plasma cutter ?

[Johnny A]

Hey all,

My buddy let me use his plasma cutter & I fell in love. It's a HOBART plasma AirForce 12ci. It's a homeowner model with built in air compressor. It's a nice portable plasma cutter for what I can use.



Has anyone bought one & regret it ?

 

[shawnspeed]

I bought an import plasma a few years ago and regret it...should have bought a brand name like Hobart/miller/Hypotherm....JMO..Shawn

 

[Streetbu]

I bought an older Hobart plasma. Thought it just needed a new cup and consumables. Ended up the board was fried. Cheaper to buy a new unit than fix the old one. Wasted lots of money and didn't have the $ to get a new one.... But new or don't get one.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I've got a HF plasma. Second one. Running them is SO much cheaper than OA, that when the first one kicked it, I was glad to pony up. This second one has lasted years longer than the first.

 

[Moose364]

I Have a lotos LTP5000d for close to a year. It gets used a adv of 1 time a week, I paid 329.00 at Newegg and I have 0 complaints yea it may blow smoke next time I use it, but so far it's been awesome.

 

[ymurf]

My buddy has a cnc plasma cutter and it is awesome.

 

[dogdog]

I think the hypertherm powermax 30XP has the build in compressor and portable, think it's also dual voltage.... not cheaper but definitely a little more reliable, top notch .... that said my Chinese CUT512D I got from some fly by night ebay seller from Chicago, is Junk, Junked...so I tend to stay away from lesser known brand equipment that I want to use more than once, twice or thrice.........

 

[BD1]

Hypertherm plasmas are the best you can buy. Here's some info on the PM air 30 from WELDINGWEB.
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?586151-Pm-30-air

If you want to read more go here, you won't be dissappointed !
http://weldingweb.com/forumdisplay.php?57-Hypertherm

 

[BuildFixModify]

I have a hypotherm and love it. When I bought it the sales man told me to buy the biggest one I could afford. That was very good advice!

 

[Stuart in MN]

Interesting...8 replies, and none of them were to the question that was asked.

 

[brownbagg]

i got a hyperthem 45. saw it on jay leno garage and ordered it the next day

 

[Slackerzinc]

Don't buy a plasma with a built in air compressor. You will regret it, spend a few dollars more and buy the next size up.

 

[nadogail]

I don't own a plasma cutter, but when my employer, at the company I retired from told my that the plasma cutter was not working and that l needed to fix it, I had to ask what's a plasma cutter? At the time I did not know very much about welding.

The welder was just barely helpful, fortunately it was a Hypertherm.

I called Hypertherm, and explained my situation, after giving them the model and serial number, an engineer at the factory walked me through what I needed to do to make the machine and the lazy weldor return to production.

The problem with the plasma cutter turned out to be broken conductors in the cable to the torch.

IMHO, the damage was probably caused by a weldor who didn't appreciate that the wages he was being paid were possible only because of the profits generated by the return on the investors investment and productivity of the employees.

If I ever buy with my own money, a Plasma Cutter for my hobby shop it will be a Hypertherm because of the customer service I received..

 

[rsanter]

I love mine and use it regularly.
Don't regret the purchase at all

Bob

 

[ovrrdrive]

I bought an Eastwood Versa Cut60 and it was actually a really nice machine. After I got it I decided to build a CNC table and then found out you can't use that with a table so I sold it and bought a Hypertherm PM65. While the Cut60 was a great machine the PM65 is just in a whole new ballpark. I'm amazed every time I use it. It did cost 5 times what the Eastwood did but I don't regret buying either one of them.

 

[malibu101]

I have a Thermal Dynamics Drag-Gun for about 10 years. It is a small 120V unit with a built-in air compressor. I got it for bodywork and for sheetmetal it is as awesome as a plasma is. No complaints.

However, not being able to do anything on "heavier" metal is a bummer.
Don't bother with anything that has an onboard compressor. I've never had the need to operate away from an air source.
Go a bit bigger and be happier to conquer more than thin steel.

 

[gatorxxx]

Yea I bought one, it works fine, do I regret the purchase, maybe, I can't keep it busy so it collects a lot of dust. It's ready when needed though. gator

 

[crab]

I have an Esab, very seldom gets used. It's a good machine I just don't need it very often. If you need to heat things you will still need a torch. A chop saw or angle grinder makes better cuts but once in awhile a plasma is what you need. I wont sell it but I don't think I would buy another one.

