Changing over plasma torch connectors?

I realized that I have a problem with my plasma torch

What would be a sane approach to getting air and current flowing through it. Mayb e I can just cut the line, insert a barb fitting and hope that it would work? Is there some internal conductive braiding?

First things first.

DO NOT CUT THE HOSES.

Now that we are finished with that I'll explain a little. The hoses have wires in them. Getting a connection to the wire without making it so big that it doesn't restrict the line is tricky without the right connectors and tools.

I went through this putting my torch on my old plasma machine. I ended up silver soldering some inverted flare connectors to some other fittings with a 1/4" NPT on the end. It was the easiest method I found with the fitting available (through my local NAPA dealer).

Can't you match them ? - most hardware / big box stores have both male and female flares.

I'd take the torch down to the store and find something to fit.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member

Ignoramus14396 wrote:

female flares.

That's IS the problem. I already went to both Ace Hardware (where I spoke to the owner, not some school kid) as well as to Napa Auto Parts. We tried a lot of things, it is a very weird fitting that is like an inverted flare, but is not an inverted flare. I can post pictures.

The auto parts store owner said "they don't want you to do what you are trying to do". Which, I think, he is 100 %right.

Wayne, if I take a picture, would you be able to recognize it as the same as what you had? I went to NAPA today and had no such luck.

It is unlikely you will find the appropriate fittings at the local hardware store. Try Western Enterprises:

Thank you. I called HyperTherm today, and they could not find out what the fittings are.

One of the leads had an adapter screwed in. I un-screwed it and have it with me and will again visit Ace Hardware and Napa auto parts today. Finding out a thread is a lot easier with a male fitting that matches.

I also measured that male fitting yesterday.

Thread OD = 14.23mm = .5605 inch

Exactly four steps of this thread take 0.2740 inch or 6.96mm. That means 4*1/0.2740 = 14.59 TPI.

(my accuracy was limited)

I'm already fairly certain that you've got the same ends that I had. I think that you'll find that there are fittings that will work but you've overlooked them. Some of the inverted flare (like what's used on brake lines) will fit but might require some machining to the seating surface. The other ones to look at are the compression fittings. You won't find anything that will be a exact match this way but if the threads are right and there's a circular ring for the "bulb" inside the fitting to seal against they'll work. You have to think outside the box unless you take the time to order the right fittings.

Have you checked:

Bruce

Bruce, it looks like adapter AW-28A has the right threading for the torch, but what does it have on the other side? What does "B-Size" mean?

Anyway, it sounds interesting enough, I will call them in the morning, I am actually a shareholder in a company that owns Scott Fetzer.