help me with a plasma cutter

i'm ready to get a plasma cutter, i want one that plugs into 110, any suggestions ? thanks for any help guys
goat

 

My Hobart from Northern Tool works great, it was $800, US made, good quality.

 

Just some advice given to me by the pro weld supply place, when I bought one:

110 cheapies have a very short duty cycle. You need to let it cool down more.

110 is more costly in electricity than the same cut done with 220

some cheapie 110's can be a pain to get tips and nozzles when you need them right away

They talked me into a 110/220 Thermal Dynamics. I ran it in a garage that did not have 220 for 2 years...when I finally got to use it on 220, it was a very huge difference on metal thicker than sheetmetal. So, sheet metal is fine on 110.


I don't think I could work without a plasma now...what a great invention

 

My Hypertherm has served me well for almost 10 years

 

my Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38 will run on either
was reasonably priced and cuts 3/8 material nice with 220

it will cut up to about 1/2 steel but you really have to go slow

 

Try to stay away from the ones with build in air compressors. I have one with the build in comp and I dont really like it. Its works great for thin sheet metal, but anything past 16 gage it is worthless.

 

I have a hobart that runs on 110v. It work great for sheet metal, but if you want to do bigger stuff you should go with one that runs on 220v. I only bought mine cause it was normally $1,000 and was marked down to $500. It was at a farm supply store. They said it was marked down cause it was missing pieces. I spent $15 on a new cup and tip.....
My dad has a 110 one that someone borrowed to cut on a battery box. It got too hot and is now working again $300 later. A lot of the small ones say you can cut up too 1/4", but even the welding shop said that is wrong.

 

I went to my local welder supply to buy a plasma cutter and when I asked about a Lincoln they told me that every one they sold came back for warranty repair. There were several pro welders there and when asked they all said to buy Hypertherm.

I bought the Powermax unit and it comes with an adapter plug that will plug into 110VAC. It works great and will cut 1/4" plate. It cuts through sheet metal as fast as you can move the torch. It does need an outside air source but I already have that in my shop.

 

i've had a thermal dynamics 220 volt plasma cutter for about 15 years now and have not had one problem with it. highly recommend a thermal dynamics unit.

 

I have the miller X-treme 375. I love it. It's portable and easily runs off of 110 or 220.

 

on the 220 ones can you use the small 220 plug? ya know like the one that runs my air compressor? i dont have a large plug in the garage

 

I have a Esab Power Cut 650 220volt and it has served my shop for 8 years without any problems. It is rated at 1/2 inch and will sever 5/8 inch plate. The welding supply sold thermodynamics,miller/hobart(same company now),lincoln, and esab. They recomended the esab over all the rest and it has worked flawlessly.

 

Try and get something that will run 110/220....220v cuts faster and thicker...
Pat

 

i have a hypertherm powermax 1000, i have a hand torch and a machine torch both, no issues and part are easy to find, i have used there 900 machine and there 1650 machine, when the 900 came out the gun was junk, they changed the design and fixed the problem, if i was to buy a small machine i would buy a hypertherm.

 

(I have the same one as Paul's)

I think I have the same plas, I used it on 110V once...

Seems to be a good machine, but it is for sure way better on 220.

 

I had an ESAB for years & it worked great but a thief got it. Replaced it with a Miller Xtreme 110/220 it also is great and easy to switch over. Both cut sheetmetal with ease and thicker metal with no trouble.

 

Miller 375 like others said above.

 

i was in the local welding store, planning on buying the miller 375 extreme... they sold that one and the thermal dynamic, and the hypertherm.. they said they get more of the miller 375's in for repair than the other two combined.. said miller makes a great welder but lack in the plasma cutter choices.. they recominded either the thermal dynamic or the hypertherm.. both cost less than the miller too.

 

Another vote for Thermal Dynamics - mine's a Cutmaster 51.

 

I have the same one. Great buy for the money.
www.cyberweld.com has real decent prices with free shipping. Or print it out and bring it to your LWS and see if they will match it.

 

I went to my local welding supply store. They put on classes. Every six months they sell the equipment they us in the classes. I have purchased both a plasma cutter and a MIG welder this way. I comes with a full factory warrenty.