Why I Use a JD2 Plasma Table

I have been asked by friends what plasma table I went with and why. Let me start by saying, I have not used high end machines so this blog is not a reflection of that type of equipment. My experience with CNC machines is limited at best and most is research I have done via the internet. With that in mind here are my thoughts on this equipment.

I am pretty knowledgeable in electronics and CNC equipment. For these reasons I designed a complete CNC Plasma Table in Solidworks a few years back. I purchased Mach 3 software as a controller and became familiar with the program. After completing this project, funding was not in place so the project was put on a hold for a couple years.

I continued my research into the numerous companies out there manufacturing CNC Plasma Tables. The reviews on a lot of these lower priced tables was horrible. Some were so bad, the operators couldn’t get parts and ended up scraping the tables.

I located a company called JD2 and liked what I had read. I liked the fact that they were building their tables out of stainless steel, and they wrote their own operating software. A friend of mine purchased a JD2 table and I had an opportunity to play with it. At the same time I also had the opportunity to check out and use another table by Arclight.

In my opinion, the JD2 is a far superior table in the price range I was shopping to anything else I had reviewed. The gantry is far superior in construction and weight to the other tables I had looked at. My friend who purchased the JD2 table, couldn’t speak enough about the customer service they provide.

I purchased a JD2 table used, brought it home, set it up and started work. I have called JD2 several times seeking technical support. I must say, they are extremely helpful, professional and a joy to work with. Sometimes the wait to speak to someone is long, but once they are on the phone they help you.

Their software is written in house and is easy to use. The table functions flawlessly most of the time and I have no complaints. If your looking at purchasing a CNC Plasma table, stay away from cheap $5k and under tables. Your wasting your money. Stick with a reputable company like JD2. I would highly recommend this company over the others.