Plasma Tip Getting Stuck to Work

Chips O'Toole · Mon Sep 28, 2020 6:33 pm

I've been having problems with my plasma cutter sticking to work while I drag it across the steel. Is there something I don't know? I assumed it was made to be in contact with the metal.

It gets stuck, and then the cut opens up and gets ruined.

Oscar · Mon Sep 28, 2020 6:50 pm

Not all tips are drag tips. Some, you must have a stand-off distance that you yourself as the user must maintain.

BillE.Dee · Mon Sep 28, 2020 7:19 pm

hey chips, what make cutter are you using? As Oscar stated, some of them don't like running against the material and some do. Some come with a attached stand off guide and some rely on the operator to maintain the standoff.

Chips O'Toole · Mon Sep 28, 2020 8:33 pm

It's a Hypertherm. The tips are castellated.

Tue Sep 29, 2020 6:06 pm

There might be a worn bit inside the nozzle letting a short circuit form. Or there's a switch to change between drag and stand off tips.

homeboy · Tue Sep 29, 2020 8:00 pm

Chips O'Toole wrote:I've been having problems with my plasma cutter sticking to work while I drag it across the steel. Is there something I don't know? I assumed it was made to be in contact with the metal.

It gets stuck, and then the cut opens up and gets ruined.

I have a Hypertherm 30Air with a drag tip and it does the same to some extent. Not a real problem but interesting to know if this is normal or a technique issue.

Chips O'Toole · Wed Sep 30, 2020 6:41 pm

The tip looks pretty bad. I'll replace it and see what happens.