Thinking about buying one of these. I know NOTHING about plasma cutter or this equiptment. I am looking for a small unit. Maybe 2 x 2. Anyone have one of these or know anything about a good one or a bad one? Not going to use it a LOT. Make a thing here and there. Anybody got a site or web address?
Reply:www.torchmate.comwww.plasmacam.comwww.dynatorch.comwww.trackercnc.comHere's a few.
Reply:You can also locate some used ones on either craigslist or ebay. Many times the owner will also spend sometime with you showing its operation.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.& 2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:We had one in my Metal Trades class in highschool 5 years ago (I feel old) and I spent quite a bit of time on it. Was PlasmaCam brand. 4x4 table. Easy to use, could scan images into the pc, do images from the internet or camera. Nice part about it was you could rotate and position parts on a sheet so you could maximize your material used and had little scrap. I wish I had one in the shop I work at now, but just have some lathes and mills to play with.
Reply:Although I would love to have a CNC plasma setup, they are a lot of money for a very occasional machine. What type of things would you be cutting out with it?
Reply:For occasional use....here in my town, a guy has a shop with two PlasmaCams....if you do the computer work and hand him the disk and the metal, he will cut it for a fair price. He also sells metal, so you could bonus buy from him. Maybe you could find a setup like that? The plasmacam is about 5grand. Plus you need your own plasma cutter to boot. But if you are dead set on getting your own, I would be quite impressed!!!!! And envious!Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Originally Posted by jdod85Thinking about buying one of these. I know NOTHING about plasma cutter or this equiptment. I am looking for a small unit. Maybe 2 x 2. Anyone have one of these or know anything about a good one or a bad one? Not going to use it a LOT. Make a thing here and there. Anybody got a site or web address?
Reply:I have seen many things cut with this setup. Wife spend thousands on computer controlled sewing machines. So why cant I?
Reply:Torchmate 2x2 CNC Prototyping System Price: $1,995.00 They just released this system and I'm thinking about getting it, from what I've read you can alway index to cover a full sheet. Gonna wait a few months to see how things go, there's a thread on Pirate4x4 about it.Synchowave 180SD Bernard 3500SS water coolerMillermatic 200Parker Plasma Tec 40dvOperating Engineers Local 12
Reply:Originally Posted by Joker11For occasional use....here in my town, a guy has a shop with two PlasmaCams....if you do the computer work and hand him the disk and the metal, he will cut it for a fair price. He also sells metal, so you could bonus buy from him. Maybe you could find a setup like that? The plasmacam is about 5grand. Plus you need your own plasma cutter to boot. But if you are dead set on getting your own, I would be quite impressed!!!!! And envious!
Reply:The new 2 x 2 Torchmate is probably a good deal for those that want to do a few small parts.....it looks like a good design, and Torchmate has been around a long time..so they know what they are doing! It does not have slats to set the material on, does not have a torch height control system (it is optional)...which is necessary for best cut quality and consumable life....but should be good for use in a small shop without taking up too much space.The PlasmaCam machine (someone posted earlier that is was about $5000) is actually $10k.....you have to add a plasma, a PC, and close in the base for fume/smoke control....but it comes with a good torch height control system and has a 4 x 4 slat bed. PlasmaCam has a good following and a very good reputation as well with many loyal user/owners.It's all in what you need/want, as well as how much money the wife lets you spend!Jim Colt
Reply:Stay away from Plasma Cam. Just my opinion but I know where there are two sitting in scrapyards and they were not even 5 years old when they made it there. You can't get parts or service on them so when they break (which is often) you play hell getting them back up and running. If you have the money I suggest getting a waterjet but stay away from Techni for the same reasons to stay away from a Plasma Cam.Regards,Eric H. SmithMiller ABP-330Hobart Champion 16Millermatic 185Craftsman Atlas LatheBridgeport MillMiller Spectrum Plasma CutterGrizzly G4015Z Combo Lathe/Mill
Reply:Eric,I beg to differ with you on the PlasmaCam.....it is a lghtweight machine....not something you want to drop 1" plate on on a daily basis...but that is what makes it work well. Lightweight moving gantry makes the torch accelerate quicker...which is an attribute that plasma likes. I had the first version PlasmaCam for 7 years.....it did require a lot of tinkering, and it ate drive belts for lunch....but it was incredibly easy to use and simple to repair. I sold it after 7 years use for damn near what I paid for it....and bought their newest model...the DHC2. The DHC2 looks similar, but has different drives, different belts, and and a really nice torch height control.....and it has been 100% trouble free for me...as well as being easy to operate. Tech support used to e terrible with PlasmaCam...today it is top notch. I know that Torchmate and other companies can offer similar performance and operation with their latest machines as well. Jim
Reply:I've done quite a bit of research on plasma tables, and I think the best value for the money is the Torchmate. They have a number of tables, and lots of options. They sell them as a kit or fully assembled, from dirt cheap to mid-ranged prices. You can get more information from Deanna Maurer, D&J Tool Supply, 888-546-0744, which is where I got most of the info.
