Plasma cut quality

[Apples]

What is the cut quality like after a piece of steel is cut whith a plasma cutter. Can some one send me some pics?

Cheers

Apples

[Ziv]

Apples

Cut quality depends on so many things...amperage, feedrate, torch height, but most of all, the condition of your consumables. I tend to cut hot and slow and get good results.

This is a picure of some brake linkage I fabricated. All I have done is knock off the dross and wirewheel the edge. There are some other pics on the site. Feel free to give yourself a tour.

http://ziv.digitalpics.us/photo_view...photoid=138307

Later,
Ziv

[mysterious]

That is nice, for regular round holes do you use the plasma cutter or do you just drill these. If they are plasma cut, they look almost as nice as drilled holes, at least from what I can see.

[jim fuchs]

if i want to make a plazma cutter.cnc are thare eny plans on the net for free. how big a plazma unit will i need would like to cot up to 2 inch crs plate steel .
i have the rails already . what size servo does it take . i have 1.5 tdk bearings and rails . how do thay size a plazma,amps volts ...
thanks jim

[DDM]

Two inch is pretty thick man, you're looking at some heavy duty equipment and kinda slow, You could get creative and do a cutting torch setup but you wouldn't get the nice clean cuts and there would be quite a bit of slag.

Carl

[Ziv]

I have the plas burn a pierce point then I drill to size.

[Ziv]

Jim F

Two inch thick plate is not going to work on a hobby plas. At very slow speeds and high amps it may cut the plate, but your quality is going to be so poor it won't be worth the effort. 5/8" is about as thick as I can cut and still have a non-beveled edge.

First you have to get it on the table. .. have you considered how much a 2" thick piece of plate weighs...per square foot?

Just a thought,
Ziv

[MechWerks]

Wow, an inch is pushing it for small time plasma. OXY can work in the same machine and will burn several inches. Like any cutting operation you have to play with a lot of variables to get clean cuts. But it can be done. Ziv is right...you are going to need a substantial table to hold 2" plate. The kerf will result in quite a taper with plasma if you can find a plasma that will cut that thick. I have a hypertherm 1000 and 1/2 to 5/8 is about the limit for a really nice edge. Thicker usually needs some squaring up if desired by other means.