Plasma cutter recommendation

[SS396driver]

Need to upgrade from cutting wheels and torches . Looked at a Hobart but don’t think I really need a $1k unit . Little Leary off HF stuff but the price looks good .

Would like some real world experiences and which are good and the ones to avoid

 

[sundance]

No experience to help with but will follow with interest as I've considered the same upgrade if it could be done at a reasonable price.

 

[dave_dj1]

I'm from the "buy once, cry once" camp
I wouldn't buy anything but a Hypertherm but that's me. The first one I bought was a new Hypertherm Powermax 30, it did OK up 1/4" but struggled with 3/8". No I have a Hypertherm Powermax 900 that will sever 1 1/8" steel, cut's 3/8" like butter. One thing to keep in mind is they take a lot of air and clean dry air to make the consumables last.
I know it's an investment but what good tool isn't?
The Hobart one is only good for thin sheet metal. Search the used tool classifieds.
For reference I have a 5hp two stage compressor with 140 gals of storage.

 

[daddy]

I vote Hypertherm, but doubt very much you can get one under a grand. Sorry if that does not help you.

 

[husky455rancher]

I’ve used a fair amount of plasma cutters in my day. Hypertherm is awesome I’m not gonna argue that. For me personally I don’t do a lot of metal work at home anymore so I didn’t wanna spend that much on it. I took a shot at an Amazon throwaway one. I haven’t used it much hence why I bought the cheap one but it really impressed me. How many hours will it hold up? I have no idea but as of now I like it for what I use it for.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Does physical size matter? If you don't need the small frame of an inverter unit, you can always search classifieds across the webs for an old transformer machine. I just picked up an old Thermal Arc PAK 5XR transformer machine for $350. It's rated for 1/2". New-production factory consumables aren't cheap but new old-stock can be had on ebay cheap. New-production electrodes are $17 each and I managed to find a 5-pack of electrodes, 20 tips and 20 ceramic shields for $60 on ebay, all new old-stock.

I also have a cheap Cut-50 Chinese inverter unit. It's a bench-top model and is good for thin stuff. It was cheap and so are the consumables. Anything over 1/8" and it starts to bevel the cut. They claim 50-amps but that's a joke much like anything that comes from China on the cheap these days.

It really depends on what you plan on doing with it. Zipping sheet metal, 1/4", 3/4"? I'm guessing you'll handle some thicker stuff since you mentioned a torch, but those capacities cost money unless you are okay with buying an older machine.

 

[Bill G]

I will tell you from real life experience they will never deliver as advertised. I am NOT talking about low budget crap. I am talking about high end units, It is sad when you drop thousands on a plasma unit and I can out cut it with a gas axe.

 

[SS396driver]

I don’t cut thick stuff all that much I was thinking maybe 1/4 inch at the most . Don’t need speed since it’s not for production work

 

[OH_Varmntr]

I will tell you from real life experience they will never deliver as advertised. I am NOT talking about low budget crap. I am talking about high end units, It is sad when you drop thousands on a plasma unit and I can out cut it with a gas axe.

To be fair, a plasma machine will never outperform what a oxy/acetylene torch can do.

My 1/2" rated transformer machine cuts 1/2" quite well even with worn out consumables.


For reference, my xfmr machine next to a similar rated Chinese inverter machine.

 

[Bill G]

What amp unit is that? I am assuming 50

 

[OH_Varmntr]

What amp unit is that? I am assuming 50

It's 3 settings are 20, 35 and 55 amps.

 

[Bill G]

About 25 years ago I had a welding supply guy that would come by all the time trying to sell me something. I was thinking about a plasma machine but knew squat about them. I took him out to the shop and pointed and a pile of 1/2" x 4" x 21ft steel. I told him I need a machine that will effectively cut that in 6 inch pieces. Well he said he had just the machine. He brought me a 50 amp Thermal Dynamics unit. It would not touch the plate with any speed. You could zip though 1/8" but I needed to cut much thicker.

 

[les-or-more]

About 25 years ago I had a welding supply guy that would come by all the time trying to sell me something. I was thinking about a plasma machine but knew squat about them. I took him out to the shop and pointed and a pile of 1/2" x 4" x 21ft steel. I told him I need a machine that will effectively cut that in 6 inch pieces. Well he said he had just the machine. He brought me a 50 amp Thermal Dynamics unit. It would not touch the plate with any speed. You could zip though 1/8" but I needed to cut much thicker.

I bought a cutmaster 52 in 2014 it has served me well with no issues. 1/2" material is no problem 5/8" slows travel a bit and 3/4" is doable but slow. I use it mainly for aluminum now as saw blade tech has made leaps in the time I have had it. The electricity required along with the air supply, I can cut most things while the compressor is filling up to cut with plasma. You can't get away from a torch because of material thickness, the whole thing is just another addiction!

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I had a Hypertherm 380 for many years and was able to do whatever was needed modifying my rock crawler, even occasionally cutting 3/8” steel.
it is best with 1/8” or less but had no problem with 1/4”. 20a/220 and a sm compressor is all it needs.
Sold it last year to a friend when I found a model 600 for a price I couldn’t pass up.

 

[Ol' Brian]

Have you looked at Everlast?

I think they're chinese, but everything I've read and seen seems to indicate that they are made with high quality components and have good support. That would be my choice.

Also the Harbor Freight Titanium and Vulcan lines seem to be getting very good reviews. I've got the little Titanium 125 flux core welder, and for what it is, that little thing is a beast. I really like it, except for the gun angle. But that's just a preference thing. It welds bigger than it is.

 

[vizette]

If you've got an extra grand laying around, yeswelder has some multi-process machines that look pretty impressive. No affiliation, I'm just trying to convince myself to buy one as I want ac tig and a plasma. I've been eyeing their ac tig machines for a while, but that's 2/3 of the way to a machine that will do it all...

https://www.amazon.com/YESWELDER-Gasless-Welding-Machine-FIRSTESS/dp/B0B3T9MHMH

 

[esshup]

I have only used the Hypertherm unit and that was 1999-2009 time frame. If I were to go get one now, I'd look at cost of consumables, availability of consumables, thickness rating (I'd buy at least 1/8" more thickness capacity than I would be cutting) and price of the unit. We used the Hypertherm unit in a R&D shop, and had no issues with it at all.

 

[unclemoustache]

I bought a very cheap one from Amazon. Very impressed!
Watched a review of a guy compare a cheapo against an expensive one. He couldn’t see the difference! Only thing he mentioned was the duty cycle, but didn’t really test it.

 

[Jakers]

I'm very happy with my Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 60i. I don't use it often but when I have a project that I need it for, it works great

 

[Hard_Yakka]

Hypertherm IMHO is also the best but now retired and my MILLER cutter going dead after 28 hours but 5 years after purchase (couple of continental moves in between) I had to look elsewhere. So I picked a Primeweld CUT 60 it has done everything I've asked of it which include 1/2" steel. Unfortunately I was going to get a small CNC plasma table Langmuir at some future date but after buying the Primeweld Langmuir, the last time I checked, doesn't support the Primeweld 60 pre 2021

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