Best Way to Cut Steel Mesh with Plasma?

[Big Barn]

If I'm doing rough work I don't pay much attention to tip condition. I'll use them as long as I can. Sometimes they'll get worn to the point they don't cut straight with the direction the tip is pointed. They may cut at an angle when the gun is held straight up/down. No worries unless I'm doing delicate work. Then I switch to a new tip. Worst thing you can do is sit the gun straight down on metal and pull the trigger. Until it gouges thru the metal all the heat is deflected straight back into the tip. Bingo, ruined tip. I always am off the edge of the material being cut when I pull the trigger, then move onto the cut area. Good friend of mine spent the last 4 days in my shop building a Jeep Buggy. No experience with a Plasma Cutter. He ruined 2 tips the first day. We had to have a "stop and think about it" discussion. Then he got along fine.

I never have that problem. As an 'acquaintance' of mine often points out, I HAVE no friends.

Terry

 

[ovrszd]

I never have that problem. As an 'acquaintance' of mine often points out, I HAVE no friends.

Terry

I hear ya. I love this guy like a Brother. But man he was hard on my shop equipment. One time I look over and he's grinding a weld. Throwing all of the sparks onto my Kubota tractor. When I tapped him on the shoulder and said don't do that and pointed at the tractor he said "do what"? He jammed the wire in my Wire Welder so many times I lost track.

 

[Hilbilly]

You need pilot arc for cutting expanded metal, as it keeps the arc going. I don't know if that model of plasma cutter has it or not, I looked on their web page and for whatever reason they did not say. If it doesn't have pilot arc, then you could use a circular saw with a steel cutting blade. It will zip right through it.

The XP must have Pilot Arc then, since the arc stays on between the mesh cuts. As long as I hold the trigger down.

If I'm doing rough work I don't pay much attention to tip condition. I'll use them as long as I can. Sometimes they'll get worn to the point they don't cut straight with the direction the tip is pointed. They may cut at an angle when the gun is held straight up/down. No worries unless I'm doing delicate work. Then I switch to a new tip.

Worst thing you can do is sit the gun straight down on metal and pull the trigger. Until it gouges thru the metal all the heat is deflected straight back into the tip. Bingo, ruined tip. I always am off the edge of the material being cut when I pull the trigger, then move onto the cut area.

Good friend of mine spent the last 4 days in my shop building a Jeep Buggy. No experience with a Plasma Cutter. He ruined 2 tips the first day. We had to have a "stop and think about it" discussion. Then he got along fine.

Good info. I have read several posts and ads about newbies going through consumables quickly at first but getting more life out of the consumables as they gain experience. Just like most things I guess. It takes practice to get better.

I do start the arc off just off the edge of the steel, even though is states in the owners manual that on thinner material, I think it was less than 1/4", the arc should be started on the material. So far everything I have cut is thicker.

I'm done the fab work on my grapple so probably won't have use for the Plasma for some time. Unless I can come up with another project to build.

 

[TxDoc]

The PMX30XP does have an expanded metal mode. This is integrated into the control pcb already, so you won’t find a switch on the PMX30XP to turn it ON or OFF. It comes on automatically when it senses the torch leave the material. The PMX30XP will switch to pilot arc mode for 2 seconds. If it doesn’t sense transfer in those 2 seconds it will turn the arc off and require another start signal to continue cutting.

 

[flyerdan]

Put aluminum foil between the mesh and straight edge, it will keep the cut lit, and it's easier to mark cut lines on.

 

[BukitCase]

TxDoc, where'd you find that info? I dnl the manual, searched on terms expanded, mesh, automatic, pilot, etc, not a word about it - then went to HT's site, saw one video SHOWING (not telling) someone cutting expanded metal. I could see that the pilot stayed on, but was surprised they don't blow their horn more on this... Steve

 

[ovrszd]

The PMX30XP does have an expanded metal mode. This is integrated into the control pcb already, so you won’t find a switch on the PMX30XP to turn it ON or OFF. It comes on automatically when it senses the torch leave the material. The PMX30XP will switch to pilot arc mode for 2 seconds. If it doesn’t sense transfer in those 2 seconds it will turn the arc off and require another start signal to continue cutting.

That's how my Miller works.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That's a feature my Hypertherm doesn't have and wish it did. I was going to see if I could build my own timer circuit and not sure if there is more to it then that. I thought it was starting snd stopping that kills your electrode.

It's almost easier to put an abrasive blade in a circular saw to cut expanded metal. Or I use a torch, which doesn't leave such a sharp edge. It's almost as fast as a plasma anyway, just costs more. But if your buggering up your expensive consumeables, maybe cheaper.

 

[Hilbilly]

I couldn't find anywhere that stated the 30XP has a pilot arc either, but I can assure you that the arc stayed lit when I went from one mesh strand to the next. I'm not sure that wore the tip badly or not. But I do have less than an hour on the tip and the hole is definitely oblong. I'm going to chalk this up to operator error and carry on. I ordered a 5 pack of consumables when I bought the plasma but they haven't arrived yet. Maybe I better order another 5 pack for backup.

I was going to cut the mesh with my angle grinder and a cutting disc but thought, what the heck this in one of the features that the plasma vendors brag about, so I had to try it. It worked great and was fast but not sure I would do it again if I'm going to go through $10 worth of consumables for a short run like that, about 6'.

 

[CNC Dan]

I couldn't find anywhere that stated the 30XP has a pilot arc either, but I can assure you that the arc stayed lit when I went from one mesh strand to the next. I'm not sure that wore the tip badly or not. But I do have less than an hour on the tip and the hole is definitely oblong. I'm going to chalk this up to operator error and carry on. I ordered a 5 pack of consumables when I bought the plasma but they haven't arrived yet. Maybe I better order another 5 pack for backup.

I was going to cut the mesh with my angle grinder and a cutting disc but thought, what the heck this in one of the features that the plasma vendors brag about, so I had to try it. It worked great and was fast but not sure I would do it again if I'm going to go through $10 worth of consumables for a short run like that, about 6'.

Try to keep the non-cutting time to a minimum. That eats nozzles.

Also, is your air dry?