Tools!
- Thread starter Silverback
- Start date
PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
Not as expensive as some of the other systems out there, I am able to use my hand torch with it so that's a huge savings on not buying a machine torch and separate consumables. These are the "introductory price" which it's still in its infancy stage but everything I've read about the company and guys who already have received one say it's a great bang for the buck for the home hobbyist and small business
Oswego
n00b
My only suggestion for CAD is to shop around. It's not like in the past where you pay for one license forever. Now it's subscription based & $1,575 per year isn't cheap for hobby programing. Maybe someone you know can give you an old copy. I stay up to date on those programs so I don't have any of the old stuff. Had an old copy but my hard drive imploded and the IT person that recovered it wouldn't recover illegal programs... 
silly morals
silly morals
You have to start running newer versions of AutoCAD now based on your computer software. My AutoCAD lady at work uses a 2007 version of AutoCAD and that sucker crashes constantly. She is about to move over to the latest version. I use 2015 on my work machine and I don't think I could ever go without AutoCAD again. I love being able to draw up stuff especially when I suck so bad at drawing by handMy only suggestion for CAD is to shop around. It's not like in the past where you pay for one license forever. Now it's subscription based & $1,575 per year isn't cheap for hobby programing. Maybe someone you know can give you an old copy. I stay up to date on those programs so I don't have any of the old stuff. Had an old copy but my hard drive imploded and the IT person that recovered it wouldn't recover illegal programs...
I learned 2007 AutoCAD in College and I use 2015 for work. It's almost two different programs by that point. Took a day or so of watching youtube tutorials and googling to get up to speed on the new program.Needs and wants are two different things
Figure I could save money on buying pieces like tabs, gussets, etc. and make some money if people want parts cut out. If somebody sends me a dfx file or sends me dimensions I can make something up to 2'x2'. I took CAD for 4 years in high school so drawing something up shouldn't be too difficult.
Oswego
n00b
You have to start running newer versions of AutoCAD now based on your computer software. My AutoCAD lady at work uses a 2007 version of AutoCAD and that sucker crashes constantly. She is about to move over to the latest version. I use 2015 on my work machine and I don't think I could ever go without AutoCAD again. I love being able to draw up stuff especially when I suck so bad at drawing by hand
My co-worker is also one who refuses to update anything. Ill never understand why people are so afraid of change. His PC, smart phone, printer, and CAD are all fubar 24/7/365 and Ive had about enough of it because I'm the guy always needing to help him out. I need to auto save (dumb down) my drawings to the 2007 version just so he can open my drawings up. I would never put myself in that position. Imagine the call with the client.... "I'm too cheap or lazy to update my CAD so can you save it down to the 2007 version and resend it to me?". Yea - that's never going to be a conversation I have. We make way too much money doing what we are doing to look cheap.
Yep. Some years changes aren't that bad. Other years it's like you need to learn it all over again. I took a refresher course a few years ago just to see what I could pick up on. Think it was 2 nights a week for a few weeks. I need hands on training - web tutorials aren't for me.
Yeah I didn't used Autocad for years and now that I have it again, I don't want to be without it. Makes drawing stuff up in my head so much easier.
PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
My only suggestion for CAD is to shop around. It's not like in the past where you pay for one license forever. Now it's subscription based & $1,575 per year isn't cheap for hobby programing. Maybe someone you know can give you an old copy. I stay up to date on those programs so I don't have any of the old stuff. Had an old copy but my hard drive imploded and the IT person that recovered it wouldn't recover illegal programs...
Yeah I have to see I think it comes with a trial version, but with my new job I should be able to pirate some good software from the mechanical and civil design guys.
I used autocad 14 in HS, that shit needed the dongle plugged into the parallel port. Shit I don't even think computers have those plugs anymore
Luckily I used newer versions a bit in college so I should be able to dust off my skills after a few weeks of messing with it.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
Doesn't Google SketchUp do a pretty good job for most things? Justr asking because a while back when it was coming out people where designing a lot of things with it.
Oswego
n00b
2D CAD isn't even that cheap. I think youll have to seek the advice of one of your competitors or go to a local/regional metal workers trade show for that kind of specific item.
Good thing with CAD is once you draw a shape and save it into your catalog you should never have to draw it again. It will not do engineering for you though if your looking for max span of this or that steel type programs.
Ive never seen anything that looked to be professionally drawn in that program where the person drawing it didn't take 3-4x the amount of time drawing it in CAD would of taken. At my old job we had an engineer who only used it....same guy who would buy machines that were 120' long and then try to fit them into a 100' opening. From what I have heard the learning curve is shorter with sketch up, but that's like comparing a Prius to a Koenigsegg so of course it's easier to drive/use.
Oswego
n00b
Who needs workers when you can have machines to do it for you... probably be allot easier to manage and fake less claims
Japanese construction robot demonstrates the future of building
Japanese construction robot demonstrates the future of building
Truth
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
I suppose it depends on what you are designing. If his plasma table is 2x2 then SketchUp should be fine for gussets and tabs... etc. Not like its for designing a new jet engine.
PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
I am planning on using Autodesk Fusion, should be fine for tabs/gussets and other small parts of the like. I am not trying to open a fab shop, rather I could make easy simple parts for local guys and hopefully cut down on shipping costs from me buying shit I can make at home.
Have a link to the setup? I would not mind having a budget goal...
PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
Langmuir Systems | CrossFire CNC Plasma Tables
There are other threads with some review but the one I was looking at on pirate they seem to have good things to say
Crossfire CNC plasma? $1000 - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum
I get that a 2x2 table without torch height control will have its limitations and challenges, but to get a setup out of the box for $1500 compared to others that is 5-7k seems worthwhile to me. I might use it once a month and for that I can replace consumables sooner and deal with cleaning a little dross. At some point in the future I could always upgrade but It would be nice to learn on a system that won't break the bank. I also like the fact I can use my current torch setup on my powermax and not have to switch to a machine torch.
Looks like pretty standard software and hardware being put to good use. The gun guy I use for a lot of my parts uses Mach 3 for his CNC software. It is pretty good for G Code and has really light requirements. I will have to see if I can swing something like that later; it would make a really nice addition to my garage at that size.
Oswego
n00b
I would think it's OK, but Ive never used. I just like the fact that CAD is an industry standard. Ive used it on multiple CNC machines as well as every single office job Ive had over the past 15 years.
On sale this week for $185 less than normal. I have no idea how they offer that program for so cheap yet CAD is so much and does so much less. Guess they are trying to get the youth used to using their stuff then jack up the price like they did with CAD. That programs only $40 a month and does so much more than CAD. Bet my CAD $$ subsidizes the cost of that program.