I want to buy a plasma cutter for my business shop. I won't ever use it on my vehicles because it would be a business tool and by tax law I cannot use a tool I buy for my manufacturing business for personal use.

Anyways, I do want to get one for my shop. I cut a lot of 14 and 12 ga stainless steel and some 1/4" aluminum plate. Right how I use a sabre saw for the stainless and a table saw for the aluminum. It's a real PIA to cut the stainless with a sabre saw. I go through a $10 pack of blades, takes hours and the noise it horrendous. I do use ear plugs along with everyone else in the shop but I can't hear the phone or more important, Rush when I'm cutting. I used a plasma cutter quite a bit at one of my former jobs about 15 years ago and know they can save a lot of time.

My question is for those who have have used and/or own a plasma cutter. I've seen the cheapy one on eBay and have been spending about 3 hours reading posts on different web sites on the values of different brands and price ranges of plasma cutters. I have a small shop so I don't need, and wouldn't have the use for a $2500 unit but I also don't want to cough up $700 for a unit that won't last. There is 1 or 2 of the lower priced units that might fit my needs but more that seem like junk. We've had a pretty decent year and could use a tax deduction and fortunately my wife agrees. She also feels we should buy a good machine that will last.

What are you opinions? What are you using? What have you used? What were your experiences? In the last place, 15 years ago, we had a Thermo Dynamics, from what I can remember it was a really good machine but it's 15 years later and things change, some times for the better.

 

Use a Thermal Dynamics cutter at work everyday. Never had a problem. It's about 3 years old now.


152 cutmaster plasma cutter. Big cuts in a small package. Probably too big for your needs, Bob.

 

Since this will be strictly a "business" purchase, and the loss of revenue due to down time from an "el cheapo" machine crapping out in the middle of production would eat way too far into the profit margin, I say spend some money and buy a quality unit. You don't necessarily have to go to the upper end of the scale and buy the highend model but I would look somewhere in the middle to upper part of the range at a name brand machine.

I'd love to have a plasma, but for the amount of cutting I do I just can't justify spending the bucks. Of course, I'm speaking from a hobbyist point of view.

Bobby

 

Can't say I know much about plasma cutters, except that they're way cool, but I just had to say I loved the disclaimer.

 

I got a hypertherm 30 used (in nice shape other than the. $3 **** was broken) for about 400 iirc ? It works great, thin or thick stuff, I've cut through 3/16" plus no problems. Nice thing is its 110 or 220 which makes it more portable to almost anywhere. When I was researching for a plasma I heard hypertherm was real good.

 

Portable as long as you have a small drag along compressor? If its to be used on different jobsite locations maybe one with built in compressor would be a nice option too?

 

I used and have a 120V Thermal Dynamics unit for better then 10 years, I can cut up to 1/4" mild steel, (Of course the consumables have to be brand new, when they have some little use then it tends to not cut 1/4"very well) Stainless I think not so thick,( I think back in the day I was only cutting 1/8" stainless.) I would go to a welding supply and check out some of the 120v units if you are not using it that much, I think I paid like $1100 years ago for it so I dont know what is the norm now. I believe now a days you can get a unit that welds as well as having a plasma cutter in the same unit. I have old equipment but since they still work. No need for me to look into a newer unit yet. Good luck in you search for a plasma!

 

Would the Henrob be an alternative worth seeking?

 

I have had a plasma for a while now and the best thing i did was to buy some wheels to hold the cutting tip a consistent distance off the material i am cutting. Consumables last much longer now too. John

 

I have a hypertherm 380. And I love it. Got it for $450.00 of a guy who bought it and never used it. Works perfectly with no problems.

 

can you give any info on those wheels? I have one of the 60 amp aftermarket plasmas, which works great, but with the tip fully exposed its easy to drag the tip into the material.

Sam

 

Sam, check with your welding supply guy... they make an 'extended' tip/cup... ceramic tip with little ceramic legs that holds the torch the correct distance from the work and you must merrily drag it along... works good dragging against a straight edge..

AFA plasmas... I bought a used one from a sign/canopy shop. It's as big as a two drawer file cabinet... 220 volt. I mounted shopping cart wheels on it for moving it. Seems like it is a "Plasmark" made by ESAB. I paid him 400 bucks for it and drug it on the trailer. came with a bunch of consumables..tips and guides.. It will do 3/16 carbon clean and 1/4 ...well, I can torch cut better. It's probably 15 years old... big ole honkin transformer inside (remember those before 'inverters)... used it to saw the volare out of the frame...

I don't do much major large piece cutting.... and honestly use a Metabo grinder with a .040 cutting disk for most of what I do... but that plasma is really sweet for long clean cuts.

Check with welding supply stores for used or returned lease units... you can get a good deal if you're patient

john

Sam... here's an example of the extended tip/cup... I'll bet you can find one for your particular mfg.
http://weldingdirect.com/mastat.html

 

hypertherm and thermal dynamics are the two most popular plasma cutters on the market because they not only work great, but you can buy consumable parts (electrodes and nozzles) at any welding supply store.
I have an older Drag-gun by thermal dynamics (also sold as a victor Firepower or Pro-line) that is great for cutting sheet metal (body panels, floor pans, exhausts, etc.) It's 110v with a built in compressor and works great for what I use it for. Anything thicker than .125" and I just use a cutting wheel or my OA torches.
The biggest problem with a no-name plasma cutter is finding the consumables.

Good luck,

Wally
1951 F1- "Lucille"

 

interesting.. not sure what tip I have.. like the PT-31s...

Sam

 

Don`t bash me or beat me up, but i just purchased a everlast 256 multi unit, has plasma tig welder and arc welder, i needed a compact unit that i can just throw in the truck for portability, so far i`m really impressed with this unit, the arc welder is as good if not better than my previous lincoln, the plasma cutter i`ve only used twice for a short period of time, my big compressor is down and i can only use my nailer compressor which can`t keep up, did a real nice job through some 3/8 and 1/2 inch material i had laying around.