Plasma cutters?

[WestTexasS2K]

Who has a plasma cutter? What brands do you think are the best bang for the buck? Miller and Lincoln are just out of my price range but scared of the cheaper units ie Hobart and such. I know Hobart is made by Miller just not to the same specs. Dont know alot about the ESAB or Hypertherm they seem to get used alot on TV programs. I am sure because they pay to have them there.

[SkinnyG]

I teach highschool shop. I have a Hobart in my Metalwork shop. It has survived six years of abuse from a raft of students who won't follow instruction, with naught but a mess of tip replacements. I would have no reservation recommending a Hobart.

[slngsht]

Um, don't get Parker (cheap chinese). I use one as a door stop. :leaving:

[MHKflyer52]

Miller is the smoothest to use in my humble belief but as you stated expensive. Look for a used one as that is how I purchased the one I have and it works like a charm, had to replace the nozzle and tip and fix the ground clamp as it was loose from the previous owners use or should I say miss-a-buse.

The ESAB and Hobart’s are also good as friends of mine have them and I have used them on occasion before getting my own.

Make sure your local welding supply caries replacement parts for the make you purchase so that you do not have an issue getting new tips and nozzles.

Also use and air water separator if the unit you buy does not have its own air pump as clean dry air works the best I have found along with a good ground.

[Locost 5.0]

Nothing wrong with Hobart, I have a Thermal Dynamics thats served me well for 5 years. I would buy another one.

 

Rod

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Thermal dynamics, hypertherm, and esab seem to be the top brand for plasmas in my experience. Miller and Lincoln of course make decent units, but I've heard more than one person say buy a plasma cutter from a plasma cutter manufacturer and a welder from a welder manufacturer. With that said, I've never heard of anyone having trouble with any of the Miller/Lincoln units or the Hobarts for that matter. I think Hobart units of any type(plasma or welder) are fine for home use and have the national service backing/parts interchangeability of Miller.

 

Stay away from the chinese crap unless you have a distributor IN your town that will service the warranty. Mazda spent who knows how much shipping his back and forth for service and it still doesn't work right.

 

I've been spending a lot of time in a friends shop and he has a Thermal Dynamics hooked up to his CNC plasma table and a hypertherm hand torch and both seem to be problem free with daily use in a fab shop environment.