Subject: Re: Plasma cutting

From: [email-masked]
Date: 5 Dec 1996 14:41:18 GMT

In <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Jon Henry) writes:
>Can anyone provide me with some info on the various plasma cutting torches
>available today.  What are the advantages and disadvatages of the large
>older style technology vs. inverter based machines?  I have heard lots of
>bad things about the quality and longevity of inverter based torches.  We
>have been looking at the Lincoln Pro Cut 60, which appears to be large
>sturdy machine.  Portability is not a concern here.  Anyone familiar with
>their quality or that of others?  Ultimately we would like to get
>something that can cut 1/2" steel and 1/4"aluminum plate, with a high duty
>cycle, and will stand up for many years.
>
>Thanks for your attention and any input you might have.

There have been some recent appends on this topic....some as late as last week.

When I started looking for a good plasma cutter that could truely cut 3/4", I
sytarted talking to the welding shops and see what was most popular. I found
that most of the shops used either HyperTherm or Thermal Dynamics. When asked
about Miller or Lincoln, their comments were "Lincold and Miller make excellent
welding equip, but go with a company dedicated to plasma cutting" . I opted
for the HyperTherm MAX800. It cost me around $2300, AND truely cuts 3/4" steel
plate. For production, it cuts 1/2" pretty fast. I've cut 1/2" aluminum as well.
It is an invertor style, uses 70psi of clean shop air and mine came with the
50ft of hose option (25ft std). The only other experience I've had, is with a 
little 10amp Miller plasma cutter good for car body work. It was ok, but not
as well built as my HyperTherm.

Randy
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 5 Dec 1996 19:24:57 GMT

Dear Sir:

Please contact they have an excellent piece of equipment for you,
dont forget to send him my regards

Eric Wolfe
President
Magnum Manufacturing Inc.
8429 White Oak Avenue
Suite 110
R.C. 
C.A. 91730

Phone: 909-484-0985
Fax:     909-484-0785

Alberto
Aldborough Enterprises

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 6 Dec 1996 01:21:55 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,

>Thanks for your attention and any input you might have.

  At work we got a Lincoln Pro Cut 125 based on the recommendation of our
welding supplier. While I don't know much about other brands the Lincoln
has been doing fairly well for about a year now. We use it fairly often
cutting stainless and some mild steel. We try not to use it with the hand
torch because it is rather awkward to use. It is just hard to get braced
properly in order to get a good cut. It works pretty well with the machine
torch though. We have a very old Linde plasma machine there that we used
before. It used the nitrogen and co2 mix that they all used to use. It
lasted a long time but was rather tempermental. I think that this was do
more to the old design of the electronics than anything else. I don't know
what the life of the electrode and nozzle is for other brands but the
Lincoln seems to go through more than I would expect. And they are not
that cheap either. One thing that is interesting is that we go through a
lot more nozzles when hand cutting. When machine cutting the electrode
will nearly always go out first. We had talked to a fabricating shop in
the area about what plasma to get and they said to not get several brands
that they had but really didn't recommend what to get. I'm not real sure
but I think said not to get a Miller and that their Thermal Dynamics had a
board that would go out on them but I would take this with a grain of
salt. The Lincoln seems to be well made but I have not had any experience
of the other brands to provide a good comparison for you.

   Wayne Cook

Quality is like buying oats,
        if you want nice, clean, fresh oats you must pay a fair price.

However, 
        if you can be satisfied with oats that have already been through
the horse...
                          
That comes a little cheaper...