Usually aluminum. It makes for minimal tungsten contamination of the weld and holds a balled tip. But the inverter based Tig welders don’t recommend balled tips for aluminum anymore - just normal sharpening with a slightly blunted nose. So if you’re still using the older transformer style machines they’re useful. But the rare earth ones are generally as good and work for both AC and DC welding.
(I’m in CT for the next couple of weeks.)
Further research shows that the extended tips/consumables are for the ICE torch and the xt60 and the xt40-M but not for the XT40, I guess my dealer was right.
Damn it, I thought we were on to something here.
I ran into the same issue with my ICE torch, they said the consumables were not compatible.
They are wrong. The hand torch internals are just the same as the machine torch, just different bodies.
I ran my handheld torch with machine parts in it for the last 5 years or better.
Just sold a 625 Extreme that also had the M consumables on the hand torch. Thinking you just need to buy a Deflector to get rid of the drag shield. But I would also buy the extended tip and electrode. Those help with the heat around the retaining cup.
Is this not the torch you currently have sir?
Well that clears it up, I was wondering what the heck I was missing.
Your full of good information, thanks man. Guess I have to order some stuff.
Hello All! New to the Crossfire. Just curious if there has been any progress to Joe’s original query? Does anyone have any settings/cut speeds for various material thicknesses they can share for the Miller 625? Just setting everything up and want to make sure I get as close as possible the first go round. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I’m going to be using a 625 extreme on the Pro table, but it’s not here yet. Will be keeping an eye on this thread for info and will post back my experience. As a side note, I talked with Miller support a few days ago, and the CNC automation kit for the 625 is no longer being made for the new models, but the cnc port can be retrofitted into some of the older ones (like mine) with the quick attach torch handle.
Hello all… I am new to the forum and have recently gotten my pro table up and running. I am running a Miller Spectrum 625 Extreme and was hoping for some input on machine settings. I have read through a lot of the posts on here and the info has been really helpful to get up and running. I am running my plasma machine on 220v… have had that set up for years and always used it for hand cutting. My question is in regards to settings on the machine and the 30a tip vs 40a tip. To start, when using the 30a tip, should the setting on the machine be 30a or less (over 30a possibly causing damage to the tip or machine?)? Would you ever run the 40a tip at less then the 40a setting on the machine? Or is this where you just keep it at the max and adjust your cut speed? I have been recently cutting 16ga and am getting a beveled edge, more so then when I was previously cutting 1/4” which came out really nice. I was running the 40a tip, machine set at 40a and a cut speed of 60 ipm for the 1/4” and it was a nice cut (little bevel). Seems like as i am going thinner (3/16” and now 16ga I am struggling with more of a bevel. I know there is a lot going on in this post… appreciate any input that can be offered. Gotta say overall I am really enjoying running the table and am excited for the projects that I can produce with it👍
Yes. It may not blow the tip out immediately to be over 30, but I imagine it will wear it out quick!
Yes - I do that frequently - for example, when I’m doing 18ga, I’ll dial the machine back to 25-30 and leave the 40a tip in. Adjust IPM accordingly. But you can leave it at 40 as well. I do it to lessen the pierce blowout, but experiment with it - you may find you like the cut quality better when it’s dialed back a little. There’s no ‘absolute’ correct setting - just what gets you best results. Most of the time I cut with the 40a tip and dial in the amps. When I want to do fine work on sheet metal I will switch to 30a.
I’ve seen folks on here doing 3/8 with the 30a tip that looked laser cut…never would have occurred to me to do 3/8 with 30a tip - so keep that in mind as well.
On the bevel - search around on here - there’s some more detailed descriptions than what I’ll put here - but watch you cut height and power. The cone shaped arc is what causes the bevel and it depends on where in the cone your cut is happening. I’ll defer to other more knowledgeable posts but perhaps that will point you in the right direction. Some bevel in normal with plasma.
Welcome to the forums!
I appreciate the info, I will definitively be trying running the machine with the 40a tip and dialing back the amps. Would be nice to not have to swap out the tip/electrode between the different sheet material (i’ll be cutting a little of everything). I ended up cutting a bunch of 16ga today running the 30a tip and machine set at 30 amps, 250ipm with a .12 pierce and .06 cut height. Still getting more bevel then i think i should be on this thin of material, so i’ll keep at it and hopefully find the “sweet spot”. Thanks again for the help👍
How are you running the tips - with a drag shield installed? I’ve got a machine torch (but hand torch is same fittings) and had been running the machine torch shield (similar to the drag shield) but I realized it was setting .06 cut height from the shield, not the tip, which was offset .06 by the shield. Long story short - my shield was causing me to have a .12 offset not a .06 offset. That has an impact on the cut quality and bevel. I took off the shield and it’s been cutting great ever since. Not sure if it’s what’s causing your issue, but something to keep in mind! Happy cutting!
