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Plasma Cutting 16 Guage Sheet Metal

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:02 pm
by madchill
I have six circle pieces to cut out, each one 11 inches in diameter, with am eight inch hole within that and then a notch off both sides of the inner hole. Obviously, I would like to cut all six at once. Is this possible using a plasma cutter, if I stack them and perhaps clamp them together for maximum conductivity? Using a Miller 875 plasma with direct contact tip.

Re: Plasma Cutting 16 Guage Sheet Metal

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:29 pm
by jpence38
It can be done, but you cannot have any gap between the pieces where your cut line is. If you do, the plasma arc will widen out and will give you a wide kerf on the piece underneath. With there being only 6 pieces and these being only 16 ga. and the diameter so small, is there a particular reason why you cant burn them one at a time. If you are using a circle burner with that 875, you could fly through those things.

Re: Plasma Cutting 16 Guage Sheet Metal

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:32 am
by madchill
Just that their sizes are sort of small and doing it times six was certainly longer than doing it once.

Re: Plasma Cutting 16 Guage Sheet Metal

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:38 am
by jpence38
If you can get then to clamp together perfectly, you can try it, but be careful because that plasma arc likes to wander and you can find yourself with less than perfect edges on your cut below the top piece.

Re: Plasma Cutting 16 Guage Sheet Metal

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:30 am
by GWD
Try a test cut on a corner or a scrap piece stacked six deep.

As the others have stated, the stack has to be so tight as to be one piece.