Best Value Plasma Cutter

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Looking for a plasma for the farm. We do some fab work and repair work.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Looking forward to seeing the replies. Hope to get one in the not too distant future.

 

[yomax4]

Get the most for your money but draw a line on cost. I have found that the most expensive plasmas don't have the best warranties. Plenty of replies coming.

 

[flyerdan]

I got a Cut 40 off ebay several years ago. Don't use it a great deal but it does fine for my stuff, .250" or less so far.

 

[Kioti guy]

At home I have a hypertherm power max 30 and at work We have the equivalent size miller machine. I like both machines. if the great majority of material you are going to be working with is 3/8" or less either would be a great choice.
I looked pretty hard at the offshore plasma's when I was researching my purchase but I was put off by some of what I read on welding forums , it seems like getting service can be a real hit or miss situation. But having said that there are a lot of testimonials from people that are really pleased with there machines and you can't beat the price.
Knowing what I know now if I had to do it again I might go up one size/class of machine just because the idea of having one of the small cnc cutting tables really appeals to me( not that I need one, but it would be cool...lol) and most of the table set ups are designed for the 45 sized machine

 

[puckgrinder85]

I have a hypertherm PM45. Works great and cuts more (cleanly) than what it says. So far so good, no problems. Plasma is definitely helpful for metal fab work, just the speed and accuracy of the cut, no heavy grinding etc.. I guess it depends on your budget, I think I got mine for around 2K... I think I've cut 3/4 plate with it and was pretty impressed with the cut.

 

[Scrambler82]

I use an older HyperTherm 900, plug in unit.
Great machine and will cut 3/8".

 

[Arc weld]

What thickness of material do you need to cut? Do you have an air compressor? Your question is pretty generic.

 

[woodskiff]

Hi all. My son and I are considering a plasma for our shop. We are comparing AMPs, consumables, Air compressor requirements (shop vs self contained air). We're thinking of overrating our usage requirements too....even though we'll never cut 1" material it would be nice to double 2 sheets of 3/8's material and cut a duplicate whatever at once cleanly. We're leaning towards the Hypertherm in NH. Oops sp

 

[woodlandfarms]

just got a 50 from Mark at Everlast. If I was a pro, I would probably get something from the majors, not so much that they are better, just that they are expected in a pro setup and part of the standard communication.

So far, and it hasn't been a long time, the 50 has been fantastic and the price fit my wallet very very well. Mark has responded quickly to my needs and concerns so a plus for customer support so far. My neighbor, who is a pro, came by and took a look at the setup and was very impressed.

I run on a 35 gallon craftsmen which is about the least I think you want.