Plasma cutter virgin...

[bletchmonster]

Right, that’s why so many sit unused in the corner of workshops and garages....

You’re gonna have tonnes of moisture working outside, cut quality will be *NO SWEARING ON THIS FORUM* off a little piston compressor.

The OP will be going through consumables every 5 cuts.

Do you even own a plasma cutter?

Funnily enough, yes, I've used plasma cutters, but only commercially for about 25 years.
If you read my original post, I wasn't advocating using wet air, I was suggesting that reasonable basic precautions against excess moisture will easily suffice. I myself have gathered together everything needed to build a dessicant dryer for my plasma, as dryer is better!
But for the last 25 years I've had various plasmas working with just a simple moisture trap, at the moment there is only the trap on the plasma itself as the main one sprung a leak. Having cut all the bracketry and beams for a ten meter span vehicular access bridge on one set of already well used cheap Chinese consumables without problems for example I feel qualified in my statement.
Piercing splash back and poor earth will destroy consumables a lot quicker than a bit of moisture.
As stated, I'm not advocating wet air, just don't get hung up about completely dry for casual use.

 

[DailyMike]

Sorry to interrupt but that depends upon the humidity of the day, the duty cycle the compressor will be subjected to. You will be suppries as to the amount of water you will be dealing with if you are cutting for an extended period of time. If water gets into the air stream of the torch and down to the nozzle then

Hi Henry.
I anticipate 15-20mts between compressor and plasma cutter. How does that sound to you Henry?
DailyMike.

 

[DailyMike]

Right, that’s why so many sit unused in the corner of workshops and garages....

You’re gonna have tonnes of moisture working outside, cut quality will be *NO SWEARING ON THIS FORUM* off a little piston compressor.

The OP will be going through consumables every 5 cuts.

Do you even own a plasma cutter?

The vast majority of cutting will be inside the steel hull. As she carried 250 tons of heavy oil for her working life, the five main tanks are virtually rust-free.

I'm certainly NOT fearful of the processes, but am now well aware of keeping an eye on moisture in the system.

Thanks to each of you for your valuable comments.

DailyMike.

 

[Barking Mat]

In my experience if the compressor isn't man enough, it's when the air pressure drops below ideal, it kills the consumable jet(?), Believe me did a lot of plasma cutting.

Much preferred to gas axes.

 

[DailyMike]

In my experience if the compressor isn't man enough, it's when the air pressure drops below ideal, it kills the consumable jet(?), Believe me did a lot of plasma cutting.

Much preferred to gas axes.

MY compressor is Clarke Industrial 14CFM with about a 200ltr tank (I believe) and 150psi.
Generator is 15kVa and I'll connect using a 32amp Blue plug.
DailyMike.

 

[DailyMike]

Make sure you’ve got extraction, forced air, respirator and an outside man if in a confined space!

Yet to buy a respirator Brad and open to recommendations as to which one to go for.
Don't have forced ventilation, but with all 5 tank lids and engine open, there's really good through draft.
There's also the option to work on-deck or in the open-to-air (currently) engine room.
Great points you've made Brad, cheers.
DailyMike.

 

[Bladevane]

As a final catch-all on my system I have a Filter-Ex. Hypertherm refer to them as Motor Guard but they seem to be the same item. Available from Xtreme Plasma along with replacement elements. https://xtremeplasma.ecwid.com/

 

[DailyMike]

As a final catch-all on my system I have a Filter-Ex. Hypertherm refer to them as Motor Guard but they seem to be the same item. Available from Xtreme Plasma along with replacement elements. https://xtremeplasma.ecwid.com/

Thanks for the info...do you incorporate it close to the plasma cutter, or attach to compressor?
Thanks for your input, Bladevane!
DailyMike.

 

[DailyMike]

Will you be working with anyone else [i.e. the work checked/tested] on the practical side of fabricating stuff on, or for, the barge? There will be the issue of liability should anything happen to injure 3rd parties.

Hi...excellent question!
I bought the plasma cutter mainly to cleanly and efficiently cut though 10mm internal baffles. They are there to stop the oil sloshing about and enable multiple grades of product to be loaded; they are not "structural". The previous owner had very crudely (pun intended) gas torched their way between the five tanks. The Stahlberg plasma cutter will clearly have many other potential tasks to perform before the conversion is complete. Original fittings were scavenged when JONDOR ended her commercial life, resulting in NUMEROUS bits of steel that need to be removed...

The little welding that's been done so far has been undertaken by professional welders, with the exception of a substantial door welded kindly for me by a fellow-boater to keep thieving "bar-stewards" out of the boat.

Once the conversion is completed, Insurance will only be underwritten after an appropriate insurance-approved inspector has inspected to the satisfaction of the said Insurance Company!

