Dross

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Hello everyone. I have a question regarding dross after plasma cutting. Ive had my plasma cam for about a month, and didnt really have a huge problem with dross until recently. Ive been cutting out quite a few branding irons, I dont know why but people love those things. Anyway, I am wondering if contaminants on the steel have anything to do with it. I have been getting my clean 1/8" steel remnants at 15cents a pound at the local scrap yard, but this last piece ive been burning parts out of has me grinding quite a bit after the cuts. Does anybody have an idea of why it could be so bad? Like I said I wasnt having this problem before, and I am running my plasma cutter on a fresh set of consumables. Just fishing for ideas. Thanks.Miller Syncrowave 200Hobart Handler 140Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38E-Z Tube BenderPlasma Cam DHC2
Reply:I chip off the slag using a hammer and large chisel.  Fast and easy.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Well, thats what I usually do, but these branding irons get a little detailed, and I have bent a few up them up that way. Ive had to resort to the angle grinder to keep that from happening. Like i mentioned before, it wasnt this bad before, just seems to have started happening recently. I changed my comsumables, and started running a desecant inline dryer, and its helped a bit, but even before I went to those lenghts, it wasnt that bad. Im wondering if maybe there is moisture in the steel or something.Miller Syncrowave 200Hobart Handler 140Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38E-Z Tube BenderPlasma Cam DHC2
Reply:Is the material the same thickness that you have been cutting in the past?is it the same type of steel? Hot rolled won't cut as clean as cold rolled.Usually too fast of a travel speed or lack of amperage will cause excessive dross.Any settings or parameters get changed in the design?- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Have you gotten more water in your air than before?
Reply:its the same stuff as before, hot rolled sheet. Nothing has changed, but humidity has been very high.Miller Syncrowave 200Hobart Handler 140Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38E-Z Tube BenderPlasma Cam DHC2
Reply:Originally Posted by Quciferits the same stuff as before, hot rolled sheet. Nothing has changed, but humidity has been very high.
Reply:If you have a water seperator mounted next to your compressor change your plumbing. You need to have at 15-20 feet of pipe between the compressor and the seperator. You can make this distance any way you can get it. Go up the wall, over a foot and back down to a Tee. Put your seperator at the 90* of the Tee and a 6" nipple with a drain **** on the bottom of the Tee. Hot air will go right through the seperator without the water falling out. The extra piping will let the air cool enough for the water to condense out of the air.
Reply:Thanks for the tips guys, I will give them a shot.Miller Syncrowave 200Hobart Handler 140Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38E-Z Tube BenderPlasma Cam DHC2
Reply:also wonder if the tip could be worn out? ...seems my 375 makes goofy cuts when it gets a crater burned into the end of it.  (im cheap, i run them till they die)