As [Jake von Slatt] explains it, there are two kinds of plasma cutters on the market: high-frequency (HF) start and pilot arc start. The basic difference is that HF start cutters, which comprise ...

Plasma cutting processes rely on a jet of ionized gas that melts and severs a material. The gas is heated to a temperature of over 20,000° C and an electric arc forms between an electrode and the ...

Plasma arc welding torch. Image credit ... Water cooled machines use a supply of water to maintain the welding, cutting gun, or other unit component at a lower temperature in order to improve the duty ...

A plasma cutter isn’t as common, and while they’re certainly useful, [Rulof] wanted to forgo the expense of buying one off the shelf. Instead, he used parts of an old welder and a few other ...