 

[Blue XJ]

I picked up a smaller 'hobby grade' 120 volt Campbell Hausfeld one at Menards a while back. They had them on clearance for $400, I figured for that price I couldn't pass it up. I've cut every thickness up to about 3/16" with it. It'll handle the thick stuff, but you have to go very slow, for the amount I use it on thicker stuff I can't complain. It's usually just for sheet metal or maybe some 1/8" once in a while. I don't use it as much anymore, but I do not regret getting one, especially for that price. It sure comes in handy when cutting curves or shapes out of metal as well, stuff that would be almost impossible with a cutoff wheel is a breeze with the plasma.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I have used the Hobart with the air compressor built in and it worked OK. But I bought a Hypotherm without it and just use my shop air. You will get more umph out of a 220V machine just like with a welder and I have heard complaints about the air compressors going bad on the built in ones.

I do like the Hobart brand though. I just happened to get a deal on the Hypertherm for only a little more $$$ so I got it instead and love it.

 

[Eldogg]

I have a Lincoln Pro-Cut 55. I don't use it alot but its really nice when you do.

 

[BD1]

Interesting...8 replies, and none of them were to the question that was asked.

Yea, suggesting more options and a better investment for his money and a link for additional info.

 

[McLean]

I know many people with disagree about this, but here's my take:

Manual (not CNC) plasma cutters are the MOST OVERRATED METAL FABRICATION TOOL.

They are expensive, the cut quality *****, clean up time is through the roof, and they make a huge mess. There are many ways to cut metal and the ONLY advantage to manual plasma is rough cut speed. They are very useful for certain applications, but in general, highly overused and overrated.

To answer your question, I have a Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 39 that I bought used. It works well and I have had no issues with it.
Do I regret buying it? NO.
Would I pay full price for one? probably not.
Would I be sad about getting rid of it? not really.
Like I said above, it is very useful for certain applications, but most of the time it sits on the cart while I use a better (and cheaper!) tool for the job.

Just my 2 cents from a hobby fabricator.

-Chris

 

[Buckgnarly]

Interesting...8 replies, and none of them were to the question that was asked.

Counting yours, nine....

I got a sweet deal on a Hobart 625 from Sears on clearance, I absolutely do not regret it. Even if I had to shell out 1-2k I would not regret it. Intricate shapes, making or cutting off brackets, all are way easier than my oxy-acetylene. This is just my opinion of course, but getting out the plasma is easier than the oxy rig.

I will also second that unless you need it to be portable, do not waste your time on built in compressors...but do make sure you have nice dry air in your shop. I would also stay away from the foreign stuff that may have no support in 5 years, but again, JMHO.

 

[ovrrdrive]

I know many people with disagree about this, but here's my take:

Manual (not CNC) plasma cutters are the MOST OVERRATED METAL FABRICATION TOOL.

They are expensive, the cut quality *****, clean up time is through the roof, and they make a huge mess. There are many ways to cut metal and the ONLY advantage to manual plasma is rough cut speed. They are very useful for certain applications, but in general, highly overused and overrated.

To answer your question, I have a Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 39 that I bought used. It works well and I have had no issues with it.
Do I regret buying it? NO.
Would I pay full price for one? probably not.
Would I be sad about getting rid of it? not really.
Like I said above, it is very useful for certain applications, but most of the time it sits on the cart while I use a better (and cheaper!) tool for the job.

Just my 2 cents from a hobby fabricator.

-Chris

I agree with some of that. On cut quality though if you have the right machine and use it right there really isn't a whole lot of cleanup. I'm always amazed at the cut quality of my PM65 and if there's any dross at all on the metal after the cut a few taps on the edge with a hammer and it comes right off.

You have to set the machine to the material you're cutting.
You have to use a guide of some sort. At least I do.
You have to keep the angle of the torch consistently at 90 degrees (left to right) to the material.
And you have to pull the torch with a smooth steady motion.

If I do all the above the cut looks almost like it was sheared. I cut off some old rusty bolts with it yesterday that would have taken half a day with a hacksaw, or even a few hours with a cutoff wheel. It took me longer to put out a blanket and some protective cardboard than it did to make the cuts.

