Home-shop plasma arc welding equipment?

[Joel_BC]

I've heard that Plasma Arc Welding (& cutting) rigs have been developed for the home shop, and that they are priced reasonably.

The current availability of consumer PAW rigs has made me curious. I'd like info and opinions about when PAW might be the method of choice. Can anyone here offer a comparison with other common technologies? - stick, wire-feed, TIG, and oxy-fuel being the ones that come to mind.

How does the quality of the welds compare? How is it to use PAW with very thin or quite thick metal? (I'm thinking of steel.)

How about ease or difficulty of use? and ease or difficulty of learning to use it?

General cost considerations of equipment (for decent home-shop type equipment)? and supplies?

Thanks.

 

[deereman75]

I've heard that Plasma Arc Welding (& cutting) rigs have been developed for the home shop, and that they are priced reasonably.

The current availability of consumer PAW rigs has made me curious. I'd like info and opinions about when PAW might be the method of choice. Can anyone here offer a comparison with other common technologies? - stick, wire-feed, TIG, and oxy-fuel being the ones that come to mind.

How does the quality of the welds compare? How is it to use PAW with very thin or quite thick metal? (I'm thinking of steel.)

How about ease or difficulty of use? and ease or difficulty of learning to use it?

General cost considerations of equipment (for decent home-shop type equipment)? and supplies?

Thanks.

Might want to post this in the welding forum. I am sure you will get more answers there. As far as plasma welding, I think it is still very big, costly machines. Plasma cutting on the other hand, is very affordable. You can get a fairly good plasma cutter that will cut 1 inch plate for about $800. All you need is 220v power, and an air compressor.
Edit: my 1000th post, veteran member now!

 

[Joel_BC]

As far as plasma welding, I think it is still very big, costly machines. Plasma cutting on the other hand, is very affordable. You can get a fairly good plasma cutter that will cut 1 inch plate for about $800. All you need is 220v power, and an air compressor.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm no expert, just a question asker. But.... Seems to me I've heard recently that home-shop plasma welding/cutting rigs have come on the market, at fairly affordable prices. Seems to me I heard around $1500.

But I don't know for sure, and my attempts at Googling and finding ads or reviews for these units, well... let's just liken the plentiful 'hits' to being a sort of can of worms.

So I was hoping someone here would know about these newer combo machines - for cutting and welding. I have acetylene for cutting now. I guess plasma does a cleaner job. I'm not sure how PAW (plasma arc welding) compares, for quality or capability, with other types of welding you can do at home.

 

[Shield Arc]

I don't know anything about PAW. My brother-n-law did a lot of it when he was working. He also did a lot of Electron Beam welding. He worked on several of the Space Shuttles and different projects for NASA.

https://www.llnl.gov/

 

[rhett]

Joel_BC Welcome to TractorByNet

The Multi Process idea just don't sound good to me. One function breaks, you get the picture. The costs will be more because of consumables and equipment needed for its use.

Depends on your needs or wants.

For steel, Extra Sets of Oxy/Acet bottles might serve best. A small set for portability and a larger set for frequent use in the barn. Plus the fact a RoseBud gives an awesome heat source for forming metal.

For Sheet metal, a set of Powered Shears and Nibblers.

For daily repetitive use in a shop environment I would have a Plasma Cutter to.

EDIT: Just remembered, if you are speaking of the "Water/Alcohol" fired Plasma Torches/Cutters there is very little information about them for now. Kinda pricey for what it is. And yup noticed a join date of Jun 2009, Welcome Back.

 

[yomax4]

Plasma Welding really is a better Automated process but is quite possible to do it manually. Torches come either way.The cost is still over 5k for 150 amps so I would say it's not priced for the average shop guy. You can weld at .5 amps and the welds are xray quality every time. That being said, The new Inverter Tig units with Pulse and trigger lock can do some very thin material say down to 24ga with filler and 28ga fusion. Most plasma Welders and Seamers out there are Thermal Arc brand. Check them out and the TA Inverters as well. The Space Shuttle Fuel Tanks were keyhole welded with TA Plasma Welders. I enjoy messing with mine. I would say, if you have 5-6k to spend on welding equipment..Look at Twin Pulse Synergic High Definition Mig . You can do Aluminum Tig looking welds with a Mig gun at Mig Speeds. Weld through Rust, Grease, Paint. No Spatter in any possition. Check out thermal Arc SP series.

 

[dstig1]

I see Sundown lit you up on this question over on Welding Web. He's a real charmer, ain't he?

 

[Shield Arc]

I see Sundown lit you up on this question over on Welding Web. He's a real charmer, ain't he?

We could use him here, hey why don't you invite him here? These people think I'm bad, wait until Joe arrives! :laughing:

 

[jake98]

We could use him here, hey why don't you invite him here? These people think I'm bad, wait until Joe arrives! :laughing:

You're just a cranky old fart, he's seriously obnoxious.

 

[Shield Arc]

Oh man, hopefully they broke the mold after making Joe! Very knowledgeable guy, but his delivery of information needs some work:laughing:. I remember when he came on these boards about 11 or 12 years ago, not too bad of a guy, but over the years, lets just say WOW! :confused2: