Question plasma cutter

S

sicily02

Joined
Nov 23, 2005
Messages
3,987
Hi all I just read about the bandsaw thread and I have a question I use
just 0-1 steel and was wondering if using a plasma cutter will be OK to use
on 0-1 steel to cut out the knives I want instead of using a band saw to cut out my blade shapes. Anybody use a plasma cutter out there or have thoughts that would help me?

Thanks all,

Bryan
 
i have a friend cut mine with a plasma torch and it works out great but i'm using 1075. i would give it a try on some scrap to see if it works for you.
 
Plasma will cut tool steel just fine.

Mine is probably my single most unused, poor cost to value ratio tool I've ever acquired. There is a 40 AMP Hypertherm sitting in my weld shop for almost ten years. I've used it three or four times. I guess if you're cutting a lot of steel into weird shapes without need for precise control you might have a better use for one. I wish I would have spent the money on something more useful to me.

O1 is not an air hardening steel, but the HAZ is still going to be harder than snot and will be damaged steel near the edge. If you cut 1/16-1/8" outside of your profile and then grind to the line it would probably work great.

If it were me, I'd get a good metal cutting vertical band saw. Almost as fast, better control, no heat, cheaper consumables. This is my opinion.

People use fine arc plasma and laser to cut knife blanks in production all the time.
 
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