plasma cutter really?

[sizzami]

with expensive consumables and finicky operation does anyone really love plasma in a home workshop for thicker ga? versus a torch for the money , we have a 60 amp hypertherm and I use it for only 11 ga and down because if I get even a little water in the air it curfs badly anyone else have this problem? I know Ideally I should use nitrogen but who can afford it?

 

[kennyd]

with expensive consumables and finicky operation does anyone really love plasma in a home workshop for thicker ga? versus a torch for the money , we have a 60 amp hypertherm and I use it for only 11 ga and down because if I get even a little water in the air it curfs badly anyone else have this problem? I know Ideally I should use nitrogen but who can afford it?

A Motor Guard Filter will solve most of your problems, and is cheaper that Nitrogen in the long run...Do a Google search on "motor guard"

Having a 60A PC and only using on 11ga is crazy!

 

[J_J]

Real dry and oil free air is all you really need. Many types of filters. Water separators, desiccant beads that absorb water and change color, etc.

What water does is to spread the arc, and that eats up the consumables. You already have a 3 to 5 degree cone.
.

 

[sizzami]

crazy I knew it thanks that explains alot . I am just saying I can buy ac torches and take them out into the woods and cut 1"plate

I forgot that I use it on ss and alluminum too
but the question still remains ,for the money, in a home shop is a plasma ahead of say, a milling machine or lathe, in the I want list nothing beats a plasma for rusty or painted steel

 

[wushaw]

Good question, I have plasma and no mill or lathe with no plans for either at this time but I have cut alot of metal with my plasma, so I would say it all depends on what you do or will be doing in your shop as to what your need is.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

We have a farm machine shop with a mill, lathe, surface grinder, baby radial drill and many of the other shop toys. We also have a welding shop with MIG, TIG, Stick, and OA.

We don't have a plasma yet but are looking at getting one for the shop. I think all the machines and tools have their place but if I had to rate the usefulness plasma would fall lower on my list than the mill, lathe, radial drill and other machine shop tools.

It also depends on what you already have, we have a metal cutting circular saw, a large metal cutting band saw, and a cutting torch. If we didn't already have these tools a plasma would be much higher on the list.

Erik

 

[SPIKER]

most plasmas have a small regulator on them, also add a small filter to the front side wil help a lot with the quality of cut. put it right on the mach, that way you can use it anywhere AIR is avail. Keep the wear down on the tip by only setting mach to amp required for the material U are cutting.
Mark

 

[DJ54]

I love mine...!! I have a Lincoln Pro Cut 55 like JJ's.. I use it more for precision cuts, I'm just not that great, or steady with a torch. I use a straight edge of 3/8" wide X 3/16 thick.. Just line the straight edge up a 1/4" away from the intended cut, and have at it... I also got the circle cutter attachment for it... And I've used it enough to justify it. There have been a few things out of stainless I have cut... And have done a few aluminum things too...
I got the 50' leads on it... Sometimes a PIA to wrap up, but sweet, to just keep going out the door of the shop.
Plus..., seems I always ran out of gas, or oxygen on a Saturday when the welding supply place is closed... Usually an emergency repair on the weekend...
I have been known in this case, to fire up the ole' Lincoln 180 to wide open, and burn the rest off, with 6011's... Gotta' do, what you gotta' do...

 

[bobodu]

If I had the money for such things,I'd love to have one (along with a Corvette, a jet and a model girlfriend)...but I don't. So a better lathe and a mill are much much higher on the list.

 

[GEB]

I use mine all the time, only time I use a torch anymore is for bending or rusty bolts.
I find it much easier to buy tips rather than load my tanks to have them filled.....
Dry Air.....I use a filter that holds a roll of toilet paper, I also do quality paint work
and this filter has served me well for years!
I also have a standard water trap along with air line drops that catch water.
Clean dry air is a must in my shop.
It may sound silly but the toilet paper filter really dose a very good job!
Gene

 

[Stimw]

It always seems to me that those who say Plasma isn't worth the money either have never used one or never used a GOOD one. The cheap toy Plasma cutters would leave you unimpressed but if you try a real one you will be hooked.
I've used O/A torch for over 40 years, sometimes for 1-3 days at work . Now that I have a 40 amp Miller I think back to all the jobs that the Plasma could have cut the time in half.
I use a 2" X 4" for a straight edge. It holds the torch straight up and down and cuts so fast the wood dosen't even burn. I love drag cutting plate! I can get cuts that are second to sheared. Clean up is a breeze too.

