Water Jet Cutting?

[Vermillion]

Does anyone here on the board do Waterjet cutting or know someone fairly well that does? Plasma and Laser would not be an option due to the heating of the spring stainless steel.

I'm contemplating making an item for sale, but I need to have a rough idea of the cost to know if it would be worth it.

Initially I'm imagining a single prototype of a design cut into a sheet of 2' x 4' 410 stainless steel in 18 gauge. If the cost would be the same, maybe several sheets of 410 stacked on top of one another.

No, I don't have the design in a CAD file yet, because that would involve a considerable amount of work and I don't want to go that far if it would be cost prohibitive.

If anyone can help, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[PatternWeld]

Talk to Jamie @ Polarbear Forge

[Blackoak]

Scott at Darkwood Armory does commission work with his water jet.

Uric

[losthelm]

Are you sure the 410 is heat treated?
Plasma would save a bit of money if you don't mind a little cleanup.

[polarbearforge]

I run a laser and cutting 18g spring stainless is not a problem. When I had a good supplier, I made lamellar plates this way out of 20g.

For just about anybody, you'll need to have a cad file for a quote to be made. When I quote things, I need to know runtime, and I need a cad file to do it.

Jamie

[Jofthepeace]

I run a laser and cutting 18g spring stainless is not a problem. When I had a good supplier, I made lamellar plates this way out of 20g.

For just about anybody, you'll need to have a cad file for a quote to be made. When I quote things, I need to know runtime, and I need a cad file to do it.

Jamie

Pretty much what Jamie said about the quoting. Though the 18 gage will cut very quickly, it will still be fast if they are stacked 5 to 6 thick as well.

My work has a waterjet that I'll do shields out of occasionally.

[Ingelri]

Since I would assume that you are cutting and forming before heat treating, I wouldn't think that using a laser or plasma would make that much of a difference. Most 410 Stainless is annealed when you get it. Now, if it's the opposite, and the piece has already been heat treated, then yes waterjet would probably be a better option.

[Vermillion]

No the pieces have not already been heat treated.

My concern with plasma was too much mess, and with a lot of small cuts to what is a fairly small piece, the clean up time and final polish would make the whole thing NOT cost effective.

My concern with Laser would be that it would cause some unintended heat treatment to the 410, and again cause the forming stage to be much more of a PITA. 410 is kinda wonky this way, and some of the people who work with 1050 that I've talked too have reported similar issues when they do hot work with it. But since I have my own kiln, I guess I could just anneal it again. *dohhhhh* Sometimes I miss the obvious.

So that is how I can to the Water Jet decision.... Now I see that I'm probably in error. That is why I ask my friends here for advice before I do stupid things

Jamie, I'll be in touch, but it might be a month or two. I will try to work up a dxf before I contact you.

To everyone... I don't mean to be mysterious about my intent, but my idea is basically for an item that would be a low volume, moderate profit item, that could easily be copied and "stolen" by many of the more established vendors around the community. So you can understand why I wish to be "mysterious" at this point.

[polarbearforge]

The amount of heat affected zone on 18g would be negligible. It would not cause you any problems.

If you want to send me a drawing, I can give suggestions/advice regarding the part.

Jamie