Here is another copycat version of the MultiPlaz. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aJfXl7frdQ It needs some refinement.
Billbong wrote:Hi werkspace, the price for the cathodes and nozzles you posted in your post is fantastic....our local supplier and agent for the 'Plaz quoted me a "special" price of A$13.00 for each of the items.
I find this very disapointing, as I can get regular Plasma cutting electrodes for $20 for a packet of 20 on Ebay, even though the design is different, the cathode for the plasma cutter also has the Hafnium insert in the end.
I've ordered a few from Ebay to see if I can make my own Multiplaz type cathodes by making the blanks from copper and removing the Hafnium inserts from the Plasma cutter electrodes and pressing them in.....have to wait till they come and then I'll give it a go.
Even the copper nozzles are a dissapoinment at our local supplier at $13 each, so I'm going to measure them up and see if I can make my own....... just a bit of straight turning.
I have a large fly press, about 9 tons capacity, commonly known as a "Widow Maker", so a die might be the better way to produce the copper nozzles in one or two hits, annealing between hits.
A billet of copper, about 20mm diam and 10mm long would only cost about 20 cents at most, the rest is all arm work swinging the handle of the press....if I weigh the nozzle I could just put a piece of copper into the die the same weight and thump it down into the die.
Another method would be to use the heat of the 'Plaz to melt the copper into a steel mold and just "die cast" them.
In a split mold I could even make the blanks for the cathodes complete with threads....the ideas are coming thick and fast.
In my opinion the supply of the consumeables will make or break the 'Plaz.
Ian.