I am thinking about getting myself a plasma cutter. What are some opinions about the cheeper 110 models with internal air supply. Hobart welding offers one for under $1000 and state that it will cut up to 1/4". I don't plan on doing many projects that thick, but there will be some. Kurt
If you are buying a plasma cutter you probably already have an air compressor, so why buy another small air compressor? I forget the model, but I have a Miller. Rated at 3/8th, sever cut up to 1/2". I love it. I cost about $1100. I don't work with 3/8th inch very often, but it is a good idea to buy a machine one step above what you use alot of. That way the machine isn't always maxed out. I use alot of 1/4 and 1/8th.
ive got an esab.get the biggest machine you can afford.also check out the prices on consumables ie tips and electrodes,some brands are a lot more then others.
sounds like i have the same one as Crusty nut with, a flick of a switch you can hook it up 220 or 110. i did just what he said, i bought the next size up to be safe and im really gad i did that. its a spectrum 375 and i love it. i think i paid 1200 for it.
I got one of Egay for $550. Waited a month for it but was bribed off with a dozen more tips. Works pretty decent for a home shop. Oops edit, mine is a 220volt.
We have a 110 at my shop at work (Miller) and it sucks. Maybe good for sheetmetal and that is it. I would definatley go bigger if I was you. I will by a 220 when I get the money
My Hobart 110v is ok for small stuff but 1/4" and larger I just get out the old oxy-acet. "flame wrench". Go bigger if you can, I wish I had.
Ditto there, I had a miller 110 spectrum thunder, anything over sheetmetal in thickness and you could forget it, would barely cut 1/8th". I hardly ever used it and was glad the hurricane got it, because insurance paid me full retail value and I was able to buy a real plasma cutter. I replaced it with the Thermal dynamics cutmaster 51, and man, it is worth every penny, very clean precise cuts, and I just cut out a globby weld that was about 3/4 thick with ease. I think it was around 1300 or so.
Where the Hobart built-in compressor works well, is at the junk yard. One less thing to load into the truck. That little sucker works well on 2x4 frame rails. Here's a pic of a friends Trash-T Project You can see where he cut out a wedge from the 2x4 and then welded it back together.
hi what ever kind you buy you want to make sure you got good dry air or it will cost you a lot for tips.
I bought mine off the snap on truck it cost too much but it works awesome and can be wired 110 or 220.
cutting a wedge out of box tubing is exactly the picture I get in my head of using a plasma and the rationale I use to own one some day.....that's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of plasma...
I own Blue Point 110v plasma. I do not reccomend this machine to anyone, I use it because I own it. Given the chance a 220v will replace it. It is the rebadged MAC, Cerbo, Daytona unit. It just is a pain to work with. I much prefer the Hypertherm 600 at work.
I've been thinking about getting one... not sure though. I don't know how much I'd use it. Can ya get em to cut nice and smooth? They look like they cut only a hair cleaner than a torch and that's not all that smooth. What about all the slag? That ever cause problems? I'd prolly get one without a compressor and just plumb it into the shop's compressor.
I dont have one, but have borrowed them and everyone I talk to says Thermal Dynamics are the best.......not the cheapest. I still mostly use cut off wheels.
Yeah same here, I use the shit out of my cut-off tool. Nice thin clean cuts. Just takes fuckin forever.
If you have a steady hand or use a fence guide the cut quality is very good. It leaves a small amout of slag on the back side but it falls off with the tap of a hammer. If you are in the "meat" of the rated cut range for your machine, the cut quality is night and day compared to a torch. The closer you get to maxing out on metal thickness the more it looks like it was cut with a torch.