Lotos plasma cutter

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I bought one of these on eBAY and am almost ready to try it out. I believe the model I have can cut to 3/4" which is more then I need.  Anyone have any experience with a Lotos plasma cuter?
Reply:It has been posted previously, but check this seller auction out...http://cgi.ebay.com/Lotos-3-in-1-pla...item3cb3cd6563
Reply:Hi donald73d one of the quickest ways to locate any posted material here at Welding Web would be to use the SEACH FORUM function in the upper right corner of the Welding Web site. Type in your keyword Lotos or Lotos Plasma Cutter. You'll find eleven (11) threads under the keyword Lotos Plasma Cutter.    Hope that help you.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:Roy,Great link.  Couldn't of said it any better myself.Donald,You may want to consider placing the unit in the middle of your driveway.  Clear the area of bystanders.  Run an extension cord to it.  And turn it on with the circuit breaker in the box.That way, at least if it "lets the blue smoke out", you have less chance of burning down your house/shop.Takes a "brave man" to stand there and flip the switch on some of this chinese junk.  As Clint Eastwood would say, "Have I used five rounds, or was it six?".Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Ah Yes this time of the year it reminds me of a Christmas song  Mosfets Roasting Over an Open Fire   (from an experience of mine a couple of years ago with similiar Chinese products) [Pretty bad when you have to turn on a unit using rubber gloves and holding a fire extinguisher]  Attached ImagesCo-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:I have had the same bad experience with Chinese crap plasma cutter. I now own a Hypertherm with no problems at all!!!!
Reply:i would advise if ya haven't used it send it back or resell it and save toward another unit you might be able to find a reconditioned unit from a better maker or look into  maybe getting a better unit from sears on layaway or another service like Elayaway they do stuff from northern tool350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Specter:Did you replace the MOSFET in question?  Did the unit work after that?I had most of the caps on my desktop PCs motherboard crap out on me last fall and I order the parts and fixed them myself.  For what I needed it for, the fix worked fine.  I think the parts were about $4 shipped.
Reply:Originally Posted by umahunter...you might be able to find a reconditioned unit from a better maker....
Reply:no machine is perfect but alot of reconditioned unit may have been rentals that were reconditioned or from some places a machine someone bought used for there project then returned so it has to be sold as used or reconditioned if you wanna buy a chi unit go right ahead im just giving the guy some options after all its only highly concentrated electricity nothing major Last edited by umahunter; 01-04-2011 at 04:58 PM.350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Bzzt.  Bzzt. Poof.Never used one.  Plugged one in once.  Wanted to try it.  Smoked a lot. Never did get to use it though..Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:its a gamble....  just hope the seller backs his product..  the cost of the name brand units almost forces a hobbyist to try the chinese stuff.. i have been watching plasma cutters on ebay and craigslist for about a month now, usually the older units are in the $800-$1000 range and thats an even bigger gamble especially with the cost of replacement torches and parts if its out of warranty. i think replacment torches are in the $400-$500 range..  i would definitely have to try one before i bought it, especially with all the flooding and hurricanes in the recent past.. my friend has had a chinese import plasma for 3 yrs (colossal tech).. i used it last week and it worked fine..  the guy who owns it doesnt baby it either.. he leaves it sitting outside for days at a time...  guess thats a good point about one, wouldnt hurt the value if you dented and scratched it up, and a torch is pretty cheap for them..tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Originally Posted by WyoRoyIt has been posted previously, but check this seller auction out...http://cgi.ebay.com/Lotos-3-in-1-pla...item3cb3cd6563
Reply:That link is just too funny....True, but funny all the same.  Save yer cash and get a real plasma that will survive actual use in a daily basis,  They are junk, keep away unless you have unlimited cash and if that be the case PM me and I will send you my bank info and still send you a good plasma cutter in return.Bob(sorry, I couldnt help myself and had to reply to at least one import thread)I'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:I just saw a Hypertherm Powermax30 on Ebay yesterday for $500.....looked to have very light use. A used high quality plasma will draw the same price as a new low cost (politically correct term) import, but will be supported better, and longer by the factory that built it, not by an importer operating out of a warehouse.Jim
Reply:I have a powermax 30.Great little machine, I do all of my flatwork with it. Hypertherm makes really good stuff.Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:Originally Posted by donald73d. . . I believe the model I have can cut to 3/4" which is more then I need. . . .
