24" x 48" expansion possibility

Won’t be taking pre orders. Quantity available shouldn’t be an issue, nor should price!

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I think this is an obvious question, but this expansion means no water table ?

From what I remember this expansion kit utilizes the entire water table in the y axis.

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First 2 weeks seemed like it was 2 months. Thank you for the updates on it.

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Shouldn’t need a new water table until they do the actual 2’X4’ upgrade. Which I don’t think they are planning.

I am not sure if I am missing something, but why do we need a 24" x 48" expansion… The table was designed open ended to allow cutting larger pieces. You could in theory cut any length piece. I just got done cutting a few long pieces - was painfully simple. I see no practical use for such an expansion other than cost and consuming tons of floor space. However, althought 24 x infinity is quite easy - you are mostly constrained to the 24 inches… unless you jump through a lot of hoops. I see the 33 inch adaptation as being much more useful… as right now at 24 x infinity , I can cut about 90% of the things i would need to cut - and at 33xinfinity , i could 100% of the things i would need to cut…

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I use my table to provide for my family, time is money. If I could put a 24x48 piece of plate on the table, square it once and cut all of it vs moving and resquaring 3 times, that’s less time wasted on material handling. That in turn means more time being productive, which generates revenue. Everyone uses it for different reasons, some just to toy around, others to make money. To me, the size is it’s biggest drawback.

The cantilever gantry is what drew me to the machine in the first place, along with the “small” footprint. Most have realized that a 2x4 table is a perfect compromise between the 2x2 and 4x4.

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Yeah i get where you are coming from , I just sold my first production peices this week - only 50 bucks - but they were small and it was a start. So, I really don’t see this as a production set up… If i were making good money in viable business with good shop space, Id probably have no problems spending 15k on a setup – rather than 1500 spent on this. So, you have to consider the target market. my market -is to test products for my webstore, that i can go to my manufactures and have made in volume if needed. and also to fill quick turn around - when my regular fabricators are backlogged. I cannot produce at a rate on this - that would allow me to compete - with my wholesalers. So though i sell about 80k of metal goods per year, I would not expect to do it off this table - in my garage. but its perfect for me to find target markets - without huge investment and risk.

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I agree, although I regularly use mine as a production unit, I would never suggest or advise someone to this machine for production work. Again though, all depends on what you’re doing with it and allowable footprint. My original intent was to have it for small parts and prototyping to later outsource to a laser shop, but I’m at such a low volume, it’s not feasible yet. I have a 600sq ft building, that has to house all my tools plus be able to fit customer vehicles, leaves my table options very limited. Until the next window of opportunity opens, knock on wood, I’m going to continue to push this little gemstone to its limits. It’s literally made me thousands of dollars already, numerous >100 part batches, TONS of oddjob pieces and nearing the 400 part count for a product of my own(all 1/4” and 100% made in house).

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Maybe it’s too small for a big fab shop, but like you said, depends on your volume, needs and space available. I have a sideline business making custom tanks and add-ons for the endurance motorcycle community. No issues with the table’s ability and I just don’t have space for something much bigger (I might squeeze in a 2x4 but no way I have room for a 4x4 or bigger table).

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Show me a 4x4 table that is only 4x4! most of them are nearly 6’x6’ some closer to 8’. If I had a 10,000 sqft fab shop I could see devoting 100 sqft or more to one machine. But my little tinker cave can’t handle that and still allow cars in to park for the night. I’m not paying the bills with my table, but I know some folks that would happily add it to their shops and use it for daily fab jobs. even if it just sits there and cuts out gussets all day it frees them up to work on bigger paying jobs. It really is how you use it…

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Every time I hear someone say “I could give up a 4’x4’ spot for a 4x4 table”, I laugh, because of their actual footprints. Hell, the crossfire is not far off from an actual 4’x4’ footprint. And most of the people I know that have a 4x4, have added a 4x4 support table of sorts and regret not just buying a 4x8, since it’s occupying the space anyways. REALLY looking forward to when I have the space to justify a JD2 Mad 5x10 table.

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Myself i will be happy just upgrading to the extra 10 inches of cutting capacity.

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Only a week to go. Right @langmuir-daniel ? Setting with fingers crossed.

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They just announced on Facebook coming soon. I hope to see something this week.

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Woohoo! I’m gonna have to keep checking every few hours so I can jump right in :grin:

@langmuir-daniel are you going to announce availability for ordering here first or your website?

Oh great, i have to stay up all night incase it goes on sale!

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I am very interested in the 33" upgrade kit, but I’m using a water table. I haven’t measured the dimensions, but can anyone tell me if I will need to expand my water table to accommodate the extra 10" of travel?

Thanks!

Hi, no the water table does not require any modifications. The XL kit just makes it so the torch can reach both ends of the water table.

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It just keeps getting better and better,