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Hello, I'm looking to buy a new plasma cutter. I have 4 requirements for it. Cut .5 to 1 inch, good warranty, not overly pricey, and finally Made in the USA by an American company. Thanks for the help. Right now, Im looking at the cutmaster 52 and powermax 65. Not sure of country of origin, but am going to call tomorrow on both.  Any input would be helpful. Thanks
Reply:The cutmasters are NOT American made.  They are made in Korea.  Not much from Thermal Arc is made in the US besides some Victor products. Hypertherm is and Miller is as well, but the Miller uses Hypertherm torches, so the choices are limited.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Hypertherm Powermax 65tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Which one between these two, would you guys recommend? http://cgi.ebay.com/Hypertherm-Power...item3f058e410dhttp://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.co...-PLASMA/Detailor, if you guys have any better recommendations. I would talk to my lws, but the guys there are not very helpful. Thanks for the help and sorry for the long links.
Reply:x 2  Hypertherm Powermax 65
Reply:Going with a plasma of this size, would i have to worry about warping 1/4, or should it be ok? Dont wanna buy to big, then make it hard when working with thinner metals. Thanks
Reply:It will have variable amps.  If you need to run it like a Powermax 30, dial it down to 30amps.I did also read in another thread that the 65 gun has its own fine cut consumables, ideal for thin stuff.
Reply:Hypertherm Powermax 65No question.The Miller would be my 2nd choice.Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:Hypertherm..... I don't have a second choice!"Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Ditto on Hypertherm anything
Reply:The Hypertherm units are all produced in Hypertherm's Hanover, N.H., USA faciliites by employee owners. They are not the lowest cost plasma systems to buy, but are the lowest cost to use, based on their well known reliability and consumable parts life that is second to no other brand.You should not have any warpage problems on 1/4" steel plate.....simply match the power level and consumable set to the materials you are cutting and you will get the best quality. For cutting 1/4" materials by hand, I would actually use the 45 Amp shielded consumables....the operators manual will clearly provide recomendations for the best power levels, cut speeds, etc for different materials.Jim Colt
Reply:Thank you guys for the helpful insight.
Reply:The Thermal Dynamics cutmaster true series plasma machines are made in the USA. Mine has 2 id tags on it stating this.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:I bought a powermax 45 the other day from www.weldersource.com check 'em out they had the best prices I could find online and offered free shipping and a few other free extras. I'm not affilliated with them in any way just a heads up! Best of Luck
Reply:hypertherm.some of the others are good.but why not get a great oneG
Reply:The T-D torch is made in Mexico....at least a few that I have seen are!
Reply:You mentioned cutting 1".Assuming you only have 1ph power, the Hypertherm will give you the fast cleanest cut.  Period, end of story.On thinner stuff, it will cut like butter with the smallest kerf (fine cut tips, reduced Amps).As for cost, yes, expensive.  Consumables are a hair cheaper than Miller's though.  The consumables look the same but Miller has slightly different threads etc.  Doesn't quite fit.For 1", your gonna want the Hypertherm 85.  The 65 will do it, but if you have to do it every day, it won't keep up.  The 85 will allow you to cut about 100inches of 1" steel before you should let it cool down.  The 65 will be about 1/2 that.If you are thinking plasma cutting table - be aware that pierce capability is  typically 1/2 rated thickness.  So both these machines will be limited to just over 1/2"  You will need a significantly bigger plasma cutter if you want to mechanically pierce 1".So the only real question between the 65 and the 85 is input power.  The 65 will run off the same NEMA plug as your larger MIG welder.  The 85 pretty much needs 60Amps circuit.  Not sure what kind of plugs are available - might loose some of the portability.So... how much 1" are you going to do?By hand, you can angle the torch and sneak up on it.Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:Mark123, Sorry you won't find a plasma cutter that meets your last requirement but buy the Hypertherm and make Jims head swell a little morewww.georgesplasmacuttershop.comPlasma Cutter and Welder Sales and Repairs--Ebay storeTec.Mo. Dealer Consumables for the PT and IPT torch's
Reply:Mechanic....maybe you can fill me in the the reasoning behind your head swell comment...in the mean time, there clearly are quite a few systems that meet Mark123's requirements. They are not necessarily all Hypertherm branded....but as I pointed out some are.Jim Colt Originally Posted by mechanic416Mark123, Sorry you won't find a plasma cutter that meets your last requirement but buy the Hypertherm and make Jims head swell a little more
Reply:Thanks guys. I dont plan to cut 1 inch often ,but if the need arises, it would be nice to.  Im still looking over the units. Im know you guys say hypertherm, Im just leaning more to the t-d, due to cost. I can get if for 1400 with 4 years. Where as the hyperthern is around 2200. Thanks for the input. Just got to sell the dang chevy to make my finale choice.
Reply:Good luck on your choice! Any help or tech questions I'll be happy to answer them.Jim Colt
Reply:Originally Posted by lugweldThe cutmasters are NOT American made.  They are made in Korea.  Not much from Thermal Arc is made in the US besides some Victor products. Hypertherm is and Miller is as well, but the Miller uses Hypertherm torches, so the choices are limited.