Reply:................. Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by brucerits a gamble....  just hope the seller backs his product..  the cost of the name brand units almost forces a hobbyist to try the chinese stuff.. i have been watching plasma cutters on ebay and craigslist for about a month now, usually the older units are in the $800-$1000 range and thats an even bigger gamble especially with the cost of replacement torches and parts if its out of warranty. i think replacment torches are in the $400-$500 range..  i would definitely have to try one before i bought it, especially with all the flooding and hurricanes in the recent past.. my friend has had a chinese import plasma for 3 yrs (colossal tech).. i used it last week and it worked fine..  the guy who owns it doesnt baby it either.. he leaves it sitting outside for days at a time...  guess thats a good point about one, wouldnt hurt the value if you dented and scratched it up, and a torch is pretty cheap for them..
Reply:As a hobbiest whom uses a plasma cutter on average less than one hour a month. Back in 2006 when the decision to purchase was made, there was no way in my mind to justify spending twice as much for a domestic name brand as I did to buy a cheap Chineeze Mitec Cut 40. Interestingly a brother across the country purchased another cheap import (Parker Cut 60) during that same period. Both machine are still meeting their owners expectations to this day. That is not to say I believe everyone should purchase a less expensive import to fill their needs. There are probably better built machines to suit users with more rigerous demands, at least that's what I read here. Here are photos of an imported Dayton Cut 40, Riland Cut 60, and Mitec Cut 40 ; criticise what you consider to be shoddy construction. Then when you're through, in all fairness post internal photos of those name brands to allow others to point out their shortcomings.Inferior consummables? Come on; there is the reversable copper tip, swirl ring and ceramic cone. My Cut 40 uses generic components as do some of the name brands. Frankly I'd rather have a need to replace a common item than one that is proprietary.   Dayton Cut 40Riland Cut 60Mitec Cut 40
Reply:As was said before, you cannot just spot a counterfeit IGBT, MOSFET, or capacitor.These can fool even the experts.  Someone was recently arrested for selling counterfeit parts to the military.  These are issues that will not show up in a photo.If one happens to let the smoke out, you can be down a rabbit hole of expenses trying to repair your paperweight, that is worse than owning a boat (or if you already sank your spending cash into your boat, you may be left with a nifty anchor).Most of these components were made with the best of intentions (getting rich), and their cheapness comes from the fact that they were copied from parts that cost millions in R&D to create, with little expense on the forger's part, but those copies are often flawed.  The problems caused by a stolen formulation for electrolytic capacitors in the mid '90's are legendary.  That fiasco left American capacitor manufacturers in ruins (because of the global plummet in prices), and millions of failed devices in its wake (which took several years to fail, leaving consumers with no recourse).And it's not always component failure that is to blame.  Often times it is poor manufacturing technique.  Control boards are now always built with SMT components.  Components that were always designed to be soldered using automated processes, but which are now ever more so sensitive to soldering problems, due to ROHS.  Here, SMT components are handled in controlled environments, with tightly controlled soldering setups (chips are often even placed robotically, for tighter tolerances than the hand can control).  In Asia, workers are bent over their benches, hand soldering SMC parts looking through magnifying lamps.  No matter how consistent and good they get at it, the exposure to humid air allows the embedded flux to uptake moisture which causes inclusions that lead to solder joint failures after heat cycling.  I recall at my previous company having to deal with an ISO procedure for baking parts to a satisfactory level of dryness in an inert gas purged oven, followed by vacuum sealing.  The strength and ductility of lead-free solder joints (because of ROHS), is nothing like what it was in the days that we soldered with lead, AND the lead would keep tin corrosion in check.  Without lead, corrosion often causes mechanical separation of joints, which can be prevented by specially developed soldering methods, alloys, and treatments (both in the flux involved, as well as in coatings).  Virtually none of this technology has made it to Asian shops.Real brands have quality control departments, technical support and engineers that speak English (and answer the phones).  Anyone who isn't a hobbyist wouldn't even consider an Asian import, because the possibility of shop downtime outweighs almost any expense.As a hobbyist, you take a roll of the dice with your money buying these machines.I wish you the best of luck (and you may even have it), but I for one don't have the money to blow on a doorstop (and if I did, I wouldn't have any left to spend on a replacement).BTW, on another note, while I'm all for buying American, that wasn't in my budget either.For full disclosure, my current and previous plasma cutters were Italian made (Century/Clore/Solar, etc).  They use VERY standard consumables that I can replace for almost pennies.  Still, I consider my plasma cutter a luxury, unlike my TIG machine.  For that, I saved my pennies, and went with a Miller Dynasty.  No regrets.
