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Plasma cutters, which kind do you have and does it perform to your satisfaction.

My plasma is 40amp off of my Longevity multi-process machine (Tig/Stick). Works great on 1/4 to 1/2" metal. No complaints. I've only used two tips in 12 years...... Clean dry air is the key I believe. This unit has the HF start

I have also acquired an older SPI 25 unit.... It has the touch start and isn't working well.... I suspect the consumables need replacing and if that doesn't correct it I'll be taking the gun apart.
 
I got the new torch today. This thing is so nice I can't believe it was less than $60. The volume of air through the hose is huge compared to the old one even after my temporary repair so was able to turn the regulator back down to the recommended 70 PSI. My machine has a 7 pin connector for the torch switch and all the new ones have a 2 pin connector as does the new torch. I just cut the 2 pin connector off the new torch and soldered the leads onto the connector from the old torch. The hose is covered with a very soft pliable rubber sleeve, the old torch whip was stiff as a board plus the new one is a foot longer. I made a dozen passes through a piece of 3/8" X 3" CRS and it cuts very nicely now. If you are looking for an updated torch for your cheap Cut50 style machine I recommend this one.






This amount of cutting would have destroyed the drag tip and the rest of the consumables on the old torch but they still look like new on the new one.

 
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I took a gamble on a herocut cut 55 a few years ago, and have been really pleased with it so far. I only had one issue with a badly crimped wire in the torch (My review was the first one on amazon.ca) but other than that it's been great. I picked that one because of the dual voltage input, and that feature has been super handy a few times. I'd like to eventually build a cnc table for it, but at the rate I finish projects......
 
Following this thread as i will be in the market this spring for a plasma cutter. My oxy/propane is good but the dinky oxy tanks that you buy are a joke, very limited capacity and if you rent the fees are pretty high for casual use. Need another option in the shop, plus a new tool is always a good thing.
 
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No I haven’t gone there yet but I am hoping to pick up some stock before it disappears. I even have the Cnc style torch with 25’ cable that has never been used. I’ll find out more soon I should pick up some O rings up for the Oxy/ acc that have cracked.
 
Tom O said:
No I haven’t gone there yet but I am hoping to pick up some stock before it disappears. I even have the Cnc style torch with 25’ cable that has never been used. I’ll find out more soon I should pick up some O rings up for the Oxy/ acc that have cracked.
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I'm watching a plasma cutter on an auction that closes tomorrow. It's at $475 now, I expect it to close north of $1000 maybe even higher if an idiot buys it out of ignorance. So likely $2000 CAD if it sells for $1000 plus buyers premium and plus almost a thousand for the new kit...

I guess that will be out of the question now, and I should go back to looking at 3/8" plate max for my plasma cutter
 
I've never owned a plasma cutter but I have run a few of em .

I am thinking about getting one

My favourite of the machine I've run was Hypertherm , When I get one it will either be hypertherm or Miller ........I've always liked blue.
 
John Conroy said:
I have a cheap Chinese plasma cutter that has never performed well and has now quit working completely. I'm pretty sure the torch is at fault and I have ordered a replacement but I'm thinking of buying a better quality machine and scrapping this one. I'd appreciate hearing about other people's experience with their machine and opinions about what to buy.
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Hi John. I tried to message you but the system would not allow it. Can you contact me at 780-686-5657. I understand you have purchased a Precision Mathews machine. Thank you Andy Gawlak
 
I was feeling flush, a while back, so bought a Miller 625 sumthin-sumpthin, and a new air compressor from KBC Tools. Bought it with a possible CNC Table in mind for it. Someday. Maybe. LOL!
Does what I want. Multi voltage is handy, still on the first set of consumables, but bought several spare sets. Been used to lop out a bunch of chunks off of some 1/2 inch thick I beam, cut a bunch of 3/8' wall tube, and a bunch more 1/4" plate and gussets.
 
John Conroy said:
I made a temporary repair to the old torch using a short length of 3/8" braided hose split lengthwise and slid it over the uncovered portion of the conductor when it was stretched to it's full unfolded length. I just used electrical tape wrapped around the short piece of hose to seal the split and both ends. After re-assembling the torch I now had lots of air flow but still no arc. After watching this video

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I decided to follow his suggestion and check the arc start contacts inside the machine and found they were almost touching. He says in the video to open the gap by bending them. I did that and opened the gap to about 1/8" from about .020" now I have an arc that looks like the one on his machine and it cuts properly. I'll do more performance testing once the new torch arrives. I didn't take any pictures so I used a couple of screen shots from his video to show the arc contacts.

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Awesome find.

Fun fact, the bigger the gap the higher the voltage that is produced - several thousand volts to bridge a gap that size.
 
I use my Dads thermal dynamics pak master 75xl I think it is. 55 amps, bigger old machine on wheels, not like the small ones these days. Works great, consumables pricey though.

If I were to replace it I'd likely look log and hard at a hypertherm 45. Or a new thermal dynamics around the 40-50 amp size.

At work we have a amazon chinese plasma 40 amp I think, And surprisingly it works well so far, but hasn't had all that much use. I'm not too fond of the really cheap imports, had too many things break then end up buying the better quality machine later costing more than buying right in the first place.
 
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