The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Plasma Cutter

I know I could get by without one, but I always wanted to own one and now would be the time since I am doing sheet metal work on my truck. Also, I am tired of using a cutting wheel or jig saw when cutting metal for other projects in my shop. I rarely cut anything thicker than 1/4".

I want a decent one, but also money is a consideration. Any recommendations?

Chuck
I have the same thoughts and would not use it very much, but the wife says she would wanted one also.
I have never used one and would have a lot to learn.
There will be someone chiming in with advice soon.

Don

Thermal Dynamics would be the best choice. I have been using the same one with my business for 12 years without any repairs. They have got a lot smaller and more companies now make a nice unit. Miller makes a nice small one. I have two Thermal Dynamics in my shop and I will be purchasing a third one this year.

Do your research and you will find the TD have been the leaders in that world for many years...

I am trying to decide on these three:

Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster


Hypertherm Powermax30


Miller Spectrum 375 X-TREME

The Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster seems the best choice for me. I especially like the price. One thing that bothers me is the other two are made in USA and the TD is now made in China.

Has anyone ever owned one of these ?:

Eastwood Metal Cutting Dual Voltage Versa Cut

Would probably be all I need and the price is very reasonable. Got some good reviews on Amazon.

I haven't checked TD to see where they are being made now.... China is disappointing.

I would also urge you to visit your local welding store. I like to keep business local if possible and when you need consumables, they are just a short trip away!

Hypertherm 30 is the only choice as far as I am concerned. They are the best. BUT... I have been doing all this fabrication stuff for years and have decided against Plasma. Its not accurate enough when it comes to thicker materials, and not necessary with thinner materials since a body saw or thin disc works without completely messing up your shops concrete, dust and soot everywhere, just not for a clean freak like me. I have given this LOTS of thought. A nice band saw would be better. just my opinion.

My plasma is loaned out right now. I think it is limited use for body metal. Just picked up a HF air body saw and looking forward to trying it out. I'm a zip wheel/dremel wheel fan.

I had a HyperTherm 80 and sold it. Two things wrong with it. On thick stuff like 3/8 or 1/2, it leaves a hardened edge that ruins bandsaw blades and makes it hard to square up. On body sheetmetal, it warps the metal, causes things to burn and isnt very accurate. A 4" Makita grinder with a thin disc is really a nice method to keep the heat down. A body saw works great too. There are just more elegant ways to cut metal.

That's a neat little body saw. Never saw them before.

Maybe I will bide my time on getting the plasma cutter, and look for a good deal on a used one. I want to own one someday.

A nice body saw and/or a grinder with a wheel would cut the material I need to remove off the original floor to butt up the two sections. Maybe screw it in before I make my line. It would suck to be "off a little".

Make sure your air compressor is big enough for a plasma cutter.

I would never ever buy one though! Used them a lot at work, very hard to get a clean cut, but it does cut fast! Also, you'll need some spare parts (nozzles) if you have almost no expierencie because you'll fill the nozzle with a lot of crap when not holding the cutter right!

I bought a Hobart. I think it works great.

I have a HyperTherm 60. Nice machine, will rough sever 1/2" steel. I thought it would be the "bees-knees" for metal cutting, but it is not. Deve is correct, they are messy, not accurate, dangerous (heat, electric arc, sparks), and don't forget you need air to run one. If I had it to do over I would have saved lots of money to buy truck parts.

Like any other tool, there are times when it is what you need, but those times are far and few between. It is hard to think of something a plasma can do that you can't do with another tool and do cheaper (maybe not faster, but faster is not usually a "hobby" requirement). An oxy-acetylene torch is almost equivalent (ignoring aluminum). The plasma still leaves a (smaller) kerf, but you still have to grind a kerf, so it doesn't save much of anything.

Now, a plasma hooked to a CNC table...I think that would be a different story if you had some software that was easy to use...maybe one day when I have a big shop...

I've had a thermodynamics cut master 52, which is a 60 amp machine, for about 5 years and I love it. Of course mine was made in the U.S. And I understand that they are now made in Mexico. When I bought it, the decision was between it and a Miller machine. Both good machines, comparably priced, and both made in the U.S. The difference that swung me was TD had a 4 year warranty and Miller only 3. Sure enough, 3 1/2 years later it blew. TD put about $1,000 worth of parts(circuit boards) into the machine at no cost to me. That being said, if I had to buy a new machine tomorrow, I'd go with the Miller. Made in USA has got to be good for something.

I have the Eastwood Versa 60. The first one I received had a thermal overload problem. However, they replaced it with no fuss and promptly. This one works fine. For my use, as a a home hobbyist, it seems to be a good value.
don

I just picked up a Thermal Dynamics Dynapak 110 in trade for working on a '74 Furd Bronco for my buddy Buddy (not to be confused with 'buddy-buddy'). With all of the nightmares in working on that rust bucket, I should have just payed him cash for the plasma cutter instead.
I had to order some parts for the hand piece, so I haven't used it yet. First project will be a 3/16" spacer plate for the T-5 on the 235.
Carl

I use a Plasma cutter every day and i think too many people give them a hard time. Been using a EZ CUT CNC 5x10 with a Hypertherm 85 for 3 years and just changed over to a new EZ CUT CNC 5x10 table with a Hypertherm 125. A plasma cutter table and give you perfect cuts almost all the time if the proper time and care are taken setting it up correctly. Almost everyone thinks that the parameters that are outlined in the Hypertherm book or programmed into the table computer software are correct. Let me tell you this...... i don't care who says that these huge companies with gobs of research and development have got the settings and parameters down to a art and they know exactly whats works best.....because they don't.

The last table took me hours and hours and loads of cuts to revise the cutting parameters to get nice cuts. Everything has a effect on the cut, speeds, amps, heights, delays ....and the list goes on. Tips can be ruined in only a hand full of cuts if the improper lead outs are set, improper pierce times, pierce heights combined with bad lead ins will also cause tips to blow very quickly.

Drawback is if your running a dry table with a downdraft suction fan it can get bad if you dont cover the rest of your table to help the air pull downwards around where your cutting. Water is better but such a mess trying to fetch your smaller parts out of it that drop thru your plate and the table rails.

I can cut 3/4" perfectly at 90 deg most of the time and some times i get a slight and i mean slight bevel. Cutting smaller holes on thicker material can be a challenge at times. My rule of thumb is if the hole dia is smaller than 2 times the material thickness your better off to drill.

These machines can be very accurate and can produce amazing results. Don't be turned off from them. Just take the time to play and change setting till you find what works for your setup.

Fumes are bad so ensure your vented correctly. If you blowing sparks all over your set up wrong. A 3/4" pierce if setup correctly should not give you a huge rooster tail but a small one that will only lasts for a second. All other thicknesses lower than that should may no rooster tails. Keep in mind tails happen if your trying to cut material that's too think for your machine to handle correctly. If a machine says 3/4" is its thickest you should stick with 1/2" max.

Just my 2 cents.

I wonder if harbor freight has one, I wouldn't mind paying $100 bucks to play around with it once or twice before it breaks. haha