How thick for Plasma cutter

[Loosehandle]

See if your LWS sells owner bottles. Around here, owner bottles are the smaller 150cf variety. I believe I paid in the neighborhood of around 200 clams apiece for mine. I've got 3 of them due to the amount of cutting, and heating, I do. Costs about $12 plus hazmat to fill them. I have my own Acetylene bottle, and 2 Propylene bottles for Propane.

I've had my bottles for near on 30yrs...................you can imagine how much rent I've saved in that time, plus the convenience.

Owner bottles are swapped out, same as rentals, when you get a refill. They don't stand there and refill them. If you do buy bottles, make sure the ring on the neck either says "owner", or says nothing. You can't exchange any bottle that has a company name on it........it's assumed to have been stolen. Keep your invoice...........this is 'title" to the bottle, and enables you to fill it anywhere.........or sell it if you please.

$12? It's $80 to fill anything 100cf, largest size you can own. S. Wi

 

[Tramway Guy]

How thick can a mid-range priced plasma cutter cut My [job is one inch thick which I suspect can only be done on a large expensive unit .

If you have someone with a waterjet that would be the easiest and cleanest!

 

[drsportster]

Waterjet guy had a 100 dollar minimum .Welding shop much cheaper . They may just plan on cutting with the torch .The place is called DeLand Metalworks and has highly skilled employees that make beautiful joints , Need a slot in a round 1 inch thick piece.

 

[cjunrau]

Waterjet guy had a 100 dollar minimum .Welding shop much cheaper . They may just plan on cutting with the torch .The place is called DeLand Metalworks and has highly skilled employees that make beautiful joints , Need a slot in a round 1 inch thick piece.

depending on how long a slot, angle grinder would do it. but if not a strait cut then nope.

 

[drsportster]

depending on how long a slot, angle grinder would do it. but if not a strait cut then nope.

I can't see an angle grinder getting in there The slot is half machined out but the steel was hard and I was breaking carbide {expensive} mills I also attacked it with a die grinder

 

[Janicholson]

I can't see an angle grinder getting in there The slot is half machined out but the steel was hard and I was breaking carbide {expensive} mills I also attacked it with a die grinder

How about an abrasive cutoff wheel, or abrasive demo saw? when new they might reach to the extent of your slot. Fixturing it might require some thinking, but way possible. Jim

 

[cwtech]

While it may be more time consuming, how about drilling multiple holes to relieve the amount of metal the milling cutter has to remove?

 

[drsportster]

Oh I drilled a series of holes and cut between with a saw . That is how I hogged out the slots at first

 

[Janicholson]

How many of these are you doing? at some point milling can work. if you can saw and drill it, carbide tooling and tap magic as coolant will work. 1/4 inch depth of cut and slow feed. If you need them fast, have them made and deal with the cost! Jim

 

[drsportster]

Took it to a shop DeLand Metalcraft The guys says you need a machine shop I said I am the machine shop I was breaking too much tooling as it seemed hard Who knows what grade of eBay steel it is Although a guy machined it no problem on a lathe. I told the guy I know you can do it and it does not matter if the cut is a bit crude . He had trouble seeing some of my sharpie lines so he gave me a soapstone and I drew it better in white line he could see.. The picture is the old cast one that broke I eliminated the webs When the clutch is pulled in those little wheels push on the lever and the other side spreads a little engaging the clutch and operating the power hack saw which is fairly sophisticated .

 

[drsportster]

Close up of roller wheel

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

I have a Hypetherm Powermax 45 Sync. Ratings are clean cut 5/8 and sever 1-1/8". That sever cut is going to be real slow and ragged. This is at the limits of the 45A unit. To clean cut 1" an 85 amp or higher unit is necessary, but for a one-time deal, is very expensive. Take the steel to your local welding shop, as aforementioned. It can be torch cut if you have the necessary equipment. A little hobby-type setup will not get you anywhere.

Another way to cut that steel is with a Diablo Metal Cutting blade in your skilsaw. I routinely use mine to cut up to 3/4" very cleanly. Probably do 1" but would be a little slower. PPE is a MUST, as the little chips go a lot of places. Very clean cut and absolutely no dross or any heat affected zone, as one will find with either gas or plasma. Slight grinding to remove the sharp edges, and good to go with other processes.

what is PPE

 

[Jim.ME]

what is PPE

PPE = Personal Protective Equipment. Glasses, gloves, hoods, respirators, etc.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Thanks

 

[zuhnc]

@farmersamm - Thanks for the link; I learned something today.

 

[504]

Nitrogen is a cheap way to get dry air for the plasma cutters, you can own any size high pressure tank, but not everyone will fill it. I needed a clean cut on a piece of 1inch steel last week. My 45 amp plasma is way too small for that, I crabed a Black and Decker saws all with a new Milwaukee blade and cut at a really slow blade speed,it works great! I never thought it would work.

 

[farmersamm]

I'm not sure what you need to make.....................the roller wheel holder?

Start with a chunk of 12L14 in the right diameter.

Drill your holes for your roller axle.

Plop it in the lathe, and do the OD on the roller end.

Flip it, and turn the major diameter on the threaded end, then thread it.

Pull it off the lathe, put it in a v block in the vise, then slot it.......taking small bites of the apple to keep it from moving in the vise.

12L14 is the go-to for this sorta stuff. Free machining, and a dream to thread.

The best way to hold a threaded part in a vise, or chuck, is using copper pipe, or some bronze, or brass, tubing if you have it on hand.

EDIT: Been a while since I did this.........looking at it on the monitor, I'm thinking it was probably 1144, which is also a dream to machine.