For those with a Plasma cutter...

[Haywire]

Can you please measure the ID of the ring please?

I'll measure it tomorrow... it's tapered to fit the torch though.

I've never used one of those, looks very interesting! I guess I'm just too old school, I generally use a burning bar. Do the wheels help keep the torch going in a straight line, so you wouldn't need a straight edge?

The wheels help move the torch along smoothly, but you still need a straight edge. The ring that the wheels are attached to can be fixed for cutting a straight line, or if you loosen a set screw, is free to rotate around the torch head for cutting a circle.

Ian

 

[Shield Arc]

VERY cool..... i wouldnt mine doing that to my own gooseneck so i could fit my new larger tractor...but the axles are too light duty.

That happened to a buddy of mine when I built his. Latter he replaced his axles.
Don't jump right into doing this! With the cost of steel, paint, you'd be better off buying a used gooseneck trailer. I had my adapter Line-X'd which was less than half of the powder coat quote, not counting my labor I only saved $700.00 over buying a new gooseneck.

The horse heads are a nice touch.

Thank you! People comment on them all the time.

The wheels help move the torch along smoothly, but you still need a straight edge. The ring that the wheels are attached to can be fixed for cutting a straight line, or if you loosen a set screw, is free to rotate around the torch head for cutting a circle.

Ian

Thanks! Sorry for hijacking your thread.

 

[crazyal]

How well can you follow two straight edges? I often put one at 90 degrees to the other to make right angle cuts.

 

[Haywire]

You could just use a framing square for that, right? I did make some more cuts this afternoon and didn't get as good results as the first try. Got some slag. I replaced the electrode and cup and got a better results. The hole in the cup had enlarged and the electrode had developed a concave tip. I suppose running it at max capacity shortened the life of them some.

Ian

 

[muddstopper]

I bought a set of guide wheels for my Miller 625. Used them one time and took them off. I prefer to setup a straight edge as a guide. I just free hand short cuts.

 

[weldermike]

Thats why I like a torch. Plasma to delicate!

 

[Haywire]

I bought a set of guide wheels for my Miller 625. Used them one time and took them off. I prefer to setup a straight edge as a guide. I just free hand short cuts.

I still use a straight edge. The wheels just stabilize the torch and help with smooth movement since there's you aren't dragging anything across the surface of the metal.

Of course it won't work well for freehand or something like expanded metal.

Ian

 

[jimcolt]

Hypertherm torches are all designed for drag cutting on the plate. Systems above 30 amps use Hypertherms patented shield technology....so there is no effect on consumable life when drag cutting...no double arcing or sticking to the plate.

Simply pierce, then lower the torch to drag on the plate....you can guide the edge of the torch on a pattern or straightedge made from metal, plywood or cardboard if needed.

Hypertherm systems are certainly more expensive than the low cost imports...but are designed for reliability, ease of use, and provide for lower operating costs (better cut quality, dramatically longer consumable life) that result in a lower cost of ownership. Did I mention that they are made in the USA (Hanover, NH) by employee owners of the company?

I had a job two weeks ago dismantling a 60' long steel mezzanine catwalk in an industrial building. I used a Hypertherm Powermax45....and cut up over 15,000 pounds of steel (3/16" treadplate, 1/2" and 1/4" thick I beams, bar joists, 3 x 3 x .375 tubing, 3/16" steel stairtreads, 1/2" gusset plates) into parts smaller than 2' x 5' (carryable by one man). The job took me three 8 hour days, the Powermax45 had a used nozzle when I started, the same nozzle was in it after the job was done. All cuts were drag cuts right on the plate. There is not a chance that an oxy-fuel torch would have cut that much steel as fast or as cheap! I have a few pics if anyone is interested...

I use the same plasma on my cnc machine in my home shop...

Jim Colt

BUY A ROLLER GUIDE. Make it a priority. The ease of use is greatly improved with one over the wire standoff that comes with the torch. The stance is wider which makes it more stable side to side and that means less tendency to tilt the torch. My cuts in 1/2" plate are much cleaner and straighter with no dross at all. With the wire standoff, I was wobbling a bit side to side and that caused a lot of dross underneath.

