Arc Air Gouging

nwngunner · Sep 26, 2011

I have been doing a lot of research and wanting a plasma cutter. How ever, i am finding a plasma cutter is very very touchy in what it will and will not work with. Most of the time i am not working with new clean metal, and there is no way to make some of the metal i work with shine like new.

So my question is, how effective is arc air gouging in rough cutting steel. How clean will it cut and how percise can i get with it, with pratice.

Also, i have a 300amp dc welder and my compressor will do almost 17cfm @ 175psi. Are those two items big enough, also how thick of steel can i expect to cut, or is it like a torch the slower i go the thicker i can cut. I am wanting to be able to cut up to 1inch or 1 1/4 plate some times.

Also what is required to be able to do this process, is just a arc air torch and connect my air line and my stinger lead to it?

5030 · Sep 26, 2011

Been using plasma for years and I don't find it at all touchy. The trick, if you will, is to initiate the plasma arc on a clean spot and have a good conductive ground. I routinely cut less than pretty metal and have no problem.

Arc Gouging is current intensive and very dirty. Outside is okay, inside is a no-no.

It all depends on how fast you want to spin that industion disc on your electric meter.

MikeD74T · Sep 26, 2011

Air gouging is not cutting per se but melting then blowing the molten metal away. You will not get satisfactory precise severing of metals without a lot of effort. It is good for v-ing cracks, rough cutting stainless steel, or removing welds. For 1" or 1-1/2' steel you might find it acceptable for infrequent cuts rather than purchasing a larger plasma cutter but I'd go for a bigger O/A torch first. Air gouging is clean regarding slag as you melt the metal rather than oxidize it. MikeD74T

nwngunner · Sep 27, 2011

ok thanks guys i will just keep using my oa torch, my oa torch is good for upto 3 or 4 inch, i just need to get rid of the propane to cut that heavy.

yomax4 · Sep 27, 2011

Plasma is an excelland way to gouge. You control the gouge by turning the amps down or up. Much less heat invloved over using the torch.

slowzuki · Sep 27, 2011

Why? I had a propane tip for 4", the local scrap yards big wrecking torch is oxy-propane?

nwngunner said:
ok thanks guys i will just keep using my oa torch, my oa torch is good for upto 3 or 4 inch, i just need to get rid of the propane to cut that heavy.

deereman75 · Sep 27, 2011

ou can cut way thicker with propane then with O/A, because you can have the propane at a much higher pressure, which means a bigger tip. (I have seen propane tips for cutting 24 inch thick)

TraderMark · Sep 27, 2011

I love my arc gouge.
But like MikeD74T said, it has its purposes.
I too, use mine for veeing cracks, removing old welds, etc.
I've also found that for me, arc gouging works MUCH better when I run on AC instead of DC. It's almost like having a 'bead eraser' when you're trying to take things apart and save the base metal.

Mark

yomax4 · Sep 27, 2011

The serious scrap yards do use Propane and Oxygen. I set one up with 4= 02 Gas Packs and 6= 100# propane tanks ran through a vaporizer. We were cutting 30" machine bases and bundles of rebar. Very wild set up...Like holding onto a Fire Hose...