HI all,
My new hobby involves making things out of RSJs. Trouble is, some of the stock I've acquired is damn big and thick and really too much for a junior hacksaw. So I'm forced to consider an alternative....
Do you reckon it's possible to make a plasma cutter based on an old welding transformer? AIUI, the mechanism of action of plasma cutters is similar to the act of arc welding, but blowing out the molten metal as opposed to augmenting it with a filler rod. I think the tricky bit is finding a suitable electrode to take the place of the filler rod. It would need to be hollow, so you can blow air through it. It would need to be metal of some sort, as it will need to be conductive so you can strike up an arc. How could one prevent it from sticking to the work to be cut (given there will be no flux coating) and from eroding away too quickly to avoid constant replacement? Any ideas?
cheers, CD