Metal cutting - oxyfuel cutting, plasma cutting, machining, grinding, and other preparatory work.
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do any of you guys use a plasma cutter much ? I have a Simarc 520dp :? I CAN GET TIPS , 50 PACK FOR $30 :o and cuts 1/2 easily and I use it way more than cutting torch :lol: . I find a plasma cutter is a very handy tool to have a round for cutting all kinds of stuff , I don't here much about plasma cutters around here , and wonder if you guy think there much good for your kind of work, thanks John
Last edited by AKweldshop on Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Wes917
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    Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:45 pm

I used to use one all the the time when we were doing retrofit mods at my last job. I preferred it to our cutting torch to
Oddjob83
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I recently got one for the shop a Hypertherm powermax30. their smallest. and it is invaluable as i work a lot with SS and Aluminum. Straight edge is a must for Aluminum, but i find it gets a lot of blowback regardless of pierce method. I recently got their Deluxe Circle guide kit. but as we are changing the power to my shop to 3-phase atm I have yet to use it. I have been trying to get a Plasma for years, but now that we do I can't see how we have gone without one for this long. In the future we are looking at getting a Plasma table for short run production jobs.
jwmacawful
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i had a small miller 110v plasma cutter. i believe it was the spectrum model. it was very handy for light material up to almost 1/8" then became obsolete when the consumable tips got too expensive if i could find them so now it's collecting dust on a shelf.
Follow da blue light
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jwmacawful wrote:i had a small miller 110v plasma cutter. i believe it was the spectrum model. it was very handy for light material up to almost 1/8" then became obsolete when the consumable tips got too expensive if i could find them so now it's collecting dust on a shelf.
Cant you buy the Chinese ones off Ebay for it? I bought hundreds of electrodes and ceramic insulators for just $20-30 for my plasma cutter (not Miller)
jwmacawful
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Follow da blue light wrote:
jwmacawful wrote:i had a small miller 110v plasma cutter. i believe it was the spectrum model. it was very handy for light material up to almost 1/8" then became obsolete when the consumable tips got too expensive if i could find them so now it's collecting dust on a shelf.
Cant you buy the Chinese ones off Ebay for it? I bought hundreds of electrodes and ceramic insulators for just $20-30 for my plasma cutter (not Miller)
that normally would be a good idea but working for a para-military organization with thousands of employees and a multi million dollar budget discourages me from reaching into my pocket for consumables.
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I do a lot of plasma cutting, and even use it to wash stainless and aluminum welds. We have two Thermal Dynamic units at work. I don't recall the model, but they'll cut 1/2".

To make your consumables last as long as possible, put an oil seperater and dryer ahead of the plasma cutter. Dry, oil-free air is essential to making the tips and electrodes last.

I also have access to dry nitrogen at work, and this is a help on stainless and aluminum. It's bone-dry, oil free, and does not make excess oxides in the cut. Carbon steel cuts better with air, however, probably because of the presence of oxygen.

Two cents....

Steve S
Oddjob83
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Thats good to know Otto, as we will be getting nitrogen for using our cutter for out of shop operations.
Ranger
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I have been running a smith torch for years and over the years I have learned to like both... I love plasma but have no money for one and only 120 v outlet and I work with 3/16" and 1/4" plate...I was working on a plan to build one but felt it was to much of a saftey risk and realize either i buy cheap model or save up for better one..
michialt
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I have a cheap Chinese dual voltage plasma cutter. I use it a lot on plate/sheet, and when I just want to make quick rough cuts. I wish I was better with it, and could get more accurate/clean cuts, but for me it's more of a time saver to hack metal down to rough sizes.
NorCalWelding

I use a Miller 625 Spectrum X-treme all the time. I cut a lot of steel and aluminum with it since we don't have a shear in the shop. They say it will do 5/8" plate although I haven't tried yet.
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