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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    155

    Default Looking for the tiniest plasma cutter I can find

    I've got a nice chunky plasma cutter but I need to find a tiny one. Yeah I know that may raise some eyebrows.

    I've built a cnc plasma cutter but screwed up on the design. At higher speeds (cutting thinner sheet) is gets the shakes with changes of direction and this shows up in the cut. I haven't got the cash or the time to rebuild my table with a different design and new components so I figured the best bet for now is to see if a tiny cutter is available that will allow me to cut down on the travel speed.

    My smallest nozzle runs at 45 amps and has a 1.3mm kerf width. The cut speed is way too high even with 3mm steel.

    Cheers,

    Keith.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,542

    Default

    Hypertherm do a 30A model and my Lincoln is 25A max output. Down this end of the market it's drag tips though (although I can hold off the work slightly and it will still work), so that may cause problems.

    Michael

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    155

    Default

    Cheers Michael,

    yeah, drag tips would be an issue if that's all there is.

    I might look into retrofitting a Hypertherm 30 XP torch on my existing cutter. My cutter only goes down to 25 amps whereas the 30 XP machine goes down to 15 amps. Still 25 amps with a smaller nozzle should give me a decent reduction in speed.

    Keith.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    341

    Default

    Do you have any photos of your CNC plasma?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    What type of plasma cutter and torch are you currently using? Most torches would have tips available smaller than 1.3mm.
    I know I can get tips down to 1.1mm for my 100A torch and these will run down to 20A.
    Trying to slow the process down too much could result in undesirable heat input causing warping of your components.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    155

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Karl Robbers View Post
    What type of plasma cutter and torch are you currently using? Most torches would have tips available smaller than 1.3mm.
    I know I can get tips down to 1.1mm for my 100A torch and these will run down to 20A.
    Trying to slow the process down too much could result in undesirable heat input causing warping of your components.
    Karl,

    didn't mean to ignore you, I just thought there wasn't going to be any more replies. I've just came back for a browse and seen your reply.

    I've got a Hypertherm Powermax 1250 but with a Duramax machine torch retrofit. It has Finecut nozzles but the quality cut speed on 3mm is 2750 mm/min, way too high for my poorly designed table (talk about expensive ways of learning LOL). As the material gets thinner the speed goes up dramatically. It's an irony really, the improved cut quality of the Duramax torch is not the only benefit. This torch cuts at faster speeds too. Unfortunately in my case that's a drawback LOL.

    I've removed the wonderful Duramax torch and stuck my old hand torch back in because it's cut speed is significantly lower. With that I've got the cut speed on 3mm down to 1100 but that is below book specs. It took ages to take the Duramax cable out of the cable chain and put the old hand torch cable in there, so as a temporary fix I'll have to build an overhead swinging boom to carry the hand torch cable. Then I can quickly swap out the Duramax and the hand torch.

    A better temporary solution in my case is finding a cute little cutter with a tiny nozzle that is designed for much lower amps and thus has a lower cut speed. Catch 22 is most of these are hand held toys and don't have cutting parameters included. The manufacturers are obviously not expecting them to be put on a cnc machine so I'd have to play with them until ideal parameters were found.

    There's no smaller nozzles available for my plasma cutter plus the current only goes down to 25 amps. Of course the real solution is rebuilding my table but that needs me to have $3K spare which I haven't got at the moment. I should see if I can make any cash from any welders that could use my services to cut parts. The Duramax torch does a nice job on thicker stuff and the table doesn't shake at the lower speeds. Guess I'm wanting my table to be cutting thin stuff too before I go shouting "giz a job".

    Pinpin88,

    just Google "cnc plasma pictures". There's zillions of them on the web. There's some videos of my plasma table in action on Youtube. My Youtube name is Mancavedweller1 or here's a few links. Don't laugh but one them is using the plasma table to drill the holes in a circuit board I designed. I know it's shooting a fly with a bazooka but I haven't built a little cnc PCB drilling machine (yet ):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-s-EAqMfI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb8oN5rHYxM
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3frWcfdv3E

    Keith.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by beefy View Post
    Karl,

    didn't mean to ignore you, I just thought there wasn't going to be any more replies. I've just came back for a browse and seen your reply.

    I've got a Hypertherm Powermax 1250 but with a Duramax machine torch retrofit. It has Finecut nozzles but the quality cut speed on 3mm is 2750 mm/min, way too high for my poorly designed table (talk about expensive ways of learning LOL). As the material gets thinner the speed goes up dramatically. It's an irony really, the improved cut quality of the Duramax torch is not the only benefit. This torch cuts at faster speeds too. Unfortunately in my case that's a drawback LOL.

    I've removed the wonderful Duramax torch and stuck my old hand torch back in because it's cut speed is significantly lower. With that I've got the cut speed on 3mm down to 1100 but that is below book specs. It took ages to take the Duramax cable out of the cable chain and put the old hand torch cable in there, so as a temporary fix I'll have to build an overhead swinging boom to carry the hand torch cable. Then I can quickly swap out the Duramax and the hand torch.

    A better temporary solution in my case is finding a cute little cutter with a tiny nozzle that is designed for much lower amps and thus has a lower cut speed. Catch 22 is most of these are hand held toys and don't have cutting parameters included. The manufacturers are obviously not expecting them to be put on a cnc machine so I'd have to play with them until ideal parameters were found.

    There's no smaller nozzles available for my plasma cutter plus the current only goes down to 25 amps. Of course the real solution is rebuilding my table but that needs me to have $3K spare which I haven't got at the moment. I should see if I can make any cash from any welders that could use my services to cut parts. The Duramax torch does a nice job on thicker stuff and the table doesn't shake at the lower speeds. Guess I'm wanting my table to be cutting thin stuff too before I go shouting "giz a job".

    Pinpin88,

    just Google "cnc plasma pictures". There's zillions of them on the web. There's some videos of my plasma table in action on Youtube. My Youtube name is Mancavedweller1 or here's a few links. Don't laugh but one them is using the plasma table to drill the holes in a circuit board I designed. I know it's shooting a fly with a bazooka but I haven't built a little cnc PCB drilling machine (yet ):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-s-EAqMfI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb8oN5rHYxM
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3frWcfdv3E

    Keith.
    No worries mate, I hadn't even realised I'd been "ignored"
    I have just purchased a Magnum Welders Cut 50 CP plasma and it goes down to 15A I think. While it comes with drag tips, it is a pilot arc machine and stand off tips are available. 2 year warranty and solid backup - $750 including a consumables kit. In the little I have used it, I am seriously impressed, in fact it outperforms the claims made by the seller, a rare occurrence I am sure you would agree.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Armidale NSW
    Age
    52
    Posts
    915

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Karl Robbers View Post
    I have just purchased a Magnum Welders Cut 50 CP plasma and it goes down to 15A I think. ... I am seriously impressed
    I've been using a Weldsmart 50 amp plasma with pilot arc and have been similarly impressed - love the pilot arc. These current crop of pilot arc plasma's do seem to be very good units.

    I think I paid around $400-450 for it last year some time.

    BTW I can get down to 0.9mm tips for mu torch.
    Cheers.

    Vernon.
    __________________________________________________
    Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like crazy.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    155

    Default

    Thanks lads, there's at least 2 to check out then.

    The pilot arc is a must because the Z-axis touches off, then raises to pierce height, then starts the arc.

    Keith.

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