Air Source Questions: Spectrum 625 and 375 Extreme.

[piniongear]

Man, i gotta strongly disagree with you there!
The OP said he wants to cut steel plate up to 3 ft long as I recall. Correct me if I am wrong.........
I use my plasma to this kind of cutting a lot. Pictured below is a piece of 1/4 inch thick steel cut with a plasma. The dross was not removed on the bottom side because what you are looking at is the 'fall off' piece that was not cleaned. A couple taps with a hammer gets off the dross and leaves an equally straight edge.



The rusty edge is mill sheared and the other edge is as it came off the plasma. Both are equally straight! There is no better way to make a straight cut of several feet than to use a plasma machine.
If you are talking about curving cuts then the plasma again wins hands down.

If you want to cut structural members and shapes then the nod goes to a carbide toothed blade saw such as my Makita LC1230........ pg

Bly,

Bottom line is you don't have enough air compressor to run "any" plasma.

Nitrogen is an option, but not a really great one. Your question about using an 80 to feed a plasma leads me to question the logic of even buying a plasma at this time. Guys running plasma (mostly in the field) off a nitrogen bottle are using large bottles and it's because of practicality.

Plasma cutters are not "at their best" at doing the cuts you sorta described anyway. As a "cut off tool" there are better options. Those include a dry cut saw, a smaller bandsaw, or even a good chop saw. I would definitely recommend one of these options before you bought a plasma.

I have a large compressor and two plasma cutters (PM 600 & PM 1250) in the shop and they both get used quite a bit. However, I also have a DeWalt chop saw, a Porter-Cable dry cut saw, a Milwaukee portaband, a Milwaukee 8" metal cut saw, and a Wilton 7"x12" bandsaw. All these cutting tools get used about as much as the plasma. Oh yea, there's also the o/a torch.

When it comes to cutting out "shapes/non straight edges", the plasma is the tool of choice. As a "cut off tool", plasma is down the list.

What I'm basically saying is that there are a lot of options that will do the job you describe, for a lot less than a plasma. They may not be as "***y" as a plasma, but they do a good job.

[SundownIII]

piniongear,

LMAO,

Your photos demonstrate exactly what I was talking about when using a plasma for a long straight cut vs a metal cut saw such as the 8" Milwaukee.

I'll try to find time in the next couple of days to do a few cuts on 1/8" and 1/4" stock so you can see what I'm talking about. Clamp a piece of 2'x2" alum angle on the sheet, allowing a 1.5" standoff and cut sheet steel as clean as you'd cut a piece of 1/4" plywood. The cut compares with the cut you get with your Makita Dry Cut Saw.

Add to that the fact that you get two (2) square edges (base material and the piece you cut) and you're ahead of the game. All plasma's (to include the Miller and Hypertherm units) have a good cut side and a not so good cut side. Just the nature of how the plasma exits the nozzle. Can't avoid it.

Additionally, the slightest side to side movement of the plasma torch has a drastic effect on the angle of the cut. With the saw, you have a base plate which keeps the blade perpendicular to the base material.

I say again (and I been dealing with metal for a little while), I can make a cleaner cut in 1/8" mild steel with a $49 skilsaw and a $10 Bullet metal cut blade, than you can with your $1000 plasma.

Now, if you're a betting man, I'd put my Hypertherm 600 up against your plasma cutter. If I can't make a cleaner cut with the skilsaw, I'll send you my PM 600 freight included. If the saw makes a cleaner cut, you send me your plasma. We can decide on a few mutually acceptable judges. Right off the top, Fusion King seems to be an unbiased sort of guy. Maybe you can name a few that you'd find acceptable.

How's that for putting your money where your mouth is.



PS. If you'd rather do 1/4" vs the 1/8" that's fine too. Actually the difference is even more pronounced when dealing with 1/4" vs 1/8". Cut off a small section of 1/4" x 2" flat stock on your Makita. That's what the cut looks like for 3' when cut with a saw.


