I have developed here in New Zealand an air dryer specifically for
plasma cutters. I have many air dryer units out being used for this
purpose. One of the biggest problems you will have with a plasma cutter
is that humid, oily, compressed air, which will heat the torch, and
will rapidly cause tips to cut crooked, then electrodes and tips to
burn out. Compressed air filters will not solve this problem, as the
main problem is oil vapour, and these manufactured filters will not do
the job required, even though the manufacturers say they will.Also
Plasma manufacturers wont help you, because they make heaps out of
consumables and dont care, I have approached many about the airdryer to
market for me, but they dont want to know, as the dryer will kill their
market of consumables, as that is where they make their money, I was
told there is'nt much made out of selling the machines, but consumable
sales did.
The worst I experienced on a bad day (before beginning to develop the
air dryer) with a Pac Master 25 plasma cutter, was a tip and electrode
to burn out in 20 seconds, that was the final straw for me as I had
just purchased a Norgren general purpose/coalecing filter, that I was
told would solve all my problems, in reality it made no difference
whatso-ever. So - I had a brainstorm, tried it, and an instant
improvement was noted, prior the norm was 20 crooked minutes (MAX)
cutting before tip replacement was required, electrodes varyed but the
best was one electrode to three tips with swirl rings lasting up to
twenty tips provided you monitored the electrodes demise, every now and
then I would have a complete unexpected burnout. The new airdryer made
the tips last a whole day with good cutting (no crooked arc)and no duty
cycle happening anymore, but something else was not quite right, as
every now and then a hick-up would occur and a tip would munt itself,
and sometimes the electrode as well for no apparent reason.
After experimenting a LOT more, I eventually found a way to stop this
happening and a significant increase in tip and electrode lifetime was
accomplished, now up to a week was the norm and swirl rings last
indefinatelly, another bonus is a very fine-straight-condensed cut,
deeper cutting and better penetration . I have built many units now and
have supplied many units to others with plasma cutters of many brands
and sizes. All clients find the same result as I have claimed.
The airdryer (I call the VapourDry) is also usefull for many other
applications and purposes, can be built for any size compressor,
requires no energy to operate, very low maintenance, no servicing. If
anyone wants more information on VapourDry feel welcome to contact me.
Tony Maher
New Zealand

On 2 Sep 2005 23:46:41 -0700, wrote:

I have developed here in New Zealand an air dryer specifically for
plasma cutters.

snip

After experimenting a LOT more, I eventually found a way to stop this
happening and a significant increase in tip and electrode lifetime was
accomplished, now up to a week was the norm and swirl rings last
indefinatelly, another bonus is a very fine-straight-condensed cut,
deeper cutting and better penetration .

Are we to understand that you built a device which allows plasma
cutters to operate for up to 7 days of continuous cutting without
burning through a tip or electrode?

Three comments:

1.) If this is the case, you shouldn't have any difficulty marketing
the device, but you need to target your efforts properly. If you are
approaching manufacturers and telling them you can cut their
consumable life you are taking the wrong approach. Your angle should
be that if they manufacture and sell this device they can steal sales
from their competitors and dominate the market. It would also
increase their "brand equity" with consumers resulting in
complimentary sales of their other welding products.

2.) Perhaps you can post a photo somewhere that we can see?

3.) Please give a little more detail about the product. There are
plenty of commercial air dryers on the market, so what's so special
about your air dryer?

