My wife started talking about plasma cutters last night.

We were walking around Harbor Freight last night where I was buying some welding gloves and magnetic holders and she started asking me questions about plasma cutters out of the blue. I haven't mentioned them as my lack of need for one so greatly outweighs the cost that even I can't stretch that to seem logical, and that's saying something.

She got to joking about making her car a convertible with one and asked me how they work and what "plasma" was. I told her that it was the same plasma that you donate down at the medical center and you had to keep the tank full for it to work. I really didn't have an answer for her. All I could tell her was that it was electrical energy that melted the metal and compressed air blew it away. She said she's fascinated by them and said it seems all so Star Trek-ish. She wants to see one in operation and try one for herself for some reason.

She's got some project or idea rolling around her brain... Should I try to tease it out or just let it perk for a bit?

What is plasma btw?

Ian

Short version, basically electricity and gas (air in our case). The negative power from the torch jumps to the positive return clamp on your conductive metal work piece (via the clamp), the air causes the electrons to collide and move faster and change its state to plasma. You get a focused little high temperature arc and it will melt/cut the metal.

If you ever get a plasma cutter you will wonder how you lived without it, assuming you do metal work/fab. I would stay on it and get a small one when the budget can handle it. They are a great metal working tool.

On the convertible, well, that will be some work. Watch out for sparks and a fire while removing the roof, it will probably make a mess of the interior. And it will take off paint too, so plan on grinding, filling, sanding, primer, and paint to say the least... :D

Eventually you will want to cut metal for a project or some other application. A hacksaw, grinder, even O/A get old and labor intensive quickly. Never used a metal bandsaw so can't comment on that.

A plasma cutter is like a magic wand that cuts a thin kerf through all metals. It is fast, much cooler than O/A, has a fine cut, can cut circles, arcs, straight, angles, whatever you want with ease.

I used O/A for 30 years but when the price of the plasma cutters (at Everlast) dropped to less than $1K the process was tried. I'll never go back. O/A is now used for heating and bending. Everything is cut with the plasma.

I think I got her figured out... she used to dabble in pottery (my PA is plugged into her kiln receptacle) and she bought this wall hanging last year. It's a piece of sheet metal with shapes cut out and pottery tiles mounted in the holes. The whole thing is mounted to a plywood backer. It's about 18"x48".

This brings the next question. If you were to draw a pattern onto a piece of metal with soapstone, can you see the lines to freehand that pattern? I know I can't see soapstone lines when I'm welding.

Ian

Attachment 1942

Ian,
If you can't see the lines, then your helmet is too dark. Many people in an effort to protect their eyes go too dark with a helmet and are pretty frustrated. But even on a shade 9 if you use an auto dark helmet, you should be able to see the lines while plasma cutting. Shade 5 glasses will allow you to as well.

Tell her that the plasma stream exits the torch at super sonic speeds and the temperature of the flame can exceed 40,000 degrees. A micro thin layer of molecules protects the consumables from melting. If she thinks plasma cutting is cool, tell her about water jets...now that is something to see.

I've got a cheepie AD Harbor Freight helmet that's set to 10 on a 9-13 range. I don't know....

Ian

You can lighten the shade also use a silver sharpie marker, that will help a lot on steel.

Gotta get off here, Mark has me thinking about a waterjet again..

You can use O/A goggles that are shade 5 for plasma cutting. It is a bit bright but things are easier to see. First you gotta get hold of the plasma cutter. Strike while the iron is hot!

Yes, the patterns could easily be cut with a plasma cutter. She'd have her art and you'd have your tool. Win/win.

Most places that sell welding stuff also sell a paint marker. I prefer the yellow paint. It looks/works like a Sharpie but doesn't disappear like chalk or soapstone.

Hey, thanks for telling me to turn my helmet down. The difference between 9 and 10 is a lot more than I thought. Now the puddle actually looks like it does in the videos I've watched. I can see it making a huge difference in being able to tell what I'm doing.

I figured out what I was doing wrong with the soapstone too. I should have been welding just off the line instead of trying to follow on top of it. I can see it out to the side just as it burns off.

The plasma cutter probably isn't going to happen anytime soon. I just paid my truck off about a week ago, so it's time to replace her vehicle to keep the payments staggered. I don't want to get caught with 2 car payments at the same time if I can avoid it.

Ian

It's obvious,she see's how happy you are with your new toy (PA200) and you probably have a birthday or anniversary coming up, so she is planning to surprise you, best to explain to her that the really good plasma comes out of an Everlast. Women are like that, they want to be helpful and supportive. They are good to have around.

Fathers day is coming, I have my list, though I will only get one item. And, women like the green color too.

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Originally Posted by performance

< If she thinks plasma cutting is cool, tell her about water jets...now that is something to see. >

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Hey Mark,

Are you hinting at a new Everlast product ??

Cheers,
rivets

Water jet cuts glass sooo fine! (everything else too)

Thurmond

No,
That's not something in the works for now. A CNC table for plasma would be before that. My comment regards my experience with a small local machine shop that has a monster Water Jet. If they cut on an angle, you can shave with the blade. 6 inches thick in no problem. I have even seen them cut granite counter tops, nylon blanks, aluminum, and about anything they set up there on that 10x20 table. 70 bucks a pop if they mess up the ruby tip, which I have seen them do twice in a row (very easy to do btw). Cutting with shear water pressure and a little fine abrasive is something to see, and hear. Stand back when it pierces though if you want to keep your eyeballs intact.