What should I make patterns out of for cutting silhouettes out with a plasma cutter?

I'd say just about anything except for plastic. Plasma cutting creates very little heat in the workpiece so you could even use a good hardwood or plywood.

Edit, Just make sure the wood is on the topside of the work where sparks and waste material/slag won't get to it.

Edited December 4, 200817 yr by moya034

thanx, brian

Tip: When marking/laying out patterns/templates to cut use a can of primer spray paint and just spray around your pattern/template. The primer stands up to the heat and does not burn off while you are cutting. It's fast and easy.

that's the most helpful so far. any more tips out there you plasma guys?

A filtered clean air supply goes a long way in consumable life.

I make all my templates out of 1/4'' plywood, sand the edges and lube them with MIG nozzle gel so the drag tip slides along the template smoothly. Get the travel speed right so the dross is soft and knocks right off. If you go too slow the dross formed is really tight and hard. At any speed the plasma cut edge will wreck a file in short order.

Put a fan at your side or back and /or wear a respirator. Breathing vaporized metal is not a good idea . Check out the really fine dust on the floor under the cut, not something you want in your lungs.