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How to Make Your own Plasma Cutter.... (Plasma Cutter Kits Coming Soon!!)
by Plasanator on March 21, 2011
Table of Contents
How to Make Your own Plasma Cutter.... (Plasma Cutter Kits Coming Soon!!) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Intro: How to Make Your own Plasma Cutter.... (Plasma Cutter Kits Coming Soon!!) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 1: Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 4: Schematic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Intro: How to Make Your own Plasma Cutter.... (Plasma Cutter Kits Coming Soon!!)
Check out new video of the Plasanator on utube.com
http://youtu.be/enELHZ7dP2I
This Ebook is designed for Guys and Gals who like to create tools and machinery.
I hope my Ebook gives you hope that no matter how hard a project may seem, keep plugging away until you finish and you will succeed.
I spent 3 years putting this together and now finally all my hard work and research has paid off.
I studied diagrams from commercial venders, but to no luck. They tend to leave a lot out on purpose - so its hard to reproduce their design. Ive see different attempts
at people making their own on You Tube and other sites, but what a death trap. Messy water resistors and wiring like a darn Christmas tree.
So I began reading books and articles on their workings and took my home schooled-knowledge of electronics to build my own plasma cutter. I was determined; failure
was not an option.
I started by collecting parts from old microwaves, stoves, water heaters, air conditioners, car parts and more in the hopes of creating a low budget way to create a plasma
cutter for myself. I mounted it all on a simple piece of scrap wood; well its scrap wood now. We, didnt need that table anyway (shhhhhhh dont tell the wife).
Then one day it all came together. I hit the power switch, placed the head to the metal, started the arc, felt the air kick and then a second hard kick (the current being
drawn into play). Then BAM, it was slicing through quarter inch steel like a hot knife through butter.
How sweet it sounded! I felt the amazement of completing a project that I just couldnt let go of.
So, take your time, enjoy and be safe.
The Plasaman
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Step 1: Assembly
When I started assembling my cutter, I began with taking a good look at my parts. As shown in Section 5 and Section 6, my parts are laid out so I can begin checking off
from my parts list. Once this was accomplished, I would study each the parts pictorial to get familiar with each part/component and they would be placed.
The next step was to study my schematic and create a layout diagram. My board layout diagram is the most valuable piece in the building, repairing, and modifying
process of my cutter.
As I began mounting my parts, I organized my board into four sections. Those sections are Power Control, High Current DC, Low Voltage DC and High Voltage Arc Start.
Power Control
3KVA step down transformer and contactor. The transformer is mounted off board because it is big and heavy, as you can see in Section 13. The contactor became my
first part on the board. I wired it so when the head trigger is pressed, it turns the contactor on and allows my DC components to come on line. Then I began with my next
system, High Current DC.
High Current DC
Bridge Rectifier
Large Capacitors
Reed Switch (which I used as a current sensor), what it does is allow the high voltage arc system to fire and as soon as high current starts to travel to the head and
cutting starts it shuts down the high voltage arc system while cutting since its not needed at this point.
If you lose your fire it restarts the arc and gets you going again automatically.
My next system was placed on board.
Low Voltage DC
The low voltage DC components are mixed with power switch and 120 volt terminals.
Power Switch
120-volt terminal blocks
12 volt transformer
Low voltage bridge rectifier
Auto relays
Terminal strip, 4 position is all I needed but 5 position was what I had in my toy box.
High Voltage Arc Start
Microwave capacitor or run capacitor, a household dimmer switch rated for 15 amps. A Ford or Chevy ignition coil. I used the Chevy on this cutter. As you can see, I have
terminals to all parts that get an external connection outside of their system so all I have to do is run a piece of wire in-between. Now look at the pictorial of board
mounted parts in Section 11. It shows all the wires on the board, but here you can see all terminals and parts mounted, as I wanted. When wiring all my components, I
used my Chevy board layout diagram to run my wires.
I checked and re checked all wires before mounting external parts. If you go to the final wiring section, you will also find pictures of my rigging of these parts. I could have
done it many different ways, but this is what I chose at this time.
