What can you expect from a plasma cutter?

sassafraspete · Jan 8, 2005

Gene, sounds like you have a great set-up. I have read this thread with interest. I don't weld now, nor have any equipment....but a dream of mine to someday get started.

Your cart combo sounds good. I always thought it would be great to have a "welding trailer", where one could be portable. It would include one of those big generator/ stick welder combos....an air compressor, mig welder, and plasma cutter...and place for tanks. Sounds like you have a mini version of that. Could a guy fit all that on one of those small 4X8 trailers?

How's that for a pipe dream....albeit an expensive one.

Tevi · Jan 8, 2005

If you did it right and bought new it would run between 6 k and 10k

PineRidge · Jan 8, 2005

I wouldn't think 6 to 10K would near cover it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I'll bet if a full time welder jumped in here and started talking about generator welders, gas torches, plasma cutters, mig, tig, and the like we might be surprised at their investment.

TC-40D SS web pictures click here

sassafraspete · Jan 8, 2005

ok, how about some rough estimates

generator / DC stick /tig combo..... 2500?
good mig..................................... 2000?
Plasma........................................ 2000?
Air Compressor............................ 500?
Torch.......................................... ?
trailer......................................... 500?
Tanks......................................... ?

7500 +++

Tevi · Jan 8, 2005

( I wouldn't think 6 to 10K would near cover it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I'll bet if a full time welder jumped in here and started talking about generator welders, gas torches, plasma cutters, mig, tig, and the like we might be surprised at their investment. )I"m going by what I have in my set up for my company.$2500 for my Bobcat welder/$1600 for my Miller DVI mig/$1800 for my plasma/$1200 for my RolAir compressor/$1000 in O/A setup then you've got angle grinders and band saws.If you want to get fancy I also have 2 Hougen mag drills and a Hougen metal punch.This puts my setup towards 15k not including trailer

PineRidge · Jan 8, 2005

Guy's I'm not saying that hobby welders or a guy welding as a sideline business can't do it for less than 10 grand.

Heck back when I was in the heating business we had moon-lighters working out of the back of old pick-up trucks with a minimum of inventory and most worked for beer money. They had no idea of even what to charge for their services

What I am saying is that the majority of full time welders have lots more than 10 grand invested in their tools and their truck or trailer, whichever they may use to transport their shop on wheels.

TC-40D SS web pictures click here

tomrscott · Jan 8, 2005

I was curious to see what it would cost to rent a good plasma cutter to try it out. I found a place locally that will rent a Thermal Dyamics plasma cutter rated for 1/2" to 5/8" (40A I think) for $40 a day, three day min, $120 a week. So I could have one for a week for $120 plus consumables. I've got one large job that I could do in a day or so, maybe I can save up 5 or 6 other quick projects and get some good out of it.

Does that sound like a reasonable rate? Can't really afford to buy one now, but I've got about 2500 inches of cutting on 3/8" steel.

I understand that I need to put a filter or two on my air compressor to clean up the output.

johnbilt · Jan 9, 2005

Hi

A rental sounds great !! I would recommend renting a larger machine if possible if you are going to cut 2500 inches. That's a fair amount of cutting and a 40A machine will be fairly slow on 3/8". It will do the job though. I would recommend that you buy a few spare consumables.

You need a solid supply of air to get a good cut. Check the specs on the machine and make sure your compressor is up to the task. Keep the line clean and put a good prefilter on the plasma cutter.

John

PineRidge · Jan 9, 2005

Tomrscott I haden't even thought about that possibility. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif But I do have more than a couple of projects planned and renting might be a real good idea. Off to the yellow pages......

Thanks for the idea!

TC-40D SS web pictures click here

Cliff_Johns · Jan 9, 2005

( You need a solid supply of air to get a good cut. Check the specs on the machine and make sure your compressor is up to the task. )

I noticed that some of the plasma cutters come with an integral compressor (specifically a Hobart model I saw). I thought it would be a benefit to have a compressor sized for the machine and to not be tied to having my compressor in the barn every time I want to use a plasma cutter.

Would it be better to have a separate compressor?

Cliff