plasma cutters

[jimg]

Was wondering if anyone here has/uses one. Am interested in your input good/bad (what you like and dont like). I was thinking along the lines of a gas rig but have since decided a plasma cutter really does the better job/more versatile. I would need still need some sort of gas/air rig for heating though. Im particularly interested in the Hypertherm PM30 and Miller 375 Xtreme (both inverter cutters). If you own one of that size (or make) how well do they pierce and gouge? Ive heard they also cut beyond their sever capacity....true in your experience? Thanx

 

[dfkrug]

I have a Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 51, 40A 220V unit. Works
great. I don't cut thicker than 1/2, tho it is rated to 3/4 steel. I drill
a small hole instead of piercing at that thickness. It pierces easily at
1/8 or below. I recommend Indiana Oxygen as a vendor. I keep my
O/A system for brazing and heating....no cutting.

 

[Willis Fecon Bushhogging]

Was wondering if anyone here has/uses one. Am interested in your input good/bad (what you like and dont like). I was thinking along the lines of a gas rig but have since decided a plasma cutter really does the better job/more versatile. I would need still need some sort of gas/air rig for heating though. Im particularly interested in the Hypertherm PM30 and Miller 375 Xtreme (both inverter cutters). If you own one of that size (or make) how well do they pierce and gouge? Ive heard they also cut beyond their sever capacity....true in your experience? Thanx

This may help, I bought a after market plasma cutter, when my Miller plasma quit working (bad lead cable) Whatever you buy, buy it from a dealer, so youll have warranty and customer support, its worth the extra bucks, trust me on this one. The after market (Ebay) lasted about 2 hours.
A plasma cutter is a great item to have, but it has its limits. I use it for most of my 1/2" and down cutting (I got the bad lead fixed) I use the torch, for most other cutting and heating.

Again, buy a quality unit, from someone that can service it and you can buy parts for the machine.

 

[jimg]

Im buying locally and their prices are as good as any over the net. Both units I mentioned are rated for 3/8 and sever at 1/2 (Hypertherm) or 5/8 (Miller). I view both units as identical or nearly so. Im going to chalk that high sever rating to sales speak esp since its at 5 IPM. Not sure Im that patient.

If I were to do it now Id get the Hypertherm unit b/c it has 3' more of torch/lead & includes a circle cutter + a *large* handful of consumables.

I asked particularly about piercing and gouging b/c I can see a need for those. Does gouging req a special tip like an O/A torch? As for piercing I was hoping to be able to not have to drill. In other words it would be a quick substitute for my drill. My only experience piercing is w/ an O/A rig and it didnt seem all that involved.

 

[AlanB]

Between Dad and I we have a couple.

I would look at tips, and consumable costs. It can add up quick, especially if you are doing "rough" (read rusty and into corner's and pockets) work.

I have a Packmaster 50 which is probably the best one we have for pattern tracing and to the line work.

Dad has a 1/2" rated lincoln, I forget the # on it, but that is the one too use particularly for nasty and corner pocket work.

Dad just picked up a new one, I think it is a Hypertherm itty bitty little unit, looks like a toy and think it was rated to 3/8". I have not run that one yet, but dad is just pleased as punch with it so I expect it is a pretty fair machine.

I will probably pick up another Lincoln for myself when one comes available too me again. I tend to do more rough work at the moment and it would be nice to have that unit.

The problem with piercing is it is very possible to blow back into the head, and loose several dollars in consumables. I am like the other gentleman, in that if I am not working off an edge, I will drill a small pilot hole to blow through.

 

[jimg]

Good point...I still need to price consumables + a filter. I have an IR water filter on the output side of my compressor but would also want one on the cutter. Ive heard and dealer confirms wet air = high consumable costs.

I bet your dad has a Powermax 30. Theyre really small and light since its an inverter machine. Whats he using it for? I thought the 3/8" rating was ideal for my farm. Really cant envision a need for steel > 3/8.

My plan was to wire brush rusty/painted recycled metal before cutting. The dealer said it worked OK but Im thinking the drag shield is going to last LOTS longer if I take a minute to clean things up.