Reply:Funny how some will defend stupidity, ignorance and religion but not their neighbor or country.Good luck
Reply:As I have said many times on many forums (and I work for Hypertherm) there certainly is a place for the low cost import plasma systems. If you need or have use fpor a plasma cutter, and the low cost import fits your needs (cuts metal), and that is all you can budget for, then by all means it may be the right product! My company is not interested in taking any steps backwads in tems of reliability or performance....so we'll leave that market to others.I keep reading in posts about consumables, and that universal consumables and "cheap" consumables are the way to go. Well,there is a heck of a lot more to the technology than all the arguments about Mosfet and IGBT power supplies....true, Hypertherm was the leader with Inverter plasma technology....we had the first ones, and we now have the most reliable.....but more than 50% of the cutting performance from a plasma cutter comes from the torch. Technology has expanded in the physics that control the high energy density plasma arc...more so in the last 10 years than in the 60 year history of plasma cutting. In order to get the most out of a plasma torch you need to develop high energy density in the arc, and you need to do this while making the consumables last as long as possible. How do we squeeze a 50,000 degree Farehheit plasma arc through a tiny orifice in a copper nozzle without melting the nozzle? Ask me and I'll explain, but be prepared to listen for a while because it is not simple. The consumables in a Hypertherm torch cost more to buy than some plasma consumables, but I guarantee they are the lowest cost per foot of cut by the time they are spent. Cheap to buy is one thing, cheap to use is another!Most of the low cost import plasma systems use either a 30 year old knock off of an early Esab plasma torch design, some of them use a 20 year old blowback design by Trafimet. The Hypertherm torches are redesigned every time a new system hits the market...because as the engineers develop a way to make the torches work better (longer life, better cut quality, better cut speed, thicker cuts at lower power, etc) the changes get implemented. We do patent what technology is patentable.....as that keeps the competitors from copying the inventions that we have invested in (just ask American Torch Tip about patents!).So, if your budget only allows low cost units, there is nothing wrong with that. Just don't think that a 40 amp import will cut as fast, as good, as thick or as cheap (per foot) as a  40 Amp Hypertherm or other major brand. Go to the local welding supply store and try them out...you will see the difference!  JimLast edited by jimcolt; 01-05-2011 at 09:25 PM.
Reply:Perhaps the most recent models of imported plasma cutters do contain Surface Mounted Technology (SMT) boards. The machines I have had the opportunity to peer inside of did not; for which I am thankful. By bringing the SMT topic into the discussion, are you suggesting it as applied to this technology is an advancement in design to be sought by the consumer?The origins of this thread led me to believe a novice much like myself had a new purchase of which they were pleased to acquire and eager to use. The tone of discussion appeared to rapidly advance as happens here in a direction of criticism and certain doom for not buying a better known brand loved and supported by many. I am well aware not all products are created equal. My hope is someone reading this thread in the future for reference in making a decision will be better informed in knowing not all cheap plasma cutters are destined to self destruct upon use and in spite of some claims; if one does ample research, it ain't a crap shoot.Last edited by Clunker; 01-06-2011 at 03:44 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by ClunkerPerhaps the most recent models of imported plasma cutters do contain Surface Mounted Technology (SMT) boards. The machines I have had the opportunity to peer inside of did not; for which I am thankful. By bringing the SMT topic into the discussion, are you suggesting it as applied to this technology is an advancement in design to be sought by the consumer?The origins of this thread led me to believe a novice much like myself had a new purchase of which they were pleased to acquire and eager to use. The tone of discussion appeared to rapidly advance as happens here in a direction of criticism and certain doom for not buying a better known brand loved and supported by many. I am well aware not all products are created equal. My hope is someone reading this thread in the future for reference in making a decision will be better informed in knowing not all cheap plasma cutters are destined to self destruct upon use and in spite of some claims; if one does ample research, it ain't a crap shoot.I wonder how many people would be lining up and willing to buy a 1 ton crewcab truck fully load with a diesel engine from China for $20,000 versus the proven big 3 here in the US. I wonder if they lifted the band on imported drywall ?
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardWell the return rate (or rate of dysfunction) of Chi-Com imports is much higher than the well established companies. By much higher I think it is higher than 20%. With Miller or Thermal Arc at 2%So you have a 20% chance of loosing most or all of your purchase value. I have yet to see it posted that "certain doom" as being the outcome in dealing with the Chi-Com resellers. But no were else in your life do you accept a risk that high.              You would not deposit into a bank that had a 20% chance of loosing your money.           You would not accept a dentist that had a 20% mortality rate. But hay its your money and your country you decide.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jay OI wonder how many people would be lining up and willing to buy a 1 ton crewcab truck fully load with a diesel engine from China for $20,000 versus the proven big 3 here in the US. I wonder if they lifted the band on imported drywall ?
