What is so wrong with Miller plasmas?

[Roadster]

About two years ago ZachV posted a letter from the President of Hyperthrem. Zach dug really deep. The president said the 190/380/600 models were made by Miller, so Hypertherm could free up stuff to develop their larger machines. You have to give the guy credit for standing up and telling the truth. I would of bought their machine just for that reason.

So why is it that I keep seeing large price differences between similar Blue/HT machines in quotes from distributors? Yesterday, I was quoted a $150 lower price for the Hypertherm Powermax 380 than the Miller Spectrum 375, with both quotes provided simultaneously by the same distributor.

[Springbox]

Spectrum 3080 conclusion

Hi Guys & Andy

Thanks for all the advice.

Here in the UK Miller has a couple of offices (one very near) and Hypertherm seems to be 3 or 4 guys (one based at home and a couple of other guys in their cars with cell phones). All stock is held in a different country (Holland) where they speak a different language and our equivalent of FedEx does the rest.

You have to give it to Hypertherm who are market leaders despite the above. We accept that Miller might not be as good but there is a lot to be said for real people at warranty time, rather than a cell phone number and voice mail and the 1250 Hypertherm was over $1000 more !

Thanks for your comments Andy - it’s a pity that the over zealous European CE approval stuff has led to our Spectrum 3080 kit being supplied with the older 80c torches rather than the (apparently) much better 80cx ones.

Happy cutting…

Speak soon.

[HAWK]

Is the ICE-55c torch that comes with the 2050 a HT torch?

HAWK, Do you have the ICE-55c?

Yes I do. As I said it is a nice torch and works very well. I am curious about the new TA torches since I liked one of their earlier models.

[HAWK]

Hawk,
The new torch is like night and day over the older Sureloc models on the pak 100 machines. As soon as Thermal made the one torch, they swapped out every machine (100 amps and less) they made with that one. They knew they had a winner.

I sure like the way the torch starts over the 3050 Miller I ran at the show.
It could of been the machine or consumables but it did not jump to the plate like I am used too. It cut fine once going.


The adapter kit is #7-3457. I bought mine for about $26.00. I also bought the ATC adapter($41.00) for the quick change ATC style torch. You can go with the adapter and the non ATC style. The torches were around $275.00 for the non ATC and $335.00 for the ATC style back-end.

ScottV,

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately The bridge between my business and the local TA dealer is burned so bad I cannot get across it. Their dross. Whoops. I guess I mean loss. I say this because I would like to see one before buying.

[ASKANDY]

Thanks Scott,
I try to be up front and you won't catch any bull or sunshine from me either. You easily run out of reputation if you do that.

Thanks again!

Andy

[Roadster]

Andy, is the Miller Spectrum 375 really worth $150 more than the Hypertherm Powermax 380? That seems to be the difference in market price at the moment.

I was initially leaning blue on this issue, but both of my local welding distributors only stock Hypertherm cutters and consumables, even though they carry practically the entire line of Miller welders and consumables. What's up with that?!?

[fun4now]

mine too

although in there defence they got my consumables for me in 1 day(had at othere stoor) but told me they could order them in in 2 days if the other store didnt have them. aparently the othere store has only miller plasma must be a area income thing. most of the local yokals out here in the stix are not willing to spend the extra for a miller just dont know any better i gess.
eather way i'm shoure if you get a miller plasma youre local guy will have no truble getting you youre consumables

[Roadster]

although in there defence they got my consumables for me in 1 day(had at othere stoor) but told me they could order them in in 2 days if the other store didnt have them. aparently the othere store has only miller plasma must be a area income thing. most of the local yokals out here in the stix are not willing to spend the extra for a miller just dont know any better i gess.
eather way i'm shoure if you get a miller plasma youre local guy will have no truble getting you youre consumables

Absolutely. They were very quick to point that out, since they already carry Miller products. However, one of the shops was adamant that the PowerMax 380 was "better" than the Spectrum 375 because it would cut thicker material and it could use dual voltage inputs (115V or 230V). I had to politely educate them of the facts by having them pull out their own spec sheets for both machines and compare them.

[fitter108]

whats wrong

I used to sell lawn mowers years ago at a lawn and garden center. The brands we sold were Toro, Snapper, Lawn boy, Bowlens, and a few others. They all were name brands and were of equal quality like the plasma machines but the proffit on the different brands were not created equal. If I sold a Toro, snapper or bowlens the owner would make between 25.00 and 50.00 proffit. If I sold a lawnboy he would make 75 to 100 proffit depending on model. Which ones do you think we sold the most of . Sometimes the seller has a different reason for pushing a model or brand other than the one you picked out. Also the consumable prices and proffits from them are also in his interest to push one brand over another. He knows you will be back to buy tips. This may not be the case but from my experience, its probably the reason. All the plasma companies are in strict competition for pricing and output so they push the specs to the brink of fraud and false advertising to get you to buy there product. Its about money. Pick the brand you really want and hope for the best. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

[fun4now]

off the point a bit , but

back when i was in school mowing lawns for spending $$$ (ya know befor they invented alowences ) my brothers and i barowed some $$$ bought 2 of thouse old gas/oil mix babbies (Lawn boy's) great mower's we ran them hard and got way more than our $$$ werth out of them, we got bike's,went to movies, ate candy,and were living large aaaaaaa the good old day's.

to bad they dont make a rider

[ASKANDY]

There's not much difference at that level. The torch consumables are different but each cuts the same. Salesmen like the Ht because there are times when they are offerring salesmen spiffs to buy them. The salesmen get an extra $20-$50 from HT or whatever plasma company they are selling to push their items. Miller gives distributor incentives rather than individual spiffs to push our items.

Andy

[Roadster]

There's not much difference at that level. The torch consumables are different but each cuts the same. Salesmen like the Ht because there are times when they are offerring salesmen spiffs to buy them. The salesmen get an extra $20-$50 from HT or whatever plasma company they are selling to push their items. Miller gives distributor incentives rather than individual spiffs to push our items.

Andy, thanks for the response. I really appreciate it.