Cutmaster 52 vs Powermax 600

admin

I am going to buy a plasma cutter, However I have been doing some research and have found that the thermal Dynamics cutmaster 52 and the Hypertherm Powermax 600 are both 1/2 inch rated.  The TD machine says it is a 60amp machine where the Hypertherm machine says its a 40amp machine.......I read somewhere that you have to calculate the output in watts to determine which machine has more jam.  I have done that and it appears that the TD machine has more output power and is a $100 cheaper.I have seen that the Hypertherm Machine comes highly rated on several forums, however the pure numbers show the TD on top.....Does anyone have any experience or can someone tell me why the Hypertherm machine is better......perhaps my calculations are off?   Thanks guys
Reply:The mfgrs list price as of today for a Powermax600 is $2070.00, the cutmaster 52 is $2174.00.  Yhermal just introduced a price increase a few days ago! The Powermax 600 uses a patented "coaxial flow" technology in the nozzle shield design that allows thicker cutting at lower power. Less power consumption on similar thickness cutting. Consumable life tests show about 25% longer consumable life on average with the 600...which means over the life of the product...the 600 will be considerably less expensive. The duty cycle of the Powermax 600 is 50% at 40 Amps @ 140 arc volts, while the 52 is 40% duty cycle at 60 amps @112 arc volts. The Powermax 600 is CSA approved for safety...the Cutmaster 52 is not. The Powermax has available FineCut consumables that utilize high energy density performance for amazingly good cut quality on materials thinner than 3/16". Hypertherm has sold over 50,000 Powermax 600's ...they are a very well accepted system.I am biased as I have worked for Hypertherm for 30 years....but my specialty is with our large mechanized industrial systems. I do have a metal fab hobby shop at home....and am very familiar with all major brands of hand plasma...and their capability.I suggest visiting your local welding distributor and trying both units out. Listen to the feedback of others in this forum. Cut some thin and thick materials and let the feel and performance decide!Best regards, Jim ColtJim Colt
Reply:Thank you for the information.  I was also wondering about the drag tip that TD talks about.  Can I drag the tip of the torch right on the material to cut any thickness of metal up to 1/2 inch.  Is this something that I can do with the Hypertherm....Dragging the tip would be nice for using a straight edge and stencils!.I got a price here in Canada for the powermax of $1600....is this reasonable........Thank you again for responding.......Chad
Reply:bardep, Our powermax 1250 will allow you to drag the torch. I'm not familiar with the 600, but my experience with the hypertherm has been fantastic. Super smooth straight cuts or freehand as good as you are.It can make you look stupid too, because it is so precise. Don't ask me how I know that.Last edited by daddy; 03-28-2008 at 11:26 PM.
Reply:Hypertherm powermax units have "shielded" consumables..the shield is another copper peice that screws on the end of the retaining cap on the torch ....it's function is to electrically isolate the nozzle from making contact with the plate...and to hold the correct standoff when drag cutting. The shields are designed also so that you can guide them along a straightedge or template. Shield technology for plasma cutting was invented by Hypertherm in the 1980's.....was patented ....although most other plasma manufacturers have found their way around the wording of the patent and offer similar technology for drag cutting today.Jim
Reply:I just picked up a TD 52 today and am amazed at what it can do. I tried them both at my LWS and the TD was hands down my first choice.I paid $1500 OTD with a pair of fancy Miller tig gloves and a few extra consumables.....Not too bad considering IOC has them for $1420....and no after sales info/service.I personally would recommend this over the Powermax 600. But you cant go wrong with either machine.TA 185 Pro WaveTD cutmaster 52Millermatic 135Dewalt chopsawHarbour junk bandsaw
Reply:I was reading that there is a torch upgrade for the Hypertherm powermax 600.  The torch is called a RT60 retrofit.  Does anybody have any idea what is the benifit of this over the PACT130.  If the RT60 is superior then why doesn't hypertherm make it standard on the 600.  If I was going to buy the powermax 600 should I try and get the RT60 torch over the PACT130?You guys are great.  I really appreciate all the patients, as I am new to this plasma thing......I've used them but now its time to buy............thnx...Chad
Reply:Thats why I went with the TD52. The 1 torch is pretty much as sweet as it gets......no need to upgrade and I think they offer an extra 1 year of warranty.TA 185 Pro WaveTD cutmaster 52Millermatic 135Dewalt chopsawHarbour junk bandsaw
Reply:I will check on which torch we are shipping with the 600. I'm pretty sure the newest ones have the upgraded torch although it is not called the RT60. RT stands for "replacement torch".JimLast edited by jimcolt; 04-05-2008 at 09:18 AM.
