Need a guide to plasma cut a barrel

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I want to cut a steel beer keg in half with a plasma cutter.  I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what I can use as a guide to make the cut as straight as possible.  I was thinking of something like a "L' bar but obviously it wouldn't be flexible to wrap around the keg.  I would need a plastic / flexible guide.  The only thing I can think of would be a piece of sheet metal bent with an "L" edge in it and then make a whole lot of slits so I could bend/wrap it around the circumference and use it as a guide but I'm sure there is a better way to do it.
Reply:Your idea of using angle will work, but you could have it cut already after the time and labor spent getting it wrapped around the keg. If I had to cut it and I didn't trust my torch hand, I'd use a grinder and cutoff wheel.
Reply:or, you could get a piece of plywood, cut a hole in it the diameter of the keg, lower the keg into the hole the proper depth, then lay the plasma torch on its side on the plywood and go to it.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:yea i could use a grinder but noise, mess and changing wheels was the reason I bought I a plasma cutter.  I could cut a circle out of a piece of metal with my circle guide and then slip that over the keg but since the keg is stainless I wouldn't be able to use magnets to hold the cut out as my guide.
Reply:you might be able to some grades of stainless are magnetic to a pointLincoln Power Arc 4000 Thermal Arc Fabricator 252 iThermal arc 186Thermal Arc 26 tigTweeko 200 amp spool gunHobart AirForce 400WP-17V-12R
Reply:Find a piece of old garden hose or a long length of copper tubing you were going to scrap anyway, cut it to nearly wrap around the barrel where you need it and then insert either some strong rope or some thin steel cable (an old bicycle brake cable with its ends annealed, for example) into the hose. To make the rope or cable tight enough, you can use a small turnbuckle or perhaps just appropriate knots and lashings. If you use rubber hose, assume lots of fumes will be produced and do the cutting outside.You will have to reposition the guide at least once to finish the cut due to the area with the turnbuckle or whatever, but that should be no problem.You could also set the barrel on its side, practice "cutting" (with the torch off) until you get the movement under control, freehand the job and later remove any small imperfections with a grinder. If you can see the mark clearly and have practiced the motion needed, you might cut nearly as well as if you had used a guide!
Reply:wouldnt a standard long pipe wrap or or rolled paper of some sort work to mark it?editI just realized what you were asking, you could probably use some of that rolled metal roof flashing the home depot sells, wrap it around a few times so the drag tip can ride on itLast edited by idacal; 03-29-2012 at 11:51 PM.Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Reply:How ‘bout putting the keg on a  "roller skate" and then rolling the keg to pass a rigid mounted torch. For a one-time deal, the improvised "roller skate" could maybe be as simple as a pair of wheeled shop carts tipped on their backs.Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 03-30-2012 at 12:52 AM.
Reply:thanks, there are some good suggestions.Oldiron2 might be right about freehand but I can't draw a straight line on paper freehand  if my life depended on it so I wouldn't expect to cut metal straight.   If I had a lazy susan I could place the keg on it and support the plasma torch and just turn it but I dont have one and really don't want to spend a lot of money on something I'm only going to use once or twice.  I'm thinking of having someone just turn the keg on while on the floor maybe use a towel so it will turn easy and make a support for the torch and that would probably work but I know there is a better way that I can do it for just a few bucks (less than $10)I just remembered HF has a dolly for $7.99 I could maybe use that to turn it but a guide would still be better vs. a support to help me hold the torchLast edited by medicineman; 03-30-2012 at 01:52 AM.
Reply:If you use a Hypertherm plasma with drag cutting capability.....you can wrap anything around the barrel as a guide.....and simply drag the torch while resting against the guide. Use a ratchet strap....and guide the torch against the strap material, use a thin strap of aluminum, tape a piece of cardboard.....it will all work.Drag cutting at the right speed on an aluminum keg will produce very little residual heat near the cut edge.Jim Colt    Originally Posted by medicinemanI want to cut a steel beer keg in half with a plasma cutter.  I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what I can use as a guide to make the cut as straight as possible.  I was thinking of something like a "L' bar but obviously it wouldn't be flexible to wrap around the keg.  I would need a plastic / flexible guide.  The only thing I can think of would be a piece of sheet metal bent with an "L" edge in it and then make a whole lot of slits so I could bend/wrap it around the circumference and use it as a guide but I'm sure there is a better way to do it.