John

wrote in message
ups.com...
I have developed here in New Zealand an air dryer specifically for
plasma cutters. I have many air dryer units out being used for this
purpose. One of the biggest problems you will have with a plasma cutter
is that humid, oily, compressed air, which will heat the torch, and
will rapidly cause tips to cut crooked, then electrodes and tips to
burn out. Compressed air filters will not solve this problem, as the
main problem is oil vapour, and these manufactured filters will not do
the job required, even though the manufacturers say they will.Also
Plasma manufacturers wont help you, because they make heaps out of
consumables and dont care, I have approached many about the airdryer to
market for me, but they dont want to know, as the dryer will kill their
market of consumables, as that is where they make their money, I was
told there is'nt much made out of selling the machines, but consumable
sales did.
The worst I experienced on a bad day (before beginning to develop the
air dryer) with a Pac Master 25 plasma cutter, was a tip and electrode
to burn out in 20 seconds, that was the final straw for me as I had
just purchased a Norgren general purpose/coalecing filter, that I was
told would solve all my problems, in reality it made no difference
whatso-ever. So - I had a brainstorm, tried it, and an instant
improvement was noted, prior the norm was 20 crooked minutes (MAX)
cutting before tip replacement was required, electrodes varyed but the
best was one electrode to three tips with swirl rings lasting up to
twenty tips provided you monitored the electrodes demise, every now and
then I would have a complete unexpected burnout. The new airdryer made
the tips last a whole day with good cutting (no crooked arc)and no duty
cycle happening anymore, but something else was not quite right, as
every now and then a hick-up would occur and a tip would munt itself,
and sometimes the electrode as well for no apparent reason.
After experimenting a LOT more, I eventually found a way to stop this
happening and a significant increase in tip and electrode lifetime was
accomplished, now up to a week was the norm and swirl rings last
indefinatelly, another bonus is a very fine-straight-condensed cut,
deeper cutting and better penetration . I have built many units now and
have supplied many units to others with plasma cutters of many brands
and sizes. All clients find the same result as I have claimed.
The airdryer (I call the VapourDry) is also usefull for many other
applications and purposes, can be built for any size compressor,
requires no energy to operate, very low maintenance, no servicing. If
anyone wants more information on VapourDry feel welcome to contact me.
Tony Maher
New Zealand



Hours or days seems like an odd way to measure consumable life. I have
tracked the life of my consumables by inches cut and number of pierces along
with thickness and type of material.
Steve

wrote:
I have developed here in New Zealand an air dryer specifically for
plasma cutters. I have many air dryer units out being used for this
purpose. One of the biggest problems you will have with a plasma cutter
is that humid, oily, compressed air, which will heat the torch, and
will rapidly cause tips to cut crooked, then electrodes and tips to
burn out. Compressed air filters will not solve this problem, as the
main problem is oil vapour, and these manufactured filters will not do
the job required, even though the manufacturers say they will.

My local dealer pushes a $60 'Motor Guard' paper cartridge filter with
their plasma sales, with a clear explanation that ordinary coalescing
filters are useless for plasma cutters, and by using the cartridge
filter I will avoid most problems with moisture, oil and other
contamination. In 5 years I have had zero problems.

What local dealer, Bob? - Grant

Toolbert wrote:
wrote:

I have developed here in New Zealand an air dryer specifically for
plasma cutters. I have many air dryer units out being used for this
purpose. One of the biggest problems you will have with a plasma cutter
is that humid, oily, compressed air, which will heat the torch, and
will rapidly cause tips to cut crooked, then electrodes and tips to
burn out. Compressed air filters will not solve this problem, as the
main problem is oil vapour, and these manufactured filters will not do
the job required, even though the manufacturers say they will.


My local dealer pushes a $60 'Motor Guard' paper cartridge filter with
their plasma sales, with a clear explanation that ordinary coalescing
filters are useless for plasma cutters, and by using the cartridge
filter I will avoid most problems with moisture, oil and other
contamination. In 5 years I have had zero problems.

On Sun, 04 Sep 2005 14:27:21 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

What local dealer, Bob? - Grant


Most dealers that I know of recommend the motor guard filter (some
call them toilette paper filter since the cartridge looks like a roll
of brown toilette paper). I got mine from McMaster Carr but I believe
that most dealers have them or can get them.

Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm

Care to share some of the data ?

I've had hundreds of inches to thousands. Like you say - thickness (current)
is a major issue.

Getting down to it - the sources are current sources - or electrons/sec sources.
Higher beam current or more time doing it - uses it up.

Martin
Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



Steve Peterson wrote:




Hours or days seems like an odd way to measure consumable life. I have
tracked the life of my consumables by inches cut and number of pierces along
with thickness and type of material.
Steve



----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----