[Cmcclure]

I'd have to find the invoice for the exact amount but I remember it was a little over $100 (came from California, we are in Arizona), we originally had ordered H35 with the thought that we could use it on aluminum and SS, but they messed that up and sent us 35% Hydrogen and 65% Nitrogen-(instead of Argon). Then after looking into it more we decided F5 would better suit us for the thinner SS we do...or so I thought lol. Machitech is supposed looking into it with Hypertherm. Not to bash them but I personally am a little turned off by contacting Hypertherm directly based on my recent experience with one of there reps at the FABTECH show in Atlanta, asked a couple questions concerning this problem and other consumable questions hoping maybe they would direct me to Jim Colt but instead I had to deal with someone who's lack of knowledge frustrated me more than anything, since then I've gotten probably 5 calls (all soliciting: trying to sell me a new table, expand/upgrade my table, or sell me consumables...?). Hence why I'm looking for more of a hands on opinion without a sales pitch...

[skillalot]

Oh. And could you post some pictures of what goes wrong? How the cutting looks like.
Do the consumables stay ok, or fast destroyed?

[jimcolt]

Sorry I did not find this post earlier. I have no idea why it took you so long to get a cylinder of f5 gas...it is simply a premix of 5% hydrogen and 95% nitrogen. With this mix you need to follow the cut charts in your operators manual exactly. The cut speeds, the amperage, the cut height are absolutely critical. You need to be using the correct shield gas as well. This gas mix should be easy to get at any major gas supplier such as Airgas, Praxair and others.

I was at the Fabtech show in Atlanta for the duration.....although I do have a lot of speaking engagements at that show so I may not have been at the booth when you came by. Often...it is not best to speak with just any sales person in the booth in regards to cut quality issues as they can get rather technical in nature. You can always contact Hypertherm's technical service group, or contact me either on line or by calling Hypertherm and asking for me. another great source of help is from the OEM machine builder that sold you the machine (I think you said Machitek?)....they are experts at solving cut quality issues such as yours.

I will need more detail about your machine, as well as what you are cutting to help. What cnc controller, what CAM software, is it auto-gas or manual gas, what type and thickness of stainless, what process power level (amperage) and consumables were you using? The F5 process works extremely well on thin stainless, however you cannot stray from the suggested cut specs. F35 (35% hydrogen, 65% argon) does not work on thin stainless....it should be used on stainless 1/4" and thicker for decent results.

Best regards, Jim Colt [email protected]

I'd have to find the invoice for the exact amount but I remember it was a little over $100 (came from California, we are in Arizona), we originally had ordered H35 with the thought that we could use it on aluminum and SS, but they messed that up and sent us 35% Hydrogen and 65% Nitrogen-(instead of Argon). Then after looking into it more we decided F5 would better suit us for the thinner SS we do...or so I thought lol. Machitech is supposed looking into it with Hypertherm. Not to bash them but I personally am a little turned off by contacting Hypertherm directly based on my recent experience with one of there reps at the FABTECH show in Atlanta, asked a couple questions concerning this problem and other consumable questions hoping maybe they would direct me to Jim Colt but instead I had to deal with someone who's lack of knowledge frustrated me more than anything, since then I've gotten probably 5 calls (all soliciting: trying to sell me a new table, expand/upgrade my table, or sell me consumables...?). Hence why I'm looking for more of a hands on opinion without a sales pitch...

[Cmcclure]

Attachment 270470Attachment 270472Attachment 270474

I found this info on our bottle of F5, looks to be correct...