plasma cutters???

[S.CoXy]

Hi guy, Been away for a while and am happy to be back on here again... I am looking at setting up my shed for working on my 4b again and am interested in buying a plasma cutter. Mainly looking at the ones on the ebay thingo for around $400 but have also got prices from the local CIG shop for around $1000 . Both 40 inverter ones with up to 10mm cutting. Just after any info people can give me.

[Mick.]

I don't know much about the Ebay ones but i've got a Unimig 40 which is a pretty good little unit. I only paid $600 for it as it was an ex demo model but didn't look like it had been used.

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Produ ... kCode=C422" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers Mick.

[montana]

used a mates today,combo tig ,arc and plasma,he payed $450 delivered. down side is if one part dies.

[V.W.Dave]

The Unimigs are worth the extra coin. Be sure you have a compressor that can keep up with it, whatever you get. The uni mig 40 will do up to 12mm but anything over 6mm the back side of the cut gets a little ugly and anything over 8mm it will not cut a perfect cut it will not cut very straight.

[Harb]

yeah its really worth putting a good air filter on the air supply to it.

[S.CoXy]

Thanks for the info so far... So whats the go with air, is argon much better? and what are the rate of use for the consumable?

[Ice]

plasma cuts wih air, any water in it is what burns your consumables

so a good water trap is paramount, at the m/c end not the compressor

buy 2 if you have to, rule of thumb is 30ft of air line from compressor put 2nd air trap as the air has had tie to cool then and condense, this is what kills plasma bits

i have a 3 phase esab... is good up to 20mm then it starts to struggle

[tas80]

I use a Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38, great unit which I picked up second hand, as mentioned by Harb definitely use a good filter as any water in the air can do a lot of damage to the hand-piece. This is the filter I use.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Motor-Guard-plas ... 500wt_1064" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[luxembuger]

G'day, if you aren't going to use compressed air then nitrogen is the go, the portable Thermal Dynamics plasmas we have at work are pretty thirsty on the nitro though so they're used with air when possible.
Cheers.

[Slunnie]

We run an ESAB 875 (.875" cut) which is a good unit. I would overspec the cutter because they get really crappy near their limits. I wouldn't bother with gas, just run it on compressed air. Not sure about the others because I've only had ESAB plasma cutters, but these are turn it on and they just work machines