Plasma Cutters

[Cheese]

I was just wondering what a good plasma cutter would be to get? The most I want to spent is roughly over $2000. I have looked at the hypertherm powermax, miller spectrum and also the thermal dynamic machines but not sure which one to get. The most that I will ever cut would be about 3/4" and I think they would be also handy to have. I will be using it to cut on racecars and other misc. projects.

[SundownIII]

What exactly do you plan to cut that's 3/4" on a "race car"?

When do you finish "college" and what is your major?

The reason I ask is because there may well be a whole new generation of plasma cutters on the market by the time you plan to buy.

[Sammy]

http://www.airgas.com/browse/product...D=94&WT.svl=94

Take a look at these!
Some good sale prices!

[Cheese]

Plasma Cutter

Nothing on a race car is 3/4". I think that if I go with Something that could cut that big I wont need to buy another machine and it will give me some room as far as thickness goes to cut anything. I want to have a welding and fabrication business on the side while I work for someone for a while. Then eventually go full time. I will be done with college spring of 2011 and my major is welding and metal fabrication diploma. I plan to buy one by mid summer.

[Cheese]

plasma cutter

I also want to build a front and rear bumper for my truck too.

[Bob Miller]

Just went through the same thing.

Cheese,

I just did the same thing, I ended up with the TD 152. I really wanted a Miller for obvious reasons. The general consensus of this forum is to buy from companies that make only plasma cutters for a living (so to speak).
In your price range there are the following:
Miller Spectrum 875
Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 82
Hypertherm Powermax 45
The Powermax is the least expensive of the three.

Most LWS will carry one name brand but not both. To explain this better the LWS will carry Miller, and Thermal Dynamics or Miller, and Hypertherm but not both Thermal Dynamics and Hypertherm.

If you can try each one out and go from there.
Not much help?
Good Luck
Bob

[MMW]

I have a Miller 875. I am very pleased with it. The only complaint is the torch cable is very stiff & it hardly gets more flexible with use. I never looked at others so I can't compare.

[Kamikaze]

I wanted a Miller but ended up with the Hypertherm PowerMax 30 and it was the best money spent for me!

Completely portable and it has dual voltage input which allows me to run it in the field off the generator and use a bottle of nitrogen.
It will sever 1/2 but will do most sheet and tube stock reasonably.
Mine also came with a more compact case than the Miller and also included a circle cutting guide.

[shade tree welder]

I will agree with MMW on the 875 torch cable,mine is the same way, I only had it about 3 months I am thinking maybe over time it will loosesn up.
But back to the subject of plasma cutters I luv my 875 it will cut 3/4" material you just have to move alot slower than with oxy-ac torch. But in all around performance I am really hooked on the gouging setting on this machine it is awesome! Just have to change tips on your torch head but that does'nt take but a minute or less.
I horse traded a 625(and a few dollars more) for a TD 82 I believe the model was and I did not have enough electrical amps in my shop to run this machine at full capacity, and use other equipment in my shop at the same time. To much amp draw from the TD machine and a downside was the TD 's cooling fan runs all the time as long as you have the switch on. Millers 625 and 875 and I think all their other plasma series have "Fan on Demand" so the fan only runs when it needs to cool the machine off.
So make sure you have the electrical requirements to run whatever machine you choose and do not forget you need "Lots of DRy AIR " from a good size air compressor,5 h.p. or bigger category with at least a 60 gallon tank cause these machines use alot of air especially on long cuts,like splitting a sheet of plate etc.

[Bob Miller]

I forgot to mention the amps on my TD 152 machine. I was going to run it on single phase, but thats 125 amps 230 volt input. The plug and receptacle for 125 amps is like $600.
So now I'm going to run it 3 phase at 60 amp. Nema 15-60P and 15-60R was about $120, box, cover, and all.
Bob