I have a brand new 2x4 Torchmate. I have a Hypertherm 45 hand torch with a hand crank for the z axis. Can my pierce and cut height be the same? Do I just set it for between the to heights? Like, pierce is 1.5 and cut is .08 so I would go with 1.2???
Thanks?
Hypertherm manual pierce vs. cut height question?
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wishiwastorching
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jimcolt
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Re: Hypertherm manual pierce vs. cut height question?
Cut height gives the best quality cut....pierce height saves the shield and nozzle from sure damage on thicker materials.
Rules of thumb:
1. You can pierce at the cut height up through 3/16" thickness with good cut quality and consumable life. Above 3/16"...piercing at the cut height will cause molten metal to enter between the shield and the nozzle....ultimately this will short the shield to the nozzle and will allow a phenomenon called double arcing...causing damage to the nozzle orifice....which will cause wildly varying cut edge angularity.
2. I recommend that for material between 3/16" and 3/8".....set the cut height to .15", and make sure you dial in adequate pierce delay time to allow the arc to fully penetrate the plate before the torch moves. It is helpful to spray some mig anti-spatter spray on the top of the plate where you will be piercing...this helps to blow the slag puddle away from the torch. This .15" cut height will produce more bevel in the cut than the factory recomended cut height of .06"...but you will experience much better consumable life.
3. If you need to pierce 1/2" or 5/8"....set the cut height to about .022"....pierce your hole then stop. Knock the slag puddle off the top of the plate, reset your cut height to .06" and start on the edge of the pierced hole. This will give you a nice cut. 5/8" is the max pierce that I recommend with the 45 (the Hypertherm manual says 3/8")...I have done it many times.
The above works well...the drawback is that you are using your nice cnc machine a a manual machine....cutting one part at a time and babysitting! With the THC you can go mow the lawn while it is doing the above in a fully automatic mode...and liftng the torch between cuts to avoid collisions. I know we are all on a budget....but a full featured THC is worth every penny!
Attached are pictures of my new Torchmate 2x4 (just assembled it last weekend) with the Torchmate AVHC and water table.....just finished cutting multiple parts from 3/8" steel with a Powermax45 and machine torch.
Jim Colt
Rules of thumb:
1. You can pierce at the cut height up through 3/16" thickness with good cut quality and consumable life. Above 3/16"...piercing at the cut height will cause molten metal to enter between the shield and the nozzle....ultimately this will short the shield to the nozzle and will allow a phenomenon called double arcing...causing damage to the nozzle orifice....which will cause wildly varying cut edge angularity.
2. I recommend that for material between 3/16" and 3/8".....set the cut height to .15", and make sure you dial in adequate pierce delay time to allow the arc to fully penetrate the plate before the torch moves. It is helpful to spray some mig anti-spatter spray on the top of the plate where you will be piercing...this helps to blow the slag puddle away from the torch. This .15" cut height will produce more bevel in the cut than the factory recomended cut height of .06"...but you will experience much better consumable life.
3. If you need to pierce 1/2" or 5/8"....set the cut height to about .022"....pierce your hole then stop. Knock the slag puddle off the top of the plate, reset your cut height to .06" and start on the edge of the pierced hole. This will give you a nice cut. 5/8" is the max pierce that I recommend with the 45 (the Hypertherm manual says 3/8")...I have done it many times.
The above works well...the drawback is that you are using your nice cnc machine a a manual machine....cutting one part at a time and babysitting! With the THC you can go mow the lawn while it is doing the above in a fully automatic mode...and liftng the torch between cuts to avoid collisions. I know we are all on a budget....but a full featured THC is worth every penny!
Attached are pictures of my new Torchmate 2x4 (just assembled it last weekend) with the Torchmate AVHC and water table.....just finished cutting multiple parts from 3/8" steel with a Powermax45 and machine torch.
Jim Colt
- torchmate 005.jpg (70.03 KiB) Viewed 1722 times
- torchmate 005.jpg (70.03 KiB) Viewed 1722 times
- torchmate 004.jpg (57.74 KiB) Viewed 1722 times
- torchmate 004.jpg (57.74 KiB) Viewed 1722 times
- torchmate 003.jpg (76.65 KiB) Viewed 1722 times
- torchmate 003.jpg (76.65 KiB) Viewed 1722 times
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wishiwastorching
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Re: Hypertherm manual pierce vs. cut height question?
Thanks so much Jim! You answered my question perfectly! You are an asset to this forum!
Matt from Portland, OR.
Matt from Portland, OR.
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Dennis
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Re: Hypertherm manual pierce vs. cut height question?
Jim , you need to spend less time playing with your toys and clean your room... 
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jimcolt
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Re: Hypertherm manual pierce vs. cut height question?
Dennis....you sound like my wife! I have never had a neat shop.....I think it runs every other generation. My Dad keeps his shop and tools neat......my son keeps his shop and tools neat. However, I get more work done than both of them combined.....and they will admit to that!
Jim
Jim
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Caden
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Re: Hypertherm manual pierce vs. cut height question?
Well, I do agree with what Jim Colt said here. As far as the question of cutting goes, Cut height beats them all. However, if you are looking to safeguard the shield and nozzle from wear and tear while using on thick materials, using pierce height would be an obvious choice. Altering between the two is what I do.
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WSS
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Re: Hypertherm manual pierce vs. cut height question?
Hey Jim, I have good intentions and often think about cleaning up. My wife does say it is the thought that counts.
wishiwastorching, Save up for a thc, they are important. If you are doing internal cuts, you can slow down a bit to square up the cut while at the compromised height. I will do that on thicker plate just in case a pierce booger sticks to the top and this way the torch has a chance to clear it if it can't knock it off. Extrenal cuts generally need to be at the Hypertherm book specs give or take a volt or two (THC), the speeds are usually spot on. if your plate is super clean you can drop a volt, if it is super rusty, go up one. You will begin to see how important a height control is the more you cut. Once your slats "break in" and are no longer level, it is really important
WSS
wishiwastorching, Save up for a thc, they are important. If you are doing internal cuts, you can slow down a bit to square up the cut while at the compromised height. I will do that on thicker plate just in case a pierce booger sticks to the top and this way the torch has a chance to clear it if it can't knock it off. Extrenal cuts generally need to be at the Hypertherm book specs give or take a volt or two (THC), the speeds are usually spot on. if your plate is super clean you can drop a volt, if it is super rusty, go up one. You will begin to see how important a height control is the more you cut. Once your slats "break in" and are no longer level, it is really important
WSS
