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2009-01-11 120850 Homemade Plasma Cutter PDF
2009-01-11 120850 Homemade Plasma Cutter PDF
2009-01-11 120850 Homemade Plasma Cutter PDF
Table of Contents
Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
step 5: Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
step 10: My Friend George Muscotts Own (Warp Drive) cutter video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
intro: HOMEMADE PLASMA CUTTER
I Have built a homemade plasma cutter for my shop and now you can.
Check out all my pictures and videos and start building one for your shop right now.
First things first.
Like all welding equipment it can kill you if you don't pay attention to what you are doing, so be careful and double check everything, then do it again.
I am not responsible for any injuriesor accidents that may happen.
You can get most of your parts for free or very cheap off of old cars, stoves, furnaces,microwaves, dryers or any appliance that you have access too.
I'm not saying to use your ladies things, if you do and you get caught, I'm looking the other way but will say a prayer for you.
Turn on your speakers and watch my 1 minute video of my cutter melting steel like butter while listening to mission impossible tune.
Video
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
Here is the Plasanator in action.
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
step 4: The "PLASANATOR" Parts List
Parts List
step 5: Instructions
Ok, Some Notes:
Hopefully who ever you are that is looking this over, has some electrical knowledge of sorts.
At least be able to wire a switch so you can understand whats going on here.
First off, the circuit breaker on my board is something I had, to dress it up some and you dont need this type of breaker.
If you want, just use the breaker in the parts list for your fusebox, which you might already be equipped with.
The ground doesnt need to be ran through a fuse but you will need it connected to your board.
Thats another thing, connections, you can save a lot of money by just using old ? inch bolts with two nuts on them for wire main connections or any lead connection you
come across, I did in the beginning.
I have a picture for you to look at called terminal to show what I mean.
Also you can save half the cost if you would just look around for some of these parts in your own area.
An old stove, (coils) old microwave/oven combo (heavy-duty power cord wire for main leads or dc side of board), old 12 volt charger for non-working cordless drill (12 volt
transformer).
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
Do you have an old car? Or can you get to a junkyard? (Coil, wire for coil, GM control module, Spark plug.
If you just take your time you could find 80 percent of this stuff just like I did.
Now Im just saying you could find this stuff but I dont recommend building this at all, its for (EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY) and Im not responsible for anyone that
gets hurt trying to build this.
Now the fittings you need to hook the plasma head to the filter is something you will have to put together (IN YOUR MIND, NOT FOR REAL) because what ever head you
may use can be different from mine.
If you come across part say like the contactor switch, you find one cheaper but the coil voltage is 24 volts rather than 120.
No problem just tap into the 24 volt system and run that through the house switch rather than the 220, just email me with questions if you need to.
Heres a big one, when I get done cutting my capacitors still are holding a charge even when I disconnect the power, I just take a large bleeder resistor or have used also
any old choke coil.
Touch it across the negative and positive wires coming off the caps dont worry about me it doesnt make a boom like you think.
Now my rig you see was just for test purposes and to make it easy to change parts easily and quickly if I needed to.
I plan on mounting all my parts in a nice cabinet probably wood construction and put some wheels to move around a lot easier.
Hers something, most of the china torches main lead (electrode lead) is ran through the air hose, so the connection nut is your electrode or negative connection.
This means that you would have to connect the electrode cable to the air filter frame.
Its a good thing your not gonna build this because it is not an isolated circuit like if it had a transformer so one would need to be careful around this unit.
When mounting the control module to a metal platt form dont foreget to put the grease that comes with it to help cool it although it never gets hot for me.
Now thats what I would do if this was for real and not just (Educational) if you know what I mean?
The way I would do this project is start with page 1 and complete it then so on till Im done.
File Downloads
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
step 7: Now for some real pictures
Now here is a bunch of real pictures and pay attention to the ones about connecting your plasma head its very imprtant.
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
step 8: More Pictures to come
Here are some more, don't go any place.
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
step 9: And some more
Oh yea, I said more.
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
step 10: My Friend George Muscotts Own (Warp Drive) cutter video
Here is a friends cutter he made with my plans and he named his (The Warp Drive).
I figured you wanted a break and the next video is of the plasanator on its test stand getting a good look at the parts in place.
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Graaf... M & M Build A Plasma by rocketman221
Using an Auto Homemade to run on trash 900,000 volt Van tricks that you
Coil by style! by Propane Air Speaker by by jimmason de Graaff never knew
jandgse812 mcraghead Tank by Plasmana Generator using before!!! by
jandgse812 cheap parts by Plasmana
nickademuss
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 77 comments
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
Eternal_Tristan says: Jan 8, 2009. 2:42 PM REPLY
What if you are a lady?
Like So:
http://cgi.ebay.com/sh-4-torch-for-Air-plasma-cutting-50-60-A-12-
feet_W0QQitemZ130250565149QQihZ003QQcategoryZ113743QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
Is there a model number I can search for? The 50/60 Amp is the SH-4.
They can't have sold out in 1 day I assume, so hopefully I'm just an idiot today, ha.
Thanks for your help, I'm heading down to autozone tonight for that control module, and I will send you some pictures when it is finished.
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
cmikowsk says: Jan 8, 2009. 2:46 PM REPLY
???? I don't understand.
I've wondered for a while if I couldn't start the initial arc, on either a plasma or a TIG, with a piezo sparker a la my propane BBQ. We have one pulled
apart at work as a type of EMI source and it throws a quite respectable spark, with a lot less effort than using a car spark coil/ignition unit.
Unfortunately I haven't yet had time to try it out.
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
jandgse812 says: Jan 7, 2009. 9:28 PM REPLY
thank you Mackjr
I have years of experience in power electronics design, high voltage systems and control electronics. I would not attempt the design my own plasma
power section.
TOM CAUDLE
www.CandCNC.com"
I got the same answer from weldingweb, Miller Welding discussion forum, http://www.mig-welding.co.uk
They all replied that I was taking a stupid chance building and using this. So. I left it. I want to go on to build new things. Not die by building unsafe ones.
Oh well.
great instructable btw. stuff like this thrills me despite my complete lack of intention to attempt such a feat. really makes one wonder how many
things CAN'T be hacked together that normally cost oodles of money, though.
cheers
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/
Psycosisnine says: Jan 6, 2009. 9:27 PM REPLY
I dont see any China Head torch 80amp on the link you have listed... can you link us with a different example ?
Additionally, why do you care about charge being stored in your caps? It's only going to be used the next time you fire it up, and if you're not going to use it
for a while, they will bleed most of their charge over time.
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOMEMADE_PLASMA_CUTTER/