 

[brownbagg]

what clean up, mine cuts like butter, no grinding at all. would i pay full price, hell yes, mine was $1400. would i buy aagin, hell yes, best hing since slice bread. I will pull the plasma out for simple cuts, i use mine close to five time a day. and cheap to operate. way cheaper than saw blades or gas.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I agree with brownbagg and overrdrive. If you are spending a ton of time cleaning up after cutting with your plasma you have a crappy machine or you're doing it wrong. Mine cuts WAY cleaner than torches, is easier to use AND set up. Especially in places where other tools won't work well like cutting pieces of a truck frame which is my most recent project. It is MUCH faster even for simple cuts in angle for example than a cut off saw and it leaves less of a mess on the floor to clean up too. I don't see ANY drawbacks to mine. Pretty much the only time I use a cut off wheel now is to cut something so small that I don't feel like rolling up the gun and ground wire from the plasma.

One thing to keep in mind is consumables. You want to be able to go to your local store and get tips for example. So make sure whatever brand you buy you have easy access to that stuff.

 

[APEowner]

I know many people with disagree about this, but here's my take:

Manual (not CNC) plasma cutters are the MOST OVERRATED METAL FABRICATION TOOL.

They are expensive, the cut quality *****, clean up time is through the roof, and they make a huge mess. There are many ways to cut metal and the ONLY advantage to manual plasma is rough cut speed. They are very useful for certain applications, but in general, highly overused and overrated.

To answer your question, I have a Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 39 that I bought used. It works well and I have had no issues with it.
Do I regret buying it? NO.
Would I pay full price for one? probably not.
Would I be sad about getting rid of it? not really.
Like I said above, it is very useful for certain applications, but most of the time it sits on the cart while I use a better (and cheaper!) tool for the job.

Just my 2 cents from a hobby fabricator.

-Chris

You have either a technique or tool issue. A properly set and used plasma cutter should have little or no cleanup required after the cut.

 

[sberry]

A hobby guy runs out of work quickly. I use a lot of stuff and I could and would consider a machine a class smaller than the 2050 I have and at the time I was considering other work, would not pay for the multi V again. If it came up would simply buy another if I really needed to run from 3 ph, money flushed.
Some money spent on a decent one recommended by these guys is money well spent if a guy is busy. Its super fast and can be as precision as you want it to be.
As with any hand cutting if it needs to be accurate need to draw a fine line. Even with a guide, a paint stick with small clamp at one end I draw a line.

 

[sberry]

I use torch if I need heat, I use it away from 50 ft of plasma, on service truck. I cut 1/2 on a chop saw and 1/2 plasma, it makes 100's of cuts. Its a bit dirty, its so fast that a guy can make a cut with a long breath and doesn't have to **** up a dirty plume and those plates and angle are not in the position they may have been cut in but generally descriptive.
If I had to cut a couple pieces of steel here and there I might look for more immediately cheaper options, if a guy is recovering materials, doing real repair then its a different matter. If mine broke would be replaced, might take time to get something more economical than I did.
Its a thing of beauty for processing scrap to usable pieces. It can be worth saving some steel if a guy can cut it for storage quick.

 

[sberry]

This would be too slow and cost too much with other methods.

 

[sberry]

I am trying to use it down. I go to the steel yard about once a year if I am jammed up.

 

[McLean]

I agree with some of that. On cut quality though if you have the right machine and use it right there really isn't a whole lot of cleanup. I'm always amazed at the cut quality of my PM65 and if there's any dross at all on the metal after the cut a few taps on the edge with a hammer and it comes right off.

You have to set the machine to the material you're cutting.
You have to use a guide of some sort. At least I do.
You have to keep the angle of the torch consistently at 90 degrees (left to right) to the material.
And you have to pull the torch with a smooth steady motion.

If I do all the above the cut looks almost like it was sheared. I cut off some old rusty bolts with it yesterday that would have taken half a day with a hacksaw, or even a few hours with a cutoff wheel. It took me longer to put out a blanket and some protective cardboard than it did to make the cuts.

100% agree. Using it with a guide yields great results, especially when using one that is the proper height to give you accurate stand off height (or using drag tip).

