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4T.03 General Cutting Information
WARNING
!
Disconnect primary power at the source before dis-
assembling the power supply, torch, or torch leads.
Frequently review the Important Safety Precautions
at the front of this manual. Be sure the operator
is equipped with proper gloves, clothing, eye and
ear protection. Make sure no part of the operator's
body comes into contact with the workpiece while
the torch is activated.
CAUTION
!
Sparks from the cutting process can cause damage
to coated, painted, and other surfaces such as glass,
plastic and metal.
NOTE!
Handle torch leads with care and protect them from
damage.
Piloting
Piloting is harder on parts life than actual cutting
because the pilot arc is directed from the electrode
to the tip rather than to a workpiece. Whenever
possible, avoid excessive pilot arc time to improve
parts life.
Torch Standoff
Improper standoff (the distance between the torch
tip and workpiece) can adversely affect tip life as
well as shield cup life. Standoff may also signifi-
cantly affect the bevel angle. Reducing standoff
will generally result in a more square cut.
Edge Starting
For edge starts, hold the torch perpendicular to
the workpiece with the front of the tip near (not
touching) the edge of the workpiece at the point
where the cut is to start. When starting at the
edge of the plate, do not pause at the edge and
force the arc to "reach" for the edge of the metal.
Establish the cutting arc as quickly as possible.
Direction of Cut
In the torches, the plasma gas stream swirls as it
leaves the torch to maintain a smooth column of
gas. This swirl effect results in one side of a cut
being more square than the other. Viewed along
the direction of travel, the right side of the cut is
more square than the left.
Manual 0-5389
Left Side
Cut Angle
Side Characteristics Of Cut
To make a square - edged cut along an inside
diameter of a circle, the torch should move
counterclockwise around the circle. To keep the
square edge along an outside diameter cut, the
torch should travel in a clockwise direction.
Dross
When dross is present on carbon steel, it is com-
monly referred to as either "high speed, slow
speed, or top dross". Dross present on top of
the plate is normally caused by too great a torch
to plate distance. "Top dross" is normally very
easy to remove and can often be wiped off with
a welding glove. "Slow speed dross" is normally
present on the bottom edge of the plate. It can
vary from a light to heavy bead, but does not
adhere tightly to the cut edge, and can be easily
scraped off. "High speed dross" usually forms
a narrow bead along the bottom of the cut edge
and is very difficult to remove. When cutting a
troublesome steel, it is sometimes useful to reduce
the cutting speed to produce "slow speed dross".
Any resultant cleanup can be accomplished by
scraping, not grinding.
OPERATION
ESAB CUTMASTER 120
Right Side
Cut Angle
A-00512
4T-3
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