Thermal Dynamics cutmaster 82

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I just bought a cutmaster 82 about a month ago, started out cutting good with just a little bit of slag, now im running throgh tips like crazy and its not cutting as good, and it seems like when cutting 1/2 it misses the tips up more, am i not useing the right tips or what, i cut 3/16 a lot and would like to know what tips to use and about how to set my plasma up any help is great
Reply:are you using clean dry air? the plasma cutter will burn up tips if your not using clean dry water free air.2-Lincoln idealarc 250/250, lincoln 225 ac/dc welder, lincweld ac 180c, hobart handler 210, hobart stickmate lx 235/160, Hypertherm Powermax30local 26 I.B.E.W Electrician
Reply:Gotta ditto the above,It's not just the consumables, oil and moisture can coat the cable and will for some unknown period of time mess up the nozzel and elecrodesMatt
Reply:Although I am a Hypertherm guy, here are my suggestions for use of the Cutmaster:1. Read the owners manual which has cut charts that help you choose the right consumable part number combinations for the material you are cutting. No one knows better than the manufacturer of the plasma! Follow the specs in the manual and you will get the best results regrading cut quality and consumable life.2. If performance has deteriorated, and you are doing everything as the manual lists above (using the right consumables for the power level and the thickness of material), then your air supply is most likely the issue. The most common call to tech service at Hypertherm (and likely other manufacturers as well) is in regards to consumable life with air plasma systems, and the most common cure is to take steps to minimize moisture in the air system.Moisture in your compressed air is intermittent. On days with less humidity you won't have as much, on days with more humidity or high compressor usage you will have a lot. Humidity in the air that goes to any plasma system changes the physics inside the torch. The torch was designed to work with air, which is mostly nitrogen and oxygen, when you add water, and possibly oil traces (from the compressor) you are competely changing the arc characteristics in terms of temperature and resistance, and it will cause dramatic changes in cut quality and nozzle/electrode life.1. Drain the compressor daily. An automatic drain is nice.2. If you use a lot of air, a refrigerated dryer can be the best solution. They vary widely in price, Harbor Freight has one that works very well for $350 or so. I found an American made , used unit on Craigslist for $100.3. Second best is a dessicant type dryer, is cheaper to buy than refrigerated but will require maintenance in order to keep operating properly...drying or replacing the dessicant material is necessary.4. Third, by far the cheapest to buy, is a filter unit as designed for auto paint spray applications that removes / absorbs water. If you have a lot of moisture these units will require frequent filter changes. Cost less to buy, requires filters and maintenance the more you use. Motor gaurd seems to be a good choice for plasma inlet air filters.As I stated....the majority of issues with short consumable life are moisture. Also, the majority of users tend to not believe that is their problem and start replacing components such as circuit boards, torches etc., to find the issue. There of course could be another problem, but this is most likely!Jim Colt   HyperthermLast edited by jimcolt; 05-16-2010 at 09:00 AM.
Reply:Thanks for the info.  Hopefully will be buying a plasma next F/Y, so knowing stuff like how quality of air issues affects things is gold.
Reply:thats my problem is water i went and got a filter from lowes and its still getting water in and its got one on the back of the cutterL&L custom Jeep Bumpers