first time cutting 3/8"s steel

kel fab creations · Post by **kel fab creations** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:12 pm

I cut some 3/8's steel today for the first time. I'm using my 22+ year old hypertherm max 42 (40amp) with an RT60 torch. The cut chart for my plasma stops at 1/4" so I looked at a pm45 cut chart and made sure I was a little slower than that. I cut this at 25ipm and I am very happy with the results. Holes were cut at 15ipm. Piercing was a bit of a chore but it did do it without messing up the nozzle. By the look of the dross I can speed up a little right? I just don't wanna sacrifice edge anglularity.

Cleaned up easy.

Post by **jimcolt** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 1:21 pm

Keep increasing the speed by 2 to 5 ipm on successive cuts.....at a point the dross will be either minimal or non-existant. Write that speed down for next time. Cut your holes at 60% of the dross free speed.....and you will get good repeatable results.

The cut height should maintain at about .06" to .08" with that plasma....and the pierce height should be at about .12" to .16" for best nozzle/shield life.

Jim Colt

Post by **twicecustom** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:05 am

Very nice!!! And pretty fancy welds there too!

Post by **Loyd** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 3:25 pm

Those are some good looking parts! Nice job! And Jim, thanks for the tips!
Loyd

JJsCustomDesigns · Post by **JJsCustomDesigns** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:31 pm

I cant ever get my holes to look that nice. i usually have to make them 1/8" smaller and drill em out with the drill press. Nice work!

kel fab creations · Post by **kel fab creations** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 12:08 am

Thanks for the compliments guys. I actually did cut the holes 1/16" smaller and drilled them out after.

Post by **jimcolt** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:34 am

Using proper technique (a good plasma, consumables in good shape, proper power level, correct pierce and cut height, correct lead in lead out shapes and correct hole speed) you can get nice holes that generally don't require drilling.

Attached are pics of 3/8" and 1/4" parts....the 3/8" has holes as small as 3/8" that you can drop a bolt through...the 1/4" has holes as small as 3/16" . All cut on PlasmaCam with Powermax at 45 amps (shielded consumables).

Jim

: IMG_2637.jpg (43.07 KiB) Viewed 2553 times

: IMG_2637.jpg (43.07 KiB) Viewed 2553 times

alleykat · Post by **alleykat** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:38 am

Kel Fab,are those wheel spacers you made?

kel fab creations · Post by **kel fab creations** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:57 am

Yes they are. For my buddies 57 Chevy pickup.

first time cutting 3/8"s steel

first time cutting 3/8"s steel

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Re: first time cutting 3/8"s steel