What Plasma Cutter?

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Pikey

Pikey

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Thinking that, with all the chassis and bulkhead repairs that I need to make for the 110. I may invest in a plasma cutter. Anyone got any recommendations?? needs to be single phase (230V) and able to run off a 40ltr 125PSI 10cfm compressor. OH and cheap is definately going to be a big fsctor in determining whether Or not I get one.

Discuss.........:rolleyes:
 
honolulujoe said:
someone mentioned an r-tech plasma cutter in the mig welding wire thread but their stuff isn't cheap

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/mig-welding-wire-282942.html
Click to expand...

Ah! that would be me!!

We ran Oxy Acetylene as our main cutting system for years, and still use it - but it is relatively expensive per hour run.

Plasma is cheap to run. However, IME, Cheap Plasma Cutters are crap - it is not simple technology, with thoriated electrodes and all sorts of other "stuff", like pilot arc etc, etc, etc.,

The R Tech ones are very good, and highly recommended. It is NOT cheap, but IME, is good value - I am "saving up" for an AC Tig set at the mo - it will almost certainly be one of theirs when we buy....

PM me if you want more info.
 
I can recommend the 50 amp r tech plasma,it is 230v but does need a 32 amp supply, i was going to get their 30 amp one which for £400 i didn't think was bad. The warranty on the r tech stuff is supposed to be spot on as well that was the other reason i went with their brand.
 
Just had a look (again) at the R-Tech site, to refresh my memory.

One point to make about the R-Tech, IMO, is that the larger units come with HF pilot re-start - as R-Tech say, this is ideal for cutting mesh - but we have found it useful on rusty stuff - when the arc goes out due to lack of continuity.

Another thing to be careful about when buying any of these inverter based power sources, whether welder (Mig, Tig, MMA) or as a plasma cutter is the duty cycle.

All the cheaper sets I have seen have quite low duty cycles, of the order of say 30% - so three mins running is going to require 7 mins at rest to cool down... This may or may not be an issue - its up to you !! You do get what you pay for!! ( usually!)
 
can I just clarify for my own purposes on these duty cycles, noticed them when looking at welders.

Does a 30% cycle mean you can use it for 3 mins then have to let it rest for 7 or can you use it for longer than 3 mins say use if for 6 let it rest for 14?
 
Last year I took the advice on this thread:

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/plasma-cutters-254153.html

...and instead of shelling out on a Hyperthem, saved myself some cash and went with one of the generic Chinese CUT40 machines off email for around £250

It's done me well over the past year, consumables are readily available and cheap.

PLASMA CUTTER CUT 40 C/W TORCH OVER 5000 SOLD | eBay

I've cut through various bits and pieces up to about 8mm, fed off a 16A commando and 16A type A breaker in my garage. I'm sure it will run quite happily on a 13A plug at lower settings.

Used in this video from 06:00 effortlessly cutting through some 5mm angle iron. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BylECR3iZOU
 
Last edited:
honolulujoe said:
can I just clarify for my own purposes on these duty cycles, noticed them when looking at welders.

Does a 30% cycle mean you can use it for 3 mins then have to let it rest for 7 or can you use it for longer than 3 mins say use if for 6 let it rest for 14?
Click to expand...

Well, yes it does..... sort of (!!) You just know there is a "but", don't you ??!

The thing is that the duty cycle figures will be based on actual times, but they are trying to make the most profit for the least input, so they are going to quote any spec in their favour....( its obviously going to depend on ambient temp and actual usage conditions - something which the manufacturers have no control over - so its best used as a "rough" guide )

You could take 30% as meaning 3 hours at full power, and then 7 hours rest - but clearly that is not going to work, so you need more info, which is probably not available.... hence folk saying go for something better.
 
I'm looking at something that will be used very little and won't be expected to cut anything over 5mm Though in reality that'll probably be mostly 2 or 3mm mild steel. So not going to throw £400 + at it.

The cut 40's seem to be in the ballpark of what I'm looking at spending. Anyone used one of them..
 
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