Really Rusty Steel

[matteh99]

This winter I have two projects which will require cutting very rusty steel. One is my mom's horse trailer and the other is a little toyota pickup that I may buy from a friend. I know it can be a pain to cut really rusty scaly steel with OA and grinders are no fun but I wasn't sure about plasma. I know a good ground is important. I also wasn't sure about what amperage to use. It is tempting to just turn the cutter up all the way because I won't really care about cut quality but will that make me go through tips quicker?

Eric

[Gadget]

With HF start or pilot arc on the plasma rust is no problem. You might go through consumables faster if you just crank it up but not by that much. Most consumables are ruined by dipping the tip into the metal or cutting too close to the metal. That and moisture in the line.
Dan

[Kel Fab Creations]

You'll be fine. It will cut though rusty metal no prob. I always run full blast on the amps and have never had a problem. Get as clean a ground as u can. The only way ur gonna go through tips is if you are dragging or the blow back is hitting the tip. If that's the case just sacrifice one and use it all the way though. Better yet, use an old tip you've already messed up.

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:44 PM ----------

Haha, you beat me to it Dan.

[matteh99]

I did save some of my old tips which didn't quite cut as clean as they should but still worked. I will probably use those till they stop working I know getting slag on the tip makes it burn up really really fast because it makes the plasma arc go crooked and cut through the tip (or at least that is what it seems like)

Eric