Making Nicer Torch Cuts ???

[Arc weld]

Never seen a hand held waterjet for a few hundred bucks.:anyone: You don't need a straight edge in order to get the proper looking cut. A straight edge is just for a straight line the same as a circle attachment is for a round hole. Your preheat flame should be about 1/8" or slightly more above the plate. A little preheat on thicker plate never hurts. I find running the torch over a soapstone line helps the line stay on the plate without getting rubbed off.

 

[muddstopper]

about as close to hand held as it gets. , I think. portable water jet cutting machine - YouTube

 

[Arc weld]

And a lot more money than a cutting torch.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I find that pressure and correct torch adjustment have a lot to do with it. A smooth cut can be made with a perfectly balanced flame. A lot of people try to make an oxidizing flame when they adjust the torch out. But the outer cone should just barely meet the inner cone when adjusting the heating flame. When the handle is pressed, the flame should shorten. If the torch is squealing while preheating or the sound is really harsh, it won't cut well. Use your off hand to steady the torch. Prop your cutting hand up with your other arm/hand and use it to pivot and swing the torch through arcs, or slide it down your arm in a straight line if it is hard to keep things stable. Don't forget that too much stand off will cause a mess similar to what you have posted. Other than that, practice, and hold off the coffee.

 

[Arc weld]

An extra heat shield on your free hand is a good idea so you don't burn your hand. I saw a Smith's rep years ago rest his free hand on a fire brick and ran a tip cleaner through the cutting jet once before every cut. He was cutting out people names free hand at a trade show. Unbelievable cutting skill! That is what inspired me to get good at cutting.

 

[firemanmike69]

When you press the oxygen lever you should have a nice defined oxygen cone at the center of the flame

 

[skyhook]

I use to work in a steel mill, cutting 5" square billets of steel, the trick for me was, start slow, when you see that "white" puddle starting, move slowly at the "same" slow speed, watching your puddle as you go, (you can actually see the white stream of steel flowing) you may even have to back up a 1/16 of an inch at times to correct a cut, nice and slow and steady,...too fast and you'll get a flash back of steel. The longer the cut, the harder it is, keep your tip as close to the steel as possible and at a 90 angle of the steel at all times. Works for me.

 

[Sberry]

Plasma broke, torch cut.

 

[Arc weld]

The preheat flames shouldn't touch the steel and you shouldn't be melting the top edge of the cut. You should have a nice square edge and a smooth cut surface.

 

[yomax4]

Good info. Also use a clean tip that is sized for your metal thickness. So many people go for 2 sizes too large and or never clean the tips. If you set the torch according to the cut charts and have the correct size clean tip with the proper set pressure on properly prepared material, You can't help but make good clean cuts.