# Exposed or Shielded Tip?

**URL:** <https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/t/exposed-or-shielded-tip/1439>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [February 16, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/t/exposed-or-shielded-tip/1439 "2023-02-16T18:42:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Brent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ec9cab/32.png) [@Brent](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/u/Brent)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/t/exposed-or-shielded-tip/1439/1 "2023-02-16T18:42:08Z")

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Just curious on people’s thoughts of open tip vr shieled tip, goods or bads either way.

I assume with the shielded tip you need to account for the height of the shield in the working height dimension.

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**Author:** ![Andrew](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.arcdroidcnc.com/andrew/32/52_2.png) [@Andrew](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/u/Andrew)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/t/exposed-or-shielded-tip/1439/2 "2023-02-16T21:08:22Z")

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@Brent You don’t say what sort of plasma cutter you are using.  
There is a lot of variation across brands but for best results you should be using a smooth face tip rather than a drag tip. this gives you better control over the length of the flame and you get better cuts as a result.

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/arcdroidcnc/original/1X/54b175b3a9fafdf18511dc830781f88a941ee714.jpeg)

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/arcdroidcnc/original/1X/6e36c7c25529b42d21b5604fbd39796e88a54ecc.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Brent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ec9cab/32.png) [@Brent](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/u/Brent)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/t/exposed-or-shielded-tip/1439/3 "2023-02-17T02:08:56Z")

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It is a Thermal Dynamics SL100 SV. Not a drag tip no.

 ![20230216_193507](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/arcdroidcnc/original/1X/23fd18f017faf50788eccfa9389a32e46fa16b48.jpeg)  
 ![20230216_193554](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/arcdroidcnc/original/1X/d461374c2c41b13f3166e7508c4a0c4d2dc3ce25.jpeg)  
 ![20230216_193617](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/arcdroidcnc/original/1X/3b0da5632dd6559154e8957284b55523021524b7.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![BobD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BobD](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/u/BobD)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/t/exposed-or-shielded-tip/1439/4 "2023-02-17T15:37:13Z")

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I have a Hypertherm45. Have used nothing but a shielded tip and have had excellent results. Been running with .060” air gap between the tip and the work piece.

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**Author:** ![Brent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ec9cab/32.png) [@Brent](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/u/Brent)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.arcdroidcnc.com/t/exposed-or-shielded-tip/1439/5 "2023-02-17T16:27:28Z")

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Thanks for the feedback. Looking the charts that came with it funny that it calls for .14 with the exposed tip and .16 for the shielded tip. I would have though the shielded would be closer because the shiled itself has a thickness the which means the actual tip behind it is further yet from the work surface. I will do some experimenting when I get it all hooked up.