JR, I may not be as experienced as many, but I have use a plasma rated for 7/8" to gouge and found it to be extremely controllable . Unlike oxy the plasma will not blow through anything in front of it, it is limited in depth/penetration, so gouging is easy to control. I liked it alot. I was able to carve/whittle with it, without cutting deeper than I want to. I will be using the same machine in the near future to gouge/remove cutter holders from my road milling machine and will probably be able to provide pics for everyone to see.

 

This seems like an expensive way to cut holders off a milling machine. Thousands of them have been cut off in my shop and in the field with air arc fast, neat, and very little grinding.

 

I agree, I have gouged with mine as well, and it does a nice job.

 

I used mine to gouge, but still have better control with the carbon arc. It could be just because I have used the carbon arc for so long. I bought the gouging tips for a hypertherm 600. It gouges just fine with the cutting tip. Probably not used to it yet.

If its critical, I use the carbon arc.

David

 

Have had a lot of experience with the Linde (EASB) PCM 150. It has a different Volt-Amp curve than most. As you increase arc length, you do not loose Amps, allowing you to hold up to a 4" arc for gougging. I have put this machine on a lot of automatic machines that gouge hardbanding off drill pipe and works very good. John

 

It will not replace the metal removal quantity of Carbon Air Arc and the consumiables are more expensive but you sure can do some detailed removal by playing with the air pressure. As always the right tool for each job. Track hoe= Arcair. Detail/thin/ nice things=Spectrum plasma cutter. Really nice and versital piece of equipment.

 

I've used a plasma to "wash" welds and such off and used the regular cutting tip.If your careful it's kinda like scarfing with A/O.It was the closest equipment around so I tryed it and was pretty cool.

 

I use the one at work and it is aussum you can use it like a paint brush and just wash away the old welds ,very controalable once you get used to it, I do alot of backhoe buckets and it speeds the repairs up considerably.

 

Thanks guys. I wasn't aware of it being done until I started reading the specs on the machine. Now I know they weren't blowing smoke. Now if they will just let me know when the machine will be in.

 

I just saw the other thread specifically about air arc.

I think my questions are mostly answered, but if anyone has more for me I will look for it on the other thread. (try to keep things on topic)