Making a through straight cut

[candera]

I was playing around with the straight cut generator on some 1/4" steel, and I was absolutely amazed at the quality of the resulting edge. It was better than if I’d run it through my band saw…with the exception of the start. I was just messing around and am a beginner to boot, so I have no idea what I’m doing. I started the cut off the edge of the piece, rather than in the middle, as my goal was to separate it into two pieces.

For perhaps obvious reasons, the initial part of the cut wasn’t very good. But I can’t figure out how I would do this. Ideally, with the cut generator from within FireControl, as that would be very convenient. But do I need to have a program that starts somewhere in the material, backs up to an edge and then goes forward again? If I did that, wouldn’t I wind up with a pierce artifact?

I feel like if I were doing this by hand (i’ve never used my torch by hand) I’d be able to kind of start right on the edge and feel my way through getting the cut started. I’m just not sure how to make a computer do it.

Probably it’s just me being a n00b, and either trying to do something that can’t be done or missing something obvious. Would appreciate being edumacated in either case. Thanks!

[ftimpano]

What about the “first part” of the cut isn’t “very good.” How much? 1/8"? 1 inch? and what is wrong with the cut?
I use that function frequently and start the cut right at the edge. In 1/4 inch stock I set the center of the nozzle just off the edge but close enough to so that IHS will touch the nozzle to the edge of the plate on start up. Enable IHS, set pierce delay to 1.5 sec cut speed 40 IPM. The arc starts just off the edge but close enough to make electrical connection, it spends the pierce delay starting the cut, then proceeds through the material.

[candera]

Yeah, should have included a picture. See attached photo. Not sure how well you can make it out, but most of that edge is stellar. Just the bit at the right - I might have filed it a bit, but clearly not as good.

It was a while ago now so there’s every possibility I started way off the edge and paid no attention to pierce time. The fact that it works for you is very helpful - clearly it can be done, I just need to play with it a bit.

Of course the machine is down right now because I’m in the middle of the Z Axis/THC upgrade, as well as trying to open up some new shop space to park this beast.