cutting copper

[retiredcpo]

When cutting copper do you fill the water table or do you have to leave it empty like when cutting Alum
thanks
retiredcpo

[jmsrbrt]

I use water, mostly to keep the metal temperature down.

[jimcolt]

You can use the water table for aluminum as well. A small amount of hydrogen bubbles will rise and disipate in the air afyter cutting. As long as there is no place for these bubbles to get trapped in your cutting table....there will be no issues.


Jim Colt

[Gamelord]

Make sure your aluminum plate does not bow up in the center where it could trap the hydrogen. If it does then there is a "boom" possibility.

[retiredcpo]

When cutting alum I keep the table about 1/2 full jus to help keep the smoke and heat down, Usally cutting full sheets and dont want to trap any bubbles in the middle I am getting ready to try some copper and was hoping to fill the table up to the plate to keep the heat down. Do you have to worry about Hydrgen bubbles with copper like Alum

[jimcolt]

No....copper cutting will not cause oxygen and hydrogen to separate from the water in the table. However....if you cut aluminum this morning...expect hydrogen bubbles to rise from the aluminum oxide particles that are in the bottom of the table. Depending on how much aluminum cutting you did....the production of hydrogen can go on for a day or two. The aluminum oxide particles absob oxygen from the water....which leaves hydrogen.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

When cutting alum I keep the table about 1/2 full jus to help keep the smoke and heat down, Usally cutting full sheets and dont want to trap any bubbles in the middle I am getting ready to try some copper and was hoping to fill the table up to the plate to keep the heat down. Do you have to worry about Hydrgen bubbles with copper like Alum

[retiredcpo]

My machine does not have copper setting in it do I use the steel or alum setting to cut copper or just try both.

[Francisco]

Copper has even higher thermal conductivity than aluminum does; make a first test cut using aluminum specs; if those don't work, you'll have to adjust speed further down - Good luck

[retiredcpo]

well I was not able to get back to this site since I asked about the settings.
I was cutting 0.035 copper sheet. I used the 22 guage setting for steel. Put the water level just below the sheet
cut just fine hardly no dross clean up was a breaze
retiredcpo