Just got a welder with a built-in plasma cutter, but haven’t used a plasma cutter before (only acetylene torch). Is it safe to plasma cut on it or is there a safe way to do it to ensure it doesn’t hurt the table? Do you just have to raise up the workpiece X inches? Do you put a protective plate down? Or just don’t do it? If the latter, what all do you plasma cut on?
No. Absolutely don’t do it.
There are slat style tables or over a barrel based solutions for plasma cutting if you want a dedicated cutting table.
I started with one of the 17 gallon round options from these guys, and am currently trying to sell it since I have a cnc plasma table now. You don’t live in Nebraska do you? 
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Sadly I am not. I’m in Ohio so quite a ways away. That is a good link. I’m not sure I have room for another table in my currently small space now and my costs have sort of exploded by getting a couple dragon wagons… 
Right now I don’t see myself needing to do it often. Maybe I could find a temporary / DIY method. It’d be nice to have one but it doesn’t seem that complex to create a makeshift one for a one time job. Thanks!
How about something you bolt to your Dragon Wagon that hangs off the side so you’re cutting over the ground? Square frame with replaceable slats you can bolt down?
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Yea, maybe I could have it just with a couple 3/4" rods that fit right into the holes. I could always just throw a junk metal tub or something underneath to catch the majority of the mess too.
We don’t recommend plasma or torch cutting directly on top of the table. Even though the Dragon scale is pretty tough and can protect the surface. If I need to do any cutting or abrasive process on the table top I use a scrap piece of aluminum or steel sheet to protect the milled surface. This helps preserve the table from unnecessary damage. I also use the sheet when I grid or debur parts. It’s easy to slip and cut the table top with the grinding disc. I keep this aluminum close and it works well .
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You have used a sheet to protect it from plasma cutting and that works? How thick does it need to be? I may still make something to hang off like above, but that would be a much quicker thing to do for my first part I need to make on it.
If you space the plate that your cutting off of the table 6” or so and with a piece of 1/8 aluminum or steel protecting the table. I don’t see a problem with it for occasional cutting. But a dedicated cutting table is always the best choice.
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I believe by cutting he means with a cutoff wheel on an angle grinder. Plasma cutting should not be done over the table unless you have it covered so NOTHING can mess up the table.
I think maybe you need to watch some videos about plasma cutters so you understand what happens to anything that’s close to where you’re cutting. Even if you space your work piece up 6-10" so you don’t cut the top of the table, it’s a gigantic smokey sparky mess that you won’t want to have to clean up off the table afterwards unless you have no other options, at least in my opinion.
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Great advice all. Thank you!
No Northern Tool locations in my state, but I have looked at ordering from the online before. I don’t think they have red tags online though. It’s also a space issue for me. I like the idea of having something I can attach to the side of my fixture table and then have it leaning against a wall when I’m not using it… or maybe since I have two tables, I could attach it between them for support on both sides… wheels are turning 
Excellent sale find, cheap enough to use, abuse, and replace in the future if his needs change.
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What if you make a square frame from angle iron and just cut a few slots in it so you can add slats? 2 holes on one side and 2 tacking bolts to bolt it to the last row of holes along a table edge and you could set it up and take it down in seconds.
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Make or buy a cheap plasma table top. They are easy to make with angle iron or square tubing and flat bar. Throw it on sawhorses when you need it. Tskes up little room storing it.
I wanted to reach through the internet and slap you comic book style saying “No!” You spent $2000+ on precision fixture tables. Arguably the best in the U.S. Take care of them and they’ll last 50+ years holding the same tolerances.
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I knew it probably wasn’t a good idea but I was just checking to see how tough the dragon scale was and / or if there were any proven & reliable ways to prevent it from damaging the table. Definitely will be protecting that investment.
I’ve experimented with other table surfaces (not the dragon wagon). Cutting 3/4" plate elevated 2 inches above the table surface didn’t remove any material from the table surface, but there’s a lot of byproducts of cutting like slag and other smoky stuff that can cause discoloration or otherwise get embedded in the table surface.