Ok so I've got a CNC router I built decades ago, recently rebuilt it with a Pokerys57CNC and Mach 4 to bring it up to modern times. I need to plasma cut some parts and figured I'd slide a water table onto it and cut away!!!
I know nothing about CNC plasma cutting or very little. So questions...
1. Any advise about using a nice cnc router with a plasma cutter so I don't screw anything up? I plan on using a slide on water table to capture all the bad stuff.
2. Do I need to modify anything or can I use it as is? I assume I'd only need a THC if I were cutting all the time on it and/or warped or multi level parts.
3. I assume Mach 4 Plasma works like Mach Mill and just runs the machine with coordinates and all the other stuff like torch cut width compensation and so forth is all adjusted in the CAM program.
4. Normally I use RhinoCAD and RhinoCAM to generate my GCode. What do I use for plasma, cause I assume it has special settings for width of the plasma stream (don't cross the streams), etc... I know people use sheetcam, but is there anything I can do in my current CAD/CAM?
5. If I'm not using A THC is there a specific height I use for all materials that the torch should be from the workpiece?
6. I assume I can just turn on my plasma torch with it's existing CNC port and a relay hooked up to my Pokeys57CNC? Do I need to do anything to protect the electronics from the plasma system?
7. Last question! I hope. Feeds and Speeds for plasma, is there a chart then just tweak from there?
Thanks in advance. I can guess and research most of this, but I like the opinions of you people as you know best.