Plasma Cutters

Anyone using Plasma Cutters opposed to OXYAC Cutters???
If so what AMP Plasma Machine?
I have been welding Stick, Tig, Mig Oxy/act for over 50 years.
When welding on Nuk Subs HY80 & HY100 Stick and then small jobs I liked "PulsARK. Don't see that around that much. There must be something newer in the past 40 years. But Pulse Ark was the Nuts. It was Wire Feed and the Arc was like a small painting brush.

Anyway
Does anyone use Plasma Cutting now??
Looking at getting an 80 AMP
Thanks
Len & Jill

What's your max thickness I use 40 and 60 amp, are you using it on a Cnc or handheld? Make sure you have a air compressor to handle your plasma cutter, I use a 80 gallon twin pump.

SO I HUNT said:

What's your max thickness I use 40 and 60 amp, are you using it on a Cnc or handheld? Make sure you have a air compressor to handle your plasma cutter, I use a 80 gallon twin pump.

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We have a Quincy 60Galon Two Stage Four Cylinder Compressor.
Basically use for Cerakoting.
Can use for "BLASTING" IF WE WANT.
Most of our metal is <1/4" and would not look for more than 5/8". Don't have CNC Yet.
Not looking to cut metal designs/ Would use our Laser for Thinner metal TO DO THAT.
We have Laser Engraving Cloudray MOPA 60W Fiber
We have a big setup of Harris OxyAct equipment. Two sets of large tanks, all Harris Cutting Torches and welding Tips. We also have Two sets of Jewelry Welding Torches (tips)
Between the Arc Welding and OxyAct I can weld everything from a Nuke Sub to the "CRACK OF DAWN".

We have a complement of outside machines for Land Clearing and LandScaping.
Recently purchased a Kubota MX5400, LA1065FEL, 3rd Function Valve, BH92 Backhoe with a Thumb and a 18' & 10 Bucket.
72" Industrial Root Grapple, 72" Industrial Tiller, 60" Forks for Forklift use.
Stihl MS391, Chainsaw and Four other chainsaws, a 37 Ton Log splitter.
We have over $xxx,xxx,xxx in a State of Art GS Shop and another $xxx,xxx,xxx in outside machinery.

40 amp is probably more than capable of doing what you're looking to do.
I use my cutters for big bore piping stainless and aluminum pipe.
I use driers on my plasma cutters best investment for plasma cutters.
60 amp and dryer used with a gas compressor you're looking about $18000, shop setup maybe $9000 using your air compressor?

Hypertherm

I have the yeswelder 65ds. Unless you're cutting 3/4 plate, like others have said, 40-50 amp is fine.

It's max amps is 45 on 120v and 65 on 220.

Not HF pilot arc. It works well for the price. I cut most stuff on a metal cutting bandsaw. I actually got the plasma cutter for doing axle modifications on some of my 4x4s.

SO I HUNT said:

40 amp is probably more than capable of doing what you're looking to do.
I use my cutters for big bore piping stainless and aluminum pipe.
I use driers on my plasma cutters best investment for plasma cutters.
60 amp and dryer used with a gas compressor you're looking about $18000, shop setup maybe $9000 using your air compressor?

Click to expand...

Yep
Have TWO systems for "AIR" DRYER because of the Cerakote and wanting perfect "Cerakote Job".
Lance I need to talk with you some time.
I will PM you with our #s. Right now it is hard with Jill's mom having Terminal Cancer. we are going day by day.
I pulled the Plug on a 80AMP Plasma two nights ago. I might just get a 50AMP, just because have invested about $100k this last month.
Hoping that we get a new administration in and our stocks will fly!!!
Thanks
Len & Jill

You'll love it.

Is pulse arc different than spray arc?

I have a CNC with a 40 amp Hypertherm cutter. It's great up to 1/4", past that the cut quality and dimensional accuracy degrades past what I consider acceptable for a CNC. It'll cut 1/2", and I'd consider the results acceptable for anything I'd cut by hand.

I've never regretted buying more machine than I think I need. 40-50a will probably do what you're talking about just fine, but if you have the means to get and run a more powerful machine I'd definitely do it.

I have an Eastwood plasma cutter I use occasionally. I believe it's 60A. Fine for my fiddling around. Inherited that one so it is occasionally used.

Phil Rizzo said:

You'll love it.

Is pulse arc different than spray arc?

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Phil
Hope that you and your family are doing well.
When I worked at General Dynamics in the Electric Boat Division on Nuke Subs we had Pulse Ark Welding Machines that ran off of 220V and you could carry the machine and then needed the Wire feed& Gas addition machine. This was 40 + years ago and back then there was Stick, Tig, and Mig. The Mig out in the Civilian world was "Short Arc and Spray Arc". Terrible Spray and Splatter.
The thing about "Pulse Ark" is that there is no "Sputter" and "Splatter" when wire/gas welding. When you dial in the Arc the "Cone" that comes off the tip of the wire is shaped like just like a small paint brush and you just "Paint the Metal" into the weld. Very smooth and it sounds like Swoosh and then back Swoosh. Gives and excellent weld!
I have welded for close to 60 years with Stick, Tig, Mig Oxy/Act on some of the most critical components in Nuke Reactors, When I had the option to use Pulse Arc and the space would allow, I would always it.
Since being out of that World and the past 20 years i have purchased several welding machines. Could not find the same machine that i used on Subs.
This is close to what i used 40 years ago.

Two years ago We bought a VULCAN OMNIPRO 220 Industrial Multiprocess Welder with 120/240V Input from Harbor Freight on Sale half the price of the same Lincoln and can do Stick, Mig, Tig. Machine runs very well.


ANYWAY
Looking for a Plasma Cutter to update our Harris Oxy/Act
Want to weld three or four Barrels together to get some barrel velocity/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

dfanonymous said:

I have the yeswelder 65ds. Unless you're cutting 3/4 plate, like others have said, 40-50 amp is fine.

It's max amps is 45 on 120v and 65 on 220.

Not HF pilot arc. It works well for the price. I cut most stuff on a metal cutting bandsaw. I actually got the plasma cutter for doing axle modifications on some of my 4x4s.

Click to expand...

Thanks
We have a Griz Band Saw and several handheld bandsaws. Just wanted to have a Plasma Cutter. Can cut cleaner than Oxy/act. I never was good at freehand Oxy/Act. Plus all you need is electricity & pressurized air. With Oxy/Act you need Tanks of Oxy and Act.

Went with the hypetherm, don't have any complaints but it's one of the very few tools I've bought and honestly not used enough to rationalize. It was initially bought with 2x projects in mind, since then a local places bought a plasma laser with a very reasonable machine setup fee. Almost all the clean cutting now gets subbed out to it as it's such a clean cut the labor savings makes it more viable than plasma. It's been relegated to cutting pipe saddles for stuff my tube notcher can't swing, as everything high acuity flat plate gets lazered.

Built a hand cut foild shaped 316 rudder a few years back, and another this spring but with laser cut pieces.... that plasma is gonna stay dusty I'm afraid.