Mitech cut 40 owners?

[roverjohn]

I just got mine today and the instructions leave a bit to be desired. I've got mine flying through 1/8 like it was butter but it really slows down in 1/4 A36. Has anyone had any success getting decent speed through 1/4? I'm not really sure where to set the regulator or whether to lead into or trail the cut. I had to slow to almost a stop to severe 3/8" so I don't think my machine is doing what it's capable of and I heard about an adjustment to power up the cut over at the Parker thread. It was kind of fun writing my name in stuff by backing the control to 10 but that's not really usefull.
John...

[Dazz]

I have the same learning issue. Anything thicker then 3/16th" it would not cut threw to well. The arc seems to be really wide when cutting. Its blowing alot of slag and the work looks really poor. I tried turning up the air psi over 80psi and up the amp to 40 and it didnt seem to help.

Are the tip size all the same size? I have went thru two of them already and nothing works.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=244955&d=1147566783

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=244956&stc=1&d=1147566774

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=244957&stc=1&d=1147566774

[roverjohn]

I started a group over at yahoo for owners of these machines.
It's called mitechplasma

[Dustball]

On the thicker stuff, a slow and very steady hand is needed. A straightedge helps out tremendously as well as using a roller standoff. I had the same issues like you when trying to freehand it. I set my air regulator to 75 psi and try to maintain a 1/16" gap between the tip and the work piece when thicker than 3/16".

[BajaBilly]

Dazz,
To me, from the pics you posted, it looks like you might need to go at a steadier pace and slow.

Here is a tip from the guy who sells them for $435 shipped showed me.

You can actually touch the tip on the piece you are working with and just angle back about 30 degrees. But keep it going enough to not get the tip into the heart of the heat.

[plug ugly]

i havent had any issues like you are describing, and i dont really even know how to use these things well. i used a plasma once, before buying mine from dustin, but cutting 1/4 and 3/8's has been fine for me running at the higher settings for the 3/8 and a little less on the 1/4.
No pics of 3/8's now, but I can get some if you really care.

http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/323781/fullsize/plasmacut1.jpg

[plug ugly]

here is my 3/8 plate cutting
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/324824/fullsize/plasma3:8-1.jpg

[Dazz]

here is my 3/8 plate cutting
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/324824/fullsize/plasma3:8-1.jpg

That looks really clean cut! What's your secret?

Bajabilly, thanks for the tips! Guess I need alot more practice.

[plug ugly]

I dont have any really, as Im a very newb user myself. I found that the angle of the gun was very critical. Any angle, and you could undercut or over cut . Once i got the cut going, I would put the tip right on the metal, and just dont stop. I started at an angle to get the cut going, and then went perpendicular.