Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate? ***WHO'D A THUNK!!!***

[bigdee]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

In the shipyard environment, working for the Navy, we are not allowed to use a plasma for anything other than rough cuts on aluminum in the shop. Never on the boat. The reasoning is that the plasma changes the molecular structure of the metal and failure rate is increased.

We do use it for rough cuts on alum and steel, but no finish cuts and never allowed on the ships.

You brought up a good point. We never used the plasma to cut pieces that were to be welded. Our shear was the preferred method but only had the capacity to cut material up to 3/16?. The circular saws were used to cut the thick stuff. What is wild to see is a computer controlled water jet cutting machine making cuts to within +/-.002 in steel of any hardness and thickness. While visiting Germany I onserved a sheet of steel 9 foot x 21 foot x 10 inches thick being cut with water.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

My welding table at home was CNC plasma cut from a huge metal sheet. The edge was as smooth as a baby's butt. Not sure where you get this idea that plasma doesn't cut smoothly.

I have welded(TIG and MIG) dozens of projects with metal that I cut with my plasma cutter. Of course I have a pretty good plasma cutter.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

The snow has melted and the sun came out. I went and clamped my piece of 3/16 Aluminum treadplate to the sawhorse and marked my cut line.

That counter rotating HF 5" saw cut thru that plate like a hot knife thru butter. It cut as fast as I could hold the saw on the line. It never felt like it was laboring and there was never a hint of kickback.

The cut was near perfect according to my line. I did kiss it with my belt sander to even out any slight deviation from my line.

What a tool. I am sure I will find many other uses for it. I hate to think about all the aluminum pieces I have ground thru over the years, with a hacksaw or even a a metal bladed jigsaw, to make many a different bracket or such.

Hurrah for the right tool!!!

Maybe some day I can graduate to a Plasma Cutter AND learn to use my now 12 year old virgin Lincoln 110v wire welder.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

We use the Shear when pratical, When cutting a deck out on a CG, We use a saw. If we have something irregular or are making a lot, we have a CNC Waterjet, it will handle a 10' x 60' sheet, the only issue is all your drawings have to be loaded and converted into AUTOCAD program. The CNC will wutomatically program and configure the cuts to have aminimal waste and it has one of the smoothest cuts you will ever see, I love the Plasma, Just cant use it for production for the Navy. I have been welding for over 30 years, MIG, TIG, Stick, and Flux Core. I started welding in High School, then went to the oil field until it went bust in the 80's, then went in the Navy and retired, now working for a Shipyard here in sunny Jacksonville, FL. I would love to have some of the tools that the yard has at home but i have other toys that i want more.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

That counter rotating HF 5" saw cut thru that plate like a hot knife thru butter. It cut as fast as I could hold the saw on the line. It never felt like it was laboring and there was never a hint of kickback.

Thank you. Looking for a project now.