Anybody cutting 1"?

[Jake98]

I gave it a try and didn't do so good. I usually keep it at about 60# air, upped it to 70 for this and gave it full 70a. power. Cuts on the right don't count, I forgot to lower my lens shade down and was pretty much blind. Cut on the left I could see, but it didn't like it. Sounded like it was switching on and off.. I'm going to try again on the cut offs when I get some time. Any suggestions?

[Rodsmachineshop]

cutting to fast max amps and 70 to 80 psi have to keep torch straight

[fdcmiami]

jake, for the money and the convenience it is a good idea to have an oxy/acetylene setup on hand. i have a plasma cutter, i rarely take it out except for stainless steel. and on occasion for steel plate 3/8ths thk and less. for the most part i use the OA setup, the steel in the photo is 1" thk, and on occasion i have had to cut up to 3 1/2 inch thick. cut quality is pretty good once you get used to it. in the field it's indispensable; it cheap, portable and doesn't require power. it is a good idea to have a backup just in case.

[Rodsmachineshop]

same here i cut all my thick stuff with oxygen acetylene . been doing it so long come out nice and clean cuts pluss have the rite size cutting head setup for thick stuff , sorta cool cnc oxygen and acetylene setup

[Rodsmachineshop]

you can do some nice clean cuts with a gas torch

[geezer]

I gave it a try and didn't do so good. I usually keep it at about 60# air, upped it to 70 for this and gave it full 70a. power. Cuts on the right don't count, I forgot to lower my lens shade down and was pretty much blind. Cut on the left I could see, but it didn't like it. Sounded like it was switching on and off.. I'm going to try again on the cut offs when I get some time. Any suggestions?

Making a free hand cut in thick stuff is difficult without a rest /guide strip etc. The local welding shop has one of those little bugs that runs on a track holds either O/A or plasma,,,,,moves slow and steady and makes nice cuts....my free handing on thick stuff doesn't look much different than yours,,,to old and shakey I guess..

[Jake98]

to old and shakey I guess..

Well, that could be part of it, for sure..

[SeanMurphy265]

same here i cut all my thick stuff with oxygen acetylene . been doing it so long come out nice and clean cuts pluss have the rite size cutting head setup for thick stuff , sorta cool cnc oxygen and acetylene setup

I love those burn tables! I worked for a company who cut parts for Taylor Big Red Forklifts. We cut out 4" and larger plate for different fork lift parts. On the initial burn in it would shoot molten steel 10' high.

I tried cutting 1" plate with an older miller several years ago. That's when I first learned what severance met on the settings! To me plasma is the way to go on thinner material 1/2" and smaller. That's the way I was taught, but plasma cutters have come a long way since then. Watching the plasma cutting 1" video shows how much heat that cutter is putting out. I think it would take some time learning 1" to cut smooth with a plasma cutter. I'm sure it could be done.

When I worked in structural steel and used a torch every day; I could cut 3/4" and up very smooth. Coping out beams I became good enough that I could chip away the slag without grinding. I worked with an old timer that could cut anything and it would be smooth like butter! Smooth cutting with a torch can be done with a lot of practice.

Keep working at it, I'm sure you can get a 1" smooth cut with some practice.

[DaveO]

for the most part i use the OA setup, the steel in the photo is 1" thk

FDC, the cuts in the photos are OA? Dang. My welding cap is off to you.

Is that some kind of portable drill press in the photo? Never saw that kind of thing before, but it makes sense when the plate is so large.

[fdcmiami]

i use a 00 tip for cutting; the problem is it does not generate enought heat to blow throught the one inch plate, so i'll drill a 3/16 hole first. the smaller tip allows me to move a little slower and maintain some degree of accuracy. it is not all that hard but it is amazing how many guys using a cutting torch produce work that looks like they did an apprenticeship in a scrap yard.

the drill is a mag based drill. you plug it in, push a button and the magnet comes on. the head can be reversed to increase break away pressure point. i have it four inches out in the photo. it is variable speed, takes bits or annular cutters, and will drill through anything. i recently drilled a bunch of 1 1/2 in holes in some 1/2 in 316L SS plate. no problem.

i also use a champion rotobrute iin the field it is single speed and turns at 550 rpms, a little to fast for me. however because it weighs 28 pounds and is much easier to position than the milwaukee, which is app75 pounds i like to use it when it have out of position work. i have drilled over one thousand 13/16 holes in 3/4 plate with a single annular cutter. est time per hole, 45/50 seconds. they are great.

sorry to take thread in another direction. no doubt that plasma has its place but you'll never convince me to give up oxy/acetylene. not just for cutting steel either, it has all kinds of other uses. funny though how a lot of people feel they just have to have the plasma; must be a tech thing.

