Miller Plasma Cutters

[Jw5875]

I am considering to add to my "Toy Box" a plasma cutter and considering a Miller, either a 375 or 625. I do mostly small stuff (sheet metal) and the 375 looks good -- but as they say "Go bigger" for a dollar more!
Looking at the one time that I should have went "Bigger".

Question is: will the 625 cut smaller material as clean as the 375?

JW5875

 

[dstig1]

One bit of hearsay. The guys at our LWS sell a lot of Miller. They said Miller makes great stuff.... except for their plasma cutters. They said you were better off with Thermal Arc or Hypertherm, which they also sell. Not much experience with any of them to say one way or the other.

Doesn't answer your question, but hopefully it is helpful.

 

[bubbacuse77]

Not sure about Miller but on my Hypertherm the instructions tell you to turn down the settings and put the electrodes from the smaller machine in the torch for fine work on thin material.

I would go to millerwelds.com and ask on that forum......I bet you get the answer you are looking for. I'm a Miller man myself but bought a hypertherm because they are the best in the buisness and use to make millers plasma cutters up until a couple years ago when Miller decieded to start their own line.

Good Luck.......I bet you buy the bigger machine

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Although I am not a heavy user (a rank amateur compared to some here), I have an older Hypertherm and it has worked well on thin material once I found the proper settings, set up, and learned the right speed.

 

[Scooby074]

What dave said, my LWS said the exact same. Avoid the miller machines and buy Hypertherm. Im a miller guy and that pains me to say

 

[ak9]

Jw5875
Consider the cost of future consumables and there availability in desciding ...I've owned a 220V 50 amp miller fror years and haved used smaller millers and hypertherms ... my experience has been you can achieve about equal quality of cuts with them .MHo Its more about technique and experience with the individual machine to get the results.Here is a link to where I 've bought excellent after market consuables THERMACUT
Ak9

 

[yomax4]

There is really nothing wrong with Miller Plasma Cutters. They may be a little over priced but the power supply is ok. They do use an Old version Hypertherm Torch that's provided by Hypertherm and uses Hypertherm Consumables. There's not a lot of Junk plasma out there and you could surely be safe with Miller, Thermal Dynamics or Hypertherm. There are others too but these seem to be the Top 3. Check prices and warranties.

 

[Stimw]

I've had my Miller Spectrum 625 for 8 years and I LOVE IT!
The pic is cutting 3/4" steel, I made some brackets for my FEL frame to attach a set of forks to it. It just barely cut it and it was slow but it got the job done. On thinner stuff it blows right through it.
I like to carve with it when doing any kind of fitting work just like doing with O/A torch. I ONLY use my torch for heating now.
I cut a lot of 1/2" and 3/8" bolts off of mortar mixers when repairing them (I'm a Stone Equipment Dealer). I wash the heads off and the plasma cuts right through the old mortar and paint like it's nothing.
It will drag cut or stand off, I mostly use free hand stand off unless I am making something out of flat plate.
I bought the gouging tips but the stand off tip does just as good. Tips last a lot longer if you use very dry air. I have about 80' of 1/2" iron pipe air line before my machine and it condenses the air very well.
My machine has easily paid for itself and I enjoy using it everytime I turn it on!

 

[SpringHollow]

Having a torch that allows drag cutting like Hypertherm's is a nice feature.

Ken

 

[dynasim]

I bought a plasma cutter(Everlast) this spring, and have just started using it.

I am stunned at its usefulness. Seriously. I bought the 50 amp version. It cuts with less than an 1/8" kerf, and can be directed with a straightedge for perfectly straight(or curved) lines.

The everlast machine is very good, and worked out of the box. It is somewhat less finished than others, but half(or less) the price, the extra effort to set it up was well worth it.

That being said, the hypertherm 30(I think) has a dual voltage input, and can used(from what I've read) with lower quality power sources. That would be mighty useful for a lot of things. Unless you intend to cut really thick pieces, I would go for the smaller(lighter) machine. Whatever you do, though, get one. They are worth it.

Chris

 

[travis potter]

The Co. I worked for used only Miller welders they were trying to buy a plasma cutter so they were looking at Miller. I talked them into trying Hypertherm and Miller side by side on 1/2 in plate there was no question the Hyperherm did a much better job a lot faster. They bought the Hypertherm. On 16 ga the hyperthurm cut was smother.

 

[Jw5875]

Many "Thanks" to all TBN'rs who responded and educated me on plasma cutter 101.
I have decided on the Hypertherm Powermax 45. Looking at other forums etc. really made this decision on the Hypertherm unit.

Now for Santa to come heh -heh-heh!


JW5875

 

[KML]

Congrats! I think you'll be pleased with the HyperTherm. I have a miller welder but got the same advice others mentioned when shopping for a plasma at my LWS - go with hypertherm.

I went with the powermax 30 because of the dual voltage capabilities and have been very pleased.

These are cuts I made the day I got it on some channel. Cuts were made on a 115V 20A circuit and I was very impressed!! Sory for the crappy cell phone pics... This was WAY outside the rating of this machine but it got the job done!

 

[ericher69]

Congrats! I think you'll be pleased with the HyperTherm. I have a miller welder but got the same advice others mentioned when shopping for a plasma at my LWS - go with hypertherm.

I went with the powermax 30 because of the dual voltage capabilities and have been very pleased.

These are cuts I made the day I got it on some channel. Cuts were made on a 115V 20A circuit and I was very impressed!! Sory for the crappy cell phone pics... This was WAY outside the rating of this machine but it got the job done!

Was that 3/8 or thicker?

 

[KML]

Was that 3/8 or thicker?

The sides at the base were a little over 1/2". It was slow going and there was a lot more slag left on the cut than normal but it did sever it pretty well I thought.

 

[spanico]

I have the Miller 375, it does all I ask of it whether thin sheet or larger stuff, although I rarely go thicker than 5/8ths. Having the 110 option helps for out of the shop tasks, also.

 

[Jw5875]

Well Santa asked me if I was going to cut sheet metal with this and do I need the "30 amp"
accessories etc? These will be additional???

Thanks TBN'rs,

Jw5875

 

[jimcolt]

The Powermax30 is rated for maximum cutting on 3/8" and "severance" cutting on 1/2". Here is a pic of some cuts.....up to 5/8" with my Powermax30.....which is Hypertherms smallest plasma. You can count on Hypertherms machines to outperform the specs on their own brochure! The other cuts you see in the pics on the same plates were done with my Powermax45 on a cnc machine.

Jim