So after getting it built with limit switches and THC, and getting sheetcam installed and learning that I’m finally cutting parts. Here’s my take:
Positives
- instructions fairly easy to follow with good photos
- All bags marked with numbers
- All parts grouped together (bolt bags in one bigger bag, nut bags in one larger bag)
negatives
- instructions were half imperial half metric, all hardware imperial. This was a bit confusing, and had to use logic to realize which screws were which.
- one rail had oxidation dust inside from the slats that wouldn’t come off.
- hole for 9/16 bolt requires thin walled socket which you may not have.
- Recessed 1/4-20 SHCS screws that go through tube are near impossible to drive through hole unless you have a magnetic driver, or wrap a hex key with tape
- Bag 2 calls out 3/8-16 x 1.75" when they are in fact 2-1/2" long
- water table sealing is a joke. Ended up welding ours together, which of course warped the bed because it’s stainless. Was able to straighten it back out good enough to function but looks like crap. I get that Langmuir wants to save on shipping cost, but a single formed bed should be an option. Also wish the bed was a bit deeper in case you want to run water right up to the slats for thinner materials.
- Drains also leaked, had to add our own better seals. Also annoying that the drain isn’t recessed, which means you can drain only about 90% of the water and have to wet vac the remaining water.
- Why wouldn’t you drill holes in the frame to mount water table and panels? Was very awkward to clamp parts to the frame in order to pre-drill holes. I know they are supposed to be self-tapping but I wasn’t about to fight the steel with a hand drill.
- THC wire screws loosened after a couple runs, should have lock-tighted them. Was very difficult to access, ended up pounding the rails out to pivot assembly out to access them.
- Having zero in the back left corner while the actual zero is front left is confusing. Took me a while to figure out that the virtual zero has to be set. Would have been better to mount the y-axis switch in front.
Overall still happy with the machine at it’s price. Also bought the cable for CPC easy hookup, only one half of the cable worked (was using an old hypertherm 45 that’s discontinued), so had to manually wire in the torch fire wires. Eventually ended up buying a hypertherm45 XP and the CPC port worked fully. While I’m on a hypertherm rant, I also hate how they nickel and dime you. Spent $800 on a machine torch for the hypertherm45, then had to rebuy a new machine torch because the machine torch from the 45 is not compatible with the 45xp (seriously?). Then after buying the torch, realized unlike the old machine torch came with ZERO consumables (not even to get started). Got fed up and ended up buying 3rd party consumables from Amazon.