HF Plasma cutter

[Dargo]

By your by-line it appears you've had some good luck and some bad luck with these tools. My personal experience has been pretty good. Maybe I'm lucky. Anyway as to the specifics on this product I've used it for a couple of years and it hasn't let me down yet.

Good luck.

You are correct. I've had some "bargains" and I've had plenty of "duds". I'm only offering my opinion, take it for that, which is also the opinion of Chicago Electric on pretty well all of the welding forums and welding sites. Again, I certainly do not intend to come across as trying to tell you what to do. I just share the opinion of most others in saying I wouldn't spend that sort of money on a CE plasma cutter. I personally have zero experience with one but have read from some who have and they reported poor results.

 

[arrabil]

What I find interesting about Chicago Electric tools are the specs. Thats allegedly a 40A plasma cutter. My Hypertherm 40A is rated to sever 7/8". The new Hypertherm 40A severs 1". The HF 40A... 1/2". And it requires half the amount of air. So basically the unit is not really what its advertised as.

A used brand name plasma cutter of equivalent specs will likely cost the same as that plasma cutter too.

All Chicago Electric tools are similarly rated. That just really turns me off from buying them. In fact it goes against my Harbor Freight rule... Only buy it if its disposable, consumable, or weldable.