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Machine Arcdroid

Machine
S

Shoprat

Well-Known Member
Arcdroid CNC plasma cutter.
Has anyone tried one of these? Looks super intriguing. Small space yet capable of kicking out nice projects. Thoughts?....
 
DavidR8 said:
If it was like $1000 cheaper I’d have one.
Click to expand...

This, I've looked a couple times, they are way too pricey for what they are. The guy who made them is also in Ontario somewhere from what I heard, but they still drop ship out of China or something. If they were ~$2000 I'd consider it but not when they cost more than a hypertherm powermax 45 lol
 
It's a unique solution. I don't know how big of a market it'll have, but I do see some merit to it. Site work more specifically. I'd prefer a gantry table for my own shop though.
 
Dan Dubeau said:
It's a unique solution. I don't know how big of a market it'll have, but I do see some merit to it. Site work more specifically. I'd prefer a gantry table for my own shop though.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure with the ArcDroid you can trace a pattern. Kind of like a pantograph. Not sure if a gantry table can do that. One of the local metal sculpture artists uses one and he seems to like it. If you have Great Western Saw nearby, they are a dealer. Another feature is that you can park it on a 4 X 8 sheet and move it as you use it, rather than section the sheet into pieces an lay it on the table.
 
My thoughts are that it’s portable and small enough to not eat up a gantry size footprint. I have had several gantry cnc routers and like how they work, but for a machine that’s not used every day,it has merit. My concern is it’s durability and how well it runs.
 
Dan Dubeau said:
It's a unique solution. I don't know how big of a market it'll have, but I do see some merit to it. Site work more specifically. I'd prefer a gantry table for my own shop though.
Click to expand...

I'd rather a gantry too, but haven't the space...I could fit an arcdroid no problem.
 
I think you could build this too easy with a cheap CNC laser engraver. Don't have the trace function but most people would be ok with that.

Probably for under $500
 
SomeGuy said:
I'd rather a gantry too, but haven't the space...I could fit an arcdroid no problem.
Click to expand...
I don't have the space either, but I have high ceilings.....I've been toying around with building a gantry style with folding legs that I can hoist up to the roof when done, and roll outside to use when needed.
 
Shoprat said:
Arcdroid CNC plasma cutter.
Has anyone tried one of these? Looks super intriguing. Small space yet capable of kicking out nice projects. Thoughts?....
Click to expand...
I looked intensely at CNC plasma in 2006 and bought a Plasmacam.. I looked at how user friendly the software was and the tech help availability. The Plasmacam is made in china too, but most important to me was that all the hardware parts were off the shelf available in Canada. The software was compatible with any windows system. I have run it in Millenium, XP, and Win10. The drive motors were optically encoded servo, not steppers, which are weak and fail prone in the long term. In almost 20 years of use I have only replaced cam followers and changed to a machine torch.
Other systems were out there using Sheetcam, and custom extruded aluminum (bad) hardware and silly cable trays, in a attempt to look badass like a real industrial CNC machine. Others attempted to lock you in to their software systems. Aluminum rails and plasma abraisive dust don't play well

So, would I buy PCam again? NO. The easily constructed frame and simple cable system are still there. Management and owner is a predatory prick. They have upgraded their software and each "module" costs a grand US. By module I mean, expanded table size, convert photo to cut pattern, installing a copy on another computer, export G code. All part of my software, but now each module is $1000. They refuse tech support to anyone who has not upgraded. That's me.

A cnc plasma is a wonderful thing, not just for artwork, buy for any normal construction in steel.. When you cut out the parts with CNC, and weld them together, you have a professional looking product with no wasted steel, and no grinding and a source of pride in quality.

They are come of the things to consider. There are others concerning the plasma source and compressed air supply and dust control but that's good for now.
 
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