 

[dfkrug]

The problem with piercing is it is very possible to blow back into the head, and loose several dollars in consumables. I am like the other gentleman, in that if I am not working off an edge, I will drill a small pilot hole to blow through.

It blows back into the head of the torch AND your face.

My consumable use had been low and Thermal Dynamics sent me a new
regulator no-questions-asked when the diaphragm went bad.

 

[bigshovel]

We run Hypertherm dual voltage units at work they work good on 220v but not so much on 11ov. The air regulator is a touchy but for $1700 what do you expect. One is eight yrs old and the other is 5, neither one has needed any repair yet. If I need a garanteed finsh final cut with no grinding I use bottled gas instead of compressor.

Brad

 

[Skyco]

I'm delighted with my $700 (on sale) Harbor Freight unit, 40AMP rating 220 volt.

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[Dargo]

I have a Hypertherm Powermax 1250 and have had great service out of it. Last fall I used it to slice railroad track into sections without much trouble, so I'd say that they do a decent job of severing and cutting over their rated capacity. Another plus is that with a good dry air supply, consumables have been kept to a minimum.

 

[AlanB]

Good point...I still need to price consumables + a filter. I have an IR water filter on the output side of my compressor but would also want one on the cutter. Ive heard and dealer confirms wet air = high consumable costs.

I bet your dad has a Powermax 30. Theyre really small and light since its an inverter machine. Whats he using it for? I thought the 3/8" rating was ideal for my farm. Really cant envision a need for steel > 3/8.

My plan was to wire brush rusty/painted recycled metal before cutting. The dealer said it worked OK but Im thinking the drag shield is going to last LOTS longer if I take a minute to clean things up.

We run the toilet paper filters. Most paint and body supply houses have them, I cannot think of the name off the top of my head right now, but it is basicly a roll of toilet paper in a black aluminum housing. Works fairly well.

A 3/8" would do most everything I ever touch, and I would not miss a beat on going that way in my shop.

Most of our equipment gets bought as we stumble across a "deal" I think he bought the last one just because he really wanted one.

He was doing a lot of work for one of the big welding houses in Florida (Action Welding) for a number of years, and a lot of our stuff is tradeouts etc.

I did not mention it, and I cannot even remember who makes it, but he also has something like a 1" or 1.5" unit, three phase monstrosity that we push compressed gas through.

Like Dargo said, we had a need to cut some RR track and some foundry table and that thing was available.

Dang thing is so loud it scares the crud out of me when it fires but man it will cut ANYTHING in front of the torch

That said, I don't want to sound like the safety police, and maybe you are the worlds foremost safety trainer, but others may be like me and not realize.

If you trigger that High Freq across a part of your body, it creates an extremely painful and difficult to heal wound. I saw one pierce a thumb, through the nail, and one arced into the guys thigh, but they both took three forevers to close and never really "healed" correctly

That said, make sure you understand the safeties on the gun, some are delays and some have locks etc.

 

[jimg]

It blows back into the head of the torch AND your face.

My consumable use had been low and Thermal Dynamics sent me a new
regulator no-questions-asked when the diaphragm went bad.

Perhaps plasma piercing is different form O/A? When I pierce w/ O/A I hold the torch on angle away from me and slowly pitch it upright as the hole deepens. Is that diff from how it would be done w/ a plasma torch?

 

[jimg]

AlanB -- Theyre called motorguard filters. I mentioned that to the sales guy yesterday and he recommended something diff at about the same price. Sure do wished I could recall what it was he recommended.

Neither of the units I mentioned above use HF start. Im not interested in HF start units for the reason you mentioned (safety) and it interferes w/ computing equipment & some (all?) pacemakers.

 

[AlanB]

You can peirce to the side, just as you are doing with the Torch, but,,,, You will be blowing metal all over the place (just like with a torch) and will have a considerable chunk of waste, which sometimes is fine, and sometimes not so fine.

Usually when I am trying to peirce something along those lines, I am trying to save everything I can, which leads back to that drill a quick starter hole.

Trying to remember back to the HF discussion's and why, and I could be off base here on if it was the HF that made it work but. One important consideration that has not mentioned yet, and it may be very important, or not even a consideration for you.

