Picture of standoff with wheels for my MAX100 plasma cutter

Inspired by Don Foreman's standoff, I made a standoff for my Hypertherm MAX100 torch.

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I made it from two cable strain reliefs from a huge military amphenol connector that I could not sell. All screws used are 10-32, except the bolts holding the two halves together are 1/4"-20.

I have not tried cutting with it yet.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus17368
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amphenol

Iggy,

The torch on my Hypertherm 900 looks identical but comes with a drag cup screwed on the end which looks to be missing from your one. It screws onto the brown plastic thread and gives the correct spacing, part number 120601 and called a shield, available here:

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AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

As far as I understand, that shield is for 100A consumables, not for

40A. That's what Hypertherm told me, and so did my welding supply dealer (Mittler supply). i
Reply to
Ignoramus2215

That kind of standoff is OK for freehand hacking but I find I do very little of that when plasma cutting. I tend to use a template, that way I get very close to the exact profile I want. On my old Hypertherm 350 1/4" plywood worked perfectly - it kept the nozzle just above the workpiece surface. On my HP1000 it looks like I'm going to have to move up to 3/8" which is very common as scraps on construction sites. I cut the templates out using a cordless jigsaw (aka saber saw, *not* meaning sawzall type) goes real quick.

One thing you can do with that kind of thing is replace one of your "axle" screws by a long straight shaft turned down at the end to 10-32 threads. Then you make a fitting that slips up and down the length of that shaft, which has a pinch bolt in it. One end of the fitting is turned to a point which you can then put in a centerpunch mark and voila, a circle attachment. It isn't the best kind, because the torch body has to move with it, but you should be able to get a round cut once you get used to handling the torch.

GWE

Reply to
Grant Erwin

Here's a scan of part of one of the color plates from the welding textbook "Welding Principles And Applications" 4th Edition by Larry Jeffus:

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This is called a "nozzle support guide" in the text but I have never found such an item made commercially. I'm thinking of bending up a nearly-closed rectangle from heavy wire and then wrapping it around a suitable mandrel.

Grant

Ignoramus17368 wrote:

Reply to
Grant Erwin

Grant, I was thinking about the same thing today -- I will definitely do that.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus2215

Grant, I hope that my roller guide will be good for making straight cuts (along a suitable ruler or angle). That would be a start for me.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus2215

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>>

except

spacing,

My Powermax 900 Handbook tells me they are 50 amp consumeables !

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

I've seen and used that same support guide. It was part of the supplied torch kit that came with Lincoln's PCT-125 plasma torch. That particular plasma was plenty powerful but far from the best performing plasma cutter I've used. As for the support guide about all I ever did with it was cuss it.

Reply to
Wayne Cook

Wayne, what do you think about Hypertherm MAX100 and also about my own homemade roller guide? You know a lot, that's why I am interested in your opinion...

i
Reply to
Ignoramus2215

If this is your torch (starting at 6-16), then it should have a shield in hand, machine, and gouging configurations

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(IM)/802750r0.pdf,(watch the wrap).

Wayne

Reply to
wmbjk

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(IM)/802750r0.pdf,> (watch the wrap).

That torch seems to be Pac160, my torch is PAC130.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus2215

Here's the 130 breakdown

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If your torch is using the 40A nozzle (#12), then you're missing shield #4. No matter which torch it is, I doubt there's any recommended configuration that would leave the barrel threads exposed.

Wayne

Reply to
wmbjk

I've not used the MAX100 power supply you have so I can't do more than general comment about it. I have used that model torch before so I have some thoughts on that.

The main thing to keep in mind is that you're working with older technology here. Plasma's are a relatively young welding technology and huge strides have been made in the last few years. This especially applies to the torch itself though the power supply plays a role.

In your case the single biggest improvement you could make would be to replace that torch with the new T-100 model. That old torch had bad visibility, hard to get in tight spots, and several other problems in my experience.

I'm not sure about the power supply but I think it's probably the old transformer type instead of the newer inverter. That's got good and bad points. One thing to consider is that the inverter type are programmed to help prevent destroying consumables on the torch (a real problem on older torches). Your sticking to the metal problem tells me that it arced across the electrode and tip interface. Depending on the supply this could of instantly ruined both tip and electrode (if you see a frosted appearance inside the tip this likely the case). The newer power supplies are better at preventing this from happening.

As for the torch. I had the same arcing problems with it as you're having. Even with the shielded consumables it would arc to the work at the least provocation. The consumable life, cut quality, visibility, and overall function of Hypertherms new torch design is so much better than the old models that it's like night and day. I know a guy with a Powermax900 on a CNC setup. That model came before the newest torch design (but had a newer torch design than you're using). He used it for a long time with that torch. But once he saw my torch in operation he bought the new torch for it and it was a huge improvement in cut quality instantly.

If you stick with the old torch I suggest you forget about trying to throttle down the plasma for the smaller consumables. My experience is that trying to do so is a exercise is futility (especially with a transformer type power supply). Plasma's tend to draw how ever much power is needed to make the cut at the speed and thickness you're cutting no matter what you've got the controls set for. Thus even though you have the dial set to 40 amps if you push your speed at little to fast for a few seconds you'll end up burning up the tip. You're generally better off just using the largest that it's designed for and going faster on the cut (makes it a lot easier to maintain a steady speed anyway). Yes it makes for a slightly bigger kerf but I think you'll be happier in the long run that way. The only time I try to turn my plasma down is when I'm doing super thin delicate free hand work with the hi definition consumables and even then I have trouble maintaining tip life.

Reply to
Wayne Cook

Wayne, do I understand it right that T-100 torch would fit my MAX100? (as far as fittings, wiring etc is concerned)

Yes.

Well, it (sticking) happened a few times already, and, so far, it keeps on cutting. I do try, now, to avoid sticking. It sticks only if I touch the "work".

Sounds very interesting. I will definitely look into it.

Did I understand you right that you are suggesting to use 100A consumables? I do not mind that, in fact, I have a few of them, I just want to understand what you are saying. Would these larger consumables lead to not to clean cuts?

Thanks a lot Wayne.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus23787

I'm sure they make a model that will fit. They make them as retrofit guns and can probably put any end needed on them (especially since they made that power supply to begin with).

Sounds pretty good so far. That means that the power supply was smart enough to reduce power and prevent ruining the consumables. However you may find that once stuck the tip will be more prone to sticking in the future.

Just be sitting down when you price it.

Lots of variables there. I know on the new model torch it doesn't matter much. It simply cuts clean no matter what. On some of the older torches I've used cut speed is critical for a clean cut. The more power the faster the cut is made. Then there are some that won't cut clean no matter what you do (the Lincoln that started this discussion was that way).

Reply to
Wayne Cook

I called Hypertherm today, and their rep said that "there is no retrofit torch available for MAX100". No ifs or buts.

I will try to use shielded consumables (100A) or otherwise prevent contact.

OK... My torch does cut cleanly under some conditions, at least. I will play with it more. Thanks Wayne.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus18341

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