Reply:I would stay away from a water jet. Sure they're nice and can cut just about anything, but operational costs are through the roof. The garnet abrasive is quite pricey and the booster pumps need to be replaced on a regular basis due to the abrasive. The ceramic tips alone go for about $500 each and break if you just look cross-eyed at them. In addition the noise from the pumps will drive a Baptist preacher to drink.
Reply:The original Poster is looking for a small, low cost plasma system....likely in the $10k or less range. Abrasive water jets start at around $100k.....as do high definition class plasma systems! He is probably more interested in entry level machines such as TorchMate and PlasmaCam and a few others.Jim
Reply:Originally Posted by jdod85Thinking about buying one of these. I know NOTHING about plasma cutter or this equiptment. I am looking for a small unit. Maybe 2 x 2. Anyone have one of these or know anything about a good one or a bad one? Not going to use it a LOT. Make a thing here and there. Anybody got a site or web address?
Reply:I think its a great little machine...and a good price. A couple of things to remember, because there is no height control (it is available as an option for around $2200)....you will have difficulty on thicknesses above 1/8"......on thicker materials you must pierce at about 1.5 to 2 times the cut height.....otherwise the torch consumables will be very short lived. You could start on an edge at cut height....or you could manually fix the torch at pierce height and pierce, then manually move the torch down to cut height and do the cut, starting at the pierce hole. Better than hand cutting for sure!I happen to do a lot of cuts that have internal holes, and usually doing between 6 and 20 pices of the same part...height control is necessary for me.Also...this machine has no cutting bed.....you would have to fabricate that as well as either a water table or a downdraft table. Torchmate will sell a bunch of these.Jim Colt
Reply:Apparently they've shipped 20 and now the wait is 1.5 to 2 months. Might not be a bad idea for someone to start selling water table kits for them.Dave
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on Quixote,Im not sure where you got your info on the PlasmaCam parts but every part that makes up the PlasmaCam they sell online. If you are on their owners list, just logon and order what you need. I have been running a PlasmaCam for 3 years and have never had to replace anything, not counting cutting tips. If you have any qusetion or problem they have an online forum and respond quickly. 95 percent of the time it is user error. I do wish they made the unit with a water table. Don't even think of cutting without the proper exhaust. 2x2 seems small to me but if you have nothing it might look big.One other thing with PlasmaCam if you out grow the 4x4 they sell rails to add on to your unit to make it a 4x8.Mike
Reply:i would not buy one that would not work less than a 4 by 8 foot sheet, and 4 by 10 would be better.
Reply:I use 4 x 8 sheets all the time with my 4 x 4 machine.....it is very easy.......yet takes less floor space (when a full sheet is not on the table) than a larger machine....important in some small shops.
Reply:I have tried the Tracker CNC unit. Works like a charm!
Reply:EZ Cut CNC now offers a 4 x 4, 4 x 8, 5 x 10 and 6 x 12 CNC plasma cutters & CNC plasma tables. All EZ Cut CNC plasma cutting machinesare made in the USA from only the highest quality materials.Check out our website at http://www.ezcutcnc.com.
Reply:Whats the price on a 4 x 4 with torch height control and a Hypertherm Powermax45?Jim