Reply:Well, I can say that I am doing my part to support our economy and U.S. workers.Wednesday, I picked up a new Hypertherm Powermax 45 from my local Praxair (they online price match...shhhhh ).I brought that thing home, read the instructions, set it up and promptly proceeded to blow apart some 1/2" plate to see how it cut and WOW, this thing cut through that 1/2" plate like it's nothing.I am so impressed by everything about this machine from the well done instructions and DVD to the machine quality to the cutting ability and quality that all I have to say is thank you Hypertherm. I am very pleased with my purchase. Mike
Reply:say what ya want about the Toyota's but my brother had an old toy truck and that sucker ran forever he sold it and i still see it around town running strong350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Originally Posted by ClunkerWhat is the source for the statistical data you've cited?
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardPlain old adding and subtraction. You are comparing apples and oranges not New Chi-Com junk and new domestic production. Current GDP vs past GDP The new domestic production puts domestic people to work now and the tool for a small fraction put somebody to work sometime ago.
Reply:Originally Posted by brucerskidmark,  the government and big business has done away with production and manufacturing in this country. you act like the american public has or something..  we were a superpower for the simple fact of America being a manufacturing giant...We are not a manufacturing giant now...  would not suprise me that the next to go will probably be the unions..
Reply:Well at least those that buy Hypertherm plasma systems can be happy. During the downturn in the economy we did not lay off a single employee, rather we moved people into positions (such as engineering tech jobs) that allowed us to release 4 new products during the times that most companies had laid off workers. All of the Hypertherm systems are built in Hanover NH....nothing is farmed out to foreign interests. While there of course are discrete components on circuit boards, etc in these systems that are only available from other parts of the world, everything is engineered, designed and assemble in New Hampshire, USA.Hypertherm has hired dozens of new employees in the last year to keep up with demand, as much as 65% of our product is exported, including a huge growing market in China. Point is, there is no reason why U.S. built products and companies cannot compete in the global market. You do it with quality, reliability and performance in the product, and you ensure the employees (Hypertherm is owned by its 1200 plus employees) are treated second only to the customers, and the business will be successful.Toyota started out in the US with a decent product at a reasonable price....then relentlessly improved their vehicles over time. Ultimately the best "value" in a product will be the most popular product, and price is only one part of that equation. Value is a formula that incudes performance, reliability, ease of use, price and many more factors. Toyota trucks are a good long term value....Hypertherm plasmas are as well.I drive a Ford F250 diesel....and it is a good value for what I use it for, it gets worked pretty hard. My friends Toyota (same year as my Ford) has been better from a reliability point of view (the Ford has broken a few times!), but the Toyota can not haul a horse trailer with 4 horses anywhere near as well as the Ford on the hilly N.H. roads. If Toyota built a torquey diesel version, I'd have a hard time deciding which product was best!Th invitation is open, when you are in NH contact me and I'll be happy to give a tour of Hypertherm's state of the art manufacturing facilities as well as its friendly, happy production staff!JimLast edited by jimcolt; 01-08-2011 at 08:41 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineActually the ignorant brainwashed American people are the ones who keep buying the crap, & perpetuating the problem.What do you people think that the Chinese Gov't is building with all of this money?Tea cups?  I doubt it..They are amassing what will be the largest military in the world in 5 years.  WTF is it for?It's time for us (as a nation) to get our collective heads out of our rears or we will be calling China "master".Yes, the government would love to get rid of the labor unions.  They are the one who oppose them & big business for worker's rights.  It's what unions primary job has always been.In Mass last month, the Unemployment rate was a round 9.2% or so.  In the N.E. Carpenter's union in mass there is currently a 24% unemployment rate..The Electricians aren't much better off.  It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better, sadly enough. Another thing to keep in mind is that there are no cubicles in slave labor camps, so all of you cubicle jockeys better start getting worried..To all of those that support the Chi-Com crap, refer to my Sig.