[Rodsmachineshop]

Mag drills are neat . they sure are pricy ,

[SeanMurphy265]

Mag drills are neat . they sure are pricy ,

Try this one
http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Drill...696404&sr=1-40

[Rodsmachineshop]

wow great price thanks

[fdcmiami]

wow great price thanks

go to ebay/magnetic drills. all the major mfg's are listed. a lot of people buying evolution models. i have been using mag drills for a long time, here is some info.

570 rpms is too fast for your larger cutters.

some drill deeper than others; one or two inch is most common. check for the throw longer is better but that also means the unit will be taller.

adjustable speed is best.

having reverse is great for tapping holes.

if you can't get variable speed, at least get a model with two speed.

try to get one that has the attachments to chuck up drill bits as well as annular cutters included so you don't have to buy it later..

i like the fact that on the milwaukee i can flip the head if i want to.

if you are doing ss steel or using a hole saw the variable speed is a tool saver.

the champion roto i bought is on amazon for 1300 but you can get them new on ebay for 6/650. it spins at 550 and i find that to be to fast for larger annular cutters.

if you have to get a single speed get a 450 rpm.

some people like the lighter ones for field work, they generally have fewer features. if you do use it in the field you will want a hanging strap or chain for safety (if power goes when you are up high someone down below might have a big headache.)

i would rather have a good quality mag drill in the shop than a drill press. that's just my preference though but i have owned milling machines, drill presses and mag drills. i am getting ready to build a mount, adjustable, for mine so that i can cope pipe. they also use them for boring out hubs. you can see the videos on youtube.

i would not buy the one listed on amazon, if you shop you can get a pretty good deal. you will rarely see them on craigslist but it's not unheard of.

the unit i own now, the milwaukee, i got on ebay, new, for 885; it lists for 1400.

[geezer]

I have to agree with fdcmiami, Milwaukee tools are the way to go,,have a bunch of Milwaukee lithium ion tools and haven't been disapointed yet,,,wonder if there is a way to wire in a router speed control into some of the single speed mag drills out there,,,anybody tried something like that on larger drills.

[Jake98]

i would rather have a good quality mag drill in the shop than a drill press. that's just my preference though but i have owned milling machines, drill presses and mag drills.

How can this be? I guess if you do a lot of stuff that can't go on a drill press?

[Rodsmachineshop]

it would burn the motor out . all the variable speed ones use gears to change speeds that's when they get pricy

[geezer]

it would burn the motor out . all the variable speed ones use gears to change speeds that's when they get pricy

I think you are wrong there, the milwaukee has 2 gear speeds ,,,but that refers to gear speed ranges,,like high and low ranges, they still have variable speeds within the ranges,,which means that there is an electronic variable speed control at work,,,I have a very old heavy duty drill that will just about spin you in a circle when you fire it up,,,,think I will hook up a router speed control to it and see what happens..

[Rodsmachineshop]

yey dosnt hurt to see if it works

[geezer]

yey dosnt hurt to see if it works

Wouldn't be the first brain fart I've had,,,ran an older small drill to power a rock tumbler that way,,,worked for hours with no problems or heat build up,,,not sure what it will do for torque doing that on a big drill....this old drill I have is monster..one of those that you screw black iron pipe into for a handle,,,you really want a good grip on it when you fire it up,,

one of the fellows mentioned using a mag drill in place of a drill press,,I can see his reasoning on that...the milwaukee has 11 inches of quill travel,,,the problem I have with my mill/drill is, too short a quill travel,,so if you don't set it exactly at the right height you cannot change from a pilot drill bit too a larger drill bit without loosing position during the height reset...my next mill/drill will be a square column with a long quill travel..