Subject: Re: Plasma cutter advice tip source

From: [email-masked] (Steven Bronstein)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 16:11:46 -0400 (EDT)

>>John-
>>SNIP
>>> comment (this was discussed a couple of months ago here) is the cost of the
>>> tips and electordes ($20 a set and I tend to go thur sets pretty fast).
>>> Comments about the effect of undry air, vs bottled gas.
>>
>>I have a fiend that gave me some parts numbers to some different
>>consumables for the PAK 50. They are supposed to last twice as
>>long,I've got them at the shop- I'll post them to you tonight. Dry air
>>will do more to extend the life of your consumables than anything.
>>Bill Roberts
>Bill,
>        Did you find the parts numbers and post them?  I havn't seen
>anything on the forge or the atr metal lists....  I would be interested.
>Also, what do you use for a drier?  When I bought the unit, they "through
>in" a twin cylinder dryer, that is about 6" long and each cylinder is about
>1" diam.  The air goes through a packed filter unit in the first stage and
>the 2nd stage has "pot scrubber" like steel wool curls in it and it has a
>constant, low air flow out of a valve on the bottom of the cylinder.  The
>retail price was about $100.00 for it if purchased.  I also have a drier by
>the compressor and a drier/regulator in the shop right at the plasma cutter
>air source.  If yo have any ideas, they would be appreciated.
>
>                        Thanks,
>
>                                John
>
>John Dach and Cynthia Thomas
>Maiden Metals
>a div. of
>MidLife Crisis Enterprises          We are all swimming in the same bowl
>PO BX 44                                      of soup.
>Philo, CA  95466
>707-895-2635(phone/fax)
>
>
>
>call zapplasmatherm in nh.1-800-932-8312.cheaper parts. I also have a 
pak50.like it a lot.it also has the twin driers on the back.i don't think 
they work very well.empty your regular inline dryers everyday and keep the 
drain valve on the bottom of the compressor cracked slightly so a small 
amount of air is always draining and this seems to have taken care of my 
moisture problems. i change the tips and electrodes for about $5. i also 
only buy drag tips because they seem to last longer.

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From: mike wolfe <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 21:42:44 -0400 (EDT)

When we were at Paleys in NewYork, they told us about a ring they
put just outside and sticking down below the tip to keep it slightly
off the surface ( I think it was a drag tip), they said it made the tips
last forever.
Mike wolfe

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From: mike wolfe <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 21:51:26 -0400 (EDT)

I just saw the note about dry air, when using a plasma,
I have a L-Tec 30 amp, and I don't find any statments
about dry air, In there instructions, please clue me in, 
it does sound very logical, not  to have water shooting 
over your hot cutting, it must also screw up the hoses, I guess.
Mike wolfe

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From: [email-masked] (John & Cynthia/ MidLife Crisis Ent.)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 22:38:45 +0200

>only buy drag tips because they seem to last longer.

Thank you so much for the info.  I will be calling them tomorrow first thing!!!!

                                        John

John Dach and Cynthia Thomas
Maiden Metals
a div. of
MidLife Crisis Enterprises             Problems in life are simply
PO BX 44                                   challenges to grow.
Philo, CA  95466
707-895-2635(phone/fax)

---

From: [email-masked] (John & Cynthia/ MidLife Crisis Ent.)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 22:39:05 +0200

>over your hot cutting, it must also screw up the hoses, I guess.

Mike,

        It seems that moisture in the air does have very negative reactions
with the tips.  Evidently, bottled gas was recommended (very dry) and some
unite state bottled gas is first choice compressed air the second.  I don't
know about the hoses, but I would think that they would handle it.....  It
is the tips that get burned from small amounts of water vapor in teh air.

                        John