Dross

[plasmajoe]

Hey guys, I have run into a stonewall here. I am having lots of dross on 1/8"pl. and not the others. I have changed my filters on the air dryers and changed the plasma torch, cleaned the leads, put new consumables and still a slew of dross on thin guage plates!!! On anything over 1/8" no dross at all!! I am lost at what to do here. Anyone have an idea? The dross is the worst kind kinda like high speed dross, the kind that takes a grinder to remove and is a B@*^% to work off. Man I am frustrated with this. Any help would be appreciated.

Plasma Joe

[BrianMick]

IM Still trying to figure that stuff out myself , but if its highspeed dross wouldnt you slow down a bit ?
Brian

[plasmajoe]

IM Still trying to figure that stuff out myself , but if its highspeed dross wouldnt you slow down a bit ?
Brian

It is slowed down even at half speed I get that crap on the underside. I have it figured out though. I put another 1/8"pl on my table and cut the darn thing perfect. Then I checked out the packing slip that came with the plates... yep you guessed it, made in China . The Canadian stell cut perfect but this stuff was out to lunch. I called my supplier and complained. I specifically request Canadian or American steel at all times. They are taking back that stuff they call steel and sending over some real steel in the morning. . I was glad it was the material and not the machine or power supplies. Thanks Brian.

Plasma Joe

[jimcolt]

Cheap steel, or steel produced in older technology mills, often has a high silicon content, and increases the chance of producing dross when plasma cutting. The higher silicone contenet somehow affects the surface tension of molten metal, which causes it to hang on to the bottom of the plate until it solidifies. The oxygen plasma cutting process can usually cut this material without dross.

Jim

[elkriverfab]

Plasmajoe..........

It's happening to you too!

I'm not going crazy after all

Imagine every sheet you buy cuts like that!

Just yesterday I was cutting and it acts as if the ground is removed.

Put on a different sheet and it cuts perfect.

It's a huge waist of material not being able to cut it.

You Canadians send that stuff back to the supplier!

I cant figure out what the stuff is worth if you cant use it for what it's made for!

It's like going to the gas station and paying to pump water in your vehicle

[plasmajoe]

Plasmajoe..........

It's happening to you too!

I'm not going crazy after all

Imagine every sheet you buy cuts like that!

Just yesterday I was cutting and it acts as if the ground is removed.

Put on a different sheet and it cuts perfect.

It's a huge waist of material not being able to cut it.

You Canadians send that stuff back to the supplier!

I cant figure out what the stuff is worth if you cant use it for what it's made for!

It's like going to the gas station and paying to pump water in your vehicle

LOL on the gas pump Shawn... Yep I send that s#@t back. It is the first time this has happened to me and I am not pleased at all. My supplier took it back and the plates I cut well attempted to cut and replaced everything with 2 sheets for my troubles. So all and all it worked out in the end, got the job done on time and go me some bonus steel They promised me it would never happen again. Man that stuff was just horrendous....

talk to you later Shawn and hey how is the pit coming along?

Plasma Joe

[BrianMick]

luckily 99% of the steel we get is good old USA....... We pay more for it but I cant say we have many problems with it
Brian

[redfarm]

I had been working at a scrapyard (just got laid off) and I can attest to what kind of scrap went in to the "export" pile.

[Pricer52]

I am new here. I am glad to become a member and I hope I am able to contribute on some level as I too, continue to learn. Thanks

[cnewb]

TORCHHEAD, over on the CNC ZONE forum had some comments on this subject a day or two ago.

I'll try to find the exact post to review.

Otherwise you can probably search "TORCHHEAD" and "dross" to find it.

[tm america]

I have run into this issue before .. Seems the metal i got that wasnt coated with very much oil had issues with excessive dross sticking to it .. i cut some stuff with rust on the underside there was almost no dross.when i cut stuff with rust on top dross is excessive.Never thought the metal itself could be the issue?