Posted by David Sheman on Monday, January 26, 2004 at 11:25AM :
In Reply to: Plasma cutters ,TIG, MIG posted by Dave on Monday, January 26, 2004 at 10:06AM :
That reminds me I have another question on plasma cutters. I have an old lumber planer whose knives are almost worn out. I have some other knives that would fit except the slots are in the wrong place. I would like to cut new slots to match the bolts on my planer. I know if I use a torch it will kill the temper and the knives will be useless. I can't cut the knives with any kind of saw or cutter. I'm sure that when they make them, they mill out the slots before hardening the steel. I saw where a friend of mine had "doodled" on an old saw blade with a plasma cutter and it looked like it didn't heat the metal very much. Do you think it would be possible for a plasma cutter cut slots in the planer knives without ruining the temper? The knives are about 1/4" thick. It's okay if the steel gets softened within 1/4" or so of the slots, but not any farther away than that. If necessary I could wrap the cutting edge in a wet rag or even put it in water while cutting out the slots.
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