16ga, mild steel settings?

[RhinoGuy]

What settings are you fellas running on 16ga plate? I'm trying to cut some small pieces (1.5" x 4") and am having bad dross. I'm not really concerned about cut quality and tolerances for this little project. I just don't want to be grinding and chipping away on the small pieces all day.

Pics are what I get using hypertherm suggested settings at 45 amps.

[ctgolfer1]

We can see your getting nice cuts on the straights, lousy dross on the corners, Mach 3 is programed to slow the torch 30% on the corners because of the extra metal to cut on a radius. Your best bet to to increase the speed 10%, then 20% untill you find the sweet spot. You can reprogram Mach 3 but your better off not to.
At some point your speed will be too zippy for the straights but with 16 ga I think your a long ways from that.

[RhinoGuy]

Thanks for the reply. I will give that a shot.

[Thor]

45 amp finecut, 250 ipm, 79 volts, small holes @60% speed is what works good for me

[SeanP]

6000mm/min (236ipm) at 40a works great on mine with finecuts

[weldguy]

Great suggestions by these guys and once you get it dialed in as good as you can throw those parts into a 50/50 muriatic acid and water mix overnight and they will come out dross free and look laser cut

[RhinoGuy]

Thanks again fellas. Im going to try the acid/water mix. I cant seem to get them to look any better than pictured at 45 amps.

I wonder if cranking her up to 65 would help? I may try that tonight. Iv got some fine cut consumables on the way too.

[acourtjester]

running 65 amps will give you a wider kerf, do not exceed the amp rating of the tip you are using

[BulletProofTech]

If having cut problems due to speed. I run at 40 amps, 150ipm for a set of fine cut consumables. THC is set at 78Volts.

[SeanP]

If having cut problems due to speed. I run at 40 amps, 150ipm for a set of fine cut consumables. THC is set at 78Volts.

That sounds way to slow, it's probably diving into sheet at that setting.
Try at 230 IPM, volts is probably around 78, best to do a test piece say 6'' x 1/2'' with thc button off, see what volts is showng as you cut, that match that setting in sheetcam or bump up or down preset volts.