Now, do you wish to discuss plasma cutting aluminum vs saw cut. Here's another area where the saw "blows the plasma away".

[Desertrider33]

Dang!

[piniongear]

I'll try to find time in the next couple of days to do a few cuts on 1/8" and 1/4" stock so you can see what I'm talking about. Clamp a piece of 2'x2" alum angle on the sheet, allowing a 1.5" standoff and cut sheet steel as clean as you'd cut a piece of 1/4" plywood. The cut compares with the cut you get with your Makita Dry Cut Saw.

I am going to save you the trouble......Don't bother making any cuts. I am not interested.
As long as you are happy with what you do that is great.
Believe it or not, I have also spent a few years doing metal work and fabrication.

So keep dodging the metal slivers the saw throws at you and I shall continue with plasma and a big grin on my chops thank you.......... pg

[piniongear]

CHICKEN....

Hi Reggie. I do love you!
But you are really wasting your time trying to bait me. Ain't gonna work sweetheart......... pg

[SundownIII]

DesertRider33/Bly

I mentioned it before, but if there's an interest, I'd suggest you go to www.metaldevil.com and check out some of their videos on cutting different shapes of metals from plate to tubing to angle, etc.

I hope no one thinks I'm trying to put plasma down. I'm not. Great machines and will do certain things that no other (readily available to the hobbiest/small shop owner) tool will do. Just that there are other options for certain applications.

For instance, when cutting strips from plate (1/16" to 5/16") for coupons (when teaching new guys), I'll always use the saw vs the plasma. This applies to steel and especially with aluminum. I'll get a cleaner, truer, more weld ready cut, than with any other method.

For stainless steel, it's a different story though. Here I'll fire up the plasma and go to town, knowing full well, that the edge is going to have to be ground before the coupon/piece can be welded up. Stainless is hard on circular blades as well as bandsaw blades.

Since ol piniongear wouldn't take me up on my offer (I could always use a "spare" plasma), I thought you two may be interested in seeing these blades in action.

Actually, with the Milwaukee 8" Metal Cut Saw, I get very little "flying hot schrads". Think it has to do with how the saw shields the blade. Only thing with the Milwaukee saw, is that it doesn't allow for a bevel cut (say 45 deg). The baseplate is fixed at 90 deg. Depth of cut is adjustable.

A cheap skilsaw (I've used the cheap skil from Lowes) will allow for a bevel cut, but it does throw more slivers. Full face protection, leather gloves and apron are recommended. Still, it does a heck of a job. Yields a fast, clean, true cut.

I'm not big on pictures, but the next time I fire the saws up, I'll shoot a couple of photos to show what I'm talking about.

The Evolution brand of saws DR33 mentioned are marketed by M.K. Morse also but can be had for less from other retailers. Best place for locating the Metal Devil blades is on Amazon.com. Northern Tool sometimes has the blades but doesn't stock a very good selection. The Bullet Industries, 7 1/4" blade is a viable, lower cost, alternative. It's not as "heavy duty" as the Morse blades though. Works well in the smaller saws.

Let us know what you think.

[59halfstep]

Bly PM sent.

Charlie

[davedarragh]

Dry Cut Saws

Sundown: How about Jancy? Ever use one? They've got a 7" and a 9" metal cut saw and a 14" dry cut chop saw.

Dave

[SundownIII]

Dave,

Never used the Jancy so I can't comment directly. From all reports though, Jancy tends to produce quality tools.

Like anything else thought, you seem to have to evaluate each tool on it's own merits. In the past, say, if you bought a Milwaukee tool you could be pretty sure you're getting an industrial product. Now I don't think that's the case.

For instance, I've got the new Milwaukee Portaband, the Milwaukee Metal Cut Saw, the Milwaukee Hole Hawg drill, all of which are top grade tools. I also have a Milwaukee hammer drill that I don't think much off. It's got the name but not the same quality.