I Guess CNC Plasma Cutting is not 'In The Circle'

[The Hobbyist]

I have the Samson 510 CNC plasma table and a 4x4 PlasmaCam table that both serve me well. I can design almost anything once I put my mind to the task, and I can cut things out of sheet metal, as well as other materials like PVC board, foam, etc. etc.

I guess the plasma cutting end of sign making seems to be dying. Everyone is more interested in the vinyl machines, and the color printers, for obvious reasons. Still, CNC plasma has it's place in sign making, but it is sort of the distant cousin that no one talks about.

After two years of this covid nonsense, I am trying to motivate myself to get back out into the shop to make things. I have a thousand unfinished projects, but no one nearby to help me with them. My good friend, Dave had a massive stroke on New Year's Eve, and so he is no longer able to do much of anything. The neighbors' kids have all grown up and left home for steady jobs. It is not as much fun to do everything alone.

Joe

 

[Boudica]

I think businesses fulfill the needs of their clientele. I'm sorry to hear that you're overwhelmed. But, by your username... It's a hobby. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

 

[GAC05]

I think businesses fulfill the needs of their clientele. I'm sorry to hear that you're overwhelmed. But, by your username... It's a hobby. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

This.
Especially if your teeth are no longer original equipment.

 

[garyroy]

Joe,

How about posting some pics of the cool stuff you've done over the years?
It might inspire us to learn more and get creative. maybe even buy a cutter ourselves.

 

[CanuckSigns]

I assume you know, but cutting PVC with a plasma cutter is extremely dangerous, when PVC burns, it creates chlorine gas, which will burn the inside of your lungs very quickly.

 

[Jester]

I don't know how you'd cut PVC or foam with a plasma cutter, as the substrate you are cutting needs to be conductive.
However, many CNC plasma tables can be fitted with a trim router and that would be able to do the foam cutting.

 

[The Hobbyist]

I don't know how you'd cut PVC or foam with a plasma cutter, as the substrate you are cutting needs to be conductive.
However, many CNC plasma tables can be fitted with a trim router and that would be able to do the foam cutting.

I mount a router to the carriage and run the table as a CNC router table. The software works great for this purpose, and I have sort of become known as "The Router Guy" among the PlasmaCam community.

Joe

 

[The Hobbyist]

Joe,

How about posting some pics of the cool stuff you've done over the years?
It might inspire us to learn more and get creative. maybe even buy a cutter ourselves.

I have a lot more FUN running this table with a router, than I do while cutting metal.

Joe

 

[The Hobbyist]

I have more than one PlasmaCam CNC table.

Joe

 

[The Hobbyist]

This.
Especially if your teeth are no longer original equipment.

Teeth are easy to replace. I wish someone would come up with a replacement BACK!

Joe

 

[The Hobbyist]

In 2017, I decided to introduce my hobby business to the community. Franklin, KY. only has a population of 8,000 people. I built a float for the Christmas Parade. A welded steel framed gingerbread house that was bolted to my flatbed truck's tilt bed. It took me 12 days, from concept to finished float, working 18 hours per day. I had one helper, and a small army of friends working to midnight before the parade to decorate it. It has 4K color cameras mounted all around. I drove via a LED monitor in the cab, and an escort vehicle with a two-way radio, to make sure I didn't hit anything. I kind of overshot my goal. I won the Grand Champion trophy! The judges told me, "In 27 years, we have never seen anything quite so magnificent. You really raised the bar!" It is 2022, and people are still talking about it.

Joe


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[The Hobbyist]

The Center Street Bar & Grill in Madisonville, KY hired me to make some sign faces for an existing steel wall mounted sign can. 14 Gauge stainless steel with orange plex behind it. There are NO street lights on their street, so their sign is a real eye catcher at night!

 

[The Hobbyist]

Because "Keep OFF Of The Grass!" gets no RESPECT!

Joe

 

[garyroy]

Hobbyist, we need more people like you, very creative!
And you make things interesting for sure.
I saw some good work in those pics, I really like the Cafe sign.
You Da Man.

 

[Stacey K]

It's not dead, you just need to rethink a bit! Your work is really nice but to be honest, you need to update a bit. Check this business out. It's a few miles away and on the "open" days there is a line of people (women) outside waiting to get in - THIS IS NO JOKE, there is often 100 people in line to get in. They work all winter then have this place open in between doing craft shows all around the country. It looks like you can do just about anything and you are very creative. She uses spray paint and then clear coats them or leaves them to rust. Rusty is in these days even though most metal workers cringe at that thought of letting metal rust - us women love it! Maybe you could hook up with a garden shop in your area? Middle aged women are the best at helping with guidance, they are the ones who spend money. Just a thought!

Welcome to Hidden Hollow ART

Hidden Hollow ART is an inspiration destination™ nestled in a magical rural setting. We create bold and whimsical metal art and offer unique and funky art and gifts from other local and national artists and makers in Coop Too, our gallery/retail space located in New Holstein, Wisconsin.

www.hiddenhollowgardenart.com

The FB page is better

Hidden Hollow ART | New Holstein WI

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[The Hobbyist]

It's not dead, you just need to rethink a bit! Your work is really nice but to be honest, you need to update a bit.

Hi Stacey,

Yes, COLOR makes metal art "pop!" I do use spray paint and primer, etc. I am currently in the process of building a powder coat oven. You are correct, in that I am a single MALE, and so my stuff certainly lacks "the feminine touch!" Vive Le Differance!

Everything I make is original. I do not like to copy the work of others, although I occasionally adopt a concept, and then do my own thing with that.

It is a shame, really, and my own fault. I haven't found "her" yet. I am sure I would be producing metal art and other art made from other materials at a feverish pitch, if only I had a "her" to motivate me.

Joe



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[The Hobbyist]

Hobbyist, we need more people like you, very creative!
And you make things interesting for sure.
I saw some good work in those pics, I really like the Cafe sign.
You Da Man.

That is a piece of SIGN FOAM. Carved with a router, and then some flat spray paint. It literally took me about 15 minutes to make it from start to finish.

Before the 2019 zombie apocalypse began, and so many people became instant germaphobes, I had a nice enclosed gooseneck trailer ordered. I was going to put one or two of my machines inside with a generator and such, and travel the arts and crafts show circuit. I am retired, and I do this mostly for FUN. Of course I could not plasma cut in a trailer, but I can run a CNC router and a small laser, paint pens and other tools, and create a lot of good stuff. I thought I might just travel around and make crafts and signs on the fly, meeting new people (read: WOMEN!) wherever I go, and maybe ... just MAYBE meet "her" along the way!

I have two 'YUGE workshops full of tools, but not much motivation to use them, working alone.

Joe

 

[The Hobbyist]

It is difficult to know what will sell, and what will collect dust.

The child on a swing is called "No On to Push Me."

Joe

 

[The Hobbyist]

My very first attempt at half tone routing. 19,640 dimples, each individually bored to a specific depth. It took nearly 11 hours for the machine to make this. Sandra is the lady who makes my heart go pitter-patter!

 

[The Hobbyist]

This is a project I want to do this summer. 163 individual strips of metal, each hanging from a single nail at the top, and each cut to reveal the image via the darkness behind the white metal strips. This will be 10 feet tall and nearly 17 feet wide.

Joe