file. i'm working with a local shop right now on some chrome pieces i'm makin for my rstd. if it works out i may offer them to the guys on the forum

 

bob

[spike13]

i may be able to help you out what you thinking about?

[Bubber]

i may be able to help you out what you thinking about?

 

 

I was just playing with ideas at this time. I want to be able to talk to someone about it when I decide what the heck I am really doing.

 

Bubber

[Bob Myers]

With your pattern a digitizer scanner can generate a DXF file. As long as it is 2 dimensional it will be a snap. If it has angular features on the sides or a step,etc then it may get weird to scan.

Most laser house' have a $100 minimum or so. You be highly surprised what you can buy for that min fee in quantity.

[syscrusher]

With your pattern a digitizer scanner can generate a DXF file. As long as it is 2 dimensional it will be a snap. If it has angular features on the sides or a step,etc then it may get weird to scan.

Most laser house' have a $100 minimum or so. You be highly surprised what you can buy for that min fee in quantity.

 

 

I'm guessing not too many, if one?

[Black Owl]

I was just playing with ideas at this time. I want to be able to talk to someone about it when I decide what the heck I am really doing.

 

Bubber

 

As old as you are, by the time you figure what you are really doing, you will have forgotten why you were doing it.....

[Bob Myers]

As old as you are, by the time you figure what you are really doing, you will have forgotten why you were doing it.....

 

Ouch:stirthepot:

[Flyinfool]

Forgotten why he is doing what??

[Bob Myers]

This plate is made from .25 plate. When I first started making it the mill time was roughly 34 minutes per part. Had to fixture it twice, once to cut inside, once to cut outside. At that point they were costing me app $34 to make. I am having them laser cut for less than $6.00 each. Huge savings, they hold +-.002 on the large hole in the middle too.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Bob Myers

[syscrusher]

This plate is made from .25 plate. When I first started making it the mill time was roughly 34 minutes per part. Had to fixture it twice, once to cut inside, once to cut outside. At that point they were costing me app $34 to make. I am having them laser cut for less than $6.00 each. Huge savings, they hold +-.002 on the large hole in the middle too.

 

You have me thinking now. You didn't say who you give your business to? Do you supply the plate metal or do they? What if I have several like (100/6) = 16 different parts to do, still $100 minimum? Thanks.

[Bob Myers]

They supply the plate, when i was machining on mill I supplied plate so that made the savings even greater.

If you are making several parts from same thickness and they can be easily nested to maximize cutting time(laser on, travelling to next cut at a minimum) then likely it would not be $100 for each but rather a total batch price. If you have a DXF send it to me and I'll get my guy to quote it for you. I do lots of work with these people, they do my laser and plasma work, I do their machine work so my pricing "should' be better than others would get.

If holding a tight tolerance isn't needed we could possibly do the High Def Plasma, it cuts butter smooth up to about 3/8, and pretty smooth up to about 1". Cost is about 60-70% price of laser

[syscrusher]

They supply the plate, when i was machining on mill I supplied plate so that made the savings even greater.

If you are making several parts from same thickness and they can be easily nested to maximize cutting time(laser on, travelling to next cut at a minimum) then likely it would not be $100 for each but rather a total batch price. If you have a DXF send it to me and I'll get my guy to quote it for you. I do lots of work with these people, they do my laser and plasma work, I do their machine work so my pricing "should' be better than others would get.

If holding a tight tolerance isn't needed we could possibly do the High Def Plasma, it cuts butter smooth up to about 3/8, and pretty smooth up to about 1". Cost is about 60-70% price of laser

 

Thank you much for the info. It'll be a while on my end but I have a list of free 2D drawing packages to evaluate and then I'll start using the winning one to create drawings for some pieces parts. This is exciting!

[DragonRider]

Don I agree with you about the digital machines that are being discussed, but there are some very big ones out there that are completely manual, my son uses them every day at the company he co-owns. But these are water jet cutters meant to cut very thick metal up to 3-4 inches thick, like railway tank cars, storage tanks, chemical tanks, and the such. These are set up to run on a rail that is set up on the object being cut. My son travels all over the country doing this because there are very few companies that have this capability. They have to transport their cutters in two 16 foot enclosed trailers. I too, would love to have access to one like they use at OCC. That machine is awesome, and very very expensive.

 

We have a number of water jets where I work. None of them have a manual mode, they all require a digital file. They are very high end units and I don't know if there are other models that can be run manually but I have never seen one.