Plasma Cutters anyone?

[wroughtn_harv]

Don I highly recommend the plasma cutter. The consumables are higher than a cat's back that's for sure.

I've got an ESAB that'll severe five eighths but only cut half inch. I would be hung out to dry without it. I also have a Miller Spectrum 1000 which will cut one and an eighth. But it is set up for three phase so I haven't hooked it up to power yet.

If you're interested I can do some checking around up here for you about price. I know Ron got a heckuva quote on a Miller that'd cut three eighths from my supplier.

I'm gonna look through some pictures I had taken the other day of me using the ESAB. If I can find them I'll post them. If that doesn't bring you to tears then you're one hard hearted son of pisolever packing mama.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is three sixteenths plate that started out five by six. I picked it out of drop cause it was odd shaped, weathered aka patina or character, for making some plates for trusses on an open cedar ceiling a friend has.

Ignore the hansome operator of the torch. But do notice there isn't any clamps on that quarter by two straight edge. And please everyone don't try this at home. You're watching a professional in action. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif The camera operator has the safety gear. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

What I've found works best for cleaning slag after a plasma torch cut is a chisel. Not sharpened like a cold chisel where both sides come in to a point. But like a the edge on a wood chisel where one side is flush flat and the other is sharpened down to it.

I'm not saying to use a wood chisel. What I have is a cold chisel I've reshaped in the form of a wood chisel just for cleaning slag. If you slide the chisel along the face where it contacts the slag pushing it back towards the cut you will be surprised how fast and clean it all happens. It's faster and safer than using a grinder. It's also cheaper since all you're spending is energy and an edge of the chisel you need to refresh once every generation or two.

If you look behind that fine figured man with the great personality you will see a chop saw. It isn't just an old chop saw btw. It's welded down into place where it cuts perfect forty fives each and every time.

Now if you can't dedicate a chop saw to just forty fives then you can do what I did before I could dedicate one just for that.

I found the perfect forty five on the saw. Then I drilled through the fence and frame on the saw so I could bolt it when I needed a forty five cut.

You can't trust the marks on the saw. And if you don't have it welded or bolted in place the fence it's going to crawl. Your forty fives are going to become forty fours or threes and then twos. I use a speed square against the blade to orient the fence. It just makes things easier.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Don this cut is being made with a steady fast pull. What I've got going is first and foremost I'm not exposed to the light from the torch. I am dragging the tip against the steel. So I have that and my hand shielding my eyes. All I'm doing is trying to keep a smooth movement.

I'm only using the straight edge as a guide. I'm not putting any pressure against it at all so I don't have to clamp it.

Another thing that's really nice about a plasma I've found is I don't have to worry as much about torch speed. If I hit a corner and I need to reorient my body to continue the cut I keep the torch going and do so. It isn't like with a gas torch where you change the whole dynamics of the cut with a change in torch speed.

Another thing some of you might like is my sawhorse. It's made of lightweight round pipe. The top is thirteen inches wide and it's six feet long. There's a shelf underneath for holding things when the job requires for the work bench to also be a tool holder for the tools you're not holding at the moment.

Sitting on it in this picture is a piece of five feet by six feet three sixteenths steel. I'm not sure just what it weighs but when bro in law helped me put it on the horse he got that look in his eye like he'd just lost six years of good sex life when we lifted the plate.

I have two of them, saw horses, not sex lives, and find them handier than a pocket on jeans.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I've had my ThermalDynamics for about 8 years now, and the only problem I had was the cooling fan burned out. As far as consumables, if any of the major manufacturers crap out, I'm sure somebody will supply consumables that fit the machines.
There are already 3rd world consumables being sold for most of the major brands, which aren't worth the postage to get em.
Linde, heck, I still have 3 P&H heliarc machines, just can't wear em out, and I think they will still be running when some of the new machines are on the scrap pile.

 

[brantley]

I was in the same position of deciding on getting a plasma cutter over the last couple of years.

I read a lot of the opinions on rec.crafts.metalworking
about both units. The overall impression I got was that the Thermal Dynamics produced a better cut and narrower kerf, but the Hypertherm had better consumables life.

Do a search on Google groups for Hypertherm and Thermal Dynamics and you will find lots of opinions about both. I ultimately went with the Hypertherm 600 and have been very happy with the performance.

I paid 1790 for my machine. I have seen the Hypertherm 600 listed for as little as 1600 buying over the internet, but I wanted to have local service and support. I also spent an extra 90 for a filter. The filter inserts look like a roll of toiletpaper. One thing consistently mentioned is to get a good quality filter.

