Plasma or torch

[ilovevocs]

I'm wondering what you guys who have both find yourself reaching for more?

Personally, Im a torch guy. For the work I find myself performing in my home shop the torch is just an easier setup and I personally feel like I have more control with the torch; generally more precision. Lets not mention / consider it's diversity over the plasma. In terms of heating, welding and Brazing.

Generally I'm wondering if I have bad technique / a bad setup , or a lack of skill with the plasma that is causing me to feel this way.

I can't help but feel that if I had a cutting table and a dedicated area for cutting with power and air hook-ups I may use it more.

 

[GIJoe4500]

For cutting steel plate, the plasma. For anything else, the torch. I grew up using the torch, so I have a little better control with it, but I like the plasma because I don't have to refill bottles for it!

 

[IHI]

Plasma serves a niche purpose..and performs its cutting duty very well.

But honestly I think my personal ratio of using torch to plasma is probably 50:1

The torch is just a better multi tasker and when its set up right with a steady hand produces an almost slag free cut as a plasma

 

[MoonRise]

Heating something? Torch (obviously )

Cutting metal? Plasma, if the thickness is within the machine's limits. Steel, stainless steel, brass, aluminum, cast iron, pot metal, if it's metal and within the plasma machine's limits then the plasma will cut it.

The plasma cutter just uses electricity (the machine and the electricity to run the separate air compressor). (ignoring the plasma consumables, which eventually do wear out, but a big ThankYou to Hypertherm for making the 'recent' units pretty darn good on consumable life.)

Portable use, with no electricity available, pushes the choice back to the torch.

But just cutting? Plasma. That 10,000F+ jet just cuts right through things PDQ, yet controlled and accurately (dependent on the operator, of course. )

 

[ilovevocs]

It seems everyone's thoughts are largely in line in with my own. Since im not a full time steel fabricator I honestly feel like it takes up more room in my home shop than it is worth. When I purchased my plasma it was just one of those tools that I thought would speed my work dramatically and make everything a little easier and cleaner and that my torch would see little use once I acquired the plasma. In retrospect I honestly feel that for my needs the money would have been better spent on a nicer mill, lathe, cold saw, ect.

 

[HMCFab9]

I have both.
For nice clean cuts on new steel, the plasma cutter is great.
For cutting old / rusty metal, the torch is probably better, but the cut quality is very poor with lots of grinding to clean it up.

 

[motobilt]

For me it really depends in the task. If I am cutting flat plate the plasma is a much better and faster choice. If I am cutting old brackets from an axle housing or frame rail I will grab the torch and wash them off leaving very little to grind. I grew up using a torch. I don't see having a shop without a torch. It provides so many other uses the plasma can not. With that said if you were going to buy one or the other I would buy a torch.

 

[cnc-me]

Have a plasma and a torch, but for a lot of cutting
end up using a vertical bandsaw. No slag at all, no distortion, and with
the right blade it's quite fast as well.

 

[koditten]

Grew up with a torch. Once I got the plazma cutter, I sold the torches soon after.

If you plan on doing demo work away form the shop, keep the torches.

I like the fact that no one ask to barrow the plazma cutter. Loan out the torches and plan on the tanks coming back empty.

As for heating things up, I have had no trouble using the hand propane torches with the yellow colored tank. I can't remember what it is but it is hotter then the blue bottled popane.

KO

 

[R.Anderson]

I'll machine cut most of the time and for the times I can't plasma or oxy. I rarely have to cut nonferrous metals with plasma. I can make more accurate small round, square, what ever shape holes and cuts better with oxy than with plasma, larger cuts and cuts that don't matter like demo/scrap I tend to go with plasma. For straight long cuts on sheet and plate plasma.

Plasma cutting would be better if they designed a torch more like a oxy torch (long smooth neck and a 90° tip) I think anyway.

I think the number one con with oxy is the explosive hazard. Walk into a shop and see fire burning on the acetylene regulator was scary and times like that makes me glad I don't own a oxy setup for my shop.

Would love to own a CNC plasma table 4x8 would be perfect, it after CNC mill and CNC lathe on my wish list

 

[Joe69]

I'm glad I own both, they both have their place.

Joe

 

[lotsoftools]

One of the pros of oxy-fuel is its ability to cut thicker metals with just a change of the tip. With plasma, thicker metal might be outside of the machines capability and you'd have to get a bigger machine.

 

[2mJps]

I have worked as a fabricator and use the torch more becauce thats what i have used the most. Another thing is the shop that had good plasmas were not real handy. You had to go find one hook it up then put it away at the end of the day. There were torches every were. If i had one seting their all hooked up i would try it more often. But in a shop working for some one time was money and the plasma took time.

 

[ilovevocs]

I have worked as a fabricator and use the torch more becauce thats what i have used the most. Another thing is the shop that had good plasmas were not real handy. You had to go find one hook it up then put it away at the end of the day. There were torches every were. If i had one seting their all hooked up i would try it more often. But in a shop working for some one time was money and the plasma took time.

This is really my feeling as well, even in my small home shop. Unless im making multiples of something the setup time often offsets any time savings experienced once the plasma is hooked up.

 

[bad_idea]

I use both at work occasionally. I do not have any formal training with either, so I find the plasma easier to use, it is idiot proof. That said, I have been struggling w/ which to buy for home use. My next project is new floor pans in my 79 Camaro. Will a torch do a good job of cutting the old ones out? I have heard of many people using a plasma cutter for floor pans, but never a torch. Is there a reason? If the torch will do the job, then I will go with that rather than spend the money on plasma.

 

[ilovevocs]

I use both at work occasionally. I do not have any formal training with either, so I find the plasma easier to use, it is idiot proof. That said, I have been struggling w/ which to buy for home use. My next project is new floor pans in my 79 Camaro. Will a torch do a good job of cutting the old ones out? I have heard of many people using a plasma cutter for floor pans, but never a torch. Is there a reason? If the torch will do the job, then I will go with that rather than spend the money on plasma.

Personally I would trim the floor pans with an angle grinder outfitted with a cutting disk. Depending on how much your replacing It may be possible to overlay the new and old and double cut them. This will give you a really nice fit.

 

[superspec]

I have a HT 45 and use it as often as I can but I wish and will have a torch setup soon.