Plasma Cutter Guides

[rgsparber]

Plasma cutters have come way down in price, so I finally took the plunge and got a nice machine on Amazon for $160 plus tax. It cuts ½ inch thick steel! Shortly after powering up the machine, I started to think about attachments that extend its usefulness. Neither of the tools presented here are earth-shaking, but they are useful. One lets me cut arcs, while the other helps me cut straight lines. Such guides make the task easier; the resulting cuts are much smoother than freehand cutting.

If you are interested, please click here.


Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.


Thanks,

Rick

[mklotz]

Magnet tip.

If your tool has a magnet that attracts swarf, wrap the magnet in aluminum foil. When the foil collects enough swarf, carefully unwrap the foil to enclose the swarf into a packet, then discard the packet and rewrap the magnet.

Bonus tip: The foils used to wrap some candies, e.g. Hershey kisses, are ideal for wrapping small magnets.

[ductape]

Using what looks like an insulated wiring clamp to secure the rod on the circle cutter is very clever.
Wing nuts with nylon inserts aren't very common, but are available if you would like to simplify the tool a little more.
I didn't have any suitable bearings when making my circle cutter, but did have some thick fender washers. One was cut and bored to size then held in place with a couple of spring pins through the rod. So far, spatter isn't much of an issue with it.

[Frank S]

After you use your plasma torch for a while there is one thing you will learn to hate about plasma cutting the only way to get a perfect vertical cut in a straight line. no matter how hard you try to hold the torch correctly will be to cut straight towards the ground clamp. Cutting circles, the cuts will always have a slight angle to them especially on any material over 3/8" thick. the plasma stream always seems to be attracted to the grounding point. I've noticed this even when done with CNC plasma machines.
The next thing you will positively hate is the so called ergonomically angled torch head. I don't know whose wrist they designed that angle after, but they must have had a fractured wrist that wasn't set back in place properly.

Plasma torches hate cutting through paint or rust the same as oxy fuel troches.

Free handing with a plasma torch is an experience I wouldn't wish on anybody.

[rgsparber]

After you use your plasma torch for a while there is one thing you will learn to hate about plasma cutting the only way to get a perfect vertical cut in a straight line. no matter how hard you try to hold the torch correctly will be to cut straight towards the ground clamp. Cutting circles, the cuts will always have a slight angle to them especially on any material over 3/8" thick. the plasma stream always seems to be attracted to the grounding point. I've noticed this even when done with CNC plasma machines.
The next thing you will positively hate is the so called ergonomically angled torch head. I don't know whose wrist they designed that angle after, but they must have had a fractured wrist that wasn't set back in place properly.

Plasma torches hate cutting through paint or rust the same as oxy fuel troches.

Free handing with a plasma torch is an experience I wouldn't wish on anybody.

I’ll keep an eye out for the plasma tilting towards the ground clamp. There are electrical techniques to equilize the field.

Rick

[DIYer]

Thanks rgsparber! We've added your Plasma Circle Cutting Guide to our Cutting Torches category,
as well as to your builder page: rgsparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Plasma Circle Cutting Guide by rgsparber

tags: guide, cutting