Slag removal after plasma cutting? Is there machine for that?

[Ries]

I had a big Mori VMC (38K lb MV-65B) that spent the first 25 years of it's life profiling 4" thick flame cut 4140 parts. It did it with 4.25" LOC 5 flute 5/8" endmills taking tiny stepovers at 300 IPM.

I can mill from solid a lot cheaper than I can get anything waterjet cut for. Maybe just a geographical thing.

I would agree that waterjet is pricey in the PNW, and always has been. I have paid for my share of it, mostly for stainless, which is not a great result on my plasma table. Curiosly, laser has always been pretty expensive up here too, often quite similar in price to waterjet. I think prices for both vary a lot regionally.

 

[triumph406]

Waterjet ?

Plates come from EMJ, I don't think waterjet is an option at EMJ (unless they send it out), and shirley wouldn't be cheaper then a bandsaw. At least for rectangular plates

 

[DDoug]

I would agree that waterjet is pricey in the PNW, and always has been. I have paid for my share of it, mostly for stainless, which is not a great result on my plasma table. Curiosly, laser has always been pretty expensive up here too, often quite similar in price to waterjet. I think prices for both vary a lot regionally.

Odd.
Based on the climate "year round dripping humid" and all the river dams, you'd think waterjet cutting would be cheapest there.....
They got plenty of water, what's the problem-o ?

 

[Ries]

Odd.
Based on the climate "year round dripping humid" and all the river dams, you'd think waterjet cutting would be cheapest there.....
They got plenty of water, what's the problem-o ?

The consumables cost is crazy. (A replacement Flow "short block" intensifier is 9 grand). The pumps, which run at 40,000 to 75,000 psi, need rebuilding pretty regularly, and they dont carry parts at auto zone. The abrasive, which usually is not beach sand, is often single use, and, depending on what you are cutting, can be considered a hazardous waste. These are not cheap machines to buy, or to run. When I was doing a fair amount of this work, my local guy had to run his quarter million dollar machine at least 60 to 80 hours a week to make any profit.

 

[DDoug]

The consumables cost is crazy. (A replacement Flow "short block" intensifier is 9 grand). The pumps, which run at 40,000 to 75,000 psi, need rebuilding pretty regularly, and they dont carry parts at auto zone. The abrasive, which usually is not beach sand, is often single use, and, depending on what you are cutting, can be considered a hazardous waste. These are not cheap machines to buy, or to run. When I was doing a fair amount of this work, my local guy had to run his quarter million dollar machine at least 60 to 80 hours a week to make any profit.

Yes, but I was commenting on how the prices are higher in your area.
Those cost's you quoted are the same everywhere,
so something is going on.

 

[Dennisrech]

What kind of machine am I looking for? Ideally it would get rid of Slag and knock down the edges, if it could get the oxidation off the cut edges that would be even better.
We plasma cut mostly mild steel from 10 gauge to 3/4". Anywhere from small gussets to large parts(16" x 60") Not looking for any automation, just wondering if there is something that works as well or better than scraping them by hand and sanding. Not sure what's out there so any first hand recommendations of what works would be great. (Majority of parts would be too big to use a tumbler)
For those that have something like it how thorough of job does it do? Every so often there are some stubborn chunks of slag that don't come off as easy.....

I keep the water within 1/2 inch and if I get the speeds and power just right, the slag just pops off with a little tap of a hammer on the edge of the cut. With cooling water splashing up, I get a bit more slag, but it is very brittle.