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Straight answers to the questions people ask most when choosing and using plasma cutting guides and cutting kits.
A cutting guide holds the torch at a steady height and along a fixed path, so you get a straighter or rounder cut than by hand. Guides are made for straight cuts, circles and sometimes bevel cuts, and some also have wheels so the torch rolls along the plate.Makers describe their guides as suited to straight and circular work within a stated diameter range, which depends on the particular guide. Check that range before you buy.
A straight-line guide keeps the torch running along a line, often by sliding against an edge or on wheels. A circle guide swings the torch around a fixed centre point on an adjustable arm, so the circle radius is set by the arm length. A roller or radius guide carries the torch on wheels and can often be used for both straight cuts and circles.Cutting kits usually group these guides together with fittings in one case. The right choice depends on whether you mostly cut lines, discs or both.
On a typical guide you fit a pivot pin to an adjustable arm and lock it at the radius you want, which is half the diameter. Measure from the centre of the torch tip to the tip of the pivot pin to set it.Make a punch mark at the centre of the circle for the pivot pin to sit in, and check the torch can travel freely all the way round before you start cutting. The torch holder should turn freely as you go round. Follow the instructions for your own guide.
You mount the wheels on the guide body, place the torch in its holder and tighten the screws until the torch is held firmly. The height of the torch tip above the work is then set by adjusting the angle or position of the wheel brackets, which changes the standoff.Lock the holder so the torch cannot rotate, set the height before you start and recheck it on a scrap piece. Move at a steady speed. Your guide's instructions give the exact steps.
Most guides grip the body of the torch in a holder, often with a bush and set screws, so the torch body size and shape matter. A holder made for one torch design may not suit another.Before choosing, check the guide's stated compatibility against your torch model and measure the part of the torch that sits in the holder if in doubt. Do not overtighten set screws on the torch body. Our team can help you check a fit.
It depends on the torch and the current. Many torches allow the nozzle to be dragged lightly on the metal at lower currents, while higher currents need a set standoff height or a drag shield, a separate cap that lets the torch rest on the metal safely.A guide with wheels or a drag shield makes it easier to keep a steady height. Always check your torch manual before dragging the bare nozzle, as doing it wrongly can damage the consumables.