Plasma cutter - hand held....shopping

[DavesGarage]

Hello gang, been looking for a hand held plasma cutter for a little while now and thought Id search the GJF but didnt find anything so here goes....

A friend of mine has a very busy and successful fabrication shop and he has a nice plasma table for most of the work but he does have a little green Simadre Cut50R that he swears does a great job for him as well. I currently need a hand held plasma for a few projects I am working on but I am leery of buying (unknown to me brands) Chinese stuff because I simply cant afford to play with my money (around $400 new vs $1K used name brand). Anyone have first hand experience with this or a similar unit? I wouldn't be using it much but it would be handy to have one around when needed. Hes never had an issue finding consumables online or an issue with the unit. Hes had it for a year and a half, uses it often, severs 1/2" easily and cuts great at 3/8" and down.

Thanks in advance fellas! Happy New Year!!

 

[MoonRise]

Plasma?

Hypertherm. Done.

Off-name import stuff? You're rolling the dice there IMHO.

Buy once, cry once.

 

[Gamble]

Hypertherm if you can afford it.
If not the Razorweld cut45 and the Vipercut that I sell are great machines.
I would never use a simadre, lotos, cutXX, Eastwood or other very very entry level machines. A good torch is key. Get one with a pilot arc. No HF, none of the ones you have to lift off of.

 

[marinusdees]

Plasma?

Hypertherm. Done.

Off-name import stuff? You're rolling the dice there IMHO.

Buy once, cry once.

Amen, that.

 

[DerekV]

The short answer is Hypertherm.

 

[Badasssapper67]

Do you have another way to cut metal? If you do and you're not going to be taxing it to it's limits more than a couple times a year I'd look around for sure. (I said look) The only way I'd buy an import cheap PC is if it has a fan following and forums where guys disect them and improve/personalize them. If there is that kind of support you will always be able to get consumables. For a shop that has to earn it's keep, you buy a Hypertherm, no question. For a hobbiest that actually WANTS to get to know how things work and why the quit working a Chinese unit can be a great experience. We did a group by here and that was the only way I was confident that it wouldnt end up under a ton of dust because it s**t the bed.
I learned A LOT about how modern tools are made and work and how theyre made cheap(er) than the pro models. When you do get one, let us know and do a review. Take the cover off and make some vids on utube and let us get a look at it. Im going to say that all the "good" Chinese made units are filled with the same guts, who knows?
All I can say is I love my little GJ plasma cutter. Sooooo much quicker than a torch for cutting small radii and stuff, but thats me.
I wish we'd do a tig welder group buy.......

 

[kkroger]

My first experience with Plasma was a Thermal Dynamics, I bought a Hypertherm PM30, go ahead and get the AIR if you go PM30 these days it will cut up to half, I've seen me do it. but Hypertherm all the way, consumables last longer cut is vastly better, not CHEAP but also Buy once Cry Once... find someone to let you BORROW their best ever TD or something then try a Hypertherm.... Seriously

 

[dogdog]

Hypertherm, Miller, Thermal Dynamics....

 

[Joe69]

I've been very happy with my Miller 625 xtreme.

Joe

 

[achirdo]

Hypertherm Powermax 30 AIR

It has an air compressor built in and will cut up to 1/2 plate.

You don't have to drag an air hose to it or worry about wet air. It's all self contained.

Mine has been earning its keep in a commercial environment for 2 years now.

 

[dnschmidt]

If you want a plasma cutter you buy Hypertherm. That's a very short story but that's the way it is.

 

[McFarmer]

Find out how much the consumables cost to replace.

 

[DavesGarage]

All good info and thank you. I agree that Hypertherm is top notch and I definitely would go that route but I dont see myself using it but maybe 2 or 3 times per year so I cant justify spending that coin. I do have a good cutting torch set up but they seem to always cause nearby casualties when working on vehicles. A friend has a thermal dynamics 42 that he said I could borrow, maybe Ill give it a shot and misplace it in my shop haha.

One thing I noticed is that watching reviews and "useage" videos online, the millers and hypertherms make cutting look easy and smooth. The chinese stuff looks like a hatchet would which I am sure is partially the user too though.

