Any experience with Hobart plasma cutters?

[jimgerken]

I am looking at small P.Cutters and am leaning toward the smallest one Hobart makes, the Airforce 250. It does not contain its own air compressor, since I have plenty of air available. The cutting capacity of the 250 covers my needs. Any feedback with the Hobart line, or the 250 specifically? Thanks!

 

[rf33]

I have no experience with the Hobart line, but I have a Miller Spectrum Cutmate 375 and I absolutely love it. It looks EXACTLY the same as the Hobart 400. I wonder if they are just rebranded??? The torch even has the same part number (ICE-27C). I think that if you can afford the price difference, you would be better off with the larger one. It is kind of like tractors, never hear many complaints about too much power/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif. I got the largest one I could run off of my welder while still running the compressor off the welder too. This setup works really slick... a portable plasma cutting / welding /air compressor setup. If I get the chance today, I will take a few pictures of the setup.

 

[ronjhall]

<font color=blue> I have no experience with the Hobart line, but I have a Miller Spectrum Cutmate 375 and I absolutely love it. It looks EXACTLY the same as the Hobart 400. I wonder if they are just rebranded???</font color=blue>

Ff33

I know very little about plasma cutters. But I can answer your question.

I work for a division of <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.itw.com/newitwsites/itwsites.cfm>ITW(Illinois Tool Works).</A> They own both companies. Along with a bunch of other Branded name companies.

 

[kyoders]

Ron,

Thanks for the info. I grew up in the town next to where both Hobart Bros (the welding company) and Hobart Corp (food processing equipment) were. From your link, it looks like ITW owns them both. I wasted a lot of time trying to sell both of them computer equipment back in the mid 80's.

Kevin

 

[rf33]

Here is a picture of the plasma cutting setup. I built it so that I can pick it up with the forks on my loader and then either put it into the back of the truck, or just set it down where I want to work. It transports really easily like this, and I can put it away safe and sound in the shop when I am done. I might get around to building one out of steel someday, but for now this is serving me pretty well. The welder is a Miller Trailblazer 301G, the Plasma Cutter is a Miller Cutmate 375 and the compressor is a 4HP Porter Cable sidestack model. I added 100' leads to the welder, changed the plasma cutter over to a 220V plug, and changed the ground clamp out on the plasma cutter to be one I could put on pipe. This works neater than sliced bread for saddling pipe fence posts. I can't take all the credit for this setup though, like many ideas here on this message board, parts of the plan came from w_harv.

 

[pajoube]

Thanks for the photo, that is a great setup.
PJ