Plasma torch help.

[srs]

A water filter should be next to the compressor, and the desiccant type filer at the plasma cutter.

J_J, since I only use my plasma cutter two or three times a year do you think it would be ok to just use a MOTORGUARD filter in-line before the plasma cutter? I see there are three models to choose from; the M-26, M-60, or M-C100. I believe the M-C100 is the newest product available so I'm guessing this might be the best of the three. FYI I have a smaller size air compressor, I'm guessing without going out to the garage 1.3 HP, 4 or 5 gallon tank. The plasma cutter is a Hypertherm that cuts 1/4 inch, 3/8th max. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[FredH]

As Kenny wrote , I would question the CFM capacity of the air compressor . At minimum 3.5 CFM to upwards of 4.5 CFM are required for most cutters .

Also I would question 90 psi being to HIGH of pressure . On most cutters that I have read about and my 50 amp model that I have , normal is 65 psi to 70 psi continuous during operation of cutter . More psi is not always better operating a plasma cutter .

Fred H.

 

[J_J]

J_J, since I only use my plasma cutter two or three times a year do you think it would be ok to just use a MOTORGUARD filter in-line before the plasma cutter? I see there are three models to choose from; the M-26, M-60, or M-C100. I believe the M-C100 is the newest product available so I'm guessing this might be the best of the three. FYI I have a smaller size air compressor, I'm guessing without going out to the garage 1.3 HP, 4 or 5 gallon tank. The plasma cutter is a Hypertherm that cuts 1/4 inch, 3/8th max. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Those are good filters. My Pro cut 55 uses 6 cfm. or 360 per hour. It looks like your machine uses 4.5 cfm. At about 60 psi

 

[jimcolt]

My Hypertherm Powermax45 operates on inlet air pressure of between 90 and 135 psi.....at 6 scfm. It is a good idea to drain your compressor tank daily....get rid of the water and also have some type of filter system to further reduce moisture and particulate. I can cut for days on one set of consumables......and can drag cut all the way to over 1".....as the Hypertherm has a shielded front end design that does not allow the nozzle (some call it a tip) to touch the workpiece.

Jim

 

[toy]

If you have an 80 amp tip in your torch can you cut 20 gauge sheet metal with it or would it be better to change the tip for a smaller tip? What would be the results of using a larger tip than is recommended, would it cut faster or would it do damage to something?

 

[jimcolt]

The 80 Amp nozzle will certainly cut 20 ga material.....the kerf will be very wide, there will be dross, and there will be heat induced warpage.....all in all an ugly cut. I would cut 20 ga at no more than 30 amps with a nozzle designed to operate in that range (on Hypertherm units use the FineCut consumables)......this allows you to cut at reasonable speed, with a narrow kerf, and with little or no heat related distortion.

Many of the low cost import plasmas have one set of consumables.....the major brand units (more expensive, better performance) have multiple sets for fine tuning your cuts to a wide range of materials.

Jim

If you have an 80 amp tip in your torch can you cut 20 gauge sheet metal with it or would it be better to change the tip for a smaller tip? What would be the results of using a larger tip than is recommended, would it cut faster or would it do damage to something?

 

[tlbuser]

thanks for the tip greg, i got the thermal dynamics cut master 52, i but i couldn't get enough air through it. maybe i needed a bigger one.
brian

You're not getting enough continuous air supply. Dry air is important, but so is the quantity. Your cutmaster 52 requires 6.7 cfm @ 75 psi to operate correctly.

3 things required for plasma cutting - lots of air, electricity and a really good, clean ground. 98% of the time, unless the tip is slagged over, it'll cut. Not very good, but it'll cut.

 

[tlbuser]

I was at the local machine shop about a year ago and they had got a new toy and they had been playing around with it, you could see the metal that they had been cutting laying beside it. They had cut out stars, a moon, a heart and they looked good. The machine looked like it might have been a cnc plasma cutter and the table on it was a grating metal, and it had cut marks partially through the grating all over it and it was pretty deep. The original poster mentioned gouging out marks on his concrete floor, my question is how high would you have to elevate the metal off of your welding table to be able to cut the material that your are cutting without cutting gouges out of your welding table or the floor as the poster mentioned? My second question is the desicant material in the harbor freight filter the same as those little packs of stuff that is in packages that you order that is supposed to absorb moisture? They also say that you can replace the material in the filter, do they sell the desicant material and how much would it cost, and could you dry what is in the filter out and reuse it? Is one of the motorguard filters by itself enough to dry the air out enough to use in a plasma cutter or should you use additional means with it? The motor guard filter that I have the filter element is about the size of a small roll of toilet paper and I was told that you could dry it out and reuse it and that you could also use a roll of toilet paper for a filter, is this correct?

Ideally, you program the cuts around the pointy parts of the table. The shipping paks are relatively the same as air dryer dessicant, watch the grain sizing. Dessicant can be revitalized in a warm oven (275-300 F) If it was originally blue, cook it until it turns blue again, cool and reuse. Paper elements are cheap enough to not bother, besides who really wants to use soggy TP

 

[J_J]

Those slats on the plasma cutting table are expendable. Just put new slats in when they get all cut up.

Do not cut directly on cement, as the heat of the plasma will cause the concrete to expand rapidly, popping out little chunks of concrete. Three to four in should be good enough.

There are many accessories for plasma cutters to cut circles, notch pipe, and cut off pipe. They have stand off tool to maintain a set distance above the cut. A drag tip does the same thing.

 

[tlbuser]

Those slats on the plasma cutting table are expendable. Just put new slats in when they get all cut up.

Sure, if you call a $200.00 replacement set expendable.