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Plasma cutters

Chris Cramer

Super User
Vendor
Premium Member
How much money are you willing to spend? When I was looking for an affordable plasma cutter the best option I found under $1000 was the everlast power plasma 50s. According to all the reviews I read online it's one of the most popular hobbyist plasma cutters with surprising capabilities. For myself it's been working great, my problems cutting aluminum were most likely because I was using air instead of Argon Helium, or Nitrogen. I haven't tested its capability with the plasma table I ordered, but its features of pilot arc and the CNC port make it capable of CNC control as well.
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
Chris Jenson had one of those everlast plasma 50s with the CNC integration on his CNC table. It seemed to work well. He cut quite a few stanchion bases for me with lettering cutouts and they turned out nice.
 

Alexander

Ultra Member
Administrator
I got to see that machine chris had too. He cut out some letters for me out of 1/8th plate.
 

Colten Edwards

Fabricator
I'm about to embark on building a plasma table. I have a multi-process Everlast 256SI which has plasma capabilities. Hoping that it will get me started so I can eventually upgrade to a dedicated plasma cutter.

so far, I have my electronics, motors and rails/blocks. Just need some 14guage 2" square tubing and some welding experience.
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
I’ve been at that point for probably 2 years now it comes down to how much space available to how much you’d use it. I’m thinking about one that would be able to be pulled out or folded for storage.
 

Chris Cramer

Super User
Vendor
Premium Member
I'm having a lot of trouble with my everlast power plasma 50s. It can't seem to maintain the cutting arc as I continue cutting, especially when it is run by my machine. I have the ground clamp directly on the metal, and I've tried replacing all consumables including the swirl ring and the fuse. I'm trying to cut 3/16' mild steel with my compressor set to 90 - 120 psi and my plasma cutter to 70 with 30 - 40 amps. The only way it cuts is when it moves at a very slow travel speed around 30 ipm; but of course that only leaves a lot of slag on the bottom of the metal. If it travels faster, even when starting on the side, or piercing all the way through, it only gouges the surface.
The machine itself is working fine,because all the movement is correct, and it fires the torch correctly, but it can't seem to cut the metal unless I use it by hand.
 

Bofobo

M,Mizera(BOFOBO)
Are you experiencing air-line lag? Moisture separator clogged? Kinked/ loose air line or punctured/ burn?
 

kylemp

Well-Known Member
I'm having a lot of trouble with my everlast power plasma 50s. It can't seem to maintain the cutting arc as I continue cutting, especially when it is run by my machine. I have the ground clamp directly on the metal, and I've tried replacing all consumables including the swirl ring and the fuse. I'm trying to cut 3/16' mild steel with my compressor set to 90 - 120 psi and my plasma cutter to 70 with 30 - 40 amps. The only way it cuts is when it moves at a very slow travel speed around 30 ipm; but of course that only leaves a lot of slag on the bottom of the metal. If it travels faster, even when starting on the side, or piercing all the way through, it only gouges the surface.
The machine itself is working fine,because all the movement is correct, and it fires the torch correctly, but it can't seem to cut the metal unless I use it by hand.
In my experience that is a grounding issue but I didn't have that model of plasma, and it sounds like you've checked it..
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
Chris do you have a CNC plasma table now? Very cool. What kind? pics?

What are you doing to remove water from the lines? I had endless trouble with the plasma until I bought a desiccant air dryer. Especially lately with the high humidity you will get water in the lines unless you are taking specific steps. You may have gotten away with nothing during the winter I found I did but not now. I have one of these: https://www.kmstools.com/campbell-hausfeld-3-8-desiccant-coalescing-filter-1546 The water filter on the plasma cutter is not adequate.

I find I need to change the beads every single DAY! But it's no big deal, I put the used beads in a tin can and then cook it in the toaster oven for about 20 minutes at 300F to dry them out. (I've also used the BBQ). The beads change colour from blue to pink and back when they are wet and then back to dry. I've got two sets so one is being used while the other is drying. Use an air tight container to store them in. I use plastic gelato containers.

Also I think you may have the air pressure set too high - try turning it down to 60 and also turning it up to 80. What size air line do you have? It may be too small if you're using 1/4". I think the manual says 3/8. I also think 30 ipm is pretty fast maybe too fast. I would slow it down to 10 and adjust upwards. First get it cutting reliably and then try to work on reducing the slag. I think some slag is pretty typical at the price point of a home plasma system.

If none of this goes anywhere I would contact the seller - they've helped me out a couple times.

One last thing - what capacity of compressor (volume and CFM?) do you have? a little one won't work for very long before it falls behind.

@CalgaryPT Peter can you advise on feeds and speeds here for Chris?
 
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Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
What kind of ground clamp? are you grinding off the mill scale? The everlast ground clamps aren't very good. I bought a much stiffer one at Princess and it helps.

One of the welding you tubers also suggested making a birds nest or a ball of small gauge copper wire and putting that in between the jaws and the material to improve the ground. I've done that too and it does help.

Be sure to let us know how you are making out.
 
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Chris Cramer

Super User
Vendor
Premium Member
Here is a picture of my table and one of the cuts, it is the new crossfire pro from langmuir systems. I use an 80 gallon air compressor connected to a motor guard air dryer, I tried changing the filter, and I just purchased another water trap for the side of the compressor, but I haven't tried installing it yet. I cut a piece using a speed of 10 IPM but I could tell that it was cut by the pilot arc, because the sides were very messy with lots of slag. When I cut it by hand I can travel faster than the machine, and at the same height or higher, and still make a clean cut. I have read some settings online using 45 - 50 amps at 20 - 30 ipm but when I have gone that high and slow by hand it creates a lot of slag, because of the excessive heat. I'll try the birds nest, and clean the clamp, I'm thinking it is a grounding issue, because when I have it in my vise I can cut the metal no problem, but not when it is on the table.
 

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Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
I just thought of something else. On my plasma it’s easy to not tighten up the positive lead at the Everlast machine properly because a protrusion gets in the way. When that happens it does not work right. It seems tight but it isn’t.
 
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