I am really pleased with mine as you can tell. This is the one I got. It fits Trafimet S45 torches which come with the Everlast PP50 as well as the Harbor Freight and Eastwood cutters.

Ian

 

[grsthegreat]

Hypertherm torches are all designed for drag cutting on the plate. Systems above 30 amps use Hypertherms patented shield technology....so there is no effect on consumable life when drag cutting...no double arcing or sticking to the plate.

Simply pierce, then lower the torch to drag on the plate....you can guide the edge of the torch on a pattern or straightedge made from metal, plywood or cardboard if needed.

Hypertherm systems are certainly more expensive than the low cost imports...but are designed for reliability, ease of use, and provide for lower operating costs (better cut quality, dramatically longer consumable life) that result in a lower cost of ownership. Did I mention that they are made in the USA (Hanover, NH) by employee owners of the company?

I had a job two weeks ago dismantling a 60' long steel mezzanine catwalk in an industrial building. I used a Hypertherm Powermax45....and cut up over 15,000 pounds of steel (3/16" treadplate, 1/2" and 1/4" thick I beams, bar joists, 3 x 3 x .375 tubing, 3/16" steel stairtreads, 1/2" gusset plates) into parts smaller than 2' x 5' (carryable by one man). The job took me three 8 hour days, the Powermax45 had a used nozzle when I started, the same nozzle was in it after the job was done. All cuts were drag cuts right on the plate. There is not a chance that an oxy-fuel torch would have cut that much steel as fast or as cheap! I have a few pics if anyone is interested...

I use the same plasma on my cnc machine in my home shop...

Jim Colt

jim, my Hypertherm Powermax 1000 is currently set on a Dynatorch table. It has a 2/16 - 3/16" pierce height, and it generally travels at about 1/4" above the plate.

Should i be running right on the plate???

 

[jimcolt]

Drag cutting is primarily for hand cutting for ease of use. For cnc machine cutting you need to have a pierce height, then a separate cut height. Your Dynatorch table has an arc voltage based eight control that will maintain the torch at the correct height while cutting.

Height is critical for best cut quality....if you are using the mechanized shielded consumables as listed in your Hypertherm operators manual....then the torch should be cutting at 1/16" (.06") off the plate. Any higher and you will experience bad cut edge angularity, warpage and top dross.


Jim Colt Hypertherm

jim, my Hypertherm Powermax 1000 is currently set on a Dynatorch table. It has a 2/16 - 3/16" pierce height, and it generally travels at about 1/4" above the plate.

Should i be running right on the plate???

 

[grsthegreat]

Drag cutting is primarily for hand cutting for ease of use. For cnc machine cutting you need to have a pierce height, then a separate cut height. Your Dynatorch table has an arc voltage based eight control that will maintain the torch at the correct height while cutting.

Height is critical for best cut quality....if you are using the mechanized shielded consumables as listed in your Hypertherm operators manual....then the torch should be cutting at 1/16" (.06") off the plate. Any higher and you will experience bad cut edge angularity, warpage and top dross.


Jim Colt Hypertherm

i use the finecut consumables for most of my work (14 - 16g) and shielded 60 amp for the thicker materials.

I was just guessing at actual cutting height, as like you say the Dynatorch system sets the cut height. Now im wondering if im cutting too high. I know for a fact that im greater than 1/16" off of the material during the cut.

i may have to mess with my settings to try and get it closer to the table . Will the tips last longer if i get it closer to the table?? I have zoro top dross, but a good amount of underside dross. If i cut round holes i can see angular cutting issues moreso than in straight cuts.

 

[charlz]

I had a job two weeks ago dismantling a 60' long steel mezzanine catwalk in an industrial building. I used a Hypertherm Powermax45....and cut up over 15,000 pounds of steel (3/16" treadplate, 1/2" and 1/4" thick I beams, bar joists, 3 x 3 x .375 tubing, 3/16" steel stairtreads, 1/2" gusset plates) into parts smaller than 2' x 5' (carryable by one man). The job took me three 8 hour days, the Powermax45 had a used nozzle when I started, the same nozzle was in it after the job was done. All cuts were drag cuts right on the plate. There is not a chance that an oxy-fuel torch would have cut that much steel as fast or as cheap! I have a few pics if anyone is interested...