APEowner- That is VERY likely. I'm sure much of my dissatisfaction with plasma comes from my inexperience, poorly set up machine, and unsteady hands, but I have still yet to see any hand cut plasma parts with a finish that rivals a bandsaw, jigsaw, or even cutoff wheels. Even many CNC plasma parts seem to lack acceptable surface finish (poorly setup systems, albeit) The cleanup I am referring to is the actual cut edge (slag should be a non-issue IMO).

Maxpower_hd- Love the plasma for cutting off brackets or really any de-construction. Sold my torch many years ago, although occasionally wish I didn't for other uses.

Like I mentioned, I'm just a hobby fabricator. I've probably only cut a few hundred parts with plasma and I know there is plenty of room for improvement in my skills. The intention of my original comment was only to express that there are many ways to skin this cat and, in my experience, plasma is not the most economical method. But it sure is fun!

Maybe I'll try to find or start a plasma techniques thread to facilitate some collaboration. Lots of great minds here!

 

[ratdoggy]

How about a Hobart Airforce 27i ?
They have this at Tractor Supply..
I'm kind of leaning towards it.

 

[maxpower_hd]

100% agree. Using it with a guide yields great results, especially when using one that is the proper height to give you accurate stand off height (or using drag tip).

APEowner- That is VERY likely. I'm sure much of my dissatisfaction with plasma comes from my inexperience, poorly set up machine, and unsteady hands, but I have still yet to see any hand cut plasma parts with a finish that rivals a bandsaw, jigsaw, or even cutoff wheels. Even many CNC plasma parts seem to lack acceptable surface finish (poorly setup systems, albeit) The cleanup I am referring to is the actual cut edge (slag should be a non-issue IMO).

Maxpower_hd- Love the plasma for cutting off brackets or really any de-construction. Sold my torch many years ago, although occasionally wish I didn't for other uses.

Like I mentioned, I'm just a hobby fabricator. I've probably only cut a few hundred parts with plasma and I know there is plenty of room for improvement in my skills. The intention of my original comment was only to express that there are many ways to skin this cat and, in my experience, plasma is not the most economical method. But it sure is fun!

Maybe I'll try to find or start a plasma techniques thread to facilitate some collaboration. Lots of great minds here!

Got it now. A band saw will produce a nicer cut but probably not a jig saw in my experience. At least not mine. And definitely not a cutting wheel usually. I use a straight edge or guide when I need nice results and a quick pass with a grinder is usually all that is needed before welding.

The plasma is just more portable and convenient when working on something out in the driveway or in a vehicle for example.

 

[Scott Carl]

I bought a HyperTherm 380 several years ago (Before the self contained units came out) and I have a 60 gallon compressor. If I had to buy new I'd go for the self contained and Brand Name. However, I have no regrets for my purchase. I'm a retired/disabled welder fabricator and now full time hobbyist and work out of my garage so portability isn't really a factor for me personally. YMMV. The only thing I need O/A for is heating metal but I have a couple different forges for most heating needs...

Scott

 

[BFHammer]

I bought an Eastwood Versacut40 because the price was right and it was more or less to accomplish a couple of specific projects. It blew through consumables like nobody's business and worked ok if you held your mouth just right.

Right before the 90 day exchange was up I returned it. After much reading and talking to others I bit the bullet on a Hypertherm Powermax 45. Absolutely no comparison - I've cut twice as much material and still on the original consumables it much more powerful and performs consistently every time.

I've cut half inch plate and I think it's wondering - is that all you've got. Love it! No regrets!

 

[sberry]

It makes something so hard so easy and reduces the cost and handling gasses of torches. So much cooler handling after the fact and not quite as razor sharp as some of the other methods. Its super for trim to fit work. We built something a whileback and my helper was wanting to weld it all due to the labor of bolt holes. It could have been done so demolition wasn't much of an issue but once we had a pattern it was a few minutes to blow 32 holes in 10 ga plate.

 

[sberry]

I finally took it off its cart and put it on a synch. I took a Hobart off a cart and landed it there too. I played musical carts.

 

[sberry]

Tossed 2 carts, used the top of the other machine that want nothing but a junk collector. ****, its got me rotated and don't know how to change. I accidently hit the upgrade button to windows 10 and the learning curve is hi.