earthmover
in the tire smoke
anybody use this type of plasma cutter?????buddy has 1 for sale cheap...200.00 are they any good???? I know it doesn't cut the thickest metal but it would just be used in my home shop for jobs here and there...
drag gun thermal dynamic plasma cutter
- Thread starter earthmover
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anybody use this type of plasma cutter?????buddy has 1 for sale cheap...200.00 are they any good???? I know it doesn't cut the thickest metal but it would just be used in my home shop for jobs here and there...
I know that my dad worked for a subsidiary of Ford/Gm/Chrysler and they had the big expensive plasma cutters when they were still newer and he said all they did was SUCK a lot of power and made what ever you were working on extremely hot and the cutters were massively slow cutting. My point is I wanted to buy a plasma cutter off craigslist and my dad said he would take a pneumatic cutting tool over a plasma cutter.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
You need a BIG HEAVY EXPENSIVE plasma unit to cut much of anything.
"I should have known better" but I bought the HorridFreight 600 dollar cutter. Junk.
You really push it to cut, let's say, 5/16" material, and the torch parts are very lightweight, plan on buying a lot of torch consumables.
I later found a Thermal Dynamics unit used for 500 and it works well
Mine is called a "Cutmaster 51" and I believe it was 12--1500 bucks new, originally. It's rated for "genuine cut" of 1/2" and "maximum" of 5/8. This is a big, heavy unit, and requires 220V
That unit you are looking at...............if all you want is sheet metal, "maybe."
"I should have known better" but I bought the HorridFreight 600 dollar cutter. Junk.
You really push it to cut, let's say, 5/16" material, and the torch parts are very lightweight, plan on buying a lot of torch consumables.
I later found a Thermal Dynamics unit used for 500 and it works well
Mine is called a "Cutmaster 51" and I believe it was 12--1500 bucks new, originally. It's rated for "genuine cut" of 1/2" and "maximum" of 5/8. This is a big, heavy unit, and requires 220V
That unit you are looking at...............if all you want is sheet metal, "maybe."
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
I don't even know what this "means."
I guess you've never used a torch? I'd take plasma over a torch anyday
"What is" what you are calling a pneumatic cutter?
That's a give away price.
I bought a 20 year old Pak Master 25 and was happy to pay $400.
***** it only worked for about three months.
Cuts 1/8 inch like butter.
They are finicky and spensive to have repaired, but boy, light work of cutting.
hardest part is holding a straight line.
I bought a 20 year old Pak Master 25 and was happy to pay $400.
***** it only worked for about three months.
Cuts 1/8 inch like butter.
They are finicky and spensive to have repaired, but boy, light work of cutting.
hardest part is holding a straight line.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Cut off wheel, air saw. anything that cuts using pneumaticsl:
Seems to me, apples and oranges. Completely different tools. LOTS of things you can't do with cut off wheels, but there are jobs when they would be better than a torch or plasma. You wouldn't try and use a water jet portable, it's a completely different tool for a different purpose
earthmover
in the tire smoke
I think I am going to pass on it..when I do get 1 it will be a little bigger then this for sure..no need to waste money on this right now ..
earthmover
in the tire smoke
no but I don't cut a lot of stuff either way.. that's why I figured I should just wait and maybe get a little bigger unit at another time..there is not need for me to buy it then need to cut something and still have to torch it or go some where to get it cut....I do weld and repair my dump truck bed from time to time and its 1/8 heat treated ......my biggest reason for looking at this st up was cause it has the air comp. build in to it..lol but that's no big deal I have a 60 gal. that will work with what ever unit I do get..
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
I'll tell ya
I've never been what you would call "highly skilled" with a torch, which is "all we had" for a very long time. But I was able to cut "stuff" that I needed.
Now that have this "real" plasma cutter, it is light years better than a torch
You don't have to eff around adjusting the flame
or be that careful (where the flame is pointing)
or worry about "do I shut it off" while adjusting the next piece, or try and juggle the torch
The plasma, while generating heat and sparks, is not NEARLY as obnoxious as a torch
Plus, a torch will only mostly cut steel
A plasma will cut many kinds of metals, including aluminum
I've never been what you would call "highly skilled" with a torch, which is "all we had" for a very long time. But I was able to cut "stuff" that I needed.
Now that have this "real" plasma cutter, it is light years better than a torch
You don't have to eff around adjusting the flame
or be that careful (where the flame is pointing)
or worry about "do I shut it off" while adjusting the next piece, or try and juggle the torch
The plasma, while generating heat and sparks, is not NEARLY as obnoxious as a torch
Plus, a torch will only mostly cut steel
A plasma will cut many kinds of metals, including aluminum
No, No, very true I guess I am talking about sheet metal work...
I have a Hyper-Therm 380 that I bought new 8 or 9 years ago. Once you use one of these you wonder how you lived without it. I took mine to a buddies house a couple weeks ago to cut some 1/2" steel plate. He wanted to build brackets for forks on a small tractor he has. My plasma got quite a workout but cut nice straight cuts and very little slag. I had to pry it out of his hands so I could take it home.
ram250098
69 Barracuda
Our company bought a few, very small unit about 16x8x8 you wore it like a backpack. These things were amazing ....BUT...they were around $2000.
So either $200 is a smoking deal...or it is a POS.
AL
So either $200 is a smoking deal...or it is a POS.
AL
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