Are Plasma Cutters "Finicky"?

[Mark @ Everlast]

On the foreign part of your comment a minimal amount of foreign parts beats a 100% foreign part machine any day [ speaking as one that tries to buy American].

There are quite a number of parts from US companies in our machines...that's the point.


SA,
I have done it. Lower the power settings and it can be done...a little tricky, but doable. I think getting the nut above the stud temperature is key. If you wash it off, it seems (if I remember right) you may slightly nick the threads, but nothing not manageable.

 

[Dargo]

So how do you be fair to both?

Nothing personal, but the only "fair" I care about is the fair part of getting the best product for my dollars spent. I did not one lick of looking here before I bought my plasma cutter, but I looked at dozens of cheapo models that the 'hobby' guys had purchased from various locations and then I looked at the machines used on farms, small and large fab shops and shops that are about the size of mine. After looking, and using their equipment, it was a really easy decision for me except the "what size" part. I don't know if the 1250 is a really common size for Hypertherm, but that's what I ended up with and couldn't be happier.

I've had zero down time. Zero problems and far less than $20 in consumables in the last few years. That's the only "fair" that even remotely concerns me. I know nothing about the Chinese machines Everlast sells. The Chinese generally build to spec. So, some of their stuff can be complete and total trash and some can be superior stuff. If you want a "fair" comparison, I'd suggest Everlast investing in a Hypertherm 1250 and doing a video on comparing their machine's performance to their competition's on the exact same materials and posting the results on youtube. Doing that, including a long extended run cut (to see duty cycle and stability under a load) would allow me to decide which Chinese version of product they are selling since simply saying it's made in China really doesn't mean much to me due to the huge disparity in quality in products exported from there.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Cutting of the nut from a bolt uses the "weakness" that an OA rig wont cut mutiple plates stacked on top of each other. As long as you heat the nut and not the bolt, with an OA rig you just cut it quickly and the O2 will oxidize the nut before the bolt gets hot enough to do any damage. The dirtier the bolt the better. I would think that you would really have to have a steady hand with a plasma rig as Jim says it cuts multiple stacked plates with ease where as an OA rig can do it, it just takes finesse.
I loved cutting with a Plasma rig at work back when I welded for a living. I just think that they should be treated as a Ferrari of cutting equipment. I wouldnt recommend that a first time driver be given a Ferrari nor would I recommend to anyone that it be their one and only car. How many hobbist really use stainless, copper, aluminum enough that that they need a plasma rig just so they can cut exotic metals. I would think, not many. IF you do, then by all means get a plasma cutter, but by the same token, the guy that doesnt know what he needs to buy is not going to be working with exotic material either.

 

[jimcolt]

Gary,

I agree with you on the technique of using the Oxy-fuel torch to remove a nut from a bolt. The Oxy-fuel torch uses an exothermic reaction (rapid oxidation of steel at an elevated temperature)...so if the nut is at oxidation temp and the bolt is not...then it is relatively easy to learn this technique.

An air plasma is both exothermic (from the 20% oxygen content in air) and thermal (hottest man made heat source at roughly 25,000 degreesF)....so in order to separate a bolt from a nut....you have to develop a good technique and good timing.

However....for cutting materials such as structural steel, flat plate....and of course non-ferrous.....it is far easier to learn and use todays plasma systems. They can drag right on the steel, no gas pressures to set, no pre-heat. Rust, scale, paint, platings do not bother todays major brand plasmas.

I would not give up my oxy-fuel rig for anything.....but you won't take my plasma away either! I have one on my cnc machine...and 4 others with hand torches.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

 

[crazyal]

If any of you get to NH....contact me, and I'll personally give you a tour of our main plant where all of the Hypertherm units are built....we are proud to show what we do. Just remember...I can't sell you anything!

Jim Colt Hypertherm

This spring I may take you up on that offer. I'm not that far away and often travel to Nashua.

 

[crazyal]

On the foreign part of your comment a minimal amount of foreign parts beats a 100% foreign part machine any day [ speaking as one that tries to buy American].

It's no longer that simple. I work for a large American company making products that get sent to China for assembly that then get shipped all over the world.

I wish I could buy American made all the time. But like most I just can't afford to do that. I also like to buy local however with the age of the internet I can simply make a few clicks and find what I need for much less time and gas needed to drive around. Plus I can look for reviews and other models to compare it to.

 

[crazyal]

Nothing personal, but the only "fair" I care about is the fair part of getting the best product for my dollars spent. I did not one lick of looking here before I bought my plasma cutter, but I looked at dozens of cheapo models that the 'hobby' guys had purchased from various locations and then I looked at the machines used on farms, small and large fab shops and shops that are about the size of mine. After looking, and using their equipment, it was a really easy decision for me except the "what size" part. I don't know if the 1250 is a really common size for Hypertherm, but that's what I ended up with and couldn't be happier.

I've had zero down time. Zero problems and far less than $20 in consumables in the last few years. That's the only "fair" that even remotely concerns me. I know nothing about the Chinese machines Everlast sells. The Chinese generally build to spec. So, some of their stuff can be complete and total trash and some can be superior stuff. If you want a "fair" comparison, I'd suggest Everlast investing in a Hypertherm 1250 and doing a video on comparing their machine's performance to their competition's on the exact same materials and posting the results on youtube. Doing that, including a long extended run cut (to see duty cycle and stability under a load) would allow me to decide which Chinese version of product they are selling since simply saying it's made in China really doesn't mean much to me due to the huge disparity in quality in products exported from there.

My budget didn't allow me enough to buy a Hyperthem powerplasma 30. I would love to have a 1250 but I just don't have the need for it. Maybe someday I'll want to upgrade. So my choices were, used, Everlast (or equal), or OA torches. Torches raised my insurance up quite a bit and I have access to a couple of sets if needed. I looked for used for 6 months and the best I could find was units that had years of hard use. So I went with Everlast. As it was I spent more than I was planning on.

 

[jimcolt]

Crazyal,


Northern VT, eh? I was born in Newport, spent most of my summers growing up in Derby on lake Salem.

Jim

This spring I may take you up on that offer. I'm not that far away and often travel to Nashua.

 

[Shield Arc]

Normally when I cut a nut off a bolt I'll get the nut hot start cutting on the outside edge, and work my way to the bolt then slice down until I can just start to see the threads of the bolt. Once the cut is made and there is just a thin layer of steel covering the threads, I'll smack the nut with a hammer, as in trying to get the nut to rotate.

Last time I remember cutting a nut off, it was on a 3-inch bolt. Had a 2-man crew using a 100-ton hydraulic jack to tighten the bolts. The hydraulic cylinder was the type with a hole through the center of it, and you use a jacking chair with a series of nuts. Can't really remember what went wrong, I think the crew got out of sequence and loaded this one bolt so much that the 100-ton jack would not release the nut. So I got elected to cut the nut. These were not bolts but 30-feet long studs for a bridge. I used the same technique as above, but with 100 + tons on that nut I didn't even have to get very close to the threads before she let go. It sounded like a cannon went off when the nut gave up!:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[crazyal]

Crazyal,


Northern VT, eh? I was born in Newport, spent most of my summers growing up in Derby on lake Salem.

Jim

Newport is a little over a half hour north of me. I've been by Lake Salem but never stopped. I use to go to a motocross track not far from there. I did make the mistake once in Derby Line of driving down the hill and crossing the border in a company truck. :laughing: Wow was the border patrol mad.