Plasma Problems
I've been trying to handle this offline, but I have to get some 11 ga steel cut before Monday, so I'm tossing this out to the group to see if it might be a simple problem, maybe something I've overlooked.
PP256 brand new, can't get plasma to work. Air pressure is OK, electrode and cap are tight. Torch (A81) produces a bright blue/white plasma flame when squeezed in mid air. But when I try to cut 1/8" mild steel I get all kinds of blowback that fouls the cap and very weak cutting. Plasma cut a shallow kerf into the metal, but wouldn't cut through. Today I tried again. Held the torch with roller standoff just off the edge of steel I need to cut (which was grounded back to the PP256 + terminal) and the plasma immediately stopped when it contacted the steel. Repeatedly. And I'm approaching the steel slow and there's less than 1/8" gap between the standoff and the cap on the A81.
So, first I got very weak cutting action and lots of stuff blown back on the cap. Now no cutting action and the flame goes out as soon as it touches the work. This is my first experience with a plasma torch, so I'm a little clueless.
Any thoughts?
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