Bought me a Plasma Cutter!

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rbertalotto
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:38 am
Location: Dartmouth, MA

Bought me a Plasma Cutter!

Post by rbertalotto »

My birthday is next week so I figured I needed to buy me a present!

I've wanted a plasma cutter for some time now, but being a hobbyist, I didn't want to spend $1000. Kept looking in Craigslist, but owners wanting to sell used Plasma cutters are very proud of them!

This unit on Amazon gets great reviews on the welding forums so I figured I'd give it a try.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052O ... UTF8&psc=1

Lotos LTP5000D Pilot Arc Plasma Cutter, 110V/220V $464.00 delivered.

(Yea, I know I just contributed to the Chinese government and a five year old kid making 3 cents an hour built it. But at least it put some money into a longshoreman's pocket and an importer and reseller made a few dollars to feed their family.....Given enough time and I can justify ANYTHING!)

It has "Pilot Arc" so you don't need to clean rusted or painted metal. It is available without Pilot Arc but you only save a few $$.

Looking forward to using it on a project I have coming up.
redneckalbertan
Posts: 1274
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:39 am
Location: South Central Alberta

Re: Bought me a Plasma Cutter!

Post by redneckalbertan »

Do you have much experience with plasma cutters, and can you compare yours to name brand machines? Miller, Lincoln, Hypertherm, ESAB, etc? A comparison to those machines would be wonderful!

A note for you, if you didn't already know, dry and clean air is very important with plasma cutters. Dirty wet air will drastically decrease consumable life.
rbertalotto
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:38 am
Location: Dartmouth, MA

Re: Bought me a Plasma Cutter!

Post by rbertalotto »

This will be my first Plasma Cutter. My air system in my shop has great water separation and filtration as I use it to spray paint and other finishes. Should be good to go.

Nothing to compare it to. As long as it cuts 1/4" steel nice and smooth, I'll be satisfied.
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SteveHGraham
Posts: 7788
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Bought me a Plasma Cutter!

Post by SteveHGraham »

If you've never used one, you'll love it. It's hilarious watching it slice through metal.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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steamin10
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Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 11:52 pm
Location: NW Indiana. Close to Lake Michigan S. tip

Re: Bought me a Plasma Cutter!

Post by steamin10 »

With plasma cutters, you can cut about 60% of nominal thickness in aluminum, clean, as it soaks up power like a demon. I am looking for one that is 3/8 or better, and thats pretty much a commercial machine.

A word to the wise. Get a GOOD quality filter mask for dust. Airborn metals, especially aluminum and steel coatings can be a disaster to your health. Metals are generally poisons to the human body, and need exposure controlled. I found this out when a buddy lost his mind to aluminum poisoning. (?). A brain scan showed 'holes' of inactive areas similar to Alzheimer's, but it caused him to leave a job that handled aluminum scrap in powder, grindings, and general scrap. He is gone now, and I miss him, a former foreman I worked for, but good friend. (the same can be said for welding smoke).
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
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