Reply:Originally Posted by bruceri agree.. it will get worse before it gets better,  we've been saying it too long, thanks Bill Clinton, NAFTA is awesome.. its going to take more than the public to fix it. its going to take the government standing behind the people (which it does not).. until that happens it wont get fixed.. its going to be very hard for someone making $15hr with a family to support to justify buying a $1500-$2000 (over a months wages) plasma cutter when they can get one for $300-$600 ( a weeks wages).. sure its not the best, and no where near the quality.. but he also doesnt make a living with it, or have a business so he can write it off.. that itself makes a very big difference..  i make $2x an hour, i bought a thermal arc for the exact same reason, it was $1000 cheaper than a dynasty200dx, and i am perfectly satisfied with it and have been for several yrs..... when some newer forum member comes in here, happy because hes bought his first plasma cutter, or a new welder certain people jump down his throat and start calling commy, and traitor and the like..  honestly i think these people doing this should be drug out in a field, have the crap kicked out of them, tarred, feathered, raped, diesel fuel poured down their throat and thrown over an open fire..  as they have absolutely no respect for anyone but themselves.. pure HYPOCRITES in my book.. especially when theyre sitting on their A** on a computer made in taiwan typing commie this commie that. then answering their cell phone which was made in taiwan... they are as much at fault as the next guy..  do they think their better because they own a blue or red machine? but have a made in taiwan tv, computer,cellphone, microwave, wearing a hat made in bangladesh, driving a truck which probably 70% of its parts were made in brazil and mexico?  i just dont get it.
Reply:The people in business try to make the business as large of a profit as they can,they do it for the businessThe people in Government have started to govern  to make as large of a profit as they can, for them selves.And the Unions Leaders have started to try to make as large of a profit as they can, for them selves.No one is interested in doing what is best for the country, or what is best for all of the people.
Reply:To be correct you may want to change a few words...."Some" people in business, not just people.And "Some" are not interested in doing what is best for the country.There are still many people and many companies and many business people that are doing the things that need to be done and not simply making themselves selfishly rich. Come to New Hampshire and we'll show you! (third lowest unemployment in the US....behind Nebraska and N.Dakota).....no sales tax, no income tax, and one of the smallest welfare states. Throwing up your hands and giving up....and complaining about the "people" that do not care about whats best for the country will never work. Rather, each of us should go about our business of doing every little thing we can to support our people and our country. The little things add up to big things.Jim Originally Posted by BlueweldersThe people in business try to make the business as large of a profit as they can,they do it for the businessThe people in Government have started to govern  to make as large of a profit as they can, for them selves.And the Unions Leaders have started to try to make as large of a profit as they can, for them selves.No one is interested in doing what is best for the country, or what is best for all of the people.
Reply:I know, too general,sorry.I while back I found out,that one of the companies I buy components from, went under.I'm afraid I will have to source Chinese parts.
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltTo be correct you may want to change a few words...."Some" people in business, not just people.And "Some" are not interested in doing what is best for the country.There are still many people and many companies and many business people that are doing the things that need to be done and not simply making themselves selfishly rich. Come to New Hampshire and we'll show you! (third lowest unemployment in the US....behind Nebraska and N.Dakota).....no sales tax, no income tax, and one of the smallest welfare states. Throwing up your hands and giving up....and complaining about the "people" that do not care about whats best for the country will never work. Rather, each of us should go about our business of doing every little thing we can to support our people and our country. The little things add up to big things.Jim
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltTo be correct you may want to change a few words...."Some" people in business, not just people.And "Some" are not interested in doing what is best for the country.There are still many people and many companies and many business people that are doing the things that need to be done and not simply making themselves selfishly rich. Come to New Hampshire and we'll show you! (third lowest unemployment in the US....behind Nebraska and N.Dakota).....no sales tax, no income tax, and one of the smallest welfare states. Throwing up your hands and giving up....and complaining about the "people" that do not care about whats best for the country will never work. Rather, each of us should go about our business of doing every little thing we can to support our people and our country. The little things add up to big things.Jim
Reply:Originally Posted by brucerjim, how does an entire state not pay a federal income tax?  i live in kentucky so i'm not familiar with not paying a federal income tax..
Reply:Originally Posted by joedirt1966No state income tax.See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_income_tax
Reply:Off topic but interesting:(Copied):Tax Burden By StateTo get a true sense of which state is less expensive, you need to look at state and local tax burdens.  Only then do the low tax states stand out.Top 10New Jersey residents paid 11.8%, topping the charts.  New Yorkers were close behind, paying 11.7%, and Connecticut was third at 11.1%.  The top 10 were rounded out by Maryland (10.8%), Hawaii (10.6%), California (10.5%), Ohio (10.4%). Vermont (10.3%), Wisconsin (10.2%) and Rhode Island (10.2%).Bottom 10 Alaskans pay the least, 6.4 percent in 2008, but Nevada is close at 6.6 percent.  In four states the residents pay between 7 and 8 percent of their income in state and local taxes: Wyoming (7.0%), Florida (7.4%), New Hampshire (7.6%) and South Dakota (7.9%).  Four other states round out the bottom 10: Tennessee (8.3%), Texas (8.4%), Louisiana (8.4%) and Arizona (8.5%).
