# CNC Plasma Cut British Motorcycles



## Tmate (Dec 8, 2021)

This may not be the place for it, but here are some 19 inch long shapes I just cut from 11 gauge steel using my small CNC plasma table.


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## DPittman (Dec 8, 2021)

This is definitely the place for it! However if you're selling them then there is a classified section that might generate more sales results for you. Cool stuff


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## Tmate (Dec 8, 2021)

DPittman said:


> This is definitely the place for it! However if you're selling them then there is a classified section that might generate more sales results for you. Cool stuff



I have no interest in selling them.  I just do it for fun.  Here are some more shapes I cut out for the Holidays.


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## DPittman (Dec 8, 2021)

Very nice.


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## Snocrusher (Dec 8, 2021)

Very nice, I belong to the Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba.
I'm sure there some in the club that would like a silhouette of their bike.


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## Tomc938 (Dec 8, 2021)

Very cool!

Do you do your own designs or are the files available online somewhere?


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## Janger (Dec 8, 2021)

Good projects. What kind of plasma table is that?


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## Tom O (Dec 9, 2021)

Here’s one I like


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## Tmate (Dec 9, 2021)

Janger said:


> Good projects. What kind of plasma table is that?


I built it myself.  I used Flashcut driver software & electronics.  Draw the shapes in CorelDraw.


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## Tmate (Dec 9, 2021)

Tomc938 said:


> Very cool!
> 
> Do you do your own designs or are the files available online somewhere?


I do them all myself.  Most of the on-line dxf files are either overly simplistic or unworkable using plasma arc.  They either contain shapes within other shapes that will fall apart, or lines that are way too close together for plasma unless your figure is impossibly huge.


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## Tmate (Dec 9, 2021)

Some Halloween stuff:


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## Janger (Dec 9, 2021)

Tmate said:


> I built it myself.  I used Flashcut driver software & electronics.  Draw the shapes in CorelDraw.


Tell us more! That’s a fantastic build Tmate. Does it have a torch height sensor? What was your budget? More pictures!


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## Tmate (Dec 9, 2021)

My table has a small capacity (about 18" square) so it doesn't need a height control.  I buy 11 gauge steel in 15" or so squares, and in that small size it is flat.  If I want to make something bigger, I do it in two pieces and tack weld them together.  All the bikes were done this way.  The table itself is a pretty simple build using a lot of off the shelf parts, and not particularly expensive.  The Flashcut CNC electronics and software aren't cheap, but are virtually turn-key and vastly superior to that used on most of the bargain cutting tables out there.

I keep the machine under my back deck, with the compressor, plasma cutter, and computer just inside my basement door.  Origa (Parker) linear rails and roller cassettes were used.  Cheap ball bearing linear rails won't work here.  The table is constructed of 8020 aluminum extrusions.  See photos.


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## Tmate (Dec 9, 2021)

Here's an Ariel Square Four I just did.


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## Tom O (Dec 9, 2021)

Nice


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## Janger (Dec 11, 2021)

Tmate said:


> My table has a small capacity (about 18" square) so it doesn't need a height control.  I buy 11 gauge steel in 15" or so squares, and in that small size it is flat.  If I want to make something bigger, I do it in two pieces and tack weld them together.  All the bikes were done this way.  The table itself is a pretty simple build using a lot of off the shelf parts, and not particularly expensive.  The Flashcut CNC electronics and software aren't cheap, but are virtually turn-key and vastly superior to that used on most of the bargain cutting tables out there.
> 
> I keep the machine under my back deck, with the compressor, plasma cutter, and computer just inside my basement door.  Origa (Parker) linear rails and roller cassettes were used.  Cheap ball bearing linear rails won't work here.  The table is constructed of 8020 aluminum extrusions.  See photos.



Nice machine. Where did you source the gears?


