Laying out lines for plasma cutting

**Ascinder** · 11-08-2010, 07:06 PM

I heard somewhere that a guy said to use a whiteout pen for marking up steel or aluminum when doing designs when plasma cutting. Any thoughts on this? What do you experts recommend?

**SICFabrications** · 11-08-2010, 08:06 PM

i use a blue colored pencil for aluminum, also a wet erase marker works very well...as for steel, the silver streak pencils work the best... if you want, i can try to find links for them

**Gadget** · 11-08-2010, 08:10 PM

Stan hooked me up with one of the silver streak pencils at the trade show. I had a chance to use it the other day and it really works well.

**UnfinishedProjects** · 12-07-2010, 09:16 PM

I have scene people use "guards" with plasma cutters. For example, when cutting straight, clamp angle iron to your line on whatever you are cutting. Small parts and curves will make it tricky

**ISKI** · 03-25-2011, 08:34 PM

you need some strong arms to follow a line free hand. I can follow the line if the metal is thin, but tend to tilt the cutter with thicker stuff and mess up the cut. The issue that I have is that I get no feedback from the work, the thicker the slower, and every movement is instantly cut into the work.

**Kel Fab Creations** · 03-26-2011, 11:08 AM

I use a silver pencil for DOM or chromoly tubing and sometimes on steel plate and a sharpie for mild seamed tubing, steel plate, aluminum plate or tubing. Sharpie comes off easy with a little brake clean.

**Gadget** · 03-26-2011, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Kel Fab Creations

I use a silver pencil for DOM or chromoly tubing and sometimes on steel plate and a sharpie for mild seamed tubing, steel plate, aluminum plate or tubing. Sharpie comes off easy with a little brake clean.

NEVER use brake cleaner to prepare welding or cutting surfaces See the caution here
Never use brake cleaner to clean welding surfaces!!

**Kel Fab Creations** · 03-26-2011, 12:23 PM

i knew someone would post that link. thanks for the heads up Dan but i've read that stuff before. in my opinion the way i use it is completely safe. spray a bit on a rag, then wipe the sharpie line off. i'm not dousing a part and wiping off only what i can reach. the guy telling the story would have been fine if he was informed beforehand on the danger as we all are now. if he would have just blew out the cracks/holes with compressed air he wouldn't have had an incident. there are ways to use dangerous materials safely but for some it's just easier to not use the dangerous materials and that's fine. again this is just my opinion, not trying to piss anyone off.

**KHK** · 03-26-2011, 01:13 PM

I have found that the setting of the AD helmet can make a difference. Set to dark and you can't see you narks, set to light and again you can't see the marks. I have to set the helmet to the sweet spot for good vision and a successful cut.

**Gadget** · 03-26-2011, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Kel Fab Creations

i knew someone would post that link. thanks for the heads up Dan but i've read that stuff before. in my opinion the way i use it is completely safe. spray a bit on a rag, then wipe the sharpie line off. i'm not dousing a part and wiping off only what i can reach. the guy telling the story would have been fine if he was informed beforehand on the danger as we all are now. if he would have just blew out the cracks/holes with compressed air he wouldn't have had an incident. there are ways to use dangerous materials safely but for some it's just easier to not use the dangerous materials and that's fine. again this is just my opinion, not trying to piss anyone off.

No problem,
I just wanted to make those who are not aware of this issue think twice before using brake cleaner.