correct me if i'm wrong, but the oxy/acetelene are just using a flame to cut through the metal and the plasma uses a current, right?

 

the oxy/acetelene is with just a flame, you may use it for cutting, or you may just use the flame with a, oh crap i cant remeber the name of the stuff, but its just a thin wire that you basically melt to create a weld, a very weak weld at that.

 

Oxy/acetelene has 3 tips (cutting, brazing, and a rosebud). Cutting is for cutting (duh!), brazing is for light melting of steel together by means of rods (non flux), and a rosebud is for heating metal. A plasma cutter is my personal favorite. It takes high amounts of electricity and compressed air to make the cut. Little to NO slag (which means less grinding), and no warpage like using oxy/acetelene on thin metal. Also a plasma cutter can cut almost any kind of metal, whereas with oxy/acetelene you cant cut stainless and copper, etc. And brazing has its purposes too, as its only used for thin things whereas otherwise you would continue to blow holes in it with a welder. But if you are brazing, its for something light duty and you cant expect the material to hold up to alot anyways. We also have a welder I have been using for the past 3 days, its a stud welding machine. It will take a 6" stud and make a complete weld (sounds like a quick buzz) and it makes the whole weld in less than a half of a second. The power wire to that baby is like 1 1/4 around, and heavy as hell.

 

hehe, a lot of good info I won't remember unless I experience it first hand

from health insurance to welding school. Good stuff [8D]

 

lol..normally I wouldnt go on and on, but you all seemed a lil interested! That will teach ya. haha

 

ya i used to use the plasma cutter in metals class all the time. that and the arc welder were my favorites in the class

 

Here's some insurance expenses for you....I pay about $400 a month for myself , my wife, and my daughter through an HMO. My company pays 80% for me, but nothing for the family. My personal insurance would be about $35 a month. Damn waste of my money, I have gone to the doctor's twice in the last 4 frickin years...
[sm=smiley35.gif]

 

Yeah, I think I'm just going to take my chance on staying healthy until I win the lotto (which I currently do not play )

 

I got hurt at work today, a grinder got caught in a bind and cut my nose so deep it took stitches inside and out to fix it by a facial surgeon. Todays date is one Ill remember for the rest of my life! Would post a pic of the damage, if I knew how.

 

Isnt the plasma flame the result of converting water into HHO gas?

I have done brazing before... that was HOT ****! I was wearing a leather suit and still got real hot