I am sure whether you get the Thermal Dynamics or Hyperther, you will be happy with it.

 

[EdDekker]

I purchased a Hypertherm 600 recently. I haven't done much with it yet, so I can't say much about its operation.

There is a lot of good information on the newsgroups sci.engr.joining.welding and rec.crafts.metalworking that can help you with your selection. A google search, for example <A target="_blank" HREF=http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=plasma%20&as_oq=Hypertherm%20Thermodyne%20TD%20Thermal%20&safe=images&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&as_ugroup=sci.engr.joining.welding%2C%20rec.crafts.metalworking&lr=lang_en&num=100&hl=en> google search for Hypertherm and TD Plasma</A> will bring up a lot of good information and some direct comparisons about these units. The consensus is that these are the two best brands and that either is a safe choice. The Thermal Dynamics has a slightly cleaner cut and the Hypertherm can cut thicker metal at a given power and has better consumable life.

One major difference between the Thermal and Hypertherm Plasma cutters is the mechanism used to start the arc. The Thermal uses a high frequency, high voltage arc to create a spark and initiate the arc. The Hypertherm uses a lower voltage pilot arc to initiate the plasma arc. The High Frequency from the Thermal Dynamics style will crash a nearby computer. It will also interfere with radio/tv reception far more than the Hypertherm style. If you may someday build a PC controlled cutting table you should get a Hypertherm style Plasma Cutter.

Torchmate has a web page with advise on selecting a Plasma Cutter <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.plasma-cutter.com/selection.htm> link </A>.

My decision came to deciding between a Hypertherm 380 or a Hypertherm 600. I decided to go bigger. The 600 has a torch which can be dragged while the 380 needed to be kept above the work.

I can offer a few random thoughts from my research and a surprise after I bought mine.

Make sure you can power the plasma cutter. The Hypertherm 600 draws 50 Amps but Hypertherm recommends a 100 Amp slow blow fuse (not a circuit breaker) on the circuit (or a generator with at least an 8000 VA capacity). link

 

[centex]

I have decided on the Hypertherm 600. This was after reviewing the posts on the recommended links. I had to add a 125amp subpanel in my garage to power a Heliarc welder so I already have the power there. This was a supprise to me also. I had assumed that this 250 amp welder would not use much more current than the 225 amp Lincoln buzz box that I had. I had to have them put a power factor correction kit in the welder to be able to get by with a 125 amp circuit. It needed 150 amps without the PF kit. By the way I used a three wire cable and a separate ground wire to wire in the subpanel because it was less expensive than buying 150 feet of service entrance cable in this size. I assume that you know that the neutral and earth grounds have to be kept separated for a subpanel so you have to have four wires for a 220V subpanel if you are going to wire any 120 volt circuits off of it. I do/did some automobile painting also so I have a large air compressor. I had planned to use the moisture separator that I use for painting for the plasma cutter but maybe I should add another of these filters just to be safe. I have been planning to add a dessicant drier to my painting air anyway.

 

[pajoube]

Harv,
I took your advice and went to a welding supply store and spent almost 3 hours talking with the manager.
After telling him what I would be doing now and my future needs he walked me through different machines. He then demonstrated each unit and then allowed me to do the same.
We settled on the Hobart 175 as being the best machine for my needs. He then gave me a demonstration of a plasma cutting system by Thermal Dynamics. This is a new machine, Cutmaster 38, that they just got in. I about fell over with the possibilities for this machine.
My question to you, is there a machine that does both cutting (plasma) and welding (mig)? Looking at price, for the two machines would be $1600. If there is something that is combined it may be cheaper.
The manager did not have anything to offer in regards to a combination unit.
Thanks for the advice of not going with the box stores, the welding store was able to answer my questions regarding differences (box store/welding store), hands on demonstrations, and variety of products and accessories.
PJ

 

[jimgerken]

Hey Pajoube, thanks for the update. What exactly impressed you about the cutmaster 38? I am looking at the same unit. They are asking 1099 for it. What is your dealer asking?

 

[pajoube]

They had a demo cutmaster 38 on site that we used. The price is the same as yours but here is a suggestion.
Pull up www.tollgas.com, they bought a huge number of these machines. They have many stores and also sell via ebay with free shipping (lower 48). Their prices on ebay are lower than in the store.
I was very impressed with this machine considering how it will be used.
PJ