Plasma cutter

[Shield Arc]

Shield Arc would you explain your dryer, that's my style (homemade)

It's very simple, you have to drop the temperature of the air. An engineer helped me with mine. Here in the North West just a garbage can full of water is good enough. Somewhere like Arizona you would need to add ice to the water. I've never got less that 250-feet of cutting (computer monitors the length of cuts) before seeing any change in the cut quality after building this dryer.

 

[Rustyiron]

Thanks SA

 

[DXN1EL]

Here are some pictures of my redneck air dryer. :laughing:



Why do the pictures not load in order?!!!!!

That looks off a moonshine still :laughing:

 

[jimcolt]

The Hypertherm Powermax900 is likely in the 15 to 20 year old range. It was replaced in the product line with the Powermax1000, which about 10 years later was replaced with the Powermax65. Each succesive design uses newer torch designs that produce squarer, cleaner cuts as well as dramatically longer consumable life. The new technology torch that is used on the 65 is called the Duramax, and there is an upgrade kit that allows you to use the Duramax torch on the older Powermax900. More than double the consumable life, faster cut speeds and squarer cut edges are the result.

Jim Colt

A little off topic here but maybe some one knows.....I bought (new) a Hypermax 900, it's about 10+?years old now. Do the newer models have a different torch and consumables? (That last longer)
Shield Arc would you explain your dryer, that's my style (homemade). I just bought an in-line water filter by hyper therm, I think, and have not tried it yet, but not using dry air, consumables is an under statement. I thought that with an 80 gal tank & very little use, that is no painting & very little air tool use, I'd be ok with just tank draining. I avoid using the 'plas and grab the o/a torch for this high consumption of consumables.:laughing:

 

[Rustyiron]

The Hypertherm Powermax900 is likely in the 15 to 20 year old range. It was replaced in the product line with the Powermax1000, which about 10 years later was replaced with the Powermax65. Each succesive design uses newer torch designs that produce squarer, cleaner cuts as well as dramatically longer consumable life. The new technology torch that is used on the 65 is called the Duramax, and there is an upgrade kit that allows you to use the Duramax torch on the older Powermax900. More than double the consumable life, faster cut speeds and squarer cut edges are the result.

Jim Colt

Thanks Jim, if the rules here allow, would you be able to tell me the cost of the newer torch? Maybe a PM if not ok. It's amazing how time fly's. I knew my machine was at least 10 but 15-20 yrs really makes me feel old.

 

[bubbacuse77]

If you are still considering hypertherm you may look at the 45 because it can cut up to .5 inches very cleanly and it has an interface port for a CNC if you ever step it up to that level of fab. Like others have mentioned, dry air is the "key to speed" and long consumable life.

 

[jimcolt]

I don't have a price list in front of me, but I think a hand held Duramax torch upgrade kit for a Powermax900 is in the $320 range.

Jim

Thanks Jim, if the rules here allow, would you be able to tell me the cost of the newer torch? Maybe a PM if not ok. It's amazing how time fly's. I knew my machine was at least 10 but 15-20 yrs really makes me feel old.