Hello..and thanks again for your input. I cut quite a few parts out yesterday without a single problem. They were quite large figures so the plasma only had to 'start' once for each figure andit's the initial start of each cut that usually causes faults...especially if there are a large number of holes to cut...I have learned to do them in small batches. Only thing I changed before cutting was the current setting to the drivers which I reduced from 2.37amps to 1.91amps...made no visible difference to the performance of the machine but may have helped?

Re the table earthing...The only 'earths' to it are where I shouldn't have them...in other words the shielded cables earthed both ends. The plasma cutter has a large bolt on the back...wonder should I conncet this to the table and ensure all the other earths are removed? A curious thing happened the other day...I had forgotten to put the earth clamp from the plasma cutter on to the steel I was cutting...the plasma cutter stuttered badly and the other PC in my workshop started up!!