thermal dynamics plasma cutters

[jabberwoki]

Are they any good? This one seams cheap enough?
http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/3495636543.html

 

[toms73novass]

I have one of their welders and they are well built, not POC.

If I had 440 and 3 phase I would say yes.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

I would not buy a plasma arc cutter from them.

Reason? They closed down their NH manufacturing plant in 2008/2009 and opened a plant in Mexico.

A lot of dedicated, skilled employees kicked to the curb with this move....

Recommend the Hypertherm pac products, still made in NH by employee owned company...

 

[fflintstone]

When it comes to plasma cutters, there is Hypertherm and then everybody else.
That being said I believe thermal dynamics built the original plasma cutter, so they have been in it for the long haul.

 

[BD1]

Hypertherm is the ONLY way to go and I am a MILLER guy. They are the best out there.

 

[justanengineer]

Dam near every plasma cutter I used in the military was a Thermal Dynamics, along with quite a few of their welders. I'd say theyre among the best.

 

[BD1]

Dam near every plasma cutter I used in the military was a Thermal Dynamics, along with quite a few of their welders. I'd say theyre among the best.

Bought by military from LOWEST BIDDER ?

 

[GarageEnvy]

I have a TD cutmaster 38 and it works just fine. I have not used hypertherm but there seems to be a strong consensus that they're top shelf. Mine gets very light usage in a home shop.

 

[rocco]

I'm extremely pleased with my hypertherm Powermax 25, would definitely buy it again. Happy I listened to the recommendations here.

 

[purplezr2]

Bought by military from LOWEST BIDDER ?

If that is how it works apparently snap on must bid low for boxes, you tons of thier boxes on military installations.

 

[justanengineer]

Bought by military from LOWEST BIDDER ?

Yea, it was purely a lowest bidder contract bc thats how the govt rolls....it mustve saved them enough to justify giving me tens of thousands worth of full polish SO and Mac.

Seriously tho, I cant remember the model ## of the plasma cutter I had in my $1M toolbox, but it was used almost all day every day in the desert, with several sessions of 24 hour operations. I'd say if a few dozen soldiers cant manage to break something, its a pretty stout piece of equipment bc we broke everydam thing.

 

[Seb650R]

Go ask around on weldingweb. The thermal dynamics stuff is supposed to be good and reasonably priced. If you want the best, its hypertherm. I have yet to see a single person say hypertherm doesn't make the best cutters.

For $300 it doesn't seem like you could loose as long as you have 3-phase.

 

[Provincial]

I understand that some older Thermal Arc plasma cutters are no longer supported by TA. This is from comments on internet sites.

Also, make sure that the consumables are the more common type. Some plasma cutters used consumables that are hard to find and more expensive.