I'm interested in a plasma cutter for hobby use. I want to be able to cut fenders and frames, that kind of thing. I don't need an industrial unit but I don't want junk. What should I look for and look out for? What should be a red flag on used units?
They should be able to cut min.3/8" i would look into a Lincoln or miller both are in a good price range and parts are easy to find.
I have had a Thermal Dynamics cutmaster 51 for several years and it has been a great machine. If possible try to stick with a major brand like ESAB, Miller Lincoln, Hobart of Thermal Dynamics. If you look at a used unit be cautious of water corrosion damage. If the prior owner didnt have a air drier I would pass. Look at duty cycle and price and availabilty of consumables. A cutter will use up tips etc with normal use. Cutting guide kits are available and with them you will be able to make very beautiful professional cuts. Nothing like making your own stuff or selling your skills to finance your projects. Best of luck. Dave
i purchased a hobart about 3 years ago which is made by miller and if ever needs serviced miller does it. i have never had a problem with mine and would recommend it
I have owned my Hypertherm powermax 30 for about 5 years. no complaints. The reason I bought the Hypertherm unit is it uses the cheapest consumables, ($42 for 5 electrodes and 5 cups) Esab consumables were the most expensive. Mine is big enough to do high quality on 3/16ths, 3/8ths is max and anything over that is just melting and dripping. I don't know the duty cycle off hand but I've cut for hours with a template, moving, clamping, cutting, repeat, in 3/16ths without it kicking out the thermal switch.
The miller extreme series is hard to beat for the price, it's about the size of a webster dictionary and will cut 5/8", Pretty sweet! http://www.ebay.com/itm/MILLER-SPEC...826?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20bfddba1a
How much experience do you have with using plasma cutters? They can make pretty sloppy cuts if you're not diligent with them. You may be better off using the money for a nice portaband and metal shear.
I have used quiet a few but bang for the buck the miller rottenleonard recommended is the one I think is best all around
Call your local welding dealer and have them let you try a couple out before you buy. Do your homework and stop by a couple local fab shops and ask them about theirs. Sometimes these machines sit more than they are used and end up being expensive shelf!
Hypertherm is the Cadillac of plasma cutters. We have 2 in our shop and both do a fantastic job. You will probably need a Powermax 45. It will do anything on a car you would even want to cut.
I have always been a fan of Lincoln products and when I went to my local dealer to buy a plasma cutter he told me that every Lincoln unit he sold had come back for warranty. About that time three pro welders walked in and he asked them what they used and all three said Hypertherm. I bought the Powermax and it comes with both 220VAC and 110VAC power cords. It will cut 3/8" steel all day and the consumables are the same as Miller. It is a small machine about the size of a Playmate lunchbox. You do need to have a clean and dry air source with any of them.
I have one, am on my third one actually. The first two they say got damaged in shipping to them. They said they had a bad batch. The third one seems to be fine. I would like to compare it to say a miller in person to see just how good or bad it is. Eastwoods customer service is good and replaced without incident.
i have a thermal dynamics cutmaster 51 at work and 50 at home they both are great machines the 51 has been beat to death by the others at work and it still cuts great and its like 10 years old i also have a miller thunderbolt for sheetmetal and stuff up to 3/16 i believe. its good if you dont have an air compressor because its built in but its best on thinner clean metal. ive heard the hypertherms are great also ive never used one tho
I bought one when they first came out 2 years ago. No complaints. Just had an issue with the torch retaining cap today and Eastwood is sending me a whole new torch, no questions asked. I say you can't beat their plasma, particularly for hobby use.
I also have the Eastwood type cutter. Actually mine is from the manufacturer Eastwood buys theirs from. Over six years old, used in a shop environment and abused many times. Replaced one off/on switch.. Still works like new and cuts 5/8" steel. Consumables are unbelievably cheap and ordered direct from manufacturer, arrives in seven working days..
Only 1 person has mentioned anything pertaining to the power requirements or quality/volume of air needed, so it's worth repeating. Make sure you have everything necessary to run the machine before you buy it. If you have the small Craftsman compressor in the corner that you have to wait for when taking off a set of wheels, it IS NOT going to keep up with the demands of your machine. You need CLEAN AND DRY AIR and A LOT OF IT. Also be certain to check the power requirements and be sure you have the service needed to run it. I thought we had the service, but, we are right on the edge, so for bigger projects I usually end up running my Thermal Dynamics machine off of our Miller Trailblazer.
Just got a Miller Extreme 625, WOW! Really cool, the plastic box for storage and transportation with unit weighs 21 lbs. Smallest thing I have ever seen and cuts fantastic. Its rated at 13 feet per inch on 1/8 sheet metal. Should be a great addition for the shop.
I have a miller 375 for hand cutting that I have had for about 10 years and has never let me down. And have a hypertherm powermax 65 on my plasma table and it flat kicks ass. The other bonus of the hypertherm is that one of the guys the works for them (Jim colt) is on pirate4x4 in the torchmate section and will answer ?'s whenever he is on there. Most of the time it's faster than making a phone call.
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