Part Two: 6 Tips for Better Plasma Cutting 

In last week’s email, we offered 8 tips for better plasma cutting. To help you to continue to master this technique, here are 6 more. 

Tip #1: Start a cut. 

To start a cut at the edge of the plate, hold the torch at 90 degrees to the edge of the workpiece. Press the trigger and pause at the edge until the arc has completely cut through the workpiece. 

Tip #2: Pierce the metal. 

To pierce, start the pierce just off the cutting line in a portion of unwanted metal. Angle the torch slightly to direct blowback particles away from the torch tip (which greatly extends tip life). Once the arc pierces the metal, return the torch to perpendicular and start moving.

Tip #3: Pull don’t push.

When possible, pull the torch toward you rather than pushing it away, and use your shoulder for movement, not your elbow. Tilt the torch back (away from the cutting direction) about 5 to 10 degrees to minimize dross (impurity waste on the metal). To sever the metal cleanly at the end of the cut, roll the torch slightly past perpendicular as you reach the edge of the plate. 

Tip #4: Use the proper speed. 

With the proper cutting speed, the plasma arc under the workpiece trails the torch at a 5- to 10-degree angle. An arc trailing straight up and down indicates slow travel, which can produce a wider than desired cut and excess dross. An arc with a shallower trail indicates you’re moving too quickly, so it won’t cleanly sever the metal. 

Tip #5: Evaluate the quality of your cut. 

The quality surface of the cut reveals a lot about correct and incorrect travel speeds. A good quality cut has lines that angle slightly back from the travel direction. 

Tip #6: Get rid of slag. 

Once a cut is completed, there will be some amount of slag left on both sides of the cut. Most of the time, this can be chipped off with a hammer and chisel. Thicker metals produce more slag, and often it is harder to remove, requiring a grinder to clean it up.