Plasma cutter

[daddycreswell]

I am looking into getting a hobby plasma cutting table. I don't need a high dollar one, just something that will work well for my needs of cutting up to 1/2 inch for sign etc. Will be cutting thinner stuff more than anything. Thanks in advance.

 

[ForceFed70]

Not sure you'll find what you're looking for. Plasma, hobby, and 1/2" generally don't go together. Kinda like "Cheap, good, and Fast".

MY recommendation would be to look at DIY 2 axis CNC tables, and adapting to hold a plasma torch. Just keep in mind that you can easily exceed duty cycle when using a table.

 

[Burl]

Are you talking about cutting 1/2" steel? What material?

 

[JohnnyK8]

Eastwood Versacut40/60 is very reasonable and flexible

Edit... You want a table not cutter. I need to read more gooder.

Sent from my Lenovo TB-8504F using Tapatalk

 

[daddycreswell]

I already know what table I am buying, they offer a plasma cutter with it, but I haven't read good things about them. I should have stated the fact that I know what table I am getting....sorry.

https://store.langmuirsystems.com/products/crossfire-cnc

 

[Jackfre]

Buy at least one thickness higher than you say you need. Mine is hand held so that certainly factors in, but when I do 1/2" with mine it gets pretty ragged. If you need 1/2", buy at least a 3/4" capable machine. Just enough in plasma isn't!

 

[maxpower_hd]

1/2" sounds pretty darn thick and heavy for a sign. Are you sure that is what you need/want? Sounds cool though.

 

[daddycreswell]

1/2" sounds pretty darn thick and heavy for a sign. Are you sure that is what you need/want? Sounds cool though.

Oh yea...1/2 inch is to heavy for a sign. I will be cutting thin stuff 99% of the time, but if someone need a part for something heavier I'd like to be able to cut it. Kind of overkill......

 

[Ralphxj]

Hypertherm 45 (the new version is the 45xp) will cut 1/2in with no problems!

 

[maxpat82]

I have a Hypertherm Powermax 30 and it's super nice.
It would cut through 3/8 and can force it's way through 1/2" if really needed.

look at your table spec....1/2" plate can be more then what a DIY/affordable table can handle

 

[maxpower_hd]

I have a Hypertherm Powermax 30 and it's super nice.
It would cut through 3/8 and can force it's way through 1/2" if really needed.

look at your table spec....1/2" plate can be more then what a DIY/affordable table can handle

This is the one I have too. It is very nice. I've never had to cut 1/2" with it though.

 

[bdbecker]

...I don't need a high dollar one...

What do you consider "high dollar"? If its $2k, you've got plenty of options. Hypertherm would be my first choice. If its closer to the $1k mark, you'll have a tougher time finding anything name brand with 1/2" capacity.

 

[Brand X]

https://www.weldersupply.com/P/2815/Cutmaster5820ftSL60QD208-230VAC

This is one of the best values at $1295 after rebate..

 

[daddycreswell]

Well....all of you are out of my price range. The ones offered with the table are 500-700 dollar plasma cutter. Would like to stay in that range. Probably will be able to stay in that range as long as I commit to cutting thinner metal.

 

[BukitCase]

https://www.everlastgenerators.com/product/plasma/powerplasma-50s

Top of your price range, 5 year warranty - my plasma is Hypertherm pm45, but I have an Everlast Power Itig200T, 3 years now with ZERO problems. All the inverter options make stick welding FUN again. That's sayin' quite a bit, besides my older stuff I also have Miller MM211 and MM252 migs, 252 with 30' spool gun.

Whatever you do, try and avoid mosfets; IGBT's are newer/more reliable... Steve

 

[lilscorpion]

From experience - I had a Hypertherm Powermax 1000 that I ran on a few different plasma tables for quite a few years. It's recommended capacity is 3/4", 1" max, severs at 1 1/4". I spent a lot of time trying to accomplish clean cuts because I was using it for business. That being said, here's my high-level recommendations:

1. You may choose to get a 2 axis machine because it's cheap. At some point not having height control will really bug you if not ruin a bunch of projects if you really do end up cutting mostly light-gauged material. Heat causes material to warp and lift off the table...and hit your torch. The Torch can weld itself to the material and the table will likely be able to drag a thin sheet around until it crashes hard (worse case). Lesson - height control is king even for the hobby guy.
2. Machine piercing is the hardest activity your machine will have to do in thicker materials. My machine, again rated at 3/4", did ok in 1/2 but the blow-back was enough that sometimes it ate consumables. A stronger machine wouldn't have had that same problem.
3. if your machine can handle the thickness of the material, you will want to start looking into the right consumables for the thickness material you want to cut. Consumable technology is getting better but there's still not an ideal universal consumable. Don't worry about which one now, just make sure that the machine you get comes with a machine torch which has consumable options/choices for different materials.
4. My Hypertherm has a million hours on it, never skipped a beat, never needed service, and cuts like it was new to this day. I don't know about their quality now-a-days but my experience would have buying another made by them if I ever end up in the market again.
5. I did buy a little guy at one point - it supposedly cut 1/8-inch. It was really designed to be used for body work I think. though it was a good machine and did what it said it could do thickness-wise, I found out almost immediately that I rarely needed to only cut material less than 1/8-inch no matter what I was doing. At leases once I get to something that needed a little more than the machine could do and I'd have to go get the bigger machine. Took me all of a few uses to realize one good machine is likely all I really needed.

 

[Whiskeymike]

Hypertherm hands down. I’ve owned a 65 for 4 years and it’s been great.

 

[Matti]

I'm very happy with my Thermadyne. Its not going to be the cheapest.
https://www.thermal-dynamics.com/td...m?fuseaction=home.product&productCode=V470003