M.B. Naegle
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2011
- Location
- Conroe, TX USA
I have a hand full of little plates that need a 'C' shaped cut in the middle for a tab to bend out. They're approx. #16 gauge mild steel sheet metal and my first choice would be to do it on a plasma, laser, or water-jet table, but we don't have one in house and I'm considering finding another way to do it before I send it out.
So, as the title says, what's the narrowest cut you can make with an oxy-acetylene cutting touch with the above material, free-hand? What tip would you use and do you have any advise to keep the kerf as clean and small as possible? The smallest I've done prior was 1/4" plate and I think at best I had a 1/8" wide cut, but typically we're going fast and dirty with the torch, so I'm looking to hone my skill a bit here.
We have a mini jewelers oxy/ace rig too that I might play with to see if I can burn a micro slot repeatably.
Worst case, I might be able to get by with a wider slot (up to 1/8") but if It came to that, I'd just mill it out.
So, as the title says, what's the narrowest cut you can make with an oxy-acetylene cutting touch with the above material, free-hand? What tip would you use and do you have any advise to keep the kerf as clean and small as possible? The smallest I've done prior was 1/4" plate and I think at best I had a 1/8" wide cut, but typically we're going fast and dirty with the torch, so I'm looking to hone my skill a bit here.
We have a mini jewelers oxy/ace rig too that I might play with to see if I can burn a micro slot repeatably.
Worst case, I might be able to get by with a wider slot (up to 1/8") but if It came to that, I'd just mill it out.