Will the unit do expanded metal easily.

 

[jimg]

OK, sounds like piercing is the same drill w/ plasma...sort of. IIRC when I needed to be neater I could turn down the O a bit. OTOH I was never all the concerned about being neat as this just isnt one of those operations.

Not sure I followed what you said about HF starts. I think many of the better torches now do touch start...at least that how HT & Miller are doing it now.

Both units are supposed to be very good on expanded metal. They talk about that in the sales blurb and the dealer also mentioned it.

 

[Dargo]

We run the toilet paper filters. Most paint and body supply houses have them, I cannot think of the name off the top of my head right now, but it is basicly a roll of toilet paper in a black aluminum housing. Works fairly well.

I have the Motorguard M-60 Motor Guard: Air Management filter as well. I've never used a roll of toilet paper because a HyperTherm rep told me that they'd had issues with some plasma cutters getting damaged due to the toilet paper coming apart under pressure and getting into the plasma cutter. I have no idea if it's true or not, but since the HyperTherm 1250 was so expensive (at least to me), I've always used the actual M723 filter elements. It looks like the M-723 filters use a heavier paper that is harder to tear apart than a roll of toilet paper. At about $6 a filter though, I'm really curious if there really is a risk of the toilet paper coming apart. They sure would be a lot less expensive; unless they came apart and damaged the plasma cutter. Anybody had any experience with that issue?

 

[jimg]

Not sure if thats the filter my dealer recommended but I should ask him. Is the M723 an HT product or after market? I assume it bolts onto the back of the plasma unit? Do you also have a moisture filter at your compressor?

Was over at my welding supply house today getting another part and asked about consumable prices for the machines I was quoted. Looks like theyre all (Miller/HT) in the same ball park. Also asked about the TD unit and he said he was sure its little differ from the other 2 mentioned above exc for perhaps the warranty. Its just that they sell more Miiler/HT than TD.

 

[SkyPup]

I have the Miller Spectrum 375 and it is totally awesome for a small plasma setup.

Miller Plasma Cutter - Spectrum 375 X-TREME

I also use the Motor Guard M-26 Plasma Air Filtration System with it, works great!

Motor Guard M-26 Plasma Air Filter

 

[AlanB]

Mine is clamped to a plastic table at the moment (and yes, that motorguard is what I have) at the moment because I am building a cart to put my plasma on the bottom and baby mig on top (MM130) with gas on the back.

At that point, I will mount the motoguard on the cart.

I hooked mine up with standard Milton M style (I think they are) connectors, and move it too my Bead Blaster as I am too cheap, use bead blaster too little to make it worthwhile to have 2.

Jim, click on the link in Dargo's post and you should see the filter housing, and the filters listed below.

I don't think it was called out for Plasma cutters when I bought mine, but it may have been.

You just really need to watch the flow.

I think at the moment in mine I have the regular MG filter, but it will get TP next time, I think mine came as a kit with a couple filters.

I am sure that the TD guy would see far more then I ever did, but Doc from Action welding did (I believe) almost all the Plasma repairs for them, and he knew we were running those style filters with TP and never mentioned doing anything different, but I do not think we ever posed that exact question too him.

I guess if it did let a piece go that would be bad.

The replacement filters are available at the auto paint stores, so should not be hard to get, and maybe it would be good insurance, it is definetely substantially stouter then TP.

 

[schmism]

I have a Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 51, 40A 220V unit. Works
great. I don't cut thicker than 1/2, tho it is rated to 3/4 steel. I drill
a small hole instead of piercing at that thickness. It pierces easily at
1/8 or below. I recommend Indiana Oxygen as a vendor. I keep my
O/A system for brazing and heating....no cutting.

My neighbor has a Thermal Dynamics (they invented it) and i think ive got more hrs on it than he does. his is a 110 machine and will do up to 1/4" fine. but it will draw all 25 amps! No internal compressor which keeps cost down.

Like rug said, i mainly use my O/A system for heating and brazeing.

as others have mentioned, you do need dry air or you will chew up the consumables quickly. (ie tips)