I have never used a CNC plasma cutter, but I am looking into buying one for some fabrication. (Making signs, custom 4x4 parts, maybe selling some stuff to sell online, etc.) I was looking at the XR. Looks pretty solid in comparison to the other machines by Langmuir. I see a bunch of reviews on Youtube, but they are sponsored or they get money for referrals. I want a strictly unbiased review of the machine by someone who has possibly owned others on the market as well.
What I have going for me : I have a large 2 stage compressor with 16 CFM at 150 that can go 100% duty cycle already. I will need some form of line dryer/ cleaner for clean air (recommendations?). I have 240 in my garage where I am going to use the machine. I have 15 grand to spend and would like to know if this is the best option.
My level of experience on stuff like this: I am good mechanically, I have a 3d printer that I assembled and adjusted, etc. My main weakness is if I have to troubleshoot electronic to mechanical issues, it’s right on the edge or beyond my comfort zone.
My primary concerns are:
1:The multi-piece water table. I got an email from the company that said if procedures are followed, it’s not a problem. I have seen some reviews that say leaks are a constant problem.
2:Accuracy. Some other machines on the market have machined rails/ gantry, etc, as opposed to straight tubing. Maybe I am missing something in the specs or it doesn’t matter as much as I think it does.
3: I would like to possibly upgrade to a hypertherm for the torch for accuracy, reliability, etc, and wanted to make sure that will be very doable without any guesswork.
4: Also I am worried the work surface is only 48x96, when most steel is closer to 49 inches. Can you cut a sheet in half with the machine, or is it not an issue? I want to waste as little metal as possible on projects and sometime I may just want to cut a sheet in half.
1:The multi-piece water table. I got an email from the company that said if procedures are followed, it’s not a problem. I have seen some reviews that say leaks are a constant problem.
like anything else i think it boils down to taking your time during assembly and going the extra mile to make sure everything is prepped correctly before assembly. i personally welded mine but i am a welder by trade and i just didnt want to have to worry about ever springing a leak
2:Accuracy. Some other machines on the market have machined rails/ gantry, etc, as opposed to straight tubing. Maybe I am missing something in the specs or it doesn’t matter as much as I think it does.
accuracy really depends on what you are trying to achieve. plasma by nature are not the most accurate of ways to cut. plasma is more cost saving and speed. i have run waterjets and cnc routers that can hold crazy tolerances but on the other hand are much slower and more expensive to run. alot is also based on which plasma unit you go with…
3: I would like to possibly upgrade to a hypertherm for the torch for accuracy, reliability, etc, and wanted to make sure that will be very doable without any guesswork.
you will be very hard pressed to find anyone that complains about hypertherm. yes some other companies make more affordable machines but they dont have the history and support that hypertherm does. i have been running my same hypertherm powermax 1250 since 2008. never had an issue.
4: Also I am worried the work surface is only 48x96, when most steel is closer to 49 inches. Can you cut a sheet in half with the machine, or is it not an issue? I want to waste as little metal as possible on projects and sometime I may just want to cut a sheet in half.
this is really the only problem that has been annoying with the machine. the cut envelope should have been larger than exactly 48x96 like alot of others do. not sure why langmuir went this route
Thank you for the response. I would defiantly take my time on the table assembly. I have heard about this legendary forum for sometime and think that may be the primary reason I will likely go this route. I was looking at Shopsabre, but they are quite a bit pricier, and I don’t know how much better it would be.
The cut surface is something that I might find to be annoying and I think paying an extra grand or 2 to have that capability might be worth it for me.
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