Thanks for your question, slim_boy–fat. Great moniker by the way! (I missed this yesterday when viewing on my phone, so apologies for delay in replying.

DailyMike.

 

[DailyMike]

“Don’t get hung up about completely dry air”

Your cut quality will be *NO SWEARING ON THIS FORUM*, you’ll go through consumables like mad, you’ll end up getting frustrated.

You need at least a dessicant dryer on there, that’s if your compressor can supply enough air to keep up. How long a cut do you need to make and what capacity is your tank?

Hi again and thanks.
Missed this and other posts when viewing on my mobile yesterday, so sorry for delay in replying directly.
Compressor is 14CFM, 200 lts tank and 150psi. I'll look into dessicant dryer when I get the kit together...currently in storage.
Jondor comprises riveted bow and stern, with 05-off modular welded tanks in between, each 17'6"wide by 4.20mts long. Additionally, each tank has a longitudinal baffle running the length of the boat. There are couple of much smaller "tanks" about 2' x 17'6" which were originally used to carry smaller volumes of petrol!
I'll be cutting though each of the tanks to create a walkway 1mtr wide to enable access through the boat. Additionally, sections of the longitudinal baffle will be removed to open-up the boat for practical reasons. Cutter will also be used to provide portholes, windows and doorway openings and for cutting away the five hinged hatches on the coamings and opening them up with roof-lights....PHEEEEW!

DailyMike.

 

[DailyMike]

Oh that should be okay if you’re quite open.

You need a FFP3 respirator.

I like the 3M half face silicone ones.

I'll have a "shufftie" at respirators before I start to use the cutter. I'm asthmatic, so I'll make sure I get a good one.

DailyMike.

 

[DailyMike]

In my experience if the compressor isn't man enough, it's when the air pressure drops below ideal, it kills the consumable jet(?), Believe me did a lot of plasma cutting.

Much preferred to gas axes.

Hi Barking Mat!
Compressor is 14CFM, 200lts tanks, 150 PSI. Gennie is 15kVa.
Hopefully they'll be man enough for the job.
DailyMike.

 

[Barking Mat]

That sounds man enough, when you start cutting long cuts, followed by long cuts, just check to see if the compressor is maintaining pressure.

I found after X amount of time the compressor couldn't keep up. And you kill your consumables. My compressor at the time wasn't massive.

It's all about maintaining a consistent speed of cut. And take practice.

Don't hesitate to clamp a runner to cut, so you get a nice straight cut.

Look for 'stand off' plasma torch fittings, someone will shortly correct me on what they're actually called. Really essential, on a plasma cutter.

Finally as @bR39Da said extraction of air, decent masks, etc.

And someone watching for fires, with a bucket of water, if the bilges are full of grease and oil, it will catch fire. PPE etc.

After finishing work, wait at least an hour for smouldering red hot metal particles

Etc, etc, all good fun.

 

[DailyMike]

That sounds man enough, when you start cutting long cuts, followed by long cuts, just check to see if the compressor is maintaining pressure.

I found after X amount of time the compressor couldn't keep up. And you kill your consumables. My compressor at the time wasn't massive.

It's all about maintaining a consistent speed of cut. And take practice.

Don't hesitate to clamp a runner to cut, so you get a nice straight cut.

Look for 'stand off' plasma torch fittings, someone will shortly correct me on what they're actually called. Really essential, on a plasma cutter.

Finally as @bR39Da said extraction of air, decent masks, etc.

And someone watching for fires, with a bucket of water, if the bilges are full of grease and oil, it will catch fire. PPE etc.

After finishing work, wait at least an hour for smouldering red hot metal particles

Etc, etc, all good fun.

Great advice and points made here, Barking Mat!

ZERO grease OR oil in bilges. All the black oil was literally DUG out of the tanks before i bought her, the steel tanks then scrubbed clean and started to be painted with red oxide paint. There is a residual film still in parts of a couple of tanks, but, when "testing" with naked flames, this didn't burn. When I had new bollards professionally welded to the fore and aft decks (port & starboard), I was fire-watchman. I'd never seen steel glowing cherry-red below decks before! I had 02-off 18,000 lts per hour submersible pumps with 2" hoses at the ready and a couple of fire extinguishers handy too.
DailyMike.

 

[Bladevane]

Thanks for the info...do you incorporate it close to the plasma cutter, or attach to compressor?

Mine is about 1 metre from the plasma machine so it traps any residual moisture. oil, particles etc. This is also just in case any enter when air line is disconnected between compressor and the unit.

 

[Barking Mat]

Try to keep your plasma cutter as far away as your torch will let you. I've a 4m pt27 if I remember correctly. Otherwise the cooling fan will suck all the crop over the circuit boards. It'll still need to be cleaned occasionally.

Big fans really help.

Once again at least a mask and good sunglasses

And watch out for bystanders.