Plasma cutters

landy · Guru

Plasma cutters

Whenarewethere · Guru

What are you trying to cut?

Bicyclecamper · Guru

You can buy the tips anywhere mate, any place that sells welding supplies, so long as you know, which ones you need. When I am not near my local supply shop, I look for a Cig Weld supplier. Well I did, I don't have the cutter, any more, as their was no further use for it, actually until July, when I have a job to do, and will, be hiring one. One thing, I would do if you have never used one, is get someone to train you or at least show you how to use it properly.

landy · Guru

Whenarewethere I have a job with some 5o X 5 mm angle at the moment but I just want it for general cutting around the w/shop, I would normally use a cutting wheel on the 5 inch angle grinder but I watched a friend using a cheap plasma and I was very impressed with the way it cut.

landy · Guru

Thanks Bicyclecamper are you saying that consumables are not Brand specific and that there is a standard range that will fit any Plasma cutter.

Whenarewethere · Guru

If it is steel just use oxy-acetylene. If you are only cutting the odd thing get the very thin cutting discs, I can't believe how quick they cut through steel, especially on my 10.8/12v angle grinder.

Comments here near end of first page.

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t66660676/securing-a-van/

Sweet William · Member

Many moons ago I set up a mobile workshop which included a plasma cutter with 1/2 inch steel cutting capacity. Cost $4000. Ran it a few times to prove to myself it worked. Then I discovered 1mm angle grinder cutoff wheels and never used the plasma cutter ever again.

Whenarewethere · Guru

60 x 3mm pipe, about $0.10 per cut. It would be cheaper with larger discs.

KJB · Guru

Plasma cutters are good for cutting shapes.

Whenarewethere · Guru

So are jigsaws. Often pushing the grey matter one comes up with alternative ways of doing things & invariably with a better result.

I cut 2 of these curved & tapered 200mm long brackets to beef up my car's roof rails & did a lot of finishing by hand. It boils down to how many jobs you have & is it worthwhile spending money on the tool.

blaze · Guru

My BIL brought an ebay cheapy years ago, it was a failure out of the box. After a visit to an electrician and fixing a couple of dry joints it performed well. He was a tafe teacher/ boilermaker and knew what he wanted. Grinding disks are great but limiting. Go and buy it landy, toys are good to have. Make sure you have plenty of air
cheers
blaze

Whenarewethere · Guru

Often I will cut a piece of 316 flat bar with large bolt cutters, cut off the corners, tidy up to make a round end for safety. If a complex shape is required then that's a different story.

Bicyclecamper · Guru

edThey can be brand specific, especially the cheap chinese ones, my suggestion would be to take a tip in to a welding shop, and try and get it before it is wrecked, or just take the brand name in before you buy it, to make sure you can get the tips.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Wednesday 10th of June 2020 03:25:21 PM

Bicyclecamper · Guru

You can use a good oxy cutter, as has been suggested, and just get a set of wheels put on the nozzle to guide you in your cut, cheaper and does a wonderful job. I used the oxy with the wheels more then the plasma cutter way back when.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Wednesday 10th of June 2020 03:34:57 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

I have done first year in oxy-acetylene welding, quite enjoyed it, theoretically once you start cutting it is the oxygen that is oxidising the steel & burning it away, so you are not using much acetylene.

& While on the subject as a whole, make sure you have the correct eye shading factor & make sure all skin is covered from the UV radiation.

landy · Guru

I would like to thank everybody for there input on this it's good to get a lot of different opinions. At the moment I have quite a well equipped work shop and have used all
the suggested alternatives on many occasions to good affect but feel I have a place for a plasma cutter as long as it doesn't cost me to much, because as Blaze said
" toys are good to have " I believe one of the cheep Chinese ones would have filled my needs just fine but was worried I would not be able to get spare tips and consumables
once I had used the two spare sets that came with it, and after seeing Bicyclecamper comment about C I G today I went round all the major suppliers in Ballarat and as I feared
they only supply parts for the recognized brands that they sell. So in short save $200 on the machine and then have to import tips from China if you can find them as none of the people that
are selling the machines are supplying the spare tips. Thanks again to everybody Landy

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I make exhaust turbo manifolds in my spare time. Talk to your local welding supply or keep in touch with your on line who you bought consumables off . Often you can buy 10 years of tips etc at reasonable price . Then STORE them in a place you KNOW where they are !! Helps to have good water seperator too .

landy · Guru

Thanks Aus Kiwi The people that are selling the M/C and the importers are not handling the tips and are not interested in selling them. Although I think I could with enough effort find the parts myself from China this would require me to first buy a cutter from someone who is not interested in supporting their product and I'm now getting to the stage where I can't be bothered to go to the trouble just to save a few dollars and make someone's life easy. Landy

-- Edited by landy on Thursday 11th of June 2020 09:48:18 PM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

KJB wrote:
Plasma cutters are good for cutting shapes.

If I need anything more than a few bits the same (even simple stuff) or something more complex I get it cut by the local laser cutter. He can cut almost any material accurately and competitively.

Cheers,

Peter

landy · Guru

Thanks Peter, That's what I used to do when I was in Business. I had one particular job that could be made from the same blank although the finished item
was a bespoke fitting, the local laser cutting firm would blank me out a dozen at a time and I would machine and fitt them from there as required.
Landy