Reply:Thanks Jim that would be apreciated as I am ready to pull the trigger tomorrow on the 600, and would like to know which torch to ask for.......chad
Reply:Chad,OK....after a little research I have finally figured out the Powermax 600 torch choices.....I apologize for not being totally up to speed on this....my excuse, yes I have worked for Hypertherm for 30 years, and I own a Powermax30 and a Powermax1000....but my primary responsibilities are with our industrial mechanized systems. When it comes to these types of questions regarding torch model and part numbers for our manual systems (Powermax)....I have to ask someone from that side of the business!The Powermax600 has been around for a long time...it originally was shipped with the PAC123 style torch (same torch that it uses now), but it had a different design for its shielded consumables. As Hypertherm developed the other Powermax units...the 1250, the 1000 and the 1650....some new technology that dramatically improved cut speed and consumable life was discovered....we call it coaxial assist technology...and there are some associated patents. This technology improvement is primarily in the design of the shield and the nozzle....we use the shield gas flow to help increase the energy density ratio of the plasma arc.....in some cases this technology increases our cutting thickness and speed by as much as 50% over the original nozzle /shield design.The current Pac123 torch has this coaxial assist technology....after the Powermax1250 was introduced our engineers redesigned the nozzle/shield for the PAC123 to emulate this improved process. Early Powermax 600 owners only had to buy the new consumables to improve their machines performance. Our management team made the decision a few years back...in an effort to minimize confusion...to use the same torch we always did with the 600...with new technology consumables.The RT60 torch is essentially the same design as the torch that is used on the Powermax1000 (T60) and the Powermax1250 (T80)......and we decided to offer the RT60 as a replacement for those companies that may use all three machines....this simplifies the selection of consumable parts for the torch....as many of the consumables are interchangeable between these torches.Is there an advantage between the use of the PAC123T or the RT60 on a Powermax600? In actuality the performance in terms of speed and cut thickness is essentially the same.....however you may see some better consumable life with the RT60 due to improved cooling technology in the torch body design.Can you get a new Powermax600 with the RT60? You can order the power supply and the torch separately...If you let me know what length torch and what voltage you will be operating it at....and what country you will be using it in (safety regulations are different...and I don't know if you are from the US, Europe, Canada or somewhere else!)...with that info I can give you the correct part numbers for the components....and you can get pricing from an authorized Hypertherm distributor. I work at the factory and we only sell through our distributors....so don't ask me to sell it to you!Best regards, Jim Colt
Reply:I have a RT60 with a Powermax1000 and consumable life is very good even with wet air!As far as performance... 1/4ms = WOWMe!
Reply:Thanks guys.  I am going to get a 600 tomorrow.I went to my buddies shop today and he gave me a autoguard m-26 filter for the 600,  He also gave me a mictronizer for my bandsaw.  Any body have any experience with micronizers?Jim thanks for the info on the torch.
Reply:I got my 600 hundred yesterday.  Can't wait to try it.  Does any one know what amp settings should be used for what thickness of mild steel.  Or should I just leave it cranked all the time?
Reply:When you get your 600.....do what no man does...open and read actual parts of the operators manual! Just don't get caught reading the manual by a female.Seriously....the Hypertherm manuals are good...and the information telling you what nozzle to use, what power and the approximate cutting speed are correct....they were developed in our labs by cutting literally for months for before the product is released. There are safety tips, guidelines for getting the best life from your consumables....a good troubleshooting section....and toll free contact infor for Hypertherm's customer and tech support.Jim
Reply:What is the best way to attach the Motorguard filter to the 600?  Can I bold it right to the back of the unit?