Plasma Cutters anyone?

   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #11  
Chuck, I went to the site and looked this over, very impresive, thanks for sharing. Hope there will be others who have used this unit and can give us more insight.
PJ
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #12  
wroghtrn havv-

I really enjoy reading your posts. VERY informative, particularly the posts on how to bend stuff.

One question: In your last post on this thread you mention someone that showed you how they cut nice and clean with a regular torch. How did they do it? Any particular secret you could share with the rest of us?
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #13  
wroughtn harv-

I apologize for mangling your name on my last post. Wasn't trying to be funny. Just that I cut about half an inch off middle finger in log splitter and the nail that grew back is more like a claw than a nail. Raises hob on the keyboard sometimes if I am not careful, which is what happened.

I saw on one of your photos that you did something like that to one of your thumbs, if memory serves.

Your photos are great since we can see exactly what you are talking about when you describe one of your bending rigs.

Any secrets on how to make clean torch cuts would be appreciated.
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #14  
Got one. It's a kewl tool. If it's a kewl tool I've either got it or are conniving to get it.

Actually I saw Jesse James on the Discovery Channel using one and wanted to know what kind of torch it was. Then I noticed one in Rob Gunter's tool kit and had to ask. I'm very impressed with it. I haven't used it to it's full potential nor have I seen a professional use it. But if a clutz like me can make it do miracles than anyone can.
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #15  
<font color=blue>Any secrets on how to make clean torch cuts would be appreciated.</font color=blue>

The first and most important thing about using a cutting torch is understanding that there is no magic. It doesn't take talent or superior intelligence to master the monster.

It's all about heat and rate of travel. If there is a talent to it the only thing I can think that would be would be the ability to concentrate. You can hook up a buggo which is self propelled mechanism for welding or cutting and set it. It will cut perfect cuts. The machine doensn't wonder if the neighbor's wife wears underwear under those jeans or if the company is going to lay one off this week or the next.

So if we know that the magic in cutting is purely and teetotally set up and then the proper rate of travel it only leaves practice for us work on. Practice works real well. Especially when we do it repeatedly and often.

What happens when you're using a cutting torch is the blue part of the flame turns the steel red. Then when you hit the oxygen lever it causes the red to burn through the remaining steel and you have the start of the cut. What you're looking for is that point where the steel turns orange and wet looking and the oxygen hits it. So when you've got the right heat, the wet orange shows up, and you've got the right rate of travel, the oxygen is hitting the leading edge of the orange just as it shows up, you have a perfect cut.

If you're too slow the wet orange becomes a clean clear through mess as you're melting all the steel and it rewelds or recombines to itself as it cools just before landing on your boots and teaching you how to really do a jig.

If you're moving too fast the oxygen doesn't have the time to push the wet orange through the steel so it comes bubbling back up just to listen to see if you're a decent cusser or merely a repeataholic.

For me it's sorta like driving. You're concentrating not so much on what's under your wheels as much as what's coming up. So you get the heat and rate of travel and then you concentrate on the path you're going to take.

There's a lot more to it than that of course. You need clean tips. A good fitter will wear out cutting tips from cleaning them long before they burn out. You need to find that space that's perfect for that flame and that material. If you're too close you're gonna have problems. If you're too far away you're gonna have another set of problems.

But the biggest problem I see with cutting for most folks is again like driving. I see them worrying about what's under their wheels when they're doing thirty five miles an hour.

Practice repeatedly and often. And concentrate on the fact that there's only about three things going on here. And none of it's magic.
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #16  
I am far below Wroughtn_Harv's league as a fabricator, but the Henrob still makes me look pretty good as a cutter. It is easy to cut very smooth mild steel cuts in pretty big stuff.
The beer can welding part is a lot tougher. I have only tried it a little with thin stuff. I have had good luck with some brazes and braze welds on medium weight projects, but fortunately I don't have to rely on any of my junctions of really thin stuff. It is a neat tool, and easier to use than traditional welding/brazing torches. Maybe if I work at it long enough I can get good enough to demo it at a county fair somewhere.
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #17  
The henrob looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing! I've never seen one or even heard about them but just looking at the website, I've GOT to have one. The versatility in incredible.

Mike
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #18  
This looks a lot like a torch that all of the street rod magazines were raving about 20 year ago. I wanted one but they cost about $450 back then. Do you know what they are going for now. I did not see prices on their web site.
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #19  
Prices are available on the site. About $349 with video and I believe $329 without.

Mike
 
   / Plasma Cutters anyone? #20  
How did they come up with the name Plasma cutter?
PJ
 

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