I was lucky enough to weed that one out early from all the info (yours included👍) that I read through on the forums. I am running the 40a tip with machine torch shield and setting the pierce at .06 and cut height at .01. That has given me some nice cuts on 1/4”. When cutting with the 30a tip I am running that small “deflector” (i think that is what it is called). It doesn’t offer much in the way of tip protection, but it seems to be working well. I’ll see what kind of life I get outta that set-up. This is making me think to mess around with the cut heights more… since i am getting good cuts on 1/4” with a total cut height of .07 (machine shield + .01 setting)… maybe increasing the cut height slightly with the 30a tip will give me less bevel. So on my to-do list next time i’m running the table will be 40a tip with amperage cranked down and some playing with cut heights. The one thing this table doesn’t lack is lots of details to keep track of. I may… or may not… have left the the air off today and it may… or may not have taken me 5-6 mis-fires to realize it🤣
Been there, done that…forgot the work lead clamp more times that I will admit…yes - a lot of variables to keep up with! But it’s sooo nice when a cut comes out just how you wanted it!
we all do…especially as we get older…here is what I have done to help my man-brain…I use a dry erase board to make notes
This is awesome👌
I ran the 40a tip and cranked the machine down to 30amps… cutting 16ga… and it worked great… cleaner cuts then i could get with the 30a tip. Thanks again for the advice👍
Ive got a odd issue I think. running my 625 on a pro table now. long machine torch, 40amp tip and machine tip. (have the THC and I have the upgraded interface on the 625 for controller) . pierce height around 0.09 and cutting around 0.05. 11ga steel. 110psi, 40 amps, 140ipm.
I used to run 0.4 pierce time on the old crossfire using. inkscape/sheetcam/mach3/ combo.
using inkscape/sheetcam/firecontrol with my new pro, I have to keep my pierce time above 1.3 seconds to not get the torch moved before torch firing message warning to use at least 0.5 pierce times. you can imagine what 1.3 does on fine detail work…
any thoughts on what to check or other settings?
I’ve created a pdf of @James5 tools / cut sheet he posted here 625 cut sheet
Before I post it, there is one thing I need some clarification on regarding the “Feed Rate” data field. James5, your Feed Rate numbers, which I assumed was the cut speed (IPM), have me confused. For example, 22ga Mild steel at 40A has a feed rate of 20878.8 . What exactly is that number? I thought it was mm/min but when I converted it to IPM I get 822 IPM… These machines don’t run that fast, maxing out at 300IPM. Can you clarify?
I’m currently using an older 625 extreme from around 2013 or so with no usb and an XT40T hand torch with the Miller Plasma Drag Shield 204323, Miller Plasma Tip 40 Amp Standard 204325 and Miller electrode 192047.
I’m curious about using the extended electrodes with the deflector that have no drag shield. I believe the drag shield adds a few mm of material between the tip and your work piece requiring the pierce/cut height be adjusted accordingly. So if you send me some cut info, add what torch, tips and electrodes you are using 
My feed rate numbers came from the Miller owners manual. It’s not 20878.8 - not sure where you got that from…actually NM- I just checked the manual - that’s mm/min. Something must have converted it - I used IPM, but when you imported or viewed it it must have changed. The IPM equivalent is 822 IPM. You are right about the 300 IPM limit - so anything over 300 IPM from the manual should be set to 300 IPM. I usually back the power down a little and slow the rate to 225-250 IPM on 22ga, but you’ll need to do some experimentation to find the sweet spot for the metal you are cutting. Hope that helps!
Ahh perfect.
Here’s what your file shows:
I’m also guessing all those other numbers (kerf, heights) are mm as well.
I’ll run down the list and see what the conversion gives me and make the adjustments.
That may be how sheetcam stores the data - in metric. The software developers are based in Great Britain, I believe. I typed it in using IPM, and use imperial, so maybe check settings to see if you are displaying in metric? Not sure.
Here’s a link to the manual if you want to use that as a reference instead:
o264267c_mil (millerwelds.com)
The info comes from page 28 (24 in the print version).
