Recurring Beveling

Ok so I have to ask, what have you found this to be the cause if you remedy it and it comes back suddenly?

Please read below -

I cut 16 gauge up to 1/4" nice and square, achieving square cuts on both the X and Y axis.

I cut circles, slots, and full figures in the appropriate manner IE clockwise outside, counter clockwise inside.

I perform table maintenance every few months, not to mention knocking dross off the slats.

I ensure my torch is square to the work piece, not to mention having squared up my gantry tubes again just 2-3 months ago.

Knowing everything is square, and using previously used cut files I’ve created, using the same cut settings I’ve used before, why would one suddenly achieve beveling alongside one edge but not the other opposing edge that runs in the same direction?

I cut some 16 gauge ghost ornaments yesterday, and got beveling along some inner and outer edges (not all but some).

Today I cut some 10 gauge which will better depict the issue most; the “square” shapes means those edges are square and the “triangle” shapes means those edges have a bevel. The holes also have beveling noted by the arrows which correlates with the edge that has beveling -

Again, I do understand how beveling occurs and normally how to remedy it.

Beveling all around would mean incorrect cut height. That is not the issue here (generally speaking).

Beveling in one axis would mean the torch is canted ever so slightly in the mount. It is square all the way around in relation to the work metal it cuts into.

Beveling in one axis would mean the gantry tube in one axis would be out of square. Jogging the torch from one end of the axis to the other depicts roughly 1/32" of an inch of deviation and THC would easily account for that.

So unless I just disassemble to an extent and reinstall it all together again, I’m unsure what part exactly I should be looking at?

No, it’s not a coupler issue or binding. My couplers and shafts are marked and the marks are still matching.

I must admit that I got some beveling on some of my 14 gauge aluminum plant stakes/markers that I did a few days ago. The fact that it was not consistent and there was some warping, I am going to have to go with “warping” for my issue. Three sides might not have any bevel but one side would be pronounced. Some had zero beveling.

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I hope that’s the case for the 10 gauge I cut today above.

Would make sense for the 16 gauge, but even then I place heavy 1/2" thick steel arbor plates whenever I cut stuff.

You’ll see them there on the left edge.

I’ll chalk it up to metal warping this time around but if it happens again on some 1/4" I’ll cut tomorrow or the next I’m gonna start disassembly :rage:

Ignore the sheet layout lol I normally have it supported mostly by the table.

I was toying back and forth with nesting and didn’t want to lose my spot as I moved the sheet around to continue cutting.

I’ve had it happen when the nozzle is worn on one side. The plasma stream comes out angled on that side.

I’ve also had it happen with brand new knock-off Hypertherm parts.

I was able to confirm that the consumables were to blame by rotating the torch in the mount. The bevel followed the torch rotation, so it was definitely the consumables.

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I should’ve mention in my initial post, these were new consumables IE new electrode and new nozzle as I switch both out at the same time.

I expected to use new consumables as I had planned to cut the whole 2’ x 4’ out.

Same brand I always use to (from PrimeWeld) but I will confirm next time I cut to switch both my consumables and swirl ring as a buddy mentioned to swap out the swirl ring.

I do recall replacing it some 2 months ago when I ran into that whole jagged cut issue but we’ll see.

I’ll try anything just to take care of an issue I’ve already remedied various times before. It’s just so frustrating.


this might help a bit…

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Not really, you missed everything I read (or didn’t read it at all) as I explained what your picture depicts.

@Kwikfab how long do you find that you’re consumables are lasting? Pierce count /run time

How has this setup been running?

I only bring it up because water going through the consumables can sometimes instantly screw them up.

It can be intermittent, a bit of a Russian roulette thing. Maybe your brand new consumables were wrecked straight off the bat?

Another thought, Sometimes depending on how rigid your Mount is the slack in the torch cable moving around can affect your alignment.

Cutting slower can reduce bevel quite a bit depending on the scenario but you’ll have a trade off with low speed dross.

If your temperature of the air is still high a lot of the water vapor will just keep moving along.

Do you find your cut quality starts out good at the beginning of a session and reduces drastically later on?

Also with the thinner gauge materials because they flex, sometimes when you do your initial height sense it can screw up your Pierce and cut height on Smart voltage for the rest of the cut.

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Was talking to my friend about consumables, for some random reason but I get about 400-425 pierces before I swap them out. I’ve gone longer but it isn’t worth forgetting if I leave them on there longer than I should.

If moisture was the reason, wouldn’t it be consistently bad? Plus it was at the start of the run, so everything was just turned on. I like to think I have good habits and I’m pretty consistent about it before I cut anything.

The cable slack is exactly the same as it’s been since I first assembled everything. No one messes with this table, and the difference between the beveled edge and straight edge is only 2.5" apart.

Temps yesterday were in the 70s.

I’m going to side with you and chelan in thinking my consumables may have played a part in this. Seems many have received a new set that was bad from the get go.

No, cut quality was not good from the start and got worse; the beveling occured instantly on one side and not the other. Another of the same part turned in a different manner introduced a bevel as well on another edge. Russian roulette as you’d say.

And yes I’m aware of thinner metals warping, I used 10 gauge as an example though in the picture above.

And also as mentioned, previous cut file, using previous cut settings, that have provided square results all around so it isn’t file or speed.

I’ll cut some 1/4" in the next day or two on these same consumables and a new set as well just to see if the beveling occurs the same way.

Just tired of measuring squareness, work piece flatness, etc.

Well, you guys were right

Bad consumables from the get go cause again if you recall, they were brand new before cutting the 10 gauge and 16 gauge

Pulling the nozzle and electrode still looked to be barely used, and my pierce count was 86 total on them

Here’s 10 gauge replacing the nozzle and electrode again

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What is apparent now though is that I have the tiniest bit of beveling all around but that can be attributed to the mounting and dismounting of my torch which altered the height slightly.

Luckily I already know how to fix that as I use feeler gauges and adjust my cut height accordingly.

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