New tip was torched after one large cut. I had a 24x16 , 11g steel plaque with a full name, letters and some other design. Took a bit to cut it at around 40 in/min @ 50 amps. 67 psi
Cutting height is .063 and .15’pierce height. Do the electrodes usually get used up after a longer cut vs doing several onesy twoseys ?
Maybe I was cutting slow? I did try 50 in/min and even 60 was ok but a bit fast and slowed it down as I didn’t want to risk it not cutting through
At 50 amps you should be in the 90-100 IPM range. Cutting too slow probably didn’t kill the electrode, though. Moisture in the air will kill an electrode quickly.
Agree.
You can see the swirl encompass the entire electrode.
What brand consumables?
I recall cutting 11 gauge in the 38ish amp range.
Thanks. I’ll try again using a higher speed and lower amps.
Unless you have a 30 amp tip and are running 50 amps, it’s not the amps. That electrode was toast way before this event. The swirls around the electrode are water molecules in the air stream.
I cut 11 ga @50 amps and 87 ipm 75 psi with a 50 amp tip. A 30 amp tip will last 5 minutes at 50 amps.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:9b5406a7-b0d8-4dbf-bf68-3469ab9eb17e
Maybe thats why, I was using a .6 tip.
It might have contributed to that electrode looking the way it does. The tip must be worse, I’ll bet.
Make sure you have the correct consumables for the amps you are using. Make sure the work clamp is attached to the metal you are cutting, and use that chart I sent you to get yourself close to the settings.
