powermax 85 on 1" quality?

[bigcreek]

I have a possible job coming up that would require me to cut everything from 1" mild steel plate. My biggest plasma cutter I have now is a powermax 65. I have single phase so the biggest machine I can go to would be a powermax 85 before it jumps to 3 phase with the 105 is my understanding. To all you 85 owners how well does it cut 1" mild steel? What is the cut quality like? This is art so it doesn't have to be perfectly non beveled cuts but I need it halfway decent. Ive cut 1" with my 65 but it didn't do a good job on that and I was going between 4 and 8 inches per minute. But it did cut it so I figure the 85 must be quite a bit better. Thanks for any input! Josh

[sphurley]

Jim Colt will be the best to answer this but here is my two cents. You will need to make sure your shop power is up to the task.
Cutting 1" will lower the duty cycle to 50% or so as you are taking about 12,000watt cutting power. This will be pulling about 60amps off your AC panel. The large 85amp consumables will take more air and since you are cutting slower you will also use more air per minute, is your compressor up to the task?
So now my question is what size are the art objects and can you always make edge cuts to start or will you need to predrill starting holes?
I've cut 1" with good results on my 85 but there were less then three feet of cutting area and I was able to edge start. Bevel was very good for never trying. Also think about if you ruin 1" it gets a little $$ to replace.

[bigcreek]

Air wont be a problem. The compressor is a 80 gallon 5 horse with lots of extra storage in piping throughout the shop. There is 100 amps going to the shop. The pieces come to 8614 cut inches and 181 pierces of which virtually all would have to be predrilled although Id just mark them and blow the holes with the oxy acet torch instead of drilling. Im not sure how many amps the compressor draws but Im sure its at minimum 15 so if I was pushing things with too much amperage draw between everything then I could run the compressor off a generator for the job.

[jimcolt]

Max pierce capacity of 3/4" for the Powermax85 is the issue. If you pierce 1" you will damage the nozzle and shield very quickly.

So either predrill holes or arrange your cut nest so the next cut starts on the edge kerf of a part already cut. Long cuts on a hot day could easily get you past the duty cycle rating.

My experience with cutting 1" with the 85 is good....you will have easy to remove dross and very nice edge quality and angularity if you run at book height, book speed and edge start. Jim Colt Hypertherm

[bigcreek]

Great to hear. Thanks a lot guys for your input, I appreciate it.
Josh