 

[bobodu]

"Worth the money" has NOTHING to do with having ever used one. It has to do with the intended usage. If I built those fancy cut yard signs or a lot of dump truck bodies, I would have use for a dedicated tool for that usage. But I may be heating a bolt or cutting railroad iron on any given day. Don't get me wrong.. I have NOT used one. I would love to HAVE one. But it not worth the money to me to get one.

 

[wushaw]

bobodu, It could be me or the way you worded your response but I think you just contradicted yourself.

 

[bobodu]

Well...I understood what I wrote.
If you don't have the need for a dedicated tool,it just becomes an expensive toy.
"Worth the money" means different things to different people...firstly depending how how much money you have. The next part involves how much need you have.

I just find that a blanket statement like "It always seems to me that those who say Plasma isn't worth the money either have never used one or never used a GOOD one. " to be too broad for anyone looking for advice without knowing some of the variables.

Perhaps if I changed a word or two,I could better illustrate my point.

"It always seems to me that those who say a tanning bed isn't worth the money either have never used one or never used a GOOD one. "

Would you follow that advice and rush out to spend $4000 on a tanning bed??
If you had a million dollars and wore a lot of swimwear it would "Worth the money" to you.
If you made $15 and hour and went to the lake once a year the same may not apply.

 

[Stimw]

??????????????????

 

[wushaw]

Well...I understood what I wrote.
If you don't have the need for a dedicated tool,it just becomes an expensive toy.
"Worth the money" means different things to different people...firstly depending how how much money you have. The next part involves how much need you have.

I just find that a blanket statement like "It always seems to me that those who say Plasma isn't worth the money either have never used one or never used a GOOD one. " to be too broad for anyone looking for advice without knowing some of the variables.

Perhaps if I changed a word or two,I could better illustrate my point.

"It always seems to me that those who say a tanning bed isn't worth the money either have never used one or never used a GOOD one. "

Would you follow that advice and rush out to spend $4000 on a tanning bed??
If you had a million dollars and wore a lot of swimwear it would "Worth the money" to you.
If you made $15 and hour and went to the lake once a year the same may not apply.

I do understand, you don't want or have a need for a plasma cutter. I'm just messin with ya

 

[nunyabinis]

Don't ever use a plasma cutter or, like me, you WILL buy one.


I use mine all the time and smile widely every time. Don't know what I ever did without it.




.

 

[Scooby074]

Ive used plasmas and theyre great, dont get me wrong, but a good torch is almost as good and alot more flexable.

You can weld, braze, heat and cut with a torch. Plasma is limited to cutting. Plus O/A is alot more portable, which is important if you want to do stuff outside the shop. ( Yes i know you could rig up a generator and a source of air, but thats not too convient)

Ive worked in a couple fab shops, and at least in my experience, Oxy/acet is still king both handheld and on cutting tables. But plasma is catching on.

Plasma gives a good cut, yes, but with experience you can do some amazing work with OA. Once you get the cut speeds , gas settings and tip height down you can have nice clean cuts with minimal dross. Some guys ive worked with could freehand OA almost as good as CNC plasma.

Any plasma cost savings in gas over OA are offset by the cost of the plasma unit itself, plasma consumables and extra air filtration required.

For most people, cutting steel, OA is fine. If you got the money, plasma is great, but for alot its overkill.

 

[MikesTractor]

Dry Air.....I use a filter that holds a roll of toilet paper, I also do quality paint work
and this filter has served me well for years!
I also have a standard water trap along with air line drops that catch water.
Clean dry air is a must in my shop.
It may sound silly but the toilet paper filter really dose a very good job!
Gene

Not trying to hijack this thread, but could you post some pictures of this water trap? I have heard of using toilet paper, but I'm not sure what the whole filter system would look like.

Thanks, Mike

 

[Scooby074]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but could you post some pictures of this water trap? I have heard of using toilet paper, but I'm not sure what the whole filter system would look like.

Thanks, Mike

Motorguard M-26 "toiler paper" filter MotorGuard Plasma Cutting