Machining plasma cut steel

That hard stuff is called dross, grind it off to bare metal and you are good to go. Stainless steel dross going to be grinding a while longer, but works too


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Thanks again everyone. My cnc plasma table is a down draft so I don't have a water table. I do remove all the dross left on the underside of the cut but what remains is still very hard. I did grind the outside edges which helped then milled them; but often parts have interior features (slots, holes, etc.) which can't be reached by a grinder. I purchased a carbide end mill and will be trying that later this week on three interior slots. I'll let you know what happens.
 
I drilled/machined lots of plasma cut parts without hassles. Are you using quality cutters/drill bits? I do have to grind any dross off prior to welding though. I also run a water table keeping the material cool.
 
Use a rasp/bur for inside deburring. Mcmaster carr has them


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Water tables are nice, but problem with big shops, lots of big idiotas


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I ran down draft, i used grinder burrs& needle guns, but not too often shops has air supplies for needle gun for weld cleanup


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Are you using rotabroach drills? And also use hss bits real slow with lots of vegetable oil base for coolant


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Carbide does not like dross!


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The other issue that Im thinking is too much dross. Try increasing gantry sPeed


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Another thought, could be grade 570 steel. I think 570 is the number used to identify it if memory serves me right. Anyways itcould be that. But im thinking if you have that much dross, its either too slow or a first generation hyportherm plasma cutter. I had one and it was horrible. That was the plasma cutter every home garage auto body shop ran out and bought because it was great for body panels. Anyways, Im pipe down now. Good luck and be carefull.


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