Dialing in cut settings

Tips and Tricks
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I’m sure many of you have stumbled onto my youtube videos but thought I should share for new users. I’m slowly working my way though addressing certain common issues people are having/may have if they are new to CNC.

Here’s a link to my video on finding your cut speed but, you can find others on my channel.
https://youtu.be/U1Y6IqVog4U

Be sure to leave a comment if there are particular issues you’d like to see covered. I can’t guarantee I’ll cover all of them exactly but I will try to incorporate some ideas into the broader process for learning CNC.
Cheers, Jason.

11 Likes
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I’ve watched a lot of your vids and I recommend them to anyone starting out. They were a big help. Thanks!

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Hey everyone Aloha,
I’m a newbie here on the forum. Been a couple of months since I bought my arcdroid and I love it. The fact that I can make a template and create parts or tooling is awesome. I have it hooked up to an Everlast PowerPlasma 102i with CNC. Has anyone use the arcdroid to cut 1" mild steel plates? I am trying to cut a 1.5" hole for a pin and then cut a half moon shape around it to make an ear or lifting eye to weld on to an attachment for a machine. I would like some tips on the feed speed, cut z, pierce z,Kerf, etc… I tried to mess around with the tuning but can’t seem to find the correct settings that will work. The plasma should be able to cut through this thick of a plate but if I can get it dialed in. Any help would be much appreciated. Mahalo

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The 102i is only rated for a clean cut on 3/4” steel at 8-12 ipm feedrate. Severance on 15/16” at 3-5 ipm feedrate and most likely a fairly ugly cut. Your asking to much for a clean cut, much less piercing 1” steel. It’s not about the Droid, it’s the limitations of the plasma cutter.

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Well right off the Everlast site (Canadian one, so no account for accuracy )

  • Up to 1 1/4" daily use @ 15-20 ipm
  • Up to 1 1/2" clean cut @ 8-12 ipm
  • Up to 1 5/8" severance cut @ 3-5 ipm
  • Max Pierce CNC up to 3/4" - 7/8"

So you’ll have to pre-drill your starts or edge start it. Use those numbers as a start point and do a bunch of test cuts. Only change one parameter at a time. Cut Speed and height are going to be the main ones.

3 Likes
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I screwed up on the specs, looking back I was looking at the 52i specs not the 102i.

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Mahalo for your quick responses I will start with that and will let you know what I end up with. Thanks again

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Jason, you’re the real MVP. Your videos are 24k gold my friend. Keep it up.

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@UGL Thanks. There will be more eventually.

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I hate to say this but buy a cheap mag drill and good Annular Cutter Set 13pcs 3/4"Weldon Shank it makes perfect holes

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I will cut it with the Arcdroid in a 1/4 that it takes you to get that mag drill out and set up and cuttung. JUST SAYING.

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Lol giving more experience you’ll learn that quick an easy is not always the best

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I am a retired Tool and Die maker i have the experience and i have built die with .0002 punch to die clearence. Unless you talking high precision holes the arcdroid will do for hold location and size and the mag drill will not hold precision tolerances either will give you better hole size but will fall short on location. The holes will look better and dia will be closer but the location is no better that the arcdroid. I know my metal work and have the experience. Been is this trade all my life. Thanks for the feedback have a blessed day. ANTHONY the Joatmon

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Can I put you on speed dial (so to speak) and pick you brain I’ve been doing this stuff the hard way for 50 years besides the army I’ve only been taught hand to mouth, with the arcdroid I hope to make life a little bit easier but I have a lot to learn, but I still like my mag drill the arcdroid not to good upside down at 90 feet on a I beam. But give me time and I’ll figure out a way to do it, lol

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I also have a mag drill and use it evernow and them on things that i would have to disassemble my ArcDroid. I used the mag drill a lot till i got the arcdroid. But since my truck accident in which i broke my back. It only gets used on projects the arcdroid cant do on it table. To each his on but i not doing away with my mag but work easier not harder these day especially… as long as project gets done and w orks i really dont think it matters. Shop time is my stress release. And the Arcdroid just made it a whole lot easier and simpler. Love the arcdroid and my mag drill. Both i think a must is a small home fab shop.
God bless and shop time is happy time
Anthony

1 Like
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Where do you get your cutters from? My Droid has a problem with holes 1/4 in or smaller and I need to find some good cutters. Thanks for you’re time and help.

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I just blow a start hole. For the diameter put in .05mm no lead in. Then i have my hole location then after cutting out my part i drill my small holes to size be sure to remove all the hard slag before drilling.
Anthony the Old Guy from Alabama
God bless have a wonderful week!

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Did the arc harden the steel?

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The slag that is stuck around the hole is super hard some where around 56/60 on C scale on Rockwell hardness checker. If not familiar with hardness checkers that as hard as a wheel bearing race. Does not harden mild steel but does harden some other steel.
Hope this helps
Anthony God bless have a great day