Reply:When I do kegs or barrels I mark lines with a flexable alum ruler. Then I get out my jig saw put in a metal blade that has some fine teeth. I go slow and get really nice straight cuts that have great fit up for my grills. Always weld in your hinge first dont cut the lid off and try to get the lid straight never had much luck at that. Make the cut where the hinge will go first stop weld in or screw in you hinge finish your cuts.Also I use my plasma to start the cut make a 1" slice with the plasma and go to the jigLast edited by worm122; 03-30-2012 at 11:03 AM.Donnelly Small Engine & WeldingFoley AlabamaLincoln 225 TigLinoln 215 migHypertherm Powermax 65Ellis 1600 sawEllis 6000 belt grinderJD2 Model 4 tubing benderAtlas  12"X54" metal latheLots of large hammers
Reply:Make a Guide that hangs from the top-Use the guide to draw a line around with a Sharpie/permanent marker.Then wrap tape around following the line, easier to see the Tape line while cuttingThen just free hand it, you can grind down any high spotsDo the cutting with the Keg in the horizontal position- start at the top and cut down, rotate the barrel up and cut down again.Last edited by Broccoli1; 03-30-2012 at 12:38 PM.Ed 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:Not even de-lurking, been too busy to read for a while, just cathcing up...Set the keg on a simple lazy susan, clamp the torch to a vertical support at desired height. Might leave a few small tabs to hold the keg together during the cut, and finish those with the zip wheel.One full turn to make the cut won't twist your ground too much, so just clip it on where you can.MikeMike "Dodis"Century 135 MIGMiller Thunderbolt XL AC (working on DC converter) (SCORE! got a H/F box off eBay for this one too) now gotta get busy!!! Harbor Freight 130 TIGOxy/Propane Victor Torch
Reply:the kegs are stainless steel.  I plan on welding two of them together that is why I wanted the cuts to be as straight as possible so that I have a minimum amount of grinding to do.  I am going to tig them together then I'll cut out the opening for the hinges with a straight angle guide.  I am planning on making a saddle cut on another keg to use as a base then weld 2 kegs together and weld them horizontally on the  bottom base keg to form a "T".  Plan on using gas as my heat source on the base.I'm thinking maybe some roof flashing  might work to as a wrap around guide but Jim Colt had some suggestions that might work but I would worry about cardboard catching on fire.  Since I've never used a plasma cutter maybe it will be fine.
Reply:What about this idea.  Make a jig in the form of an "L" out of aluminum or steel.  use the lip of the top or bottom of the keg for the support and place one side of the "L" jig on that area.  then cut a hole  the same size as the tip of the cutter on the other part of the jig where I want to make my cut, put the tip of the torch thru the hole and go around the keg.   No magnets needed, turn buckles, combustible material, etc etc and virtually no cost to make the jig/guide.  I might have to patent this idea.  lolLast edited by medicineman; 03-30-2012 at 01:58 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by medicinemanyea i could use a grinder but noise, mess and changing wheels was the reason I bought I a plasma cutter.  I could cut a circle out of a piece of metal with my circle guide and then slip that over the keg but since the keg is stainless I wouldn't be able to use magnets to hold the cut out as my guide.
Reply:Use a bradly cable come along winch tighten it up on the barrel on your guide mark, if you have a dog cable they are plastic coated even. Make a couple of "x" s out of two scrap two by four, put a couple of stabliser left to right to keep the x's rigid anything would work, plywood old tomato stakes, a 1x2, set the barrel on them and cut away.
Reply:can any one post an indexed and systematic steps for plasma cut a barrel?Wholesale Kitchen Cabinets