Question about cutting a 3-inch thick plate. Tried a plasma cutter versus oxy-fuel on a job in Spokane last week.

3 comments

3 Comments

nancybailey26d agoMost Upvoted

Ever feel like you're picking between a fast mess and a slow clean-up? My plasma cuts on thick stuff always need a grind, like I'm paying for speed with extra wheel time. Honestly, I just pick based on how much I hate grinding that day.

sage_martin2227d ago

Which one ended up working better for you on that thick of a plate? I read a forum post a while back where a guy swore oxy-fuel was the only way to go for anything over two inches, said plasma could leave a nasty bevel on the edge. But I've also seen some newer high-amp plasma cutters handle it pretty clean. Curious how your cut quality compared between the two methods.

chen.casey26d ago

Remember seeing that same debate on WeldingWeb, sage_martin22. Honestly, my buddy tried a 200-amp Hypertherm on 2.5 inch and the bevel was still there, just less. It cut faster than oxy for sure, but we still had to grind the edge for a true square fit. Oxy was slower but gave us a cleaner edge right off the torch.