electrolytic deburring of plasma cutter cuts, jagged metal,etc? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 10:47:00 am
content: I don't like dealing with plasma cutter burr/flash.I have now 60 A of DC power on power supply because i fixed the other 33-33Shot in the dark but I wonder if its a viable process?Also for deburring things like cut perforated plate (total PITA to deburr).I was imagining a agressive process like dipping only the sharp edge of something in a trough of water.Does it absolutely need pumps and stuff? I was hoping for dealing with... welding grade cuts, that there might be a macguyver form of the process that does not require what looks like precise/complicated stuff online.I don't mean like precise mechanisms, I mean things like over-cut flame/plasma steel plate and whatnot. neatening up butchery .They sell stainless steel long container things for sheet rock work that are pretty water tight. I thought maybe its possible to hang the edge of a plate in a pool of electrolyte and let it goI have the tools, different walter grinding disks, flap wheels, circular disks, die grinder, hammers, deburring tools, etc.. I want to know specifically about using electrochemistry for this. Not other solutions that you might find pleasant because I am sick of all that stuff.Even a partial help, like getting it down by 50% so its easier to approach with a file and the hard stuff (I guess its nitrided?) is removed (I actually prefer hand files to all the mechanised shit, if its approachable).

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2023, 09:05:39 am
content: tried a piece of copper cut with snips into a little stainless steel bowl of salt water connected to the supply.I think the main problem is that it gets hot. When you dip the edge in, at first there was high current draw and bubbles. Eventually it died down and of course it was hot. It did not do too much in a few seconds but it went from dangerous sharp to kind of dangerous sharp.I dipped a steel wire (thin) that I crushed/cut with a side cutters. That was damn sharp. I dipped it in there for like 10 seconds and it was much less sharp.It might have a use to even have a 100ml version for like deburring springs. They are kind of annoying. I might cut various wires and see how it does at making the ends safe. Finally able to wind a spring without blood?also wondering about dipping the tips of bolts into it and swirling it around. Short bolts that are a bitch to deburr.You might think its dumb, but if you see the trouble watch makers go into to polish screws, it seems like not the worst idea in the world.Research shows that you want really high current densities for removing mangly burs without damaging sharp corners and stuff. Current density of 60A/cm2. Some kinda operating regieme for the process that destroys actual burs that have very high surface area. For things like bolts, wires, springs, so forth, a single 30 amp supply might do the buisness without the need for a pump.For plate and such things that are wider, I had this idea: use the tool that is used to sharpen chisels (the wheels on the grinding stone) but with a plastic seperator that allows you to move the part across a grounded tray without touching the bottom. Like plastic seperators. I wonder if you can do it in a baking pan.. that way if you keep the part flat, you can have the edge like 1mm away from the bottom of the pan at all times as you drag it across. Like sharpening a knife. If I could find a useful process without fixturing or pumps that would be radical. Maybe wrap some packin tape around it to corral the electricity to the edge maybe you can just solder a pan together out of copper sheet. should cool pretty fast too if its wide and shallow (like 1cm maybe)