Reply:Most, not all....of the Cutmasters are built in the Thermal Dynamics plant in West Lebanon, NH. The torches are mostly built in Mexico, a couple of the T-D inverter plasma systems are built offshore somewhere!Jim Colt
Reply:I’ve owned a Thermal Dynamics cutmaster 38 for a bit more than 10 years, I paid more than $1200 for it then. It proudly states right on top MADE IN USA. I took the cover off and I don’t see ANY U.S. components inside, want to see a picture?? Maybe Jim can tell me where to look inside .I’ve been really happy with it, but my LWS charges $80 for a set of 2 tips. My PowerPlasma 80 will cut circles around it, and I can get 10 tips for $80.If you consider total cost of ownership the Everlast will pay for itself faster in my opinion. And saves me time. I’m keeping the TD cause I have so much invested in it, and can’t justify taking a loss on it.
Reply:OK, stopped by the LWS to get the scoop on Thermal Dynamics.The Korean built units seem to be the line that had the built-in air compressor ("Dragun" or something like that).The 102, 82, and 52 say made in USA right on the top.  Not sure about the 39, they didn't have one there.There is a new 42 unit, that is made in China, but apparently they had so much trouble with the whole designing it here and building it there thing that they aren't going to do that again.  Well, at least that is what one sales guy said to the guy at the LWS.Bottom line, it depends on the model number.That being said, to do gouging, you typically need 60 Amp machine.  The Cutmaster 52 is hard to beat for the price, and often they toss in a 90 Amp thermodyne stick welder (to fill the holes back up ).Now the 52 is supposed to be portable, and I bet its a bit lighter than the Hypertherm 1000 - but its definitely not super lightweight.  Depending on how far you want to carry it, eat your Wheaties that morning.Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DXWeldingRay,I'm fairly sure the Cutmaster 38 was built in the U.S. It is common to find printed circuit board components sourced from almost anywhere in the world...regardless of where the boards were designed and manufactured. Many board level components simply are not produced in all regions of the world.The real reasoning behind some companies having their plasma and welding systems built in other parts of the world is for lower cost labor. If you can lay off a bunch of generally well paid workers in the U.S., and have the same product built in a country with lower wages.....then you can make more profit. I find that a hard pill to swallow......even though I work for Hypertherm, Thermal Dynamics factory is in the town I grew up in....and many of the people that I grew up with are without jobs now.....due to moving torch and power supply manufacturing to different parts of the world.You may want to find a new distributor for the cutting tips in your Cutmaster 38 though.....the genuine Thermal Dynamics tips sell for about $6.50.....which is less expensive than the "10 tips for $80" that you say you pay for the PowerPlasma80 tips.The PowerPlasma80 (an 80 amp plasma) should cut circles around a Cutmaster38 (a 30 amp, 120 volt plasma). The Cutmaster does have a decent torch.....and I'd be willing to bet that if you cut on the material thickness range that the unit was designed for (gauge to 1/4" thickness) that you would get extremely good consumable life as compared to the PowerPlasma80 running at the same power level. Jim Colt Originally Posted by WeldingRayI’ve owned a Thermal Dynamics cutmaster 38 for a bit more than 10 years, I paid more than $1200 for it then. It proudly states right on top MADE IN USA. I took the cover off and I don’t see ANY U.S. components inside, want to see a picture?? Maybe Jim can tell me where to look inside .I’ve been really happy with it, but my LWS charges $80 for a set of 2 tips. My PowerPlasma 80 will cut circles around it, and I can get 10 tips for $80.If you consider total cost of ownership the Everlast will pay for itself faster in my opinion. And saves me time. I’m keeping the TD cause I have so much invested in it, and can’t justify taking a loss on it.
Reply:Actually,You can get much more than tip electrodes for 80 bucks.  A 25 piece kit is 85.00 including nozzles, electrodes and cups.  (10,10,5).  50 piece, 150.00.  That brings consumable prices down to half, as well as a very simple design requiring LESS pieces overall to buy and inventory.Jim, Our new consumables outlast by far the older ones with the use of low tin copper from Finland and Haas hafnium inserts...Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Thanks Lug.I was just trying to help clarify the posting from WeldingRay and his listed cost for T-D consumables...He said it was $80 for a set of two tips for the Cutmaster!Regardless of the torch design, and how many other parts are in it...the primary parts that are consumed are the electrode and the nozzle (also known as a tip). The big differences in torch designs that have longer lasting consumables are in the ways that the laws of high temperature physics are used to the torches advantage. Imagine the plasma arc that is in the range of 25,000 degrees F. passing through a copper nozzle orifice.....copper melts at just under 2000 degrees F. The key to keeping the nozzle bore in good condition for a long period of time is with the proper gas swirl, created by the torch swirl ring, and its centrifugal effect on cooler gas molecules.JimLast edited by jimcolt; 01-24-2011 at 04:43 PM.
Reply:Regarding gouging recommendation of generally 60 amp or higher!! I would have to say the Hypertherm PowerMax 45 does an excellent job. I  the 45's gouging all the time for removing welds on farm & construction when I have to remove a portion of a  frame, backhoe boom or dipper, etc etc for repair or addition fabricationCo-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:In all fairness the consumables for the SL-60 that came with my Cutmaster come in a kit with some O-rings and 2 tips, 2 electrodes and some other little stuff that I have yet to need and cost $80, BUT our LWS isn’t known for bargains on anything if you know what I mean. Not trying to bash it or anything I still use it, but mostly for cutting circles in 11 Ga. sheet. It can run on 110 or 220 volt , but I quickly gave up trying to run it on 110. Not trying to start a fight just my opinion from owning them both, they both eat up electrodes at about the same rate and the same way, though I’m generally using more power on the 80, and using less time cutting.