Chicago Electric 62204 Owner's Manual page 9

preparation and Work area
WarninG! prevent eye injury and
burns. Wearing personal protective
equipment reduces the risk of injury.
1� Wear an ANSI‑approved welding helmet featuring
at least a number 10 shade lens rating�
Leather leggings, fire resistant shoes or
boots should be worn when using this
product� Do not wear pants with cuffs, shirts
with open pockets, or any clothing that can
catch and hold molten metal or sparks�
Keep clothing free of grease, oil, solvents,
or any flammable substances� Wear dry,
insulating gloves and protective clothing�
Wear an approved head covering to protect
the head and neck� Use aprons, cape, sleeves,
shoulder covers, and bibs designed and
approved for welding and cutting procedures�
Wear fire resistant ear plugs or ear
muffs to keep sparks out of ears�
Do not breathe arc fumes. Use natural
or forced air ventilation and wear a
NIOSH‑approved respirator�
WarninG! prevent accidental fires. remove
any combustible material from the work area.
2� Remove or make safe all combustible
materials for a radius of 35 feet (10 meters)
around the work area� Use a fire resistant
material to cover or block all open doorways,
windows, cracks, and other openings�
Enclose the work area with portable fire
resistant screens� Protect combustible
walls, ceilings, floors, etc�, from sparks
and heat with fire resistant covers�
3� The floor and surrounding area must not
be flammable� A clean concrete floor is
recommended�
The cutting process will eject
molten metal slag onto the floor, and it will
scatter for 8‑10 feet or more in all directions�
Keep multiple aBc-type fire
4�
extinguishers near work area.
5� Place the Plasma Cutter on a sturdy, level surface
at least six feet from the work area�
Allow at least 18" around all sides of
the Plasma Cutter for air flow�
ITEM 62204 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.
6� Put the workpiece on a sturdy metal work
table that is open below the cutting area�
Molten slag will be blown through the
workpiece, and must be able to fall away freely�
Mount the workpiece to be cut to the work table so
that the cutting debris falls to the concrete floor�
7� Set up Air Supply according to page 7�
8� Verify that the Power Switch is in the OFF position,
then plug the Plasma Cutter into an appropriate
240VAC outlet rated to at least 30 amps
to limit nuisance circuit breaker tripping�
9� pLaSMa cuttinG tipS:
Using a Plasma Cutter is a skill that
requires time and effort to do well�
a� Practice striking and maintaining an arc on
scrap work pieces before beginning work�
This will help determine the best settings for
the Plasma Cutter for the material at hand.
b� All metals that conduct electricity can
be cut, see Maximum cutting thickness
on page 5 for thickness capabilities�
Very thin or very thick metals are
more difficult to cut cleanly�
c� Set the air pressure between 60 and 80 PSI�
Increased air pressure will increase plasma
speed and cutting pressure� Air pressure and
amperage should be adjusted in tandem – air
pressure needs to increase as amperage
increases, however, low amperage cuts will
require less air pressure for a more stable cut�
d� Generally start with a mid‑range
amperage setting (32‑33 amps)
and adjust up or down from there�
Increased amperage will increase cutting heat�
This is needed with thicker and harder metals�
However, increased amperage will
reduce Duty Cycle time� (See page10.)
e� Move the Torch more slowly for thicker and
harder metals, and more quickly for thin or soft
metals� Keep the Torch moving while cutting�
thicker Material
thinner Material
High amps
More air pressure
Low amps
Less air pressure
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