cutting table

[brucer]

i know 2 guys that bought plasmacam tables but they are 2 1/2hrs away from me in two different direction,they spent like $5,000 to $10,000..

This is why i decided to build my own, I think places want entirely too much for the tables compared to what you can make one for, especially since they are mass producing them.
If you get on youtube and look around there are many clean designs on there, some rather simple and some are pretty elaborate..
as far as building a table, You could buy a vertical mill like I did then build your table as a hobby project and you would be a several thousand dollars ahead, with a mill and plasma table at your disposal when you got the table completed...

I bought my 1972 bridgeport with the intentions of building a plasma table as a first project somewhat, which i've already started on.. I've already used the mill to machine everything to length, squaring the aluminum extrusion for assembly and milled the rails to length and put the bolt holes and rollpin holes in the rails..
Next i will mill the rails for the skates and make the skates..

Its mainly going to boil down to how much table you want, how much money your willing to spend or how much time you have and are willing to spend making one..

---------- Post added at 04:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:23 PM ----------

adding this,
the design of my table didnt start using extrusion, I was actually going to use 1 1/2x1 1/2 tubing to start with (2x2 would work also) and drill and tap it to mount the rails and racks to it, then mount it to a 1 1/2" angle frame (or 2x2 angle if i used 2" tubing).. The trick to building a table yourself is constructing it square, this is why i went to a modular type design using a frame with a bolt on top...
when my buddy offered up the extrusion for me to use I changed the design to use the extrusion in place of the tubing..

The skates will be the most time consuming, but actually kind of simple when you break them down, again i'm going cheap on the skates, i have the material for them so all i have to invest for the skates is the bearings and they are going to run me $40 for all the bearings i'll need for the whole table. If my table turns out as well finished as it has so far, I might end up buying a bladerunner electronics package for it, I dont see any unforeseen expenditures so far, the way it stands i could probably buy an ebay import electronics kit and be around $600 total for my build including gear racks, but i will have quite a bit of time in it..

just some more insight.

---------- Post added at 04:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:53 PM ----------

oh, and I planned and studied different designed tables for 2 months before I moved on designing and building my own table..

[Bluesman]

I would not know where to begin man.... I haven't been around any small CNC's enough to even know how they work.

[brucer]

I would not know where to begin man.... I haven't been around any small CNC's enough to even know how they work.

The internet is great for research, check out cnczone they have a few sections of diy builds and kit builds that have some nice designs and build logs.. alot on youtube also.