Pantograph Plasma Cutting Machine Build

[tmate3]

I fabricated this pantograph shape plasma cutting machine for duplicating steel brackets and other hardware. A variable speed knurled rotor moves around an overhead mounted template. The plasma torch tip, directly below, duplicates the shape in steel up to the thickness capacity of your plasma cutter. Shapes that would fit in a 16 inch circle, and straight lines up to 36" can be cut.


The frame of the machine is constructed of aluminum extrusions from the 8020 Company. The rest was fabricated from square tubing and cold roll steel bar. A model railroad transformer and small gear motor provide variable speeds in forward and reverse.


For those interested, I have made a free set of plans for building this unit available for download in pdf format at:


https://fortuneafterfifty.godaddysit...-plasma-cutter

[DIYer]

Thanks tmate3! We've added your Plasma Pantograph to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: tmate3's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Plasma Pantograph by tmate3

tags: pantograph, plasma

[BuffaloJohn]

I built one of those pattern duplicators, though yours is much fancier than mine. I had as the mechanismfor the articulated arm the suspension from a bus driver seat to be the swinging arm, with some bits cut off so it looked like yours. The item to be duplicated was bolted to a plate on the top and a nail (finishing nail with the head welded to the moving end of the swinging arm. We tracked the pattern by a meat motor (my left hand) and the plasma torch was held in some EMT conduit welded to the bottom part of the articulated arm. The EMT was slit long ways, opened to a sort of U shape and ultimately shaped so the torch gun fit in nicely and was held in place with zip ties. Another meat motor (my right hand) activated the plasma gun switch.

We had a stack of saw blades from a saw mill that was about 4' tall and 24" to 28" in diameter. One blade held the pattern on the top with a piece of 1" all-thread and a pair of nutsclamping the all-thread to the blade, patterns facing down. Below the plasma gun was another saw blade we were cutting out pieces from.

All told, we made about 400 throwing knives. This was years ago and I never took a picture of it, wished I had...

[NortonDommi]

These were common with Oxy/Acet cutting before Plasma cutters and CNC tables. Many a hot rod hit the rod because of them. I have an old American Hot Rod magazine somewhere with plans and I think Popular Mechanics also published some.
Thank you for the link to those beautiful plans, the update to modern materials will make a huge difference in performance. Still a most useful addition to a workshop and takes up far less space than a CNC Plasma cutter table!

[tmate3]

These were common with Oxy/Acet cutting before Plasma cutters and CNC tables. Many a hot rod hit the rod because of them. I have an old American Hot Rod magazine somewhere with plans and I think Popular Mechanics also published some.
Thank you for the link to those beautiful plans, the update to modern materials will make a huge difference in performance. Still a most useful addition to a workshop and takes up far less space than a CNC Plasma cutter table!

From looking at your avatar, I thought you might be interested in this other thread on this forum. I did those shapes with my home-made CNC table though.

CNC Plasma Cut British Motorcycles

[tmate3]

The above link in the first post is no longer active. Try the following:

https://cncplasmadesign.com/downloads/