 

[txvwnut]

I’ve got a Thermal Dynamics and it too doesn’t get used often, but when it does it’s nice to have it on hand. Don’t be afraid to spend a little coin on one, this is one item where you want the name brand quality unit.

 

[sberry]

Sheet metal or body work is one thing on cars but for repairs I use a torch.

 

[zmotorsports]

The best plasma cutters I have used are the Esab and Hypertherm. They work well and the consumables last a long time.

It pains me to say this because I bleed blue, but steer well away from the Miller plasma cutters. I have not been impressed, the consumables do not last long at all and are a bit pricey.

 

[DavesGarage]

I guess I’ll keep my eyes open for a second hand hypertherm. I see a few on Craigslist and they hold their value well apparently. I just did a bit of cutting and welding today and was thinking how nice it would be to cut steel without ******* the neighbors off with my chop saw.

 

[zmotorsports]

I guess I’ll keep my eyes open for a second hand hypertherm. I see a few on Craigslist and they hold their value well apparently. I just did a bit of cutting and welding today and was thinking how nice it would be to cut steel without ******* the neighbors off with my chop saw.

If you are merely looking for a replacement for a chopsaw or abrasive saw, personally I would lean more towards a bandsaw. That's what finally retired my abrasive saw and I would never go back. I hated the sparks and debris layering the shop with the chopsaw. The bandsaw is so much cleaner of a cut.

I know you originally asked for opinions about plasma cutters, but in my opinion the plasma cutter definitely has its place, but it is not one of my favorite nor most used tools.

 

[Bretny]

I bought a "used" miller 375 about 14 years ago. It looks like it was a display model. It has worked well for me. I believe i paid $1200 shipped. Thats about what they go for currently.

My former job had a lincoln 50a unit, power cut i believe. That thing would burn through consumables like they were free and not even cut its rated thickness.

China makes consulables for all the welding rigs now. Never really had a problem with them. Only had issues with lincoln brand consumables.

 

[06 DIESEL]

I have one, a Lotos LT5000D with pilot arc. I rarely use it, in fact it has been used more by friends than myself. It sits on my cart waiting for the day I need it. It is a cheap Chinese unit and I buy cheap Chinese consumables also from Amazon. I have had no issues with it, if you forget to turn on the air it will burn a tip out the second you touch the trigger.

Work has a Hypotherm that will clean cut 5/8" and sever past 7/8", it runs on 480 three phase and is very nice compared to mine. They also paid almost 4500 for it vs my 300.

 

[DavesGarage]

I totally agree ducksface, I think most people are just above being able to breathe on their own.

I didn’t really think much about the band saw but that is a great idea and I do hate the mess of the chop saw, I will look into this. Most of the stuff I cut is able to be cut with a band saw. Any suggestions on machines to look for? 3/8” mild steel is probably as thick as I’ll ever need to cut.

 

[DerekV]

I totally agree ducksface, I think most people are just above being able to breathe on their own.

I didn’t really think much about the band saw but that is a great idea and I do hate the mess of the chop saw, I will look into this. Most of the stuff I cut is able to be cut with a band saw. Any suggestions on machines to look for? 3/8” mild steel is probably as thick as I’ll ever need to cut.

I just got this one and really like it. It can't replace my Hypertherm, but on the other hand, I'd NEVER want to use the plasma to cut things that I'd use a bandsaw for...you know? I love my Hypertherm, but it has its place. The bandsaw definitely gets more use.

 

[metty]

I have a Vipercut 30 that i got from Gamble about a year ago and it has been great. I have seen/used some of the Lotos and other chinese machines and the Vipercut has much better fit and finish to it. I have not used it a ton but it has worked every time i needed it with no issues.

Not everyone needs the fancyiest plasma or anything for that matter. Buy once cry once is true for a lot of things but for electronics that obsolete themselves in 10 years, it just doest make sense to me. If you are a hobby user and you only use the thing 10 or 15 times a year its going to last a pretty long time and by the time it dies there will be something better and cheaper anyway.

One last point on the Vipercut 30, Gamble is an actual dealer in the US who will support you if you have an issue. if you buy one of the other cheap chinese machines, you need to be prepared to YouTube it if you have an issue and fix it yourself