• Spring 2024 meetup in Calgary - tentative date Saturday, April 20/2024. Other regions are also discussing meet ups. If you want one in your area get going on organizing it! discussion
  • We are having email/registration problems again. Diagnosis is underway. New users sorry if you are having trouble getting registered. We are exploring different options to get registered. Contact the forum via another member or on facebook if you're stuck. Update -> we think it is fixed. Let us know if not.
  • Spring meet up in Ontario, April 6/2024. NEW LOCATION See Post #31 Discussion NEW LOCATION

Search results

  1. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    The portability is an interesting point. To me, it does not matter. I have the nitrogen cylinder chained to a wall and a 25 foot 3/8" air hose to place the plasma cutter anywhere in my workshop. But, yes, the Nitrogen is easier to transport than a big compressor to get into and out of the back...
  2. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    Wow, that's a costly and very noisy solution! My ONLY tool beyond the plasma cutter that requires air is a finishing nail stapler, and my pancake compressor is more than adequate for that. I simply cannot justify the cost and noise of a big compressor (or multiple smaller ones) to feed just ONE...
  3. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    I have been super busy, but got a chance in the past couple of days to make some progress on both my TIG welding and my plasma cutting testing. I had previously put together a 25 foot 3/8 inch air hose with quick disconnects to connect my 300 cu ft Nitrogen cylinder to my BestArc lunchbox size...
  4. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    With Amazon's help, I contacted BestArc, the seller for the model I have, and asked what air pressure is allowable to feed into the machine (as opposed to what psi is set INTERNAL to the machine. Here is the conversation I had with them: BESTARC 18-Feb-2023 6:37 AM User manual says to set psi...
  5. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    What specifically do I buy that would fit via 1/4 NPT quick disconnects between my airline and the plasma cutter? The combination regulator/psi gage/flow meters I have seen have Argon gas fillings versus NPT threads that can accept male or female QD fittings. (I am very new to this gas flow...
  6. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    I would like to keep the system as simple and robust as practical, so adding a flow meter and an additional pressure gauge is not attractive to me, especially since the additional hardware would need to somehow hang precariously off the water filter male 1/4 NOT fitting on the plasma cutter...
  7. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    Aurbrushing sounds surprising at first given that airbrush artists usualy take minutes or hours versus seconds to do their work, and Nitrogen is not tnat cheap, but then you realize that an airbrush uses VERY little air or gas. When artists use airbrushes to paint for example, where the air or...
  8. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    There are multiple reaosns that some operators use Nitrogen or Argon for plasma cutting or airbrushing. Quality is one. Noise is another. Eliminating oxidation is another. Better temperature stability is yet another (this reason, along with zero moisture content no matter what, is why Nitrogen...
  9. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    This postflow air or gas consumption seems to be a big deal with the plasma cutter manufacturers. The user manual for one Hypertherm model says the following: " How the system handles postflow for marking Postflow is gas that flows from the torch in order to cool the consumables after the...
  10. J

    What air compressor CFM and reservoir size needed to run a 50 amp plasma cutter

    Yes, I was offered a 2300 or 2400 psi N2 cylinder and went with that. If i am reading that first full colour graph correctly, a 3/8" line can flow 20 CFM, but a 1/4" line only 10 CFM, so my 3/8" line with 1/4" fittings is likely a bit above 10 CFM capability. That's good. I did post a question...
Top