It took me about 3 hours of procrastination to finally assemble it all. You know how it is on a project, once you are ready with all your parts, your mind starts giving you a
million ways of doing something. And, at last you just pick a way and go with it.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Once I got it all together, I connected my air tank hose and put the pressure setting at 28 for a safe point to start. I fired it up and BAM - that baby didnt need any more
adjusting. It was cutting!
You can imagine all the relief and pride I felt when the Plasanator started kicking ass. Yea, I said it Kicking Ass Baby. Oops Wife just told me I need to stop, hee hee and
for all you creators ah ah ah ahhhhhh.
I hope you enjoyed riding along with me in my journey.
Take care and be safe.
The Plasmaman
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Step 4: Schematic
Chevy Pictorial Schematic
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
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http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
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http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Step 20:
The new Plasanator (5) coming alive!.
It has better electronics, auto air off delay, more case room and more cutting power.
It also has voice module power on check and complete homemade head.
High frequency power and better stabilization dc control.
Onboard fault detection circuit and no more heavy transformer.
Plasanator (5) is not for pussies, it's for men and woman who want to get the job done right the first time.
If your afraid of power, then you need to be devoured.
Step 22:
Related Instructables
How to Use a
Plasma Cutter
by newdetroiter
Sheet Metal
Flower to
Practice Plasma
Cutting and
Welding by
newdetroiter
Projects With
Plasma Cutter
Using
PlasmaCam
Software by
happylue
7 Foot Axial
Flux Wind
Turbine by
brokengun
Homemade
Motor Arbor for
your Wind
Generator or
other needs by
Candroma
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment
JakubE says:
Hello,
please, have you some plans of Plasanator (5)? I need something with little more cutting power.
JakubE says:
bettina-sisr says:
Upaa27 says:
Upaa27 says:
Sorry I mean to say the total voltage output is 200v from the transformers not 200v each. I'm really tired right now :O
astral_mage says:
this pic should've been fist page not third or forth in line.
Benjamin.M.Withrow says:
After all of this man's hard work, that's what you get out of this? Please, for your own sake, don't try building this lmao
Benjamin.M.Withrow says:
dthompson32 says:
Plasanator says:
eBay has them for about 16 bucks.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Plasanator says:
Plasanator says:
yhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/231266189909?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
This is link on eBay where I bought some rectifiers.
These work great and will handle all your power needs.
experimenter4life says:
Plasanator says:
experimenter4life says:
Plasanator says:
PetrieJ says:
Plasanator says:
I wouldn't think so and plasma cutting would leave spray all over pcb board.
I recommend using A laser or Drexel tool.
V4V says:
Plasanator says:
rodalino says:
Plasanator says:
Yes it can and does very well.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
swampfox440 says:
What is the water heater element for ? Don't see it anywhere in these pictures.
Plasanator says:
Hey all just solder a wire to the hv coil instead of zip tying it and cover solder with silicone of any kind.
wkdavistx says:
Plasanator says:
pgladek says:
astral_mage says:
its a dump load. instead of a large amount of copper or aluminum. he went with that tho it needs a bigger heat sink tho.
Plasanator says:
here are some picures of one I done a few months ago.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Plasanator says:
wkdavistx says:
Plasanator says:
pclifford says:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
Plasanator says:
no just 60 hz
wkdavistx says:
Plasanator says:
It will work fine if around 5kva but 3/8 inch will be most your gonna cut through.
Plasanator says:
wkdavistx says:
DanW13 says:
Plasanator says:
mattc172 says:
Plasanator says:
mattc172 says:
for my run capacitor can use a ge 97f9383, in place of the one you used. if i do what would be the out come.
Plasanator says:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO this is not the right kind of cap and its way to low in microfarrads.
mattc172 says:
Plasanator says:
kennethagiusmosta says:
Hi kaolex, Thanks a millon
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/
kaoalex says:
Hi Kenneth,
I used this schematic.
You can found more details in the PowerLabs site.
http://www.powerlabs.org/flybackdriver.htm
I used this type of flyback with internal diode.
kaoalex says:
kennethagiusmosta says:
Hi,
Can you post schematics of you TV flyback setup? I'm having trouble with the car coil, maybe I can solve-it with your setup
Thanks
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-own-Plasma-Cutter/