A plasma cutter is really handy. They are easy to use with a very short
learning curve. The metal cut gets hot, but not nearly as hot as
cutting with a gas torch. I have used a wooden yard stick and other
pieces of wood as a straight edge for plasma cutting and the wood was
only lightly charred. You would burn down the garage if you tried that
with a gas torch (or at least I would).
The new models with inverters are much lighter than the old ones and
work great. Try Craigslist for a good used one.
Miller makes a nice rolling nose piece that fits other brands. It
allows you to pre-position the cutting tip above the metal at a precise
distance and then smoothly drag the tip across the surface being cut.
You can use almost anything for a straight edge against one of the
rollers since it is several inches from the cut line.
Finally, buy one rated at more than you plan to cut. It will work
better than a smaller one that might take multiple passes and not cut as
smoothly as the larger one. Since plasma cutters have a variable
output, you can easily fine tune them from cutting very thin material
too very thick, just by changing the control.
Gil
Nashville
-----Original Message-----
From: shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net
[mailto:shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of eric at megageek.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 10:57 AM
To: shop-talk at Autox.Team.Net
Subject: [Shop-talk] Plasma cutters
OK, I'm looking to buy a "thumb" for my back hoe. While it is
expensive
to buy, I realized that this is an easy piece to make, failing one
thing... I don't have a good way to cut heavy steel. (1/4" plate or
better)
I don't know much about plasma cutters, but I'm willing to learn. With
the cost of this thumb, I could justify getting a good cutter and making
my own.
What do you need for a cutter besides the torch? Are they hard to
learn?
Any special skills I need?
I'm just gathering information at this time. So I'm looking for any and
all suggestions on buying one and what I need to do to learn it.
Thanks.
Moose
"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a
rational
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph
Waldo Emerson
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