Yes plasma certainly rocks compared to O/A for cutting up rusty or painted old steel. No waiting to burn through the crap to get the steel hot enough to cut, just pull the trigger and go! The drag tips are nice for just slicing up pieces but I have also used the regular tips for 'washing' away bolt heads etc when you want to save the piece underneath.... just like you would do with an O/A torch but much faster. I have a PowerMax 600 that I picked up used and I only use my O/A torch for heating now.

 

[Shield Arc]

a good amount of underside dross.

You may have told me, but I forget a lot. Do you cut over water? I built a removable tank for under my machine, really helped with the smoke / dust and believe it or not even with what little dross I got before cutting over water.

 

[jimcolt]

All of the best cut specs are in the manual for your Powermax system. Follow them exactly...and you will get nice cuts as well as the best consumable life. These specs were developed in our labs after cutting tons of steel of every thickness. Pierce height, pierce time, cut height, cut speed are all setable on the Dynatorch....and should be set to the specs for the materials/thicknesses/power levels required.


Jim

i use the finecut consumables for most of my work (14 - 16g) and shielded 60 amp for the thicker materials.

I was just guessing at actual cutting height, as like you say the Dynatorch system sets the cut height. Now im wondering if im cutting too high. I know for a fact that im greater than 1/16" off of the material during the cut.

i may have to mess with my settings to try and get it closer to the table . Will the tips last longer if i get it closer to the table?? I have zoro top dross, but a good amount of underside dross. If i cut round holes i can see angular cutting issues moreso than in straight cuts.

 

[grsthegreat]

All of the best cut specs are in the manual for your Powermax system. Follow them exactly...and you will get nice cuts as well as the best consumable life. These specs were developed in our labs after cutting tons of steel of every thickness. Pierce height, pierce time, cut height, cut speed are all setable on the Dynatorch....and should be set to the specs for the materials/thicknesses/power levels required.


Jim

those are the specs ive set....so ill need to do an aqctual cutting height measurement. Thank you

 

[grsthegreat]

You may have told me, but I forget a lot. Do you cut over water? I built a removable tank for under my machine, really helped with the smoke / dust and believe it or not even with what little dross I got before cutting over water.

no, i have an air table under mine and suck most of the bad air outside. I wouldn't mind getting a water table but their kind of spendy, and i have not been getting any outside jobs for my plasma cutting anymore with this economy. I used to cut alot of timber frame construction brackets, etc. not any longer.

Does your water table tend to rust anything standing above it? My table has about 60 sheets of 3/16'x 54" x 4" slats of steel that make up the bed. I was worried that having a water bed would create a moisture pool that would rust my table. The one dynatorch offers is perminant...not portable water table.

 

[Shield Arc]

When I first heard about cutting over water, I didn't believe the reports. I really blew it when I built the tank. Not believing in the results, I didn't want to cut out the gusseted legs of my machine. So I built the tank too narrow, and too short. Now knowing what a huge difference it makes I wish I would have done it correct. The water should be just under the slats. Now some of the better class machines have the slats underwater, and the material sets in water. I never noticed my slats rusting, but who could tell with so much slag on them.:laughing:

 

[grsthegreat]

When I first heard about cutting over water, I didn't believe the reports. I really blew it when I built the tank. Not believing in the results, I didn't want to cut out the gusseted legs of my machine. So I built the tank too narrow, and too short. Now knowing what a huge difference it makes I wish I would have done it correct. The water should be just under the slats. Now some of the better class machines have the slats underwater, and the material sets in water. I never noticed my slats rusting, but who could tell with so much slag on them.:laughing:

Thats a good idea. the table that Dynatorch sells is like $3,000

Maybe ill build a small portable water table that i wont have to leave under there. And put it on wheels so i can roll it under....


hay.. i have a new project to work on. thank you

 

[Shield Arc]

Mine is on wheels so I can roll it to the shop door and drain. Remember, get the water line as close to the slats as you can! :thumbsup:

 

[grsthegreat]

Mine is on wheels so I can roll it to the shop door and drain. Remember, get the water line as close to the slats as you can! :thumbsup:

ill be designing it this weekend...thanks for the head up. i never thought about a smaller portable unit