I went through several plasma cutters back when we hauled bulk fertilizer in stainless steel trailers. The only one that was really was worth buying was a Miller that cost around $4000. I still have it, but use it very seldom. I have a refrigerated air dryer in my system and then a desiccant dryer on top of the machine. Dry air is the secret of success with a plasma cutter. The only time we use a plasma cutter is on aluminum. The consumables are expensive and I don't see the point for steel. I use a Victor Journeyman for cutting steel. I have an old Harris propane torch that is about 3 feet long that we used to use cutting up wrecks. It still comes in handy at times. I bought a self contained plasma cutter that has a compressor in it. It only works on days of low humidity.
Plasma cutters do well for cutting straight lines, but clamping a jig on my Victor and running the jig along a straight edge does just about as well and it cuts rusty metal.
