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PLASMA CUTTING TECHNIQUE
• Start off learning plasma cutting on some scrap metal before moving on
to a project or object of value. There is a moderate learning curve before
achieving proficiency in plasma cutting.
• Place the Ground Cable Clamp on a clean, bare area of the workpiece.
Scrape, wire brush, file or grind to bare metal if necessary to achieve a
good ground.
• Verify the air pressure has been adjusted as described in
Air Flow Adjustment
.
• Adjust the output amperage to a suitable level for the material at hand; see the
Versa-Cut 60 Plasma Cutter - Air Pressure and Amperage Settings
chart
following this section.
• Make sure all required safety gear is in place (Eye Protection, Welding Gloves,
non-flammable long sleeve apparel) and the area is completely free of
flammable material.
• To begin plasma cutting, depress the Torch Trigger to ignite the pilot arc. The tip of the torch must be touching or within a short distance to the work piece
to begin the cut.
• The best results are achieved by holding the tip at a 90° angle to the cut line
(FIG 4)
.
• The thicker the material, the longer it takes the plasma arc to fully penetrate. This is especially true when starting on the inside of a workpiece.
While starting the arc hold the torch steady until it blows completely through, then continue the cut steadily, maintaining full penetration.
• Heavy plate is cleanest to start from an edge. The free space allows for the arc to steadily come into contact with the material and an easy route for the
slag to be evacuated from the cut.
• With practice, you will be able to exercise precise control over this extremely powerful device, harnessing its energy to create clean, precise and intricate
cuts in many forms of metal up to 7/8” thick.
• While practicing, experiment with different speeds. You will find that thinner materials will allow a faster motion while thicker materials will require a
slower motion to achieve a through cut.
• A good form of practice is to attempt a series of straight lines while creating the cleanest edge possible with a minimum of molten material remaining
on the cut edge. This minimizes the cleanup of the edge with a grinder or file. Another excellent technique is to practice plasma cutting your initials out
of a piece of steel.
FIG. 4
FIG. 4
Versa-Cut 60 Plasma Cutter - Air Pressure and Amperage Settings*
Metal Thickness 1/32”
1/16”
3/32”
1/8”
5/32”
3/16”
7/32”
Amps
20
20
20
20
20
20
30
PSI
60
60
60
60
60
60
60
Metal Thickness 1/4”
9/32”
5/16”
11/32”
3/8”
13/32”
7/16”
Amps
30
30
40
40
40
50
50
PSI
60
60
60
60
60
60
60
Metal Thickness 15/32”
1/2”
17/32”
9/16”
19/32”
5/8”
21/32”
Amps
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
PSI
60
60
60
60
60
60
60
Metal Thickness 11/16”
23/32”
3/4”
25/32”
13/16”
27/32”
7/8”
Amps
50
50
50
60
60
60
60
PSI
60
60
60
60
60
60
60
*NOTE:
These settings are base guidelines and may need to be adjusted based on individual techniques.
Do not Exceed 20 Amps when plugged into a 120V circuit.
