mickeyw Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I needed to plasma cut some circles today, and seeing as my freehand cutting is extremely messy I wanted to use a radius template. I had previously though of making multiple radius templates, so consulted the internet. I know tools can be bought, but this requirement was spontaneous and far cheaper than anything I could buy. I can't claim this idea is mine, but here is my version, and it has worked very well, and only cost me half an hour of my time, so thought I'd share. Take one strip of 3mm steel, drill a few Ø8 (or size to suit the tip on your plasma torch) holes a regular known distance apart (1" in this case). Also drill and tap 4 M5 holes, 2 positioned 1/2" and 1" from the Ø8 hole at one end, and another 2 positioned 3/4" and 1 1/4" from the Ø8 hole at the other end. The tapped holes are the pivot positions. This particular tool can cut from R3/4" to R7" in 1/4" increments. I chose to stamp some markings beside each tapped hole for easy reference. Take an M5 screw, grind a point on the end add a locking nut and screw into the required tapped hole. Centre punch your hole centre, and hopefully these pictures explain the rest. A little more practice and I'll get a tidier finish I'm sure. BTW this was 1.5mm stainless. In case you are wondering, the folded box is a cover to protect my winch isolator that lives in the passenger footwell. My 3YO daughter has been using it as a step to get into her kiddie seat. Not only am I concerned about her damaging it, she might also 'kick' it on or off at the wrong moment. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Frimodt Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 smart stuff! Have been thinking of doing such a tool for my plasma torch but never really found a solution I liked. But,thus one would fit the bill. There is one thing that has got me thinking though. How does the air from cap go pas the nozzle to cool it if the nozzle is a perfect fit in the hole? Something I missed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 The air on mine comes out of the centre of the nozzle, not through the cap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Frimodt Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 okay then its perhaps just my Chinese special that's made in such manner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 The air on mine comes out of the entire of the nozzle, not through the cap. Most have air through the centre of the nozzle for cutting and between nozzle and ceramic for cooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Most have air through the centre of the nozzle for cutting and between nozzle and ceramic for cooling. Sorry, fat fingers and ipad keyboard wrote entire instead of centre, which is what i meant to write. I've amended it above. I'll look at mine later and see if it comes out between the ceramic as well - i haven't noticed before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 smart stuff! Have been thinking of doing such a tool for my plasma torch but never really found a solution I liked. But,thus one would fit the bill. There is one thing that has got me thinking though. How does the air from cap go pas the nozzle to cool it if the nozzle is a perfect fit in the hole? Something I missed? Not sure if I'm seeing this correctly but it looks to me like the ceramic isn't touching the jig so this would mean the cooling air would still be able to escape, although the very tip won't be cooled by this air now (the rest of the nozzle will) the tip will hopefully be kept cool by the heatsink effect of the jig in contact with it .... which in turn has the cooling air blowing on it. The jig is a copy of a commercially available one (SWAG offroad) so if it did cause problems I guess it wouldn't be for sale still.... maybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Sorry, fat fingers and ipad keyboard wrote entire instead of centre, which is what i meant to write. I've amended it above. I'll look at mine later and see if it comes out between the ceramic as well - i haven't noticed before. Which model do you have? PS I must still be asleep as I had read it as centre anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Which model do you have? PS I must still be asleep as I had read it as centre anyway! I took a chance on a 'cheap' Chinese Cut 40 like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PLASMA-CUTTER-CUT-40-C-W-TORCH-OVER-5000-SOLD-/191318073767?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c8b7221a7 for occasional use, its been really handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Frimodt Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Yeah mine is exactly like that Cut40 thing. I'm not even sure it would be a problem with the cooling, just something that sprung to mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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