Welding Tips and Tricks

hey all,
anyone know of or, do you work with, a CNC plasma table that will do designs from a computer scanned picture, Pre programmed CD or drawing in the Tampa bay, Brooksville, Ocala or surrounding areas?
I'm on the west coast of Florida in Weeki Wachee, nice if they were nearby.

So, I'm in need of a person who has the equipment that will work with (me..lol), thin material no thicker than 20ga metal and 0.085 - 0.100 and sometimes 0.125 aluminum, most of this is one off projects..
And, I'm open to the fact that I may have to change up to 0.125 aluminum because of machine specs.

anyone out there, enlighten me on newer or old technology that will do the same results, please let me know? Also I'm not sure and don't know if, a water jet or some kind of laser of a different technology is doing same results?


Y'all see these people at flea markets with their plasma cutout artwork?
well I've been trying to find one myself...lol

any leads would be appreciated.
thanks everyone!
have a safe & great upcoming holiday,
Ron

As far as finding some one I can not really help you there. But as far as machines and how they operate I should be able to help you. As far as the machine.... thickness dose not really matter if its .100 or .125 unless you want them to supply materiel some places stock different things but as far as cost difference on cutting should not be much unless you are looking to have 1000 or so cut.

First there are 2 different types of plasma in the cnc world there is your plasma and your HD or "high density plasma" first you have the little tables that have little hand held units hooked up to a few motors or this and that and they are great and have a spot. They are easier to find should be cheaper to get time on and normally some one has on it there garage they will do it for beer money. Depending on the accuracy level you are wanting to hit.. Then there is the "HD Plasma" that you will find in more industrial shops. They provide a better cut quality, little to no dross really good edge angularity and more accurate, than the hand held units hooked up to a "cnc" and typically are cheaper to run but they are in industrial shops that have overhead and charge more per hour and have a lot more invested. Also cut faster cleaner and are are quite a bit more expensive machines starting around 40 to 50k for a entry level plasma without power supply they power supply will run you another 40 to 50k and up depending on amps. Then you have in my opinion the king of cutting a laser system high speed high precision cutting machine. Starting out at around 450K and going up from there. Lasers are hard to get time on and most laser company's do not want to mess with little projects unless you are willing to pay keep in mind they typical have a large chuck of money invested and need to pay it off.... unless you know a guy. lasers put out crazy detail fast and from what I have heard parts if you can get them from a laser will run about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of water jet now that is in mild steel and stainless. Water jet slow and expensive to run normally having a 60 to 100 hp pushing some serious pressure can cut anything but on thin stuff that means they have to weigh it down and clamp it or from my understanding it will walk.

I have experience with plasma, HD plasma, and understand quite a bit about lasers but have yet to have hands on experience running one. Water jet I have not been around so all I know is what every one around me says about them....

If you are doing this for an art thing I would say a conventional plasma will do you just fine. Now if you are wanting tighter tolerance I would say go HD plasma, laser, or waterjet.... PS in 20 ga a good laser now will run about 600-1000 IPM