Reply:Did anybody read this?Well read it again. Then one more time.This is what will return us to greatness, not the government, not the union bosses, not fat bankers, just hard working people MAKING fine high value products.  Originally Posted by jimcoltWell at least those that buy Hypertherm plasma systems can be happy. During the downturn in the economy we did not lay off a single employee, rather we moved people into positions (such as engineering tech jobs) that allowed us to release 4 new products during the times that most companies had laid off workers. All of the Hypertherm systems are built in Hanover NH....nothing is farmed out to foreign interests. While there of course are discrete components on circuit boards, etc in these systems that are only available from other parts of the world, everything is engineered, designed and assemble in New Hampshire, USA.Hypertherm has hired dozens of new employees in the last year to keep up with demand, as much as 65% of our product is exported, including a huge growing market in China. Point is, there is no reason why U.S. built products and companies cannot compete in the global market. You do it with quality, reliability and performance in the product, and you ensure the employees (Hypertherm is owned by its 1200 plus employees) are treated second only to the customers, and the business will be successful.Toyota started out in the US with a decent product at a reasonable price....then relentlessly improved their vehicles over time. Ultimately the best "value" in a product will be the most popular product, and price is only one part of that equation. Value is a formula that incudes performance, reliability, ease of use, price and many more factors. Toyota trucks are a good long term value....Hypertherm plasmas are as well.I drive a Ford F250 diesel....and it is a good value for what I use it for, it gets worked pretty hard. My friends Toyota (same year as my Ford) has been better from a reliability point of view (the Ford has broken a few times!), but the Toyota can not haul a horse trailer with 4 horses anywhere near as well as the Ford on the hilly N.H. roads. If Toyota built a torquey diesel version, I'd have a hard time deciding which product was best!Th invitation is open, when you are in NH contact me and I'll be happy to give a tour of Hypertherm's state of the art manufacturing facilities as well as its friendly, happy production staff!Jim
Reply:Do take note that the top ten have been mostly 'liberal' 'progressive' and democrat run states. Do note thet the lowest has been vary conservative for fifty years. Also the top ten are nearest to bankruptcy and Alaska has $30 BILLION in the bank. Originally Posted by joedirt1966Off topic but interesting:(Copied):Tax Burden By StateTo get a true sense of which state is less expensive, you need to look at state and local tax burdens.  Only then do the low tax states stand out.Top 10New Jersey residents paid 11.8%, topping the charts.  New Yorkers were close behind, paying 11.7%, and Connecticut was third at 11.1%.  The top 10 were rounded out by Maryland (10.8%), Hawaii (10.6%), California (10.5%), Ohio (10.4%). Vermont (10.3%), Wisconsin (10.2%) and Rhode Island (10.2%).Bottom 10 Alaskans pay the least, 6.4 percent in 2008, but Nevada is close at 6.6 percent.  In four states the residents pay between 7 and 8 percent of their income in state and local taxes: Wyoming (7.0%), Florida (7.4%), New Hampshire (7.6%) and South Dakota (7.9%).  Four other states round out the bottom 10: Tennessee (8.3%), Texas (8.4%), Louisiana (8.4%) and Arizona (8.5%).
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardDo take note that the top ten have been mostly 'liberal' 'progressive' and democrat run states. Do note thet the lowest has been vary conservative for fifty years. Also the top ten are nearest to bankruptcy and Alaska has $30 BILLION in the bank.
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardDid anybody read this?Well read it again. Then one more time.This is what will return us to greatness, not the government, not the union bosses, not fat bankers, just hard working people MAKING fine high value products.
Reply:when some newer forum member comes in here, happy because hes bought his first plasma cutter, or a new welder certain people jump down his throat and start calling commy, and traitor and the like.. honestly i think these people doing this should be drug out in a field, have the crap kicked out of them, tarred, feathered, raped, diesel fuel poured down their throat and thrown over an open fire..
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineThe president isn't standing outside of wally world making you buy anything..I try my best to support the country I live in,  even if it costs more.  If we all did it would put the Chinese economy out of commision, not OUR OWN.