Cutting expanded sheetmetal w/ a plasma?

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Can you cut expanded sheetmetal with a plasma smoothly? Do you lose the connection and have to restart between gaps??
Reply:I'm gonna say yes to both, atleast that has been my experience.Rob H.
Reply:My cutter has a feature just foe expanded steel. You can cut it as fast as you wantTim Beeker.
Reply:My machine (Hypertherm 1000) has 2 cut setings. A std setting where you loose the arc as soon as you cut through the piece, and a setting that mantains an arc for a short time after exiting so you can restart the cut on the next piece. The second setting seems designed specificly for cutting exp. metal mesh.So as said above "yes" to both.
Reply:I cut Expanded with my little 125cEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:If your machine has a starter cartridge it will cut expanded just fine and will probably have a settings for it. If its High Frequency start then probably not going to be that smooth of a cut.
Reply:Or lay a thin sheet of sacrificial SOLID sheet metal on top of the expanded stuff, clamp it flat together, attach the worklead clamp (aka 'ground' clamp) to the solid sheetmetal, and cut through the whole thing.  The solid sheetmetal piece should be enough to keep the plasma going and not blink out when you get over the open part of the expanded.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I've never used a plasma cutter.  So I hope this isn't a stupid questionDo you still get the nice rounded edge like with an O/A?"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I'm just finishing up a folding hitch-mount cargo carrier that has an expanded metal deck.  I just laid a straight edge down on the expanded metal and hit it with my HTP MC400.  It acted no different that cutting solid metal.  No mode switches or setting changes required.  Edges were as good as, if not better than, an OA cut.TeddCoHTP Microcut 400 & Invertig 160DC  Smith Dual Guard MD-510 OA Rig  Lincoln SP135+  Hobart Stickmate LX 235/160
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammI've never used a plasma cutter.  So I hope this isn't a stupid questionDo you still get the nice rounded edge like with an O/A?
Reply:I probably do have more of a tendancy to melt.  I hit the 02 to cut, then kinda play the preheat flame over the cut point.  It sorta blobs the sharp edge a little."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:My Hypertherm PowerMax 45 has a setting for expanded metal it works great.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Thanks for all the responses.A friend has an old Hypertherm I can use but he has not cut expanded with it.
Reply:No problems cutting exp metal with my Hypertherm Powermax 380 or my friends Miller Spectrum 375 XTreme.  MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:I've used snips,  depending on thickness.(I know, BOO!!)City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Now when ya can do it with yer teeth, ya got somethin' there!!!!"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/