I am wondering If plasma cutters can cut mdf. I am sure they can, but the question is do they ignite the wood or just sear the edges like a laser does?

How smooth is a plasma cut edge?

Does anyone have some pictures of a plasma stream? I mean a picture of the plasma but not cutting anything.

The plasma stream can only ignite when it is arcing to a conductive material.

The plasma stream can only ignite when it is arcing to a conductive material.

Good point.

Lets say I had 1mm of aluminium veneer laminated to both sides of the mdf. Would it work then?

I have been just reading about how plasma cutters create a bevel. I was wondering what determines what side the bevel will appaer. Or does the bevel appear all around the cut. For instance if I held the plasma cutter in one position, would it cut a cone shape through the initial hole?

Gotta be metal to cut.

Would probably cut venier then make a big fire mess out of the wood.

You can cut non conductive items with a plasma cutter. I used to cut fiberglass insulation for hvac duct work on a cnc plasma. The tips wear out faster than when you have a ground. Wouldn't try wood. But i guess if its thin enough it might work. I don't think I will use mine to try it.

Donny

The plasma cut will create a bevel on the left side as the torch is travelling away from you. For instance, if you cut a hole you have to cut it in counterclockwise, but if you cut a piece you have to cut it in clockwise. This happens coz the swirling action of the plasma gas.

sounds like a good job for a water jet :)

You can cut non conductive items with a plasma cutter. I used to cut fiberglass insulation for hvac duct work on a cnc plasma. The tips wear out faster than when you have a ground. Wouldn't try wood. But i guess if its thin enough it might work. I don't think I will use mine to try it.

Donny

No...Plasma most certainly will not cut MDF, fiberglass or anything else that is not metal...UNLESS you are actually cutting metal AND the non-metal object just happens to be under it. If you can cut MDF or fiberglass with a plasma cutter, then I guess you can TIG or MIG weld them as well??? Where do you put the ground clamp to complete the arc's electrical path???

Anyone who's run a plasma hand or machine torch knows what happens if there is no metal under the torch and it can't strike an arc...you waste the consumables in a matter of seconds as the torch arcs to the side of the nozzle. There goes another $10-20...


-Brady

tried on the old Acklands plasma, 50A 220v in.. cuts 1/8 kind of ok.. 1/4 pretty rounded and burns a fair bit..
not a very clean cut in any case, and capacity is not high ...
terrible on rubber ..but will pop a hole through a radial quickly,
ok on thinner plastic, not as messy or 'runny' as I thought it would be..
suprisingly nice cut on a small piece of windows glass..
third try shattered the glass though, uneven thermal expansion I assume..

I do cut without the ground attached ocassionally, when I'm in a bit of a rush, or it's just a small piece of sheet metal, but it does reduce the life span of the consumables..probably by at least half [I'm guessing on this]

tried a piece of fiberglass [about 3/16] and it wasn't too bad, not as clean as a hole saw as it seemed to cook some of the resin out of the edge and made it slightly 'furry', but it was fast..

end result to my viewpoint, not worth it, unless just for amusement value..

enjoy..