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## Tmate (Dec 11, 2021)

Janger said:


> Nice machine. Where did you source the gears?


eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/332347670951


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## Chris Cramer (Dec 24, 2021)

Tmate said:


> I do them all myself.  Most of the on-line dxf files are either overly simplistic or unworkable using plasma arc.  They either contain shapes within other shapes that will fall apart, or lines that are way too close together for plasma unless your figure is impossibly huge.


I agree that online dxf files are often too simple, but if you use a hypertherm plasma cutter you can cut some pretty small detailed designs with the fine cut consumables, as long as the metal is thin enough. Hypertherm also manufactures consumables that can be used for marking thicker steel which I use for engraving. 
I like the designs you put into the motorcycle, I also like cutting highly detailed designs for decorative purposes.


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## Chris Cramer (Dec 24, 2021)

The way you designed the gantry for your plasma cutter is pretty similar to the way I designed my laser engraving machine. Only the laser I use is not nearly powerful enough to cut metal, so I purchased an crossfire pro from Langmuir Systems, and use a hypertherm powermax 45xp.


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## Tmate (Jan 22, 2022)

Here's one of the bike pieces with some paint applied:


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## Tom O (Jan 22, 2022)

I like the pedestrian slicer on the front! The bike looks like it’s around 1938.


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## Mcgyver (Jan 23, 2022)

Very nice and artistic work.  You use it outdoors?  We've a large plasma table at work, it can put out billowing clouds of dirty brown smoke.  After a little talking to by the ministry that we cannot vent this outside, we converted it into a water table which eliminated most of the issue.


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## Tmate (Jan 23, 2022)

Mcgyver said:


> Very nice and artistic work.  You use it outdoors?  We've a large plasma table at work, it can put out billowing clouds of dirty brown smoke.  After a little talking to by the ministry that we cannot vent this outside, we converted it into a water table which eliminated most of the issue.


I use it outdoors under my deck.  See posts above above.


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## Tmate (Jan 26, 2022)

Painted two other bikes.


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## Tmate (Jan 30, 2022)

More painted bikes.


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## Tom O (Jan 30, 2022)

What if you paint the frame/tank and nickel plated the rest of it? I think that would look great!


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## Tmate (Feb 7, 2022)

Some more pics.  Also, I have made the cut files for these bikes available free at:



			https://fortuneafterfifty.godaddysites.com/cnc-plasma-cut-bikes-1


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## Tmate (Feb 17, 2022)

Group picture:

Large images of these bikes can be found HERE - Large bike photos


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## Tmate (Feb 24, 2022)

Here are a couple more - a Norton 500cc Manx and a Brough Superior.


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## Tmate (Mar 25, 2022)

Here are three more:

BSA Mark II 650cc, Triumph X-75 Hurricane triple, & Harley Fat Boy


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## Tmate (Apr 7, 2022)

Two more plasma-cut bikes:

The first is a 1949 Panther Model 100 600cc single.
The second is Clem Johnson's 96 c.i. Vincent drag bike "Barn Job."


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## Tmate (Apr 18, 2022)

Here is a Harley XR-750 flat tracker:


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## Tmate (May 8, 2022)

Six inch laser-cut version of Vincent Black Shadow compared to 19" plasma-cut.


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## Tmate (Jul 9, 2022)

Three different drag bike configurations:

Joe Smith's single engine Harley
Sonny Routt's twin Triumph
Clem Johnson's Vincent "Barn Job"


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## Tmate (Jul 13, 2022)

If anyone has an interest in how I made my CNC plasma table, and the bike cutouts, I have a new website that explains it in some detail. I'm still working on it, but it's up and running at:  https://cncplasmadesign.com

No ads - not trying to sell anything.


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## YotaBota (Jul 13, 2022)

The bikes are a thing of beauty, bookmarked your site. 
Did you build the bookcase and the small boxes in the picture of post #27?


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## Tmate (Jul 13, 2022)

YotaBota said:


> The bikes are a thing of beauty, bookmarked your site.
> Did you build the bookcase and the small boxes in the picture of post #27?



No, I didn't.


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## YotaBota (Jul 13, 2022)

The bases for the bikes is what made me ask about the bookcase.


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