Hello Everyone.
I joined the forum today to see if I can get more info before I buy a Pro unit.
I am a DIYer with wood working tools and a little metal experience. I did make an iron gate once with a stick welder at work. Installed it in a section of block wall I cut out to have access to a park behind my house.
The Pro unit is going in my garage at home. This is a lot of money for me to plunk down without a demo. I am wondering if there is anyone in So. Cal. Who would demonstraight their unit for me?
I work in North Orange County and live in San Bernardino County.
welcome…we are full of advice…and support…
I was very much in your shoes about a year and a half ago…I do not regret it at all…
it is a great machine…for the price and the support you get here.
I am sure someone will jump in here…but there are also lots of videos on Youtube about this table…
Thanks for the warm welcome. I would really like to see one operate and learn a little about what I getting myself into. Looking forward to cutting my first pieces.
so few things I learned in the last year or so…
if you are at least a little computer literate…you can master this pretty easily
you do not have to be above average mechanically , or know how to build satellites.
look into your options for design software…just remember you will either learn parts of Fusion360 or buy sheetcam for taking designs from design to cutting program…
Sheetcam is easy and not very expensive…
then you need to figure out your design software…technical or signage style…inkscape is free and easy to use…
cutting is really the last part…
then think about the garage…kiss goodbye clean areas…black dust from hell can get everywhere…
are you set up with a decent air compressor…and dry…and I mean dry air…
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.actually, i am interested also,havent pulled the trigger yet…learned this…read the questions, and replies…this will give you an idea what your getting into…the more you read…the more you understand what your getting into…as far as seeing something in action…not sure what is in lakeside, calif…near san diego…might just be a wherehouse or assembly…but langmuir has something there…
Good advice. Thank you. I reached out to them in Lakeside. They do not offer demos. BTW, you can will call your order there and save the shipping.
They suggested I reach out on the forum. I am getting the understanding that this is the place for answers. As I read it seems like a lot of help can be found from all the good people here.
Thanks again.
Well a demo is good, but it does not help you set it up and make it work.
Case in point:
Got a call a person got a plasma cutter and said He didn’t know how to use it and ask if he could come by and have me test it. Ok so he shows up with it, I hook it up and do a few cuts. He takes it home a few days later he calls and said it won’t work for him. I tell him to bring it by so I can look at it. He shows up at the shop I hook it up and it works fine. Away he leaves with it. You guessed it a few days later I get the call again. I told him to bring some cash and plan on spending a few hours learning how to use the plasma cutter and what he needs to make it work at his place.
He never called me back.
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I get it. There is going to be a lot to learn. I am a manufacturing engineer at an aerospace company. Let me qualify that by saying, I am not a programmer or design engineer. I can open models in solid works and do a little cad work, offsets for waterjet or draw simple fixtures.
I am more concerned with the quality of the software and equipment. Buggy, break down a lot, easy to work on/repair, parts availability…
one thing you will find is that manty of us who bought the earlier versions of the PRO table have worked with Langmuir on the software and have worked out the bugs for the most part…if several thousand people …beginners at that can noy crash it…then it is pretty stable and pretty easy to use.
as for parts…langmuir is very customer oriented from what I see…and dealt with.
when my machine first came there was a minor defect in the water table…1 email with photos and another table was on the way no charge.
The table is set up so that parts that might fail…bearings…area standard industry sizes…easy to find on Amazon or at you local supplier.
and the nice thing about these tables…they are easy to work on…easy to fix…not that I have had much to fix…
just like any machine…keep it maintained and it will last…
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Thanks
You mentioned air. I have an old compressor 5.6 c.f. @ 90 psi. I intend to cut 22 to 16 gage steel. Can I get by with this for a while. I still have to work out dry air issue.
how big is the tank?
a lot of compressors can do the 5cf @ 90…but it means they do not shut off, run too long…produce hot moist air which is bad for a plasma.
you can easily burn out the run cycle and life of a compressor that is not designed for decen run times.
you really need to consider dry air…and what it will take to get it…
if you have moisture in the air it can affect the cuts and shorten the life of the consumables…
just by adding a wall cooler…to a second reserve tank…through dsessicant beads and then through a really fine micofilter (motorguard) I increased my 300 pierces to over 600…on my way to over 1000 with an electronic air dryer…
Hello Zen, I have a 2 x 2 Crossfire table with THC and using Firecontrol software. So, software and features wise my table is similar to the pro model except for sheet size. I live in Lakewood CA near the intersection of the 91 & 605 freeways. I’d be happy to show you my system in operation. I’m going to be away from the 20th to the 28th of July, but after that I’m able to run my system for you. Let me know what you would like to do.
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Sounds great. I am not in any hurry. So after you get back is fine.
I am finding my service panel might not support the power of the plasma and compressor. I need to work that out before I can place an order for the machine. I might put it in my brother-in-law’s warehouse.
I can swing by any night after work except Tuesdays.
I work in Placentia (45 min) I could be there as early as 4:30ish or later works too.
Or any time on the weekends.
Thanks
There you go Zen, someone close to you that is willing to show you how it works and how it is setup.
Also as a update about the guy with the plasma cutter. Called me this morning and ask if he could come by and pay me to teach him how to use it because he can’t get it to work. Set it up for noon and he was here on time. One hour later he was very happy with his plasma cutter. He was also happy because I told him he didn’t have to pay for the lesson. Its not that I am a nice guy, but sometimes people just really need some help.
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Hello Zen, I’m back from vacation and can show you my set up some time soon. Next Saturday morning is a good possibility. If you can be here around 9:00 AM we can set up the table and computer and cut some parts. If you have anything you want to cut out, send me a file and bring some metal.
Millar
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Sounds good. What file format is the file?
Millar
Thank you so much for the great demonstration. I gained a good sense of what it might be like having a Crossfire table in my garage. I think I’ll need to come up with some form of splash guards and cross ventilation to help with cleanliness.
I really appreciate the amount of time you spent with me showing me the process of setting up the material, doing the dry run and cutting nested parts from a single file and even the cleanup afterward. You shared your experiences & lessons learned and your bits of wisdom really opened my mind to the possibilities. And, I got to see the capability of the Crossfire machine itself. I did come away with a good sense of what I am signing up for.
I am excited about the prospect of using the Crossfire for building my own tools that’ll enhance what I want to do with it.
Thanks again, I really appreciate it.
Kent
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Placed a HT PM45XP on otder yesterday.
Est ship date… Dec 9
Made my first cut last weekend. Once I remembered to turn the machine torch on. I had no issues getting everything to work. And that thanks to you all on this forum and Langmuir’s machine and software functioning as expected.
I built a little booth with half wall that comes up just under the water table in back. 3 box fans with A/C filters draw away the fumes out under the garage door.
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