Plasma cutters 101

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Steve S
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:22 pm
Location: southcentral - PA

Plasma cutters 101

Post by Steve S »

Hi Gang ,
I've been wanting to add a plasma cutter to the tool collection . I have used one several times at work but still consider myself ignorant on the subject . What I am wanting to know is about the machines themselves . What do you really need , what is just nice to have . How much do you have to spend for a non-junk product . 3/8" steel is the thickest mandate with 1/4" being most common . My budget is $750.00 . I already have a mig so I don't need one of the multi functional unit , just a plasma cutter .

Pilot arc verses striking an arc ? ,
110 , 220 , or dual voltage capable ?
Built in air supply or feed from external compressor ?

I've been looking around the web : ebay , harbor freight , northern tools , eastwood , and even craigslist . Which brings me to used units . What to look for , I wouldn't buy used without trying it out first (function test) . Any brands to avoid ?

What about consumables : tips etc. , any brands hard to locate sources for ?

Thanks in advance , Steve
curtis cutter
Posts: 559
Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
Location: Curtis, WA

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by curtis cutter »

I have one of these units:
http://store.cyberweld.com/hoai40iplcu5.html

I also have one of these for it to sit on:
http://www.harborfreight.com/welding-cart-61316.html

To finish it off I had my daughter sew a heavy cover for the cutter that covers the top of the cart when not in use.

I keep a supply of tips on hand (consumables). Use clean air into the unit.

Gregg
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
housedad
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:08 am
Location: Southern NJ

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by housedad »

I spent a year searching the different offerings out there in plasma cutters and finally got a Hypertherm 45. If I did not get a Hypertherm, and had a budget of $750, I would go Everlast Powerplasma 50. (do NOT get the Supercut 50) Their regular price is $850, but they have been known to take a lower offer if you call them. Whatever plasma you get, just make sure the air you feed it is dry, dry DRY.

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/produ ... rplasma-50
Last edited by housedad on Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chief bottle washer.
It's a tricky job when all you have is a garden hose, a Bridgeport, and a plasma cutter.

Bridgeport Series II Special. QC30 spindle
Enco 12 x 36 lathe
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ALCOSTEAM
Posts: 762
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2003 9:20 am
Location: illinois

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by ALCOSTEAM »

As in so many things you get what you pay for.
I ordered a HyperTherm 1100 back in 2000 with both hand torch capability and machine torch capability. Just the machine torch options were over a grand. My plan had been to build up a CNC plasma table. By the time I got the plasma machine here and got the $$ in line to start the table build there were no less than 4 or 5 places already doing CNC plasma cutting locally. We are down to 2 or 3 now outside of shops that only do their own work.
My first bit of advise is ensure you buy a machine that has easily replaceable consumables. I have no use for a machine I can't run into town and buy consumables for. Guys I know with cheap machines go thru consumables.
Looking at specs on the latest machines it looks like self contained units are only good to 5/16 or so and then cutting is SLOW. That is one of the hardest things I have found in using a plasma cutter is going steady and slow enough to produce good results. A small weak machine just makes that problem worse.
I would stick with name brand and ask your welding equipment supplier where the unit was made. He might even have something used that fits your budget and needs and likely it won't be a "gray" market machine. They just don't take them in on trade and if they do its just to put them in the scrap bin.
Name brands to look for would be hypertherm, ThermalArc, Lincoln, Hobart. ESAB is little more than a gray market machine. Everyone I know of with anything ESAB refers to their machine as a piece of junk. They do have large industrial size machines and their factory support for them but anything smaller is just junk. Most Lincoln/Hobart/Miller weld shops won't even trade in or work on ESAB junk.
housedad
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:08 am
Location: Southern NJ

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by housedad »

Steve S wrote:Hi Gang ,
I've been wanting to add a plasma cutter to the tool collection . I have used one several times at work but still consider myself ignorant on the subject . What I am wanting to know is about the machines themselves . What do you really need , what is just nice to have . How much do you have to spend for a non-junk product . 3/8" steel is the thickest mandate with 1/4" being most common . My budget is $750.00 . I already have a mig so I don't need one of the multi functional unit , just a plasma cutter .

Pilot arc verses striking an arc ? ,
110 , 220 , or dual voltage capable ?
Built in air supply or feed from external compressor ?

I've been looking around the web : ebay , harbor freight , northern tools , eastwood , and even craigslist . Which brings me to used units . What to look for , I wouldn't buy used without trying it out first (function test) . Any brands to avoid ?

What about consumables : tips etc. , any brands hard to locate sources for ?

Thanks in advance , Steve

You want a pilot arc. Blowback type is great.
Dual voltage is useful rarely, but depends on what you use it for.
No built in air compressor. Forget that idea. If the compressor fails, then the unit is out.
Most anything you need in consumables is available on amazon, your local weld shop, etc.

Here is a video from Everlast that is pretty informative for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyKMPf0vs2M
Chief bottle washer.
It's a tricky job when all you have is a garden hose, a Bridgeport, and a plasma cutter.

Bridgeport Series II Special. QC30 spindle
Enco 12 x 36 lathe
redneckalbertan
Posts: 1274
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:39 am
Location: South Central Alberta

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by redneckalbertan »

I have had great success with ESAB machines, and have a larger machine from them. I wouldn't hesitate to recomend them.

I personally don't like hypertherm, I have used a few of their machines with less than stellar results (that being said there are a lot of them out there and a lot of people happy with them).

I was talking with a gentleman who works at a local welder repair shop while he was in calibrating welders at the shop I used to work at. We had a good conversation about different machine types and brands, one of the brands that he mentioned he sees very little of for plasma cutters is Thermal Dynamics. If buying a new machine I would take a good long look at them.
John Evans
Posts: 2366
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Phoenix ,AZ

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by John Evans »

+ 1 on Thermal Dynamics. Had one worked great ,3/8-1/2 would be the smallest machine I would.
www.chaski.com
ChipMaker4130
Posts: 187
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:00 am
Location: Ivins, Utah

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by ChipMaker4130 »

I've owned a Hypertherm 600 for a long time and I love it! My neighbor has a Thermal Dynamics of similar capacity, and he loves that! Hypertherm claims to have the longest-lasting consumables, and they do hold up very well. You MUST use dry, clean air or nobody's consumables will hold up. I paid around $700 for the Hypertherm when it was on sale.

One thing to watch is the 'Cut' rating and 'Severance' rating. My unit maxes out at 40A and is 'rated' for 1/2" steel. It will 'sever' 5/8". The cut quality suffers above 1/2". Also, when cutting aluminum or copper the cutting capacity is greatly reduced.
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ALCOSTEAM
Posts: 762
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2003 9:20 am
Location: illinois

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by ALCOSTEAM »

Around here all the welding shops quit selling ESAB and won't take them in on trade. Large industrial places have had better luck with ESAB as the factory will send out techs to help keep them going.
One place I know of has a 115' long CNC plasma table so they can get two 40+ ft long sheets of steel on the table at once. They bought ESAB machines and for quite a spell after they were set up and running the factory techs stayed around. As the ESAB machines die off they are going all Lincoln.

I have an mig welder made during the interim between Linde and ESAB. I made a mistake buying it 20+ years ago and an even bigger mistake not trading it on a better machine while the welding shops would still take anything made by Linde or ESAB. It mainly sits collecting dust and just a few days ago I ordered a whole new Tweco gun setup for it, probably throwing good money after bad but we will see. I have had acouple other owners of these machines tell me they improved them converting to a better gun.
david5605
Posts: 205
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:40 am
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by david5605 »

I've owned a ESAB 550 in the past. It was a nice machine. It's limit was ½" and that was slow. My main use was fabricating rock crawlers with my son. Only complaint I had, and it really wasn't a big complaint, was it went through consumables pretty good when cutting ¼" and above.

Gave it to my son, then about a year later bought a Miller Sectrum 625. That is one sweet machine. Of course it was over $1200. Even the ESAB 10 years ago was that price.

The devil is in the details.
You need clean dry air. That means buy a good auxiliary filter. I have one of those that uses a toilet paper sized filter.
My guess is you would be unhappy with a built in compressor. Particularly above ⅛" or so.
Long plasma cutter cable is almost a must unless you confine yourself to bench work. 10' is very limiting.
Dual voltage? Sounds nice but I don't lend my tools out and have 220 readily available. If I was a mobile fabricator the dual option would be nice.

Don't forget duty cycle. That can be a big deal if it's only 10% at the higher thicknesses.

If it breaks how are you going to fix it? In my case I could just drop it off at the local welding supply (LWS).

If I was you, in your price range, I'd look at Eastwood. They are always running specials in the hotrodding magazines and they seem to have a decent reputation amongst the casual hotrodder.

Search some of the hotrodding forums for lots of opinions. Most seem to be positive.

As far as buying from someplace like Harbor Freight, the only thing I buy from them that doesn't make me nervous is zip ties.

Lastly, the plasma cutter is not a replacement for a cutting torch if you are going to be 'salvaging things'. You will go through consumables very fast. BTDT
Steve S
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:22 pm
Location: southcentral - PA

Re: Plasma cutters 101

Post by Steve S »

So far I'm leaning towards Eastwoods 40Amp model . I could get the 60Amp but just don't need one that big and the 40 s price leaves room to buy accessories . I looked at the Hypertherm units , I like the 30xp but over my budget . I wanna check out the Thermal Dynamics